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University Daily Kansan
Monday, Oct. 3, 1955.
L.N. 'Daddy' Flint: The EndOfAn Era
Few men lead as full and rich a life as L. N. Flint had and live to see their accomplishments as leaders recognized and proclaimed as they should be. In the twilight of his long and productive career as pioneer educator in journalism, he received not only the personal thanks and praise of hundreds of successful graduates of the department he directed for 25 years, but also deserved public acclaim at several special events arranged in his honor.
In 1937, journalism alumni paid Prof. Flint public tribute when he delivered the alumni achievement address at Commencement. They presented to him a watch and a radio as tokens of "appreciation to the man we love and respect." Jack Kistler, then superintendent of the University Press, gave a speech complimenting Prof. Flint on his great success as a teacher. Mr. Kistler, quoted John M. Henry, then general manager of the Central States Broadcasting System: "L. N. Flint was so modest that it was not until we were several years away from him that we began to appreciate him."
In 1941, during the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the University, journalism alumni honored him at the Flint Dinner, one of the largest and most important banquets held at the University in years. Raymond Clapper was the principal speaker and dozens of notable journalists who had studied as one of "Flint's boys" attended—including William Allen White and Ben Hibbs, editor of the Saturday Evening Post.
On May 22, 1946, the program of the annual Kansan Board Dinner was another important tribute to Prof. Flint. Merle Thorpe, who organized the department of journalism in 1911, was guest speaker. At the dinner an oil portrait of Prof. Flint was presented to the University. Journalism students and alumni had contributed the money to pay for the painting, done by Prof. Raymond J. Eastwood. A special souvenir program was printed, honoring Prof. Flint and the other four men (all then alive) who had directed journalism work at the University since its beginning in 1903: Prof. Edwin M. Hopkins, 1903-07; Charles Harger, 1907-11; Merle Thorpe, 1911-16; and Elmer F. Beth, 1941-48.
About 1941, the Kansas Council of Teachers of Journalism, an organization of high school teachers, established the L. N. Flint Loan Scholarship Fund at the University. About the same time, the campus chapter of Alpha Delta Sigma, national professional advertising fraternity, adopted the name of L. N. Flint chapter.
Assurance that his name would live at least as long as stone and bronze endure came to him this year when the Board of Regents named the journalism building Flint Hall in recognition of the decades of leadership, inspiration, and effort he had contributed to the development of the University.
Across the nation in the city rooms of newspapers, in the publishers' offices of magazines, in the managers' offices of radio stations and advertising agencies, the name of L. N. Flint is honored by men and women whose success in their communications profession began in "The Shack," the old journalism building.
Wherever journalism is taught in colleges and universities, the name of L. N. Flint is respected for the tremendous contributions he made to the development of professional education in journalism. He was one of the pioneer teachers and administrators who fought against discouraging odds to establish journalism as a respected major curriculum in universities and to win the cooperation of editors and publishers. He was a leader in the American Association of Teachers of Journalism, founded in 1912. He saw to it that Kansas University became a charter member of the American Association of Schools and Departments of Journalism when it was organized in 1917. He wrote two college textbooks: one of them, "The Conscience of the Newspaper," is still an outstanding treatise on the ethics of journalism.
He helped to train and encourage college teachers of journalism and advertising. He established at Kansas graduate work in both editorial and advertising sequences when few universities attempted such offerings. He constantly worked with Kansas publishers and Kansas high school publications advisers in the solutions of their problems. He continually tried in every feasible way to raise the standards of performance of professional workers in journalism, advertising, and radio.
He found time to help hundreds of students with their personal problems, and, in his quiet, gentlemanly, and understanding way, encouraged many to go on when difficulties seemed to block the way.
With the passing of L. N. Flint, the pioneer period of college education for journalism seems to be ended. He was the last of the great leaders who organized the major schools of journalism, planned and taught the required professional courses, and founded the national organizations which lead in the continuing development of professional education in communications. All the rest of the great pioneer-period leaders moved on years ago—Walter Williams and Frank L. Martin of Missouri, H. F. Harrington of Northwestern, Eric Allen of Oregon, A. L. Stone of Montana—they sleep the sleep of immortals. Now, they have been joined by L N. Flint of Kansas, and Kansans everywhere mourn his passing.
L. N. Flint, the teacher, the journalist, the gentleman, is gone, but he will never be forgotten while his name and his deeds remain engraved in stone, in bronze, and in the hearts of all whom he helped and encouraged.
Prisoner Release Poses Question
Release of three men described as among the "top Japanese war criminals" raises several questions worth attention.
How do these differ from four others in the same category—the Class A of officials tried by a joint tribunal of eight nations?
Why should they be released when 650 Japanese of lesser importance—tried by the courts of separate nations—are still held?
What effect has the effort to punish individuals as war criminals had after ten years?
The releases appear to have been made at the request of the Tokyo government, and it may have influenced the choice of prisoners to be released. Release of all in Class A is expected.
The chief distinction between them and lesser prisoners still held is that they were considered—as members of the ruling clique—to share responsibility for the general crime of starting the war. Those in lesser categories were tried for individual crimes, such as brutal treatment of prisoners.
It must be conceded that the war criminal concept has not been wholly successful in practice. One unfortunate aspect has been the tendency of popular sympathies in the defeated countries to rally to support of those convicted. It becomes harder for fellow countrymen to see what was loyalty to country and what was betrayal of a common humanity.
But there is reason to believe real gains have been made in bringing moral judgments to bear and advancing international law. Some defeatist voices are raised, declaring that since those who started the Korean war were not punished it is wrong to punish anyone else, and the whole concept should be abandoned.
This view, it seems to us, fails to recognize that law always has to grow, both nationally and internationally. Recognizing that the effort to bring individuals to look as war criminals has had an imperfect beginning, would it not be wiser to retain benefits won and seek further improvement? Mercy may dictate the release of more of those still held. But expediency should not rule. Nor should defeatism.
A UDK feature article Friday, Sept. 30, mentioned that in days gone by, University students were not allowed to date on school nights. What did the administration think students went to school for, anyway?
Christian Science Monitor
The question of Ike's health doesn't seem to be worrying the Republicans in this part of the country. They're going ahead with a $100 a plate "Forward for Ike for '56" dinner at the Hotel Muehlebach in Kansas City, Oct. 6.
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
Phil Stiles, head cheerleader at KU last year,
transferred up the Kaw and last week was named
head cheerleader at Kansas State. Nice to know Phil's a go-getter, but how morally malleable can a person be?
First, Second, High! Put 'Em In Reverse—Rock Chalk
I wish to protest mildly your blowing up my Uncle Mt.'s smoke-house before he got it built. Does anyone know what happened to the chimneys that used to be on Bailey? And does anyone remember how many of them there were? Or are they gone and forgotten?
.. Letters ..
Editor:
School spirit has become a matter of great concern here at KU. We all know that the football team is doing their best, and I feel that the majority of the students would like to do their best and put school spirit on the high plane it should be.
Our sister school up the Kaw at one time boasted the national record for consecutive losses. While losing over 30 straight football games they still gave their team strong support. There were probably many reasons for this, but no doubt a significant reason was that the student section was centered on the 50-yardline, where their cheers could do the most good.
I contend that where the students sit at football games has a lot to do with school spirit.
The issue is, Who is to have the best seats on the east side of the stadium, the students holding ID cards or other fans buying reserved seats. We know that football costs money... This money comes from two sources: commissory student activity fees and reserved ticket sales. The athletic department knows they will get money from 8,000 students whether they are sitting on the 50-yard line or in the end-zone.
Herb Horowitz
2nd Year Law
The students are in a poor bargaining position. If something isn't done now, maybe next year we'll be watching KU play from Campanile Hill . !
Michigan Boosts Bridge Safety
LANSING, Mich. —(U.P.)—The Straits of Mackinac Bridge linking Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas, will be "the safest suspension bridge in the world," according to its designer.
Dr. David B. Steinman said wind tunnel tests on a scale model showed the $100,000,000 span will be able to withstand winds up to 1,000 miles an hour. The bridge will open in 1957.
That's what's the trouble with the modern age, as Aunt Great Lakes says: Too much change. Last Sunday Uncle Mt. was teaching Cousin Erie to shift the gears in his '37 Hudson. But by the time the boy can afford a car—he's a graduate student in psychodrama—the there won't be any gears in cars.
Then they'll have a cheer at KU like-
Put 'em in reverse!
Strip em but don't curse:
Hand choke, Rock Chalk, shift!
Strip 'em but don't curse!
Archbold Dome
Takes Fire To Dome
It'll just be traditional, make no sense at all. Nobody will remember gear shifts at all. Who, for example, knows today that Rock Chalk stands for a subsidiary defalcation underlying a large part of our local allusionary deposits. As Cousin Huron says: Gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed saepe cadendo. But they're the tears I shed for the good old days, the stable past. (We had a gig.)
First, second, high!
—Archibald Dome
RUTLAND, Vt. — (UP) — George Lambert wasn't disturbed at all when rubbish in the rear of his truck burst into flame. He drove around the corner into Rutland's main fire station where firemen extinguished the flames.
Takes Fire To Station
Daily hansan
University of Kansas Student Newspaper News Room, KU 251 Ad Room, KU 376 Member of the Inland Daily Press association. Associated Collegiate Press association. Faculty Admission vertisling service. 420 Madison avenue, N.Y. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $4.50 a year (add $1 a semester if in Lawrence) Published at Lawrence University year except Saturdays and Sundays. University holidays and examination periods. Entered as second class matter. Sept. 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kan.,
John Herrington ... Managing Editor
Madelyn Brite. Gretchen Gurne, Irene C.
Six, Lee Ann Urban. Assistant Manager,
Bob Lyle. City Editor;
Bob Lyle, Assistant City Editor;
K Walt, Telegraph Editor; Marion
Mcoy, Society Editor; Jane Pec
Nice, Assistant Society Editor; John
McMillon, Assistant Society Editor; S
L Jones, Assistant Sports Editor;
NEWS DEPARTMENT
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Ron Grandon             Editorial Editor
Ted Blankenship       Associate Editor
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Business Manager Paul Bunge Business Manager Robert Wolfe Advertising Manager Charles Sledd National Advertising Manager, Jack Fisher, Circulation Manager