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University Daily Kansan Wednesday, Sept. 22, 1954
Sad Tale of Independent Students Association
A tragedy built out of motionless years—that is the sad tale of the Independent Students association.
What might have been one of the most powerful organizations on the Hill has dwindled down to an inactivity described by one independent student as "pooped out."
Attempts this year to re-vitalize the ISA are met with countless problems encountered over the past few years that show small memberships, little interest, and meager results. A few hearty souls have kept the ISA running along a tired rail, but their efforts have been obstructed by an awkward problem: the independent students won't participate.
The problem actually becomes one of the unorganized masses. An estimated 40 per cent of the campus students living in private homes have refused to give away any of their privacy, and they take their independence literally.
The difficulty of bringing together students scattered over the Hill has left a hole in the ISA that hasn't been filled for some time. It is no wonder that an empty organization has resulted. The power of one of the largest units on the campus has been lost because scattered groups can't coagulate their strength.
The fault doesn't lie exclusively with private home dwellers. So many independent students have become confined to their dorms and their scholarship halls that participation in larger groups—an Independent Students Association, for instance—has seemed beyond their realm of thinking and participation.
The tragedy lies in the fact that independent students don't realize it is THEIR organization. They don't seem to realize that the benefits to be reaped from the ISA are THEIR benefits. And there are benefits:
Elections—Why can't independent students work together to obtain class offices?
Housing—Why don't women's dorms work through the ISA to present their complaints of inadequate housing?
Social activities—Why can't persons in private homes get together and meet a host of new friends? Why must students in dorms and scholarship halls remain strangers?
And why are we waiting around, ranting and raving about problems that possibly a united organization could solve or at least bring to light?
So far this year about 300 independent students have decided to break through their confinement and have bought ISA memberships. President Margaret Smith is planning a campaign now to call on the independent students to sound the word of the importance of organizing.
It will be interesting to see how many more students will cooperate in the benefits of the organization. It will be interesting to see how many really dig in to make it worthwhile.
And it will be even more interesting to see how many independent students ironically say, "Me join the ISA? Not on your life—it doesn't do anything." —Gene Shank
Pipe Fad Goes Up in Smoke
In 1920 women won the vote, lighted their cigarettes and settled back to watch their younger sisters progress. The girls drank a pint and started in. Dresses went up, the pint went down. Dresses came down, slacks arrived, and the modern woman was launched.
Now 1954, and what do we find? Bermuda shorts, coming crew cuts, and feminine lips sprouting pipes. The woman is independent, and behaves accordingly. But we wonder—just where did the old fashioned girl go?
Woman is a notorious fad follower, and we are far from condemning those who advocate change, but seemingly from the way the hair dress, clothing, and primarily tobacco habits are running, we can think of nothing that would please the modern woman more than a good bottle of "Milady's Quick Beard Grower"—it would fit perfectly with the pipes.
We observed one female brier smoker, holding her pipe with what she might consider artistry. In an animated conversation the pipe provided a nice prop—she stuck the smoking bowl in her date's face to make a point. This particular pipe was well sprinkled with jewels. It matched her rhinestone nicely. Chic. The illusion was shattered when her date curiously put his hand to her face to feel, we surmised, if she might be sprucing whiskers.
The question as to why the girls have adopted the pipe is not too important, but one we venture to answer. The girls are being cute. But darling, it's not too "dah-ling."
—Mary Bess Stephens
One Man's
...Opinion...
New students get their first impression of a school from the enthusiasm imparted by the leaders of the school in orientation and induction ceremonies. Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy and Dean of Students Laurence C. Woodruff failed to impart this example of enthusiasm at the final student-induction ceremonies last week.
During these final induction ceremonies in Memorial Stadium last Thursday night, both of these University leaders spoke briefly to the approximately 1,500 additions to the KU Campus.
Their words were glowing and well-chosen, but their phrases were destroyed by too many glances at obviously well-prepared manuscripts.
During a busy week of pre-school activities, both the chancellor and Dr. Woodruff had been called upon many times. There is no doubt they were both extremely busy during the period — but enthusiasm takes no time — only effort.
Dean Woodruff explained the significance and history of the University seal and motto; Chancellor Murphy told of the meaning behind ceremonies in which a torch was carried symbolically from the founders of the University down through the classes of the current year.
The occasion was not an event for evangelism, but neither should it have been a funeral ceremony.
The two speakers gave a good history lesson. Their styles of presentation were adapted to their subject, but they seemed to forget they were talking to a beginning class — not a group of former students.
Ron Grandon
While the owl cannot move its eyes in their sockets, it does have a great area of vision because it can rotate its head in a large arc of 272 degrees.
Daily Hansan
University of Kansas Student Newspaper News Room, KU 251 Ad Room, KU 376
Member of the Kansas Press association,
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Press Association. Attended 2015 Madison ave. N.Y. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $4.50 a year (add $1 a semester if in Lawrence). Published lawrence if every lawrence except Saturdays and Sundays. University holidays and examination periods. Entered as second class matter, Sept. 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kan., post office under act of 68-68.
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LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
"Little TOO rusty, huh?"
Enrollment Blues Are Bluer With This Year's System
It's over now and classes have started. But it is rather hard to forget those two long hours when you stood in line just to get your registration card—just long enough to keep you from enrolling because the enrollment floor at the Union had closed until the next day. The schedule said you were to register at 3 p.m. but, of course, that meant you had to start toward Strong about 2:30 p.m. in order to get a place in line.
Once inside Strong, you thought that things would move faster. Well, not quite. In fact, that is where the real waiting began. Hundreds of students were crowded in the corridors trying to see if they were even in the right line for their particular schools.
At first the comments from students were humorous. Transfers were wondering why they ever had changed schools. The freshmen were commenting that they had heard KU's enrollment and registration were confusing and tiring, but they thought it was merely an exaggeration. The upper classmen could think only of the semester when the whole procedure was started and completed in the Student Union, when all went smoothly with no waiting in line.
What happened to that simplified system? Why did the University change its method? Two years ago, registration was in Strong hall and enrollment in Robinson gym. Then the enlarged Student Union housed the complete procedure for a semester, since the gym was inadequate with the increased number of students.
By this system students were allowed to pick up their registration cards anytime before they were scheduled to enroll, to be filled out before they went to the Union to pay their fees, have their pictures taken for ID cards, and enroll. This seemed to be the ideal system. Registration and enrollment could be completed on the day scheduled, with no long lines.
The registrar's office said the fallacy of this system was that registration cards were lost, torn, and found scattered on the campus for days afterwards. But was the number lost really large enough to cause the officials to abandon the system? For those few lost, there were hundreds of students who registered and enrolled quickly and smoothly.
It seems only reasonable and fair to have a plan whereby one can become a KU student simply and quickly. Picking up and filling out registration cards early reduces the number of steps involved. The student then can begin the procedure by paying his fees. Why couldn't this system be given another chance? The advantages seem to outweigh the disadvantages.
Nancy Neville
Jewelry, Crafts Course Is Offered
A Union sponsored course in crafts will be offered on Tuesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Student Union. The class will be taught by Mr. Jim Stoner from the Student Union Book Store art department.
Students need not have special knowledge of art crafts to enroll in the class. A Student Union Activities meeting will be held at 7:30 Thursday in the ballroom. The craft shop may be used at any time by obtaining a key at the information desk in the Union.