Down Slips, Feud Make Headlines
A feud was brewing between engineers and journalists at Oklahoma A&M, an editorial in a newspaper at the University of Nebraska listed the implications of the "down slip," and freshmen at the University of Colorado believe high school preparation for college is not sufficient, campus newspapers reported this week.
Seniors peddled apples and pop corn at the University of Minnesota, two students were suspended from school at the University of North Carolina, and students at Purdue university commented on the length of Thanksgiving vacations in other developments.
OKLAHOMA A&M—The Daily O'Collegian took some jesting jabs at the A&M engineering students. Said the O'Collegian, "With or without their precious two-foot long slide rules, you can always pick out the engineering students. In groups they generally make themselves more conspicuous than bald headed cocker spaniels, and when by themselves they can be recognized by their dreamy-eyed, junior Thomas Edison looks."
But that's not all. The O'Collegian continues, "According to the slide-rule boys, no one has to study but the engineers. They scoff at such snaps as sociology, political science, and philosophy, pointing out that they take real subjects such as the calculation of rubber band stress dynamics and advanced water boiling."
NEBRASKA—An editorial in the Nebraskan said "down slips" meant many things to many people. For example, the Nebraskan said the slips were "jolts to the serious scholar." For second-semester seniors, the slips meant "turning on the power for that last, long six weeks."
Other implications: "To the perpetual soaker-upper of suds, it could mean an involuntary dry spell. To the girl who came to college to find a man, it may mean she had better try a different hair-do before grades force her into an early spinsterhood."
COLORADO—Freshmen think high school preparation for college is inadequate, according to a survey taken by the Colorado Daily. The freshmen said high schools should make a course in typing compulsory, should include note-taking in English courses, and need a course in argumentative speaking. One student said high schools should require more homework.
MINNESOTA—Seniors peddling apples and popcorn were a common sight at Minnesota's college of education. Behind it all was an attempt to raise funds for the education intermediary board, and instructors decided that apples might be sold during the first few minutes of class and during the between-class periods.
A cleanup committee was assigned to each room to take care of apple cores and spilled pop corn, and sales proceeded under the slogan, "Buv one for yourself and teacher, too."
NORTH CAROLINA—Two students have been suspended for cheating by the Men's Honor council at North Carolina. One of the suspensions was for cheating on a quiz, and the other was for stealing. In other cases before the council 16 students were found not guilty, three were removed from probation, and four were approved for readmission.
"We should like to thank and congratulate the students of Carolina for their cooperation in supporting the principles and regulations on which our honor system is founded," the council's secretary said.
PURDUE—An opinion poll at Purdue produced interesting comment on the question of longer vacations at Thanksgiving. One thought was that "50 per cent of the students cut classes," so why not have a longer vacation. "Being from New York," another said, "I will be unable to go home on a short vacation; hence I eliminate the agony of a whole weekend of turkey hash."
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
For those who appreciate the "uninterrupted" quiet atmosphere of our Student Union Music and Browsing room:
To the Editor:
One Woman's Opinion
There is always one place on this campus where the student, seeking relative quiet and solitude, can go to spend either a short restful hour of listening to music or perhaps an entire afternoon studying in a comfortable, calm, homey atmosphere without roommates barging in, telephone rings, meetings and talking—or at least that's what we thought until the Music room became a catering room . . . Excuse me . . . a meeting room.
—Well, did you see that silly ad I put in yesterday's newspaper for a roommate?"
Of course we realize that, a lecture on "Modern Music and the Young Writer" could hardly be held anywhere else but the Music and Browsing room. So when the Quill club asks to reserve the room, who's to refuse it—for what better reason? A teacher, a young writers gather than in a room full of books—and comfortable chairs.
And, Bully! Why not take the art classes there and conduct class once a month or so. And the students and faculty couldn't be expected to attend a "coffee' anywhere but the Music and Browsing room. The students who happen to be studying in the room at a time when a meeting suddenly occurs can, of course, humbly adjourn to the Jayhawk room or the English room, if those rooms happen to be unlocked. Or more likely they will decide (with no choice in the matter actually) to have a cup of coffee in the Hawk's Nest and listen to "Istanbul."
Christine Johnson Graduate student
Page 2 University Daily Kansan Thursday, Dec. 10, 1953
Member of the Kansas Press Assn., National Editorial Assn., Inland Flynn Media Represented by the National Advertising Service, 420 Madison Avenue, N.Y. City. Mail Subscription rates: $3 a semester or less. Faculty housing (Lawrence), Published in Lawrence, Kan. gery afternoon during the University Spring semester. Residence holidays and examination periods Entered second class matter Sept. 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kan., Post Office
under act of March 3 NEWS STAFF
Executive Editor... Ken City,
Managing Editor... Ed Howard,
Don Tice, Dean
Marvin Hainey
News Editor... Shirley Platt
Assistant... Tom Shannon
Sports Editor... Stan Hamilton
Assistant... Ken Bronson
Society Editor... Letsay
Editor... Elizabeth Wohlgemuth
Feature-Exchange Ed. Sam Teaford
News-Ed. Adviser... Culder M. Pickett
Editorial Editor         Clarke Keys
Assistants            Jake Warek
Chuck Morlock
EDITORIAL STAFI
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager ... Ed Smith
Retail Adv. Mgr. ... Jane Megafln
National Adv. Mgr. ... Ann Ainsworth
Classified Mgr. ... Susanne Berry
Nursery Adv. Mgr. ... Susan Winn
Promotion Mgr. ... Gordon Ross
Bus Advisor. ... Gene Brunel
Looks like the Hawk's Nest business varies in direct proportion with the coldness of the weather. Try going in there around 10 a.m. on a frigid morning and you're lucky if you can find a place to sit down. Think of the jam that would result if a convocation were scheduled on one of these —5 degree winter mornings. KU would have to call out the National Guard.
Short Ones
Warning to ROTC cadets: Don't take commands too literally. During the annual spring review two years ago, an AFROTC flight leader barked out "at ease" to his suffering subordinates. So a first year basic calmly pulled out a cigarette, lit up, and relaxed. P.S. He ain't in the corps no more.
Speaking of commands, why don't they include this one in the drill manuals. Any prospective husband will be hearing this over and over again eventually anyway. Here it is: "Buy it—Buy"
A Letter
University Not Controlled By Cut Throats After All
To the editor:
I'm confused.
And I believe the Kansan is just the agency to get me straightened out.
Now here's my problem: I've always gone along with what I read in the paper and believed most of it. And the sports pages recently have been filled with stories trying to explain why students a student at the University. But I won't buy that without taking a second look.
So I've read everything I could find on the issue and, tucked away where it took a magnifying glass to find them, I've tracked down certain statements in the papers that sounded as if KU wasn't controlled by a bunch of cut-throats, after all. In fact these reports leave me with an impression quite different from that which almost every sports writer who quotes other sports writers has been trying to force down my throat. But let me summarize these statements:
1. The decision not to renew Mr Sikes contract was made by a unanimous vote of the University of Kansas Athletic Board.
2. The Athletic Board is an official body, duly vested with the responsibility and authority to act on such matters, and has a better factual grasp of the situation than any other group or individual.
3. The Athletic Board is composed largely of faculty members, elected by their colleagues, highly respected for their independence and integrity.
4. The decision of the Board was not based on won-lost records, but was the first step in a broad program aimed at freeing athletics from alumni pressure and toward a more wholesome integration of athletics as a balanced part of the total life of the University.
5. Included among the critics of Mr. Sikes over the years have been a number of well-known and highly respected friends of the University, men of honor, who happen also to have some means, many friends, and a wholesome interest in good government.
Now all of these five reports have appeared in scattered and well-concealed form in one newspaper or another at one time or another, so they may be true. But I'm not sure.
Of course, loyalty to a friend is a virtue not to be decried in a news-paperman even when it happens to make a good story. But the time has come when, in justice to a great University, the Kansan sports writers owe it to us students who have paid the freight over the years, to put away their tear-soaked handkerchiefs long enough to find out
whether or not this is the true picture. If it is, I'm not going to burn my diploma after all.
In fact, if you can tell us that these five reports are the truth, I, and thousands of my fellow students, will suddenly realize that there has been a whale of a lot of maligning going on, and collective hatred of the greatest hoodwinkings since Adam got talked into the apple.
Robert A. West Graduate Student Biochemistry
(Ed note: The Kansan thanks reader West for these basic issues "behind" the football scene, but suggests to him that in doing his research he look a little more closely to our files in an effort to find a Kansan suggestion that the Athletic Board was not qualified or responsible.
We are further appalled at the thought that the reader believes the board to be above pressures simply because it is duly vested with the powers. It is not the legal power embodied in a group, but the manner in which that power is exercised that counts.)
Tennessee leads all the other states in the collection and processing of black walnuts. Cracking plants handle more than eight mil-pounds annually.
Volcanic steam harnessed in plants at Larderello, Italy, furnishes almost one-tenth of the nation's total electric power.