Page 2 University Daily Kansan Fridav. Nov. 20, 1953
Welcome All From Old KU
Homecoming—1954 style.
You're likely going to have to brave the elements at the game Saturday, but then Kansas weathermen have been wrong more than once before.
And it's time once again to welcome back to the campus the grads of young and old. Whether you're back for a golden homecoming, or back less than a year after graduating you'll see a lot of changes, but it's still the same old gang of college lads and co-eds in the same old atmosphere.
There isn't much that can be said to alumni that they don't already know. In fact they can likely tell us plenty.
But you're welcome anyway. Glad to have you.
-Clarke Keys
In a letter to the editor, KU women stated their defense.
Cheers Change, But Not the Spirit
School spirit has been a major University controversy this fall, with students being denounced for wearing their Jay Jane, KuKu, or Red Pepper sweaters when the football team is out of town and others debating when to give the Rock Chalk chant and sing the Alma Mater.
"The KU girls seem to be ladies," it began uncertainly. "In view of this fact they could hardly join in some of the songs and yells frequently heard on the campus and athletic field.
An editorial in the Kansan accused KU women of lacking spirit—"The girls of the University have not put forth any great effort in the way of cheering, probably deeming that they would be encoaching to the brazen throats of men," it said.
Such goings-on are nothing new, however. At KU in 1912, unofficially the year of the first Homecoming game, there was also a dispute over school spirit, dealing with a questionable yell and the contribution of women to the cheering at football games.
"Some of the songs and yells now being used need to be sent to the laundry and thoroughly scrubbed and fumigated before they will be fit for gentlemen to use, much less for ladies."
The yell in question was "Cheer, cheer, the gang's all here, what the hell do we care."
A University professor entered the argument, opposing the use of the yell. "No gentleman uses the word 'hell' as an imprecation, seriously or in jest, in the presence of ladies," he said.
"Does it become a gentleman to ask a lady to join him in such a song?" the letter to the editor asked.
"Let us face the question of whether it is good for us and our Alma Mater to sing songs which use language that is offensive, while there are no end of good songs and yells which do not," the professor said.
A Kansan editorial defended the yell, saying "no red blooded person has any cause to object to it. To say that it is indecent or vulgar does seem far-fetched to many. Of course if there are persons who object to the use of a perfectly good English word such as hell, it may be possible to substitute the word deuce for it."
Despite the differences of opinion, sentiment was decidedly in favor of an enthusiastic school spirit.
"It is pep that does things in this world," the Kansan said. "Why did a few scattered colonies on the eastern coast humble all the forces that England could hurl against them and finally win their liberty? There is but one answer," the Kansan concluded, "they had the pep."
—Sam Teaford
University of Kansas Student Newspaper
News Room KU 251 Ad Room KU 378
member of the Kansas Press Assn., National Editorial Assn. Inland Daily Press Represented by the National Advertising Service, 420 Madison Avenue, N.Y. City, $4.50 a year (add $1 a semester if in Lawrence). Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University's annual university holidays and examination periods. Entered second class matter Sept. 17, 1910, at Office of the University of March 3, 1879.
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editorial Editor Keys
Assistant Jerry Knudson,
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
NEWS STAFF
NEWS STAFF
Executive Editor ... Ken Coy
Managing Editors ... Ed Howard.
        Don Tice, Dean
        Evans, Mary Betz
        Chuck Morelock
News Editor ... Shirley Piatt
Assistant ... Tom Shannon
Sports Editor ... Stan Hamilton
Assistant ... Ken Brosnan
Society Editor ... Lotty Lemmon
Elizabeth Wohlgemuth
Feature-Exchange Ed. ... Sam Teaford
News-Ed. Adviser ... Calder M. Pickett
"That dang laundry has fouled-up again—I don't take chemestry."
Letters
In response to the letter of Nov. 10 by Wayne Tefft, my criticism of the present grading system is that too much work is done for the grade rather than for the education. I did not intend to imply that studying was a detriment to anything. To get an education we must study, of course.
Therefore, since there are fields of study on the hill which require a certain grade average, this is a definite hindrance to the "average grade" student. Regardless of how much he may desire to learn he may not be allowed to pursue his desired course because of his grade average. Hence, he must work for grades.
But the important point is the goal at which we aim our studies. Granted, most of us are here for an education, but out of necessity we must work for grades. I contend that it is possible to learn and not make good grades and conversely to make grades and not learn.
As has been stateg a change in standards would be inevitable if a new system were adopted. I believe the proposed system would alleviate many problems. But aside from this, the fact is we need a change. Too many of us are spending too much time worrying about grades.
To the Editor:
Russell O. Settle Jr. College sophomore.
Publick Occurrences BOTH FORREIGN AND DOMESTICK Friday November 20. 1953
CAMPUS
It's that time again. This weekend everyone will probably hear many times how easy school is these days compared to the old days. Just remember, Homecoming comes but once a year.
Just because the bill in the ASC to raise fines for flagrant parking violators has seemingly died, don't expect the issue to die. The administration is pushing the matter hard.
If J. V. Sikes is not rehired as head football coach, look for his staff, or at least part of it, to go with him when he leaves, whether they are offered new contracts or not.
It is a good bet that, as usual, a blizzard will hit the state just before Thanksgiving vacation.
INTERNATIONAL
Ramon Magsaysay, the newly elected president of the Philippines, should put the Islands in shape as no one has done before. Instead of overlooking the guerilla problem, if it should take a turn for the worse, he'll look for the right tools and get the job done.
A cinch to make a million is the person who invents something to let industrial vapors rise under adverse weather conditions. Californians and Britishers have been suffering from an overdose of "smog" lately.
Queen Frederika of Greece, now on tour in this country, is doing a tremendous job of public relations. The question now is whether Queen Frederika can win away some of the Americans who worship Philip and Elizabeth of England.
NATIONAL
If the story and the picture of the 1954 March of Dimes poster boy doesn't make people toss another coin on the platter nothing will.
Business isn't going to be as profitable in the future. Sales have been declining steadily and indications are that the decline will continue. Factories are acquiring large surpluses because of the increase in consumer demand.
With all of the flurry about Harry Dexter White the spotlight will be off of the Republicans for the next few months unless President Eisenhower decides to call off his boys, if he can.
STATE
Drastic new traffic reforms will probably be tried in Kansas early next year. This may mean tighter restrictions on driver's licenses, or an improved method of checking safety of autos.
Kansas Republicans will smooth over any serious splits in the party, but underneath the surface of public attention the feud will continue.
Kansas Democrats will probably announce their candidate for governor in the next election very soon. They plan to get an early campaign start this year.