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University Daily Kansan Tuesday, April 1, 1952 Letters
Editorials
Athletic Emphasis Has Place In Universities
Many persons in this country believe colleges and universities put entirely too much emphasis on the participation in intercollegiate athletics. Why shouldn't sports be emphasized by colleges and universities?
Those persons who are against the emphasis being put upon intercollegiate athletics claim sports contribute nothing toward the improvement of either the school or the athlete. This is a faulty bit of thinking on the part of those persons who are against sports. Sports, whether they are intercollegiate or intramural, are excellent preparation for life after leaving school. It is through sports, more than any other activity, that sportsmanship and leadership are developed in the individual. Sports, if they do nothing more, are of great importance in the building of the character of the individual. No other activity in school life plays as an important part in this development as do sports.
Furthermore, those persons against intercollegiate sports maintain the belief that athletics distract from the main purpose of the school. These persons claim athletics upset the educational system of the schools. What is the purpose of the schools and universities of this country? Their purpose should be to prepare the youth of today for the job of taking over and running a world their elders have left in such a terrible mess. Athletics, which teach sportsmanship and leadership, are of much greater importance than a majority of the archaic courses taught in colleges today. Not only the athletes but every person who views sports comes under this powerful character building influence.
Opponents of intercollegiate athletics claim the athletes do not have the time to maintain their grades in school because of the heavy schedules required by the athletic program. Just because a student is a star athlete does not mean that instructors will pass him unless he maintains his grade average. Recently, E. G. Booth Jr., of Grinnell College of Iowa reported in a thesis that participation in intercollegiate athletics has little effect on scholastic marks. Booth's research was made using 50 athletes and 50 non-athletes over a period of four years. The research showed there were no tendencies toward lower academic marks. Furthermore, the upper level intelligence participants possibly improved their marks because of their athletic participation.
Last, but not least, intercollegiate athletics do more to put the school name before the public than does any other activity carried on by the school. It is primarily because of the athletic programs that a large number of students are attracted to a school. This is true of most schools including Kansas. Careful study of the athletic situation will show they do have an important place in today's colleges and universities. —Maurice Prather.
Republicans blame the Democrats for the Korean war, and in turn Democrats call Republicans warmongers. Did anyone ever think of blaming Joe Stalin?
Understatement of the week: Impartial fan watching KU play TCU in the NCAA basketball playoffs says "that big center that KU has is good."
Mail subscription rates: $1 a semester or $450 a year (add $1 a semester if in Lawrence). Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year 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 March 3, 1879.
POGO and his friends
Student Suggests Athletic Convocation
Letters:
For the past few days there has been a terrific amount of agitation for a holiday to celebrate the feats of our basketball team. Because of a Big Seven rule the administration cannot grant such a holiday.
Dear Editor:
Obviously the rally would not have been effective at regular convocation time. But the morning class schedule could be adjusted for the same half length periods as the convocation schedule calls for with the first period starting later in the morning.
So why not have at least a compromise? We can take time from classes for all-school convocations by abbreviating the morning class schedule. Who can deny that a welcome home rally like the one Friday morning is not as important as some of our convocations?
Here is a proposed class schedule for the morning after a big rally.
1st period ... 9:40 to 10:05
2nd period ... 10:15 to 10:40
3rd period ... 10:50 to 11:15
4th period ... 11:25 to 11:50
J. Robert Ashley, Engineering Senior
This would give us a little extra sleep to make up for getting in at 3:30 a.m. and later. It might be officially termed an "athletic convocation" if there isn't a Big Seven rule against such convolutions.
Comments
(From the Cincinnati News Record, University of Cincinnati):
CLASS OF POTTED PLANTS? . . .
Many a student gets through college only to realize too late that he has been the potted plant. Through the efforts of someone else he found himself here four years ago with certain skilled professors and instructors nearby to pour in the academic lore.
All kinds of advantages are here, but he has not reached out to use them.
... To everything about him he is apathetic. Student government is controlled by cliques anyway, campus publications aren't as interesting as others, and who wants to listen to a free lecture? He probably has joined at least one organization, maybe a departmental club, but he never attends the meetings.
... But the potted plant gets enthusiastic occasionally. He pledged to give a pint of blood the last time the bloodmobile was here. There is a noble cause worth his effort, he said. He forgot to keep the appointment.
The saddest part of the story comes after graduation. Failing in the bigger trials of life, the potted plant sees only that his leaves are wilting, and he tirades against the shortcomings of his alma mater.
THERE'S MORE CHEATING . .
Four students at the University of Minnesota have been ousted for breaking into a professor's office and stealing the answers to pharmacy tests. All four are members of the professional pharmacy fraternity Phi Delta Chi.
The same students also confessed to stealing $500 worth of furniture from a men's dormitory for use in the fraternity house.
Various fraternity alumni are putting up a big kick, claiming the administration's action is unfair, and the punishment is too severe.
"Let's take in a movie. We wouldn't want them to think we hadn't been to another party first."
Interpretive Articles
FACTS, Pach Will Hold Party Primaries Tomorrow
FACTS and Pachacamac, campus political parties, will hold closed party primaries tomorrow to trim their lists of candidates for the all-school elections on Wednesday, April 9.
At the spring elections last year FACTS held the first party primary ever had at KU. Then after FACTS had won a majority of members of the All Student Council the ASC constitution was amended to require all campus political parties to hold primaries. The amendment also provides that only those who can prove party membership can vote.
Pachacamac succeeded in setting up primary election machinery within its membership. Then Pach invited any student group which numbered more than 20 to join and extended to outsiders a chance to run on the Pach ticket.
Little was thought about the amendment after its passage until last week. Then thought shifted to the question of spring elections and whether FACTS would be able to retain control.
The idea of having party primaries is bound to affect the combined Pachacamac-Newly Organized Women party. Until this year Pach-NOW candidates were chosen by officials of the party.
A controversy has arisen concerning the primary elections. The party primaries are closed to students who don't belong to either party. Tomorrow each voter must show party membership identification.
Pachacamac leaders insist that all students should be allowed to vote in the primaries. FACTS leaders have countered that party primaries have never been set up in this fashion and that the Pach proposal defeats the idea of having a primary.
Pach leaders also are unhappy about the requirement that each voter show a party identification card. Pach and NOW have never issued identification except for two or three to each house.
Campus party leaders began to line up their forces for the spring elections. FACTS sifted through its membership to encourage certain members to run for office. Pachaeamac also set up a procedure to obtain likely candidates from its membership.
FACTS leaders had hoped to pass a plan for classroom voting which had been proposed at an ASC meeting last month. The plan was talked over with the chancellor who agreed it had good possibilities if it could be worked out.
Pachacamac is definitely out to regain control of the ASC. FACTS is anxious to retain its grip on the reins. Odds now are in favor of Pach.
A plan was submitted to the chancellor but as yet it has not been adopted.
Thus FACTS' hopes of winning again have been diminished. It was believed that with classroom voting every student would be presented a ballot on election day, which would increase the independent vote.
Now FACTS will have to increase its efforts to arouse the independent vote if it is to win.
The law school announces it has selected a queen which may in part explain why the law students spend so much time sitting on the steps of their building.
The Republicans have failed in accomplishing their biggest task. They failed o make sure that President Truman was renominated.