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Journalism Alumni Recall 'Good Old Days'
University Daily Kansan
By MARILYN DURACH
"Almost too fancy to work in" was the opinion of many journalism alumni when they returned Saturday to find the new spacious and modern building so different from the "Old Shack."
The alumni, many of whom have become editors of various publications throughout the country, were amazed at the progress of the School of Journalism.
However, they seemed to enjoy even more recalling the unusual incidents and problems of their own days of working on the Kansan.
He said jokingly that the lack of faculty supervision was what hurried up the progress of the School of Journalism .
The first editor of the Daily Kansan, Louis LacCross, editorial editor of the St. Louis Globe Democrat, ran the paper in the basement of Fraser without faculty supervision in 1911.
Mr. LaCoss did not take any journalism courses but majored in English, "in the days of Jimmy Green and when 'Daddy' Flint was just a young sprout."
As Kansan editor, Mr. LaCoss recalls writing "a flaming editorial
about Governor Stubbs" which caused him to believe that the chancellor of the University was using the Kansan to fight his campaign for senator.
Arch M. O'Bryant, city editor of the Wichita Eagle, said when he was in school men wanted to prove they were tough. They may want to do the same thing now but never to the extent of running around the block bare-footed in snow a foot deep, as he said he did.
Mr. Whitney met his wife in school and they were both given D's in one class because they sat on the back row and talked all the time, despite the efforts of the instructor to separate them.
"The trained seals" was the name given to the class of 1912 by Merle Thorpe, chairman of the journalism department. "We jumped through hoops when Mr. Thorpe spoke". Mr. Charles Sweet, advertising manager
David Whitney, associate editor of the World Book and Encyclopedia in Chicago, held every position offered on the Kansan. While editor-in-chief Mr. Whitney was also a leader of a political party and was often accused of having a biased paper.
of Capper publications in Topeka and a member of the class, said.
Mr. Sweet remembers his review of a play which caused the writer and director, an English instructor, to wave a sword in anger at the editor of the Kansan.
His wife, Mrs. Mildred Sweet, was the first woman to get a master's degree in journalism. She did so in 1916. She remembers that once the administration "stopped the press" because of one of her editorials.
Mr. Hadley found himself in a difficult situation when this case came before the student supreme court, of which he was a judge. He said the group became quite wild and used both tear gas and water bombs. "This was my only venture into communism," he said.
Hugh Hadley, who has been with the Kansas City Times for eight years, was a member of the "Veterans of Future Wars," a riotous group of students who stationed themselves at "Dear Post Number One" near Potter lake in 1936.
The killer "whale" isn't really a whale but the largest member of the porpoise family.
Tuesday, Feb. 26, 1952
All On One Day
Clinton, Ill. III—(U.P.)—Expenses for birthday cakes are held to a minimum in the Raymond Arnold household. All three Arnold children were born on the same date, Nov. 27. The eldest is four years old, the second two, and the baby was born Nov. 27, 1951.
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