C-Page 2
University Daily Kansan
Friday, Feb. 22, 1952
Used 68 Years - rack in the 1880s the only building on the campus was University hall (Fraser) housed most science and chemistry department was in the basement.
Old 'Shack' To Be Torn Down, Replaced By Library Wing
Bv SHIRLEY LYON
University students entered the "Shack," then called the Chemistry building, for the first time 68 years ago.
The building, second oldest on the campus, will eventually be torn down and an east wing to Watson library will be built in its place.
Now that the William Allen White School of Journalism and Public Information has moved to its new location, the "Shack" houses only the University Press and the Stenographic bureau.
When the Press and the bureau move to new locations, the two wooden annexes to the building will be torn down.
"Classes are no longer being held in the building." Raymond Nichols, executive secretary to the chancellor said, "but the University Extension may use it this summer for institutes and conferences."
During its history the building has served as the home of the chemistry department, the School of Pharmacy, the laboratories of histology and human anatomy, and finally, the home of the School of Journalism
As the chemistry department en-larged, there was not enough room for all the students and there was no way to remove the odorous and injurious gases.
Prof. G. E. Patrick pointed this out to the regents and the state legislature sent a committee to the University to "smell" for themselves.
In 1833, they granted $4,000 with permission to use an unexpended interest fund of $8,000 for the purposes of the new building.
The building was designed by Haskell and Wood, architects. Its plan was then considered the best method for ventilation of a chemistry building.
Although it has no definite style of architecture, the use of materials and the shape of windows show a Romanesque influence.
The native limestone building cost $12,000. MacFarland and Son of Lawrence were the contractors for its construction.
Dr. E. H. S. Bailey, late professor of chemistry, who came to the campus the same year the Chemistry building was erected used to teach in it, building was built; no money was left to buy equipment to go in it.
Students used desks and apparatus from the old building until the legislature appropriated more money for the equipment.
The School of Pharmacy soon moved into the building with the chemistry department and by 1900 the classes were so large that they moved to new Bailey hall, erected that year.
After the chemistry department and the School of Pharmacy moved from the "Shack" it became the home of the laboratories of histology and human anatomy and was called Medical hall.
Medical hall remained its name until 1923 when the last medical class moved away and the journalism department moved in and remained there till this year.
As the department of journalism grew, two wooden annexes were
THE SHACK IN ALL ITS GLORY—The University's second oldest building—the "Shack"—has been used for journalism classes for 39 of its 63 years of service. No longer used for classes, the-building eventually will be torn down to make room for an addition to Watson library.—Kansan film by Al Marshall.
built onto the west side of the building.
While the future journalists occupied the shack the doors hardly were closed. At almost any hour some student could be found working in the newsroom getting ready for the next day's Kansan.
The newsroom, with it high ceiling, was poorly lighted and had uncovered steam pipes running around the walls. These pipes popped and banged when they got steam in them
floor of the shack was continually vibrating from the running of the printing equipment down stairs.
Life Was Exciting
Back In The Good Old Days At The Shack
Amid all the plans for the dedication of the new journalism building L. N. Flint, professor emeritus of journalism, took time this week to think back over the years about the early days of journalism at the University.
By LORENA BARLOW
"When we first moved into the old journalism building in 1911 our predecessors left some of their equipment in our new quarters. In the sky parlor, cage after cage of white rats was stacked, clear to the ceiling," he said.
Professor Flint explained the rats had been used for experiments carried on by the department of medicine.
"We finally got rid of the rats, but the odors stayed with us for a long, long time," he stated.
Another event Professor Flint remembered was the custom, started in 1916 by the men, of wearing corduroy trousers to distinguish journeymen from street women joined the practice in 1919 by doning brown corduroy skirts.
and the heaters in the lecture room would also give the boiler-room effect when they were turned on. The
There was a punishment attached to the non-wearer of corduroy on the designated days if not good or sufficient excuse was offered.
Enlarger Believed Lost On Enterprise
Through all the years, he recalled, there was never a practical joker to equal little Willie Ferguson, a short, active young man. Like all students in those days, he wore string ties and high celluloid collars and parted his hair in the middle. Under
"In earlier days," Professor Flint said, "I think the students were a little wilder. They were full of pranks and iokes."
A Leitz enlarger on order for the new Journalism building is believed to have been part of the cargo lost when Capt. Henrik Kurt Carlsen's ship, the Flying Enterprise, sank in the North Atlantic last month.
The enlarger was ordered through the Mosser-Wolf camera supply store in Lawrence. Russell Mosser, part owner, said there had been a delay in the order and he has been informed that the sinking of the Enterprise is probably the cause.
those straight locks dwelt a very vivid imagination, Professor Flint said.
Willie went home for a short vacation back in 1911. During this time he spent every free moment thinking up an imaginary murder case, but Professor Flint denied he ever made such a demand.
With some hair combings from his sister, some chicken blood, and an old club, Willie went to work. He found an old abandoned barn where he carefully set the scene. He planted his props and spilled the blood around to indicate a body had
Whether it was a class assignment or not, Willie went so far as to set up an imaginary murder of his own.
Willie confessed when he discovered the situation was getting out of hand and the officials just let the matter drop.
When the caretaker discovered the situation the next day and called the sheriff, Willie just happened to be around. He wrote the stories that went all over the midwest. The Kansas City Star and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch were two of the many papers accepting the detailed tales of the search for the "murderer."
been dragged across the floor. Willie then made his exit.
After graduation William W. Ferguson kept in touch with Professor Flint. "Willie moved to California and continued to pull stunts. He always sent me the write-ups about his pranks." Professor Flint said.
"But Willie didn't learn to be a fake in my class in Ethics—that was his own invention," he added.
School of Journalism Building
by
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CONGRATULATIONS
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MOSSER WOLF
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