PAGE TEN
FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1940
As The Kansan Sees It
Are We Using The Wrong Technique In Selling The Teaching Profession
There is little reason to wonder that our young people have been turning away from a teaching career in droves. Nobody seems to have given a thought to trying to "sell" teaching as a career for college graduates. All the emphasis has, instead, been on the negative.
If a store, or a manufacturer, or an advertising agency tried to sell goods with the methods our educators have been using to fill teaching vacancies they would go bankrupt in a week.
"Wanted: Young men and women at starvation wages, for a job without a future. Long hours, hard work. Applicants are warned that they will be regarded as social interiors in the community. Do not apply if you have any ambition to better yourself. Faithful service not appreciated. Please apply, regardless of these conditions, as you are badly needed." This is the style in which teaching as a career has been advertised, not only stressing the adverse, but sometimes exaggerating and misrepresenting it. The reason is, of course, that school administrators, teacher organizations and other elements in the community have been trying to obtain better financial support for schools from government, and to equalize educational opportunity. This is a worthy pur-
post, and we have joined.
At the same time our schools now reap an unexpected and unwelcome harvest. We have so emphasized the
adverse that our young people have been misled into thinking that there is no other side. Suppose, for a change, the case were put this way:
Wanted: Young men and women to enter attractive profession. Starting pay immediately out of college $2,500, or $2,700 if masters degree. Steady, automatic increases. Double your pay in a few years. Pleasant associations. Make new friends. Be paid while learning. Three-month vacation each year. Retirement pension. Leave of absence every seventh year. Advance to high executive positions possible, paying $10,000, $15,000, and even $25,000.
Yes, there is an attractive side to the teaching profession and more needs to be said about it. Yet, to get teachers, good teachers, we shall have to emphasize the high mission of the profession. It is not the expected pay that brings young men into the ministry, some of them great, inspiring preachers. Nor are great doctors made that way.
We shall not attract great numbers of young people to the teaching profession with material rewards alone, though these should be adequate, but rather by pointing out an opportunity for great service, lived in a setting which is not unattractive for those so disposed. We shall have to clothe the profession with a new dignity, and in this the teacher himself will have to play his part.
The New York Times
- Letters To The Editor -
AWS Protests Bitter Bird
Dear Editor:
On March 1 the February issue of the Bitter Bird, a humor magazine authorized by the All-Student Council, was released for sale on the University of Kansas campus and the state.
We, as the governing body of the associated Women Students, feel that the level of "humor" presented in this publication, the Bitter Bird, does not reflect the quality of humor representative of University of Kansas students and we protest the publication of a magazine which places us in so unfair a light. We shall ask the All - Student Council which authorizes its publication to take immediate action.
The Associated Women Students senate, which is an elected representative group of University women, unanimously feel that an official statement of protest should be issued because of the adverse comment among the University women concerning the level of humor in the magazine.
Betty van der Smissen.
President, Associated. Women Students
Editor's note: We're behind you. Hope you can get some action to prevent a repetition of the foul humor displayed in the last issue of the Bitter Bird.
A Fanfare, Maestro
Deal: Editor.
However, there is another group
We all cheer and yell (to a certain degree) at each game for our brave lads on the basketball team. Rightly we should, for they deserve our praise and support.
of performers who do much toward our entertainment and put in a good many hours of practice for their part of the evening. Many fans enjoy this contribution but fail to let them know of their appreciation. So for the thousands of spectators who, like myself, are pleased and proud of K.U.'s fine band, I wish to say "thanks" for their time and effort.
K. C. "Keno" Stephenson
College freshman
Editor's note: It's a little late for the basketball season, but we'd like to join you in thanking the band and Prof. Russell Wiley for their many contributions to our entertainment, not only at basketball games, but at convocations.
Little Ma
Member of the Kansas Press Asm,
National Editorial Assn., Inland Daily Press Assn. and the Associated Collegiate
Press. Represented by the National Advertising Service,420 Madison Ave., New York City.
The first paid fire department was established at Cincinnati.
Editor-in-Chief...Anne Murphy
Managing Editor...Bill P. Mayer
Assst. Man Editor...Mark A. Mayer
Assst. Man Ed.. Richard D. Barton
City Editor...Nora Temple
Assst. City Editor...Harold Reddoch
Assst. Geoffrey Gerald
Assst. City Editor...James Morris
Sports Editor...Marvin Rowlands
Assst. Sports Editor...Darell Norris
Assst. Sports Editor...Wolfe
Tel. Editor...Larry Funk
Assst. Tel. Editor...Russell Oleson
Assst. Tel. Editor...Paul Pele
 Society Editor...Naomi Reddoch
Assst. Soc. Ed...Virginia Frost
Student Newspaper of the UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Business Manager ... Don Welch
Manager ... Charles Koch
Adm. Adv. Mgr ... Bob Boiloth
Circulation Mgr ... Dean Knuth
William Willis ... Willian
Promotion Mgr ... Ira Gassner
Campus
University Daily Kansan
By Bibler
Now the Russians are claiming that the Western press is maintaining an iron curtain. Wonder if anyone has bothered to look lately to see if there really is a curtain?
"A penny for your thoughts."
Miss Frank suggested that parent-teacher groups and local councils study what is available to children on newstands, on the air, and in motion pictures and express their approval or disapproval in writing to those responsible.
"The causes of crime are not so simple," she said. "They lie much deeper, in our society's failure to meet the basic needs of these children."
In the pamphlet, entitled "Comics, Radio, Movies—and Children," Miss Frank said that many of the recent attacks on the comics have made parents anxious.
"This is unfortunate, because anxious parents may do more damage to their children than comics reading," she said.
She advised parents to watch their children's reactions to exciting programs or movies. If they appear to be too upsetting, she said, parents can suggest that their youngsters skip them for a while. She added, however, that just sitting with the children while they are listening or watching may be sufficiently reassuring.
Miss Frank said there was "no basis in fact for the current news headlines which blame comics for children's delinquent acts, or for reckless claims that they have caused a rise in juvenile crime.
The pamphlet suggests that parents see that their children have plenty of enjoyable things to do and varied experiences so that radio listening or movie going does not absorb them to the exclusion of other activities.
"A child too preoccupied with crime or horror is showing us plainly that he needs help," she said. "Excessive comics reading, too, may be a symptom of disturbance."
Junior Can Read Comics; Dad Should Read With Him
New York—(U.P.) Don't throw away the children's comics, a child study expert has advised parents.
Instead, she said, read their favorite comics with them and discuss then together. Don't shut off a child's favorite radio program or drag him out of a movie, but instead watch his reaction.
Josette Frank, educational iniate in charge of children's books and radio on the staff of the Child Study association of America, expressed her views in a pamphlet issued by the Public Affairs committee, Inc., a non-profit, educational organization.
Josette Frank educational assoc-®
Theta Sigma Phi, women's honorary journalism fraternity, will mark its progress with Matrix Milestones week, April 2 to 9. Virginia Frost, journalism junior and chairman of Epsilon chapter's plans announced events for the week recently.
Theta Sigs Plan Events
On April 2, the women will be hostesses at a "Ladies of the Press" luncheon in the East room of the Union. Local newspaper women will be guests.
The Lawrence Public library and Watson Library will be presented copies of "North Star" at a book review tea on April 5 in the English room of the Union. The book, which was written by Josephine Skelton, College senior, and Biloine Whiting, '48, alumnae of Epsilon chapter of Theta Sigma Phi, will be reviewed by Miss Whiting.
Displays explaining Theta Sigma Phi and noting accomplishments of the members will be exhibited on the campus.
Norma Hunsinger, journalism junior, told the group that the chap- ter would have a rummage sale in the Community building on March 19.
"Although living costs are approximately twice as high as here, the company by which the engineer is employed will pay the difference," Professor Anders Tuesday told members of Sigma Gamma Epsilon, honorary geological fraternity.
Anders Recommends Work In Venezuela
Ellis L. Anders, assistant professor of petroleum engineering, recommends Venezuela for the engineer who would not mind living abroad.
Professor Anders, who lived in Caracas, Venezuela, for two years while with the Creole Oil company, explained that the oil companies send all employees who wish to learn Spanish to school.
Professor Anders also showed colored scenes of oil camps and of Caracas which he has taken.
Chalk Talk
One night the past weekend, the members of Chi Omega and their rushee guests were frightened by prowlers. The girls called the police and remained calm until a man with a flashlight knocked on a third-floor window.
Betty Webb took a broom from the closet and went to the window to defend her sisters only to find the man was a policeman investigating the report of prowlers.
Just think of the roads we have built for Missouri.
One guy has figured that if Kansas had been wet all these years, the government could have collected a total of over $ 3^{1/2} $ billion dollars in revenue.
The word is getting around that the smoke stack at the University power plant is larger than that of any other University in the country.
When one student was informed of this, he exclaimed, "Well hot dam! Let's go out and throw pea pods at each other and celebrate!" I guess it's just another way of saying "How impressive!"
One student said, "Even I was offered a job assessing personal property."
In a business class, the subject of acquiring competent men for positions of responsibility was being discussed.
The instructor agreed that in some places it was almost impossible to find competent men.
One student has decided the only way to save himself from flunking the mid-semester exams is to jump from the tower of Fraser.
The patrons of the Palm room give the place an atmosphere of a European university. Each day groups of students gather round a favorite professor and discuss any number of pertinent and impartinent subjects while drinking-coffee.
There won't be much in this column in the next few days because Johnny Jayhawk gave his last beer dollar to the W.S.S.F. drive.
A certain professor had a very red face the other day. Seems he started to call the roll and no one answered. When he had read off five or six names, the professor who is known for being strict about class attendance, practically threatened to flunk the students then and there.
If any other students have similar ideas, they may reserve a certain time by signing a slip in Fraser lobby. That system will avoid congestion on the roof. The Sigma Chi quartet will probably be available.
Finally, someone got the nerve to tell the professor that he must be reading the wrong class roll. Sure enough, he was.
Three hundred thirty-four were from the College, 38 from the School of Education, and 44 from the William Allen White School of Journalism and Public Information.
416 Students Take Proficiency Exam
Four hundred sixteen students took the recent English proficiency examination, Mrs. Natalie Calderwood, instructor in English, said today.
Grading of the examinations will not be completed for five weeks, Mrs. Calderwood said. Honorable mention will be given to outstanding papers.
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