PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
MARCH 12, 1947
Kansan Comments
Emergency
"There is virtue, not in having no problems arise, but rather in meeting those that do, successfully."
This was the theme of discussion of the emergency situation by the student-faculty conference Saturday. The principal topic concerned the results of the unprecedented enrollment on teaching facilities.
One hundred five persons are teaching in the University without any degree whatsoever, and no one with a doctorate degree has applied for a position in a certain K.U. school within the past two years. Salaries are higher at other Big Six schools.
On the basis of investigation, the committee in charge of this section of the discussion presented the following details:
The situation is not bad in the lower appointment brackets, but rather at upper levels. The University is losing top men without having good ones to move up. K.U. is losing her standing with other universities because faculty standards have been lowered.
Many persons argued that the picture is not nearly so black as the committee report would make it appear.
This is happening to schools all over the country, Chancellor Malott said. The only solution would be to limit enrollment, which is being done nearly as much as possible under existing state laws. The present law requires that all Kansas students eligible high school graduates) be admitted to the University. The only exceptions admitted from out of the state now are former students, children of alumni, Kansas City residents, 23 foreign students, and a few others, only a few hundred in all.
The salary scale, it was argued, is as high as that of Nebraska or Oklahoma, and is nearer to the Missouri level than formerly. The problem was held to be not the low salary scales but the lack of qualified teachers.
One case was mentioned in which an instructor himself had a grade average of less than 1.0. If so, this is an isolated instance, several persons agreed.
If the student wants to learn, he will do so regardless of the type of teacher he has, some contended. Then why have classes at all, countered others. That the teacher should be an inspiration even though the student bears the burden of learning, was opposed by those who said that in that case the professors should be good ones.
It suggested that upper level courses and research should be cut, and that the value of radio station KFKU was doubtful because it supplies no trained personnel for available positions in the field.
While no definite remedies were suggested for the inadequate teaching facilities, the conference seemer to derive benefit merely from talking out the various possibilities. Since a peak enrollment of possibly 11,000 is expected about 1949, the best hope, most persons concurred, is for students to wage their parents to write to legislators asking for a larger appropriation for the University.
"Cut some of the side shows and horse-play," the committee had suggested. "It is better to do a few things well than many things poorly."
Missouri Moola
(Editor's Note: Because salary rates at the University of Missouri are hereabouts considered high, this editorial would seem to give Kansans reason to consider the future of K.U.)
Now we hear that the University of Missouri salary budget for next year has been tentatively cut nearly $300,000 by the House appropriations committee of the legislature. This is $650,000 below what the university asked. Lewis Wallace, the committee chairman, must have been thinking about something else when that one got by.
Low Salaries at M.U.
Of one thing, the appropriations committee can be certain. It is in no danger of appropriating too much for the university teachers. At the University of Missouri as well as many other state universities and small colleges the teaching salary scale is atrocious. The committee would be nearer right if criticized the administration for not asking more than it did.
In this part of the country university and college teachers generally are among the lowest paid for the requirements of all salaried people. Public school teachers are getting their salaries raised by a national campaign. College teachers take what they can get in a dignified manner.
Nowadays most men who rise in university faculties have earned Ph.D. degrees. They are expected to carry research on the side and to contribute to scholarly publications. They are expected to be persons of consequence who carry some weight in the local community and in their chosen fields nationally.
Public schools have managed to survive on low salary schedules by relying principally on women teachers. University faculties must be made up largely of men, many of them with families to support.
The low salary universities and colleges are paying the price of the neglect. Private industry is raiding their faculties as never before. Men who would be glad to teach for any kind of decent salaries are forced to accept much larger offers to support their families. Given any kind of a fair break most of them would refuse more glamorous offers. University of Missouri salaries are better than some schools in this area, but are low by every other measure.
The progressive universities are grabbing some of the most promising teachers from the slowly dying schools. States with less wealth than Missouri are paying teachers enough to live decently. There never has been such competition for university teachers as you can see since GI students jammed the campuses. And the competition has only started.
As a coldly practical proposition, a low salary policy will wreck the University of Missouri. It must be able to meet the competition.
We have only the highest respect for a good dairy route man. But we raise one point. As long as a man can make as good a living on a Kansas City milk route, where is the financial inducement to spend many years getting a Ph.D. degree and otherwise, preparing himself for a faculty career? We assume our Republican legislature believes in the free enterprise system and financial inductions.
—Reprinted from the Kansas City Star
Officer Training Discussion Tonight
A training program accessible to all Naval reserve officers in this area will be discussed at 8 p.m. today at the Military Science building, Lieutenant Commander M c C u e, headquarters 9th Naval district, will be present to lead the discussion and to give advice on the problem.
The meeting will be open to all Naval reserve officers who are interested in maintaining their contact with the Navy through summer cruises, courses of instruction in naval science, and part time drill.
Alumni Will Vote On Officers Soon
Two committees have been appointed to bring in nominations for next year's Alumni association officers, it was announced today.
Committee members are: Nona E. Snyder, Kansas City; Balfour Jeffery, Topeka; Mrs. Rene Kiskaden Shulty, Topeka; Harold W. Goodwin, Wichita; Clarence P. Oakes, Independence; and Mrs. Catherine B. Anderson, Ottawa.
Ballots, with recommendations for president, vice-president, and two directors, will be sent to alumni some time this month. The results of the election will be announced at commencement.
The University Daily Kansan
Student Newspaper of the UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Member of the Kansas Press Assn. National Editorial Assn. Inland Indiana College Distribute College Press. Represented by the National Advertising Service in Dickson Ave. New York City.
Managing Editor .. Billie M. Hamilton
Editor in Chief .. Alamada Boliller
Assst. Man. Editor .. Rewyck L. Mullins
City Editor .. William T. Smith Jr.
Assistant City Editor .. John Finch
Marsh Manager .. Marianna Telegraph Editor
Assst. Telegraph Editor .. Marion Minor
Art Editor .. Eloise West
Advertising Manager .. Bob Hook
Advertising Manager .. Alma Wuthnow
Circulation Manager .. John Beach
Lawyer .. LaVonna Naf, Adm. Manager .. Kenneth White
Promotion Manager .. Mel Adams
Be sure you have enough prints so you can share the fun of your Kodak snapshots. Let us make extra prints from your negatives—old or new.
Dean Swarthout Predicted Great Career For Her—
Now Gladys Swarthout Is A Real Trouper
A real trouper is mezzo-soprano Gladys Swarthout, cousin of D. M. Swarthout, deap of the University School of Fine Arts.
With her leg in a cast, she sang a solo part in "Romeo and Juliet" with the N.B.C. Symphony orchestra under Toscanini at a broadcast recently. Only six days before, Miss Swarthout had fallen and injured her leg, necessitating its being in a cast, but $ ^{ \textcircled{1}} $
she disguised the fact so well that few persons in the opera company guessed.
Miss Swarthout has been active as a concert singer over a period of years. She is a member of the Metropolitan Opera company, is the star of "The Family Hour" which is broadcast each Sunday at 4 p.m. and has appeared in several movies.
"She sang for me at the age of 15." Dean Swarthout recalled, "At that early age, her voice was as beautiful as it is today. I predicted a great career for her and she has fulfilled the prediction. Today she is one of the most highly paid and most popular of concert artists; for
the past several seasons, her performances have been completely sold out."
Miss Swarthout is married to Frank Chapman, a concert baritone. Mr. Chapman was a football star when he attended Cornell University from which he was graduated.
He was the son of the late Frank Chapman, noted ornithologist who was in charge of the ornithological department of the New York museum.
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The Bus- (Adv).
-by Bibler
"I wish we could get paid in something besides 'bus tokens'!"