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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
DECEMBER 19, 1946
Kansan Comments...
No Santa Claus
No, Virginia, there is no Santa Claus. The New York Sun fooled you. Too many persons believed there was a Santa Claus, and lock what has happened to the world.
Childlike faith is fine, but you have to grow up some time. You have to know that you don't just start being good for a month or two and then have someone slip a fat prize into your stocking. The Bilbo hearing suggests such habits may have a repercussion.
Believe in Santa Claus? You might as well believe in a fairy godmother who will get you ready for Saturday night after you've left your wardrobe on the floor all week. Or a cram session that will give you the same understanding of a subject as if you had read the book during the semester. Or an alcoholic binge that will solve all your troubles.
You dissect a specimen in biology and learn causes of physical functions; why then do you try to avoid the more challenging mechanisms of human relations? Until there is peace on earth, as long as ill will is prevalent among men, belief in Santa Claus is not enough.
Stars in the snow, candles, mysterious packages, holly, old and new friendships—of course you may believe in these. Christmas is not a time for cynics. But let your belief in Santa Claus and Christmas be an inspiration, not an aplate.
The Dove
The first issue of the rejuvenated Dove has hit the campus with much less than the predicted explosion.
On the whole, the paper seems to be worthy of University students. The articles seem to be well-written and show signs of much thought. Some of the reasoning and conclusions drawn seem to us to be fallacious, and a few accusations are made without presenting any proof.
Whether the Dove is filling a definite need on the campus can't be determined by sales now. Student demand for the Dove will be shown when the Dove puts its second issue on sale.
Well-Deserved
One group of students will have the chance to see all eight home basketball games this year, and it's both legal and right. That group is made up of the members of the University band.
The band has been split into two sections for the basketball games. Each section will play for one set of four games, and members of each section have been given the chance to buy tickets for the set of four games for which they don't play.
We'd like to commend those responsible for this arrangement. We've played in a pep band often enough
The University Daily Kansan
Student Newspaper of the UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Member of the Kansas Press Association
National Editorial Association, and the
Association of Independent Publishers
by the National Advertising Services,
420 Madison Ave., New York City.
Managing Editor ... Charles Roos
Asst. Managing Editor ... Jane Anderson
Bills Manager ... Bill Mason
Editor-in-chief ... Bill Hause
Advises Manager ... Bill Donovan
Telegram Editor ... Edward W. Swain
Telegraph Ed. ... Maccella Stewart
City Editor ...
to know that it's always at the time you're hunting music that someone hits a long shot or someone performs some wizardry of ball-handling.
Playing in a pep band during a basketball game isn't the same as attending the game as a spectator. The hand members are on the job while they're playing, just as are the team, the coaches, the press, and the radio. It's impossible to lose yourself in the game—you always have to be getting ready for the next time to play.
All of the band members won't go to all eight games—four games of basketball for some of them are just four too many. But as for those musicians who like basketball, they richly deserve the chance to go to an athletic event as students, not performers.—A.B.
Dear Editor---paring for specific tests; and unequal backgrounds of education in preparation of courses.
Editor's Note: Every "Letter to me Editor" must be signed. The name will be withheld from publication upon request, but the editor must know who wrote it. All letters must be limited to 250 words.
Cread Cafeteria
On behalf of the men of Oread hall, I make the following inquiry:
What happened to the first published plans which called for the use of one of the ten buildings released by the government to KU. for a cafeteria for the man of Ocad and McCook halls?
A few days ago the final approval for the placement and usage of the buildings was given by the P.W.A. building sanction was made of "our prefederation."
The cafeteria only one-third of our problem. We desperately need this building to serve as a recreation room. (It's too cold to entertain on the porch.) Also, we must have a housemother to be able to function socially. A two-story building can serve as all three.
Well, where's our building?
Won, where's our building?
P.S. Will you please send this letter on to Santa Claus? Maybe he can help.
Paul Barker College freshman
(Editor's note — Professor Beal, University planner, says that the cafeteria was moved to southwest of Lindley hall to accommodate students south and west of the campus. No separate cafeteria is planned for McCook and Oread hall men.)
Change Grading System
This is a discussion of a possible solution to the two problems in the "Dear Editor" column of the Dec. 16 Daily Kansan. I am sure that much more discussion will be needed and therefore offer this only as a beginning.
The problems presented were, in summary: Unfair methods of preparing for specific tests; and unequal backgrounds of education in preparation of courses.
The Christmas vespers were good while they lasted and lasted and lasted. The program planners, both for the vespers and other Fine Arts programs, would do well to head the advice of an old preacher who said, "No souls are saved after the first 20 minutes."
Jaytalking --paring for specific tests; and unequal backgrounds of education in preparation of courses.
The athletic manager says that if someone is saving for someone else a seat you want at a basketball game, you should call an usher who'll get the seat for you. Many true and lasting friendships would grow out of such a meeting.
A P.S.G.L. member says the trouble with having the student court handle student disciplinary cases is that the student lawyers beg down with legal terms. Naturally, the practice of bogging down courts with legal blage disappears when the lawyers graduate.
And the same member proposed that students be given student representation on the faculty senate. The next step, of course, would be to give faculty members representation on the All Student Council.
It is evident that a specific test cannot possibly ascertain effectively the knowledge of a student, and even if it should, there is the possibility that one student would be able to show the same results as another with less study. These problems are merely evidences of a greater problem in education—how to include such an immediate incentive in a course as to allow a student to gain the necessary knowledge of the subject matter.
The present incentive is contained in the grading system, but this is inefficient and inadequate to the task. It is evident that a better incentive must be found.
A second consideration of the problem causes it to be stated in this manner: How can each student's knowledge of a subject be brought to a higher level and get a fairly equal level to that of other students? Although radical and perhaps at present not feasible, there is an obvious solution. In place of the present system of graduations in the records of study, institute a system of graduations of study.
Let each student continue a course only that length of time that will allow him to receive the necessary knowledge of the subject matter. Comprehensive tests of a type so general as to preclude the possibility of inaccuracy should be given in order to determine whether or not a student does have this necessary knowledge.
There is a problem, and a solution is necessary. This is one. May it be included as one of the many to be considered when the situation is more completely discussed.
Daniel M. Kirkhuff College freshman
CARL'S Say --to Shop for Gifts
"Thanks a Million" to every person on Mt. Oread for the many favors granted us and we trust we may continue to merit your approval—
AND WISH YOU—"MAREY KRISSMUSS"
"hoping" that the Old Guy with "Wite Wiskers"
brings you everything you want and then "some"—
Clarence P. Houk Roger Quakenbush Rodney Wilcox Geo. Eberhardt
Ural B. Elliott
Lyman Wiley
Bob Learned
C. C. Carl
Christmas Greetings
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