The KANSAN Comments ...
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
FRIDAY, MAY 16, 1941.
Academic Freedom
Recently the Committee on Academic Freedom of the National Education association prepared a statement of the principles of academic freedom to be presented to the national organization next month.
At a time when our country is treading on the outskirts of a world-wide struggle for supremacy, freedom of education frequently disappears before people are even aware of the tightening up of affairs.
Academic freedom, like freedom of speech, exists to promote the rule of intelligence in our democratic affairs, for an educational system in which varying thoughts are expressed and every side of questions presented is one of the basic needs of democracy.
With new situations constantly arising, our citizens must be continually discriminating between what still remains good and what is now outmoded, between what is accordingly to be retained and what is to be remade or discarded. Students must be learning to appraise the strengths and limitations of our historic traditions and institutions. No custom or institution, however cherished, can claim exemption from study and criticism.
This practice of intelligent study is necessary to the proper working of democracy as of no other kind of society. The university students of today—the effective citizens of tomorrow—must be learning to think, each for himself and according to his maturity, about the vital concerns and problems of society.
On many university campuses and in many communities, there are men and women who, for various reasons, oppose the study of controversial topics. Situations of stress arise. When these situations arise, intelligent tact and the sidestepping of outright conflict is often necessary, but just as frequently instructors and students must take a positive stand for open and honest study.
Complete academic freedom will help to make tomorrow's citizens more capable and better prepared to meet the new problems arising with the present extensive program for defense.
A Job Done Well
If the Seventy-fifth Anniversary celebration in June isn't a success, it will be no fault of the publicity committee.
Members of this group, nearly all of whom hold positions on the faculty or staff of the University, have found time, in addition to their regular duties, to plan innumerable pamphlets, posters, and even radio broadcasts, designed to make general plans for the Diamond Jubilee known to everyone.
The glee clubs, on their tours, sang the official song of the Anniversary and announced the date for the celebration in cities all over the state. Records have been made of the Chancellor's greetings and invitation to attend the festivities, with the University band playing familiar school songs, and Fred Ellsworth, chairman of the publicity committee, announcing speakers who inform audiences of the celebration. Records have been sent to various broadcasting stations and played at many alumni meetings.
The new road maps issued by the State Highway Commission are decorated with the monogram of the Anniversary and an exterior and two interior views of Dyche Museum.
All material sent out to alumni regarding elections, collection of dues, or class reunions, contains publicity for the University's birthday party.
The tree planting project was spectacular and effective publicity for the event besides being beneficial to towns which participated.
When the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the University is only a memory, it will be agreed that the publicity committee was in a large measure responsible for the success of the affair.
Astronomers have discovered that the atmospheres of the largest stars are boiling. Celestial astronomers looking down on us might discover considerable turbulence here, too.
The high winds have blown一overtime—for two days now and still no permission from the C.I.O. or the A.F. of L. Are the boys asleep on the job after all?
ROCK CHALK TALK
By HEIDI VIETS
Pajama-clad, several Sig Alph's went serenading last night. They hit both West Campus Road and Tennessee street. Instead of knocking out a formally scheduled set of songs, they sang what they wanted to, conversed with their audience, performed calisthenics on the lawn.
Girls agreed that it seemed only right to have both singers and liteners dressed in pajamas.
Fish story supreme is told by W. W. Davis, professor of history.
The other day he got out his rod and reel to limber up his casting whist at Lamb's pond, which he describes as a mere "puddle" at the edge of town.
picture in the background.
Much to his surprise, he caught a catfish. He consulted a biology professor on the mystery of a big catfish in a mud puddle, and they worked out the following story!
Brother catfish lived in the Wakarusa river. One day he got itching fins—commonly known as waddlerust. He pushed his nose into the grass at the edge of the river and decided to keep going. Since there was plenty of moisture and not too thick grass, he pushed on until at last he found water again
The professors found callouses on his fins to prove their story.
It all sounds plausible, until along comes the detail that the catfish traveled one and one-half miles. crossing two concrete roads.
But it's true, says Professor Davis, believe it or not
At the big Coronado Entrada new members of Sachem, honor society for senior men, will do a special dance. These lads don't have anything t odo in their spare time, so it was either dance or take up needlepoint.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Student Paper of THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE, Kansas
Publisher ... Gray Dorsey
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-Chief... Kay Bozarth
Editorial Associates: Wandalee Carlson, Charles Pear-
r
Feature Editor ... Lillian Fisher
NEWS STAFF
Managing Editor ... David Whitney
Campus Editor ... Milo Farneti
Sports Editor ... Gabe Parks
Society Editor ... Helen Houston
News Editor ... Heidi Viets
Sunday Editor ... Chuck Ellott
Make-up Editor ... Glee Smith
United Press Editor ... Floyd Decaire
Copy Editors .. C. A. Gilmore and Betty West
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager ... Rex Cowan
Advertising Manager ... Frank Baumgartner
Advertising Assistant ... John Pope
suscription rates, in advance, $3.00 per year, $1.75 per semester.
Published at Lawrence, Kansas, daily during the school year except Monday and Saturday. Entered as second class matter September 17, 1910, at the post office at Lawrence, Kansas, under act of March 3, 1879.
By KAY BOZARTH
"Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, K.U." Thousands upon thousands of times those words have echoed and re-echoed to thrill the hearts of Kansas students since the yell was officially adopted by the University in 1886-87. $ \textcircled{2} $
This yell of national and world fame was borrowed by the University from the Old Science club of 1884-1890. It was submitted by Dr. E. H. S. Bailey, the first president, in response to the demands for a club yell. When first submitted by Dr. Bailey, the yell was simply the repetition of the words, Rah, Rah! Jayhawk, K.U. three times with a staccato accent. The club used the yell in this form from May 21, 1886, until the University committee in search of an official college cheer found it a suitable expression of Kansas spirit.
It is not definitely known just when the yell was changed to its present form. Some old timers say that the "Rock Chalk" part of the yell was added by A. R. March, professor of English from 1886 to 1889. The "Rock Chalk" was suggested to him by the chalk strata of the Cretaceous geological period which is
The last change in the yell was made sometime during 1889 when the yell lost its staccato rymth. The Helanthius, the year book of 1889, had a page of caricatures of E. C. Franklin, then one of the prominent members of the Science Club of old Snow hall, with the yell printed beside him in the form now used,—"Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, K. U. -ooo-."
The yell today is given twice in a rolling, prolonged cadence; then the line is repeated three times in quick staccato accents. In this form the yell has become one of the leading college cheers in the United States and has gained recognition 'round the world. (Missourians declare that it is harder to drown out than any other they have heard.)
seen outcropping on the hill. "Rock Chalk," since its rhymed with Jayhawk, was substituted for the Rah, Rah of the original yell.
The New York Times of Nov. 30, 1924, in commenting on the Army-Navy game played in Baltimore, had this to say of the "Rock Chalk": "The Army roots made use of a new yell that they had adopted from the famous 'Rock Chalk' of the University of Kansas. It is one of the most effective cheers to be heard on an athletic field."
President Roosevelt, an ardent Harvard man, once called the yell the greatest college cheer ever devised.
In France during World War I, because there were no divisions or regiments to which all of the soldiers of one state might be assigned, the graduates of the University would call out, "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk" when passing another group of soldiers, and inevitably the reply came back, "K.U." This method of locating "folks from home" was soon taken up by other Kansas soldiers in the service.
Probably the greatest distinction ever given the Kansas yell was at the Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, back in 1928. The nobility of several European countries who were attending the games decided they would like to hear a representative college yell, and asked the assembly of athletes gathered there to give one. Although these Olympic contenders were from practically every country in the world, they agreed that the honor
One lone shot may have been heard around the world back in 1775, but it is a mighty college cheer than can echo in Europe some 5,000 miles from Kansas.
Sachem Plans Frosh Orientation
should be given to the University of Kansas "Rock Chalk."
Rock Chalk, Jayhawk! Used In World War
Outstanding Yell Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!
Sachem is in charge of the freshman counselling system for men. Its plans for next year include pamphlets that will acquaint new students with the University and make them feel a part of the school.
To plan how to make incoming freshmen University - conscious, Sachem, honor society for senior men, will meet in Frank Strong hall at 4:30 o'clock this afternoon.
OFFICIAL BULLETIN
UNIVERSITY OF KANASAS
Friday, May 16, 1941
Vol. 38 No.148
Notices at chancellor's office at 3 p.m. on day before publication during the week. Notices are sent by mail to: chancellor@uc.edu
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE ORGANIZATION: Christian Science Organization will meet at 4:30 o'clock Tues-
FRI
Prof. Stephenson To Examine Texas Test Well
Prof. E. A. Stephenson of the petroleum engineering department will leave tonight for Dallas where he will examine a test well of the Otis pressure control company.
Hai will s in Wi
He plans to observe in operation special equipment designed for use when a well is producing from more than one formation at a time.
Lot Delos
Hudd Alexa
K. M. Weinl
the f gradu
schoo
The picnic
Ral will s tan.
On his return trip he will attend a Monday Tulsa meeting of the committee on well-spacing of the American Petroleum institute. He will also attend a meeting of the Tulsa chapter of the American institute of mining engineers.
Greteach at Sha
The tained ner at
KAPPA PHI: There will be no meeting Friday evening—Doris Rodson.
DRAMATIC CLUB: The Dramatic Club will meet for election of officers at 4:30 o'clock Wednesday.—Shirley Jane Rube, President.
TI Lorea at the last ni
NOTICE TO ALL STUDENTS:
Dr. E. T. Gibson will be available for personal conferences at Watkins Memorial Hospital from 2 to 5 o'clock on Tuesday afternoons. Appointments should be made at Watkins Memorial Hospital.—Ralph L. Canuteson.
been s the p Mo., n
Dick
day in the Pine Room.—Betty Charles.
Dep
To H
The evenin Baldwi
Sprin three ing nat this we
Tome guests have a lake at
making their sp
JAMES N.
"M.