PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1940
The Kansan Comments -for the people it was intended to frighten.
EDITORIALS★
With proportional representation, under a two-party system, election districts should be maintained with an odd number of representatives, so that one party or the other may win the district. At the present time three of the four M.S.C.election districts contain even numbers of representatives,four,four,and eight respectively.In the past two elections each of those districts has given equal representation to each political party,while the single district which contains three representatives has held the balance of power to determine which party was to win the election.
The question of what should be done in the matter of revising the basis of district representation for the Men's Student Council has arisen after lying dormant for several years. The present system with 19 regular council members representing four divisions of the schools of the University was placed in effect during the administration of Blaine Grimes as M.S.C. prexy.
The other side of the argument is that the M.S.C. has done well enough under the present plan. Both parties are equally represented, and re-districting might allow one party or the other to gain too strong a voice in student government.
The re-districting commission, which will meet soon, consists of two members from each party and three faculty members. Such a bipartisan group may be able to lay out districts that will more fairly represent the whole of the men's student body.
Proponents of re-districting say that there are two important reasons why the present setup should be changed. In the present four district system, some districts do not have their representation fairly based on the enrollments of the schools in the district.
RE-DISTRICTING
HIDE UNDER THE BED?
Lest we forget who is looking down the biggest gun barrel, Americans should all see "Blitzkrieg im Westem," German propaganda film of the battle in the lowlands.
Reviewer for Time magazine says it may "drive U.S. audiences under the bed." While they are under there, in the dark, protective corner, they will do well to consider what the United States is up against.
We are trying to arm ourselves, at the same time become the "great arsenal of democracy," as President Roosevelt puts it. We can not do all this in the course of every day business.
Germany is geared to war production, has been for several years. The United States is not geared to war production, will not be fully for about two years.
German people are hardened by years of being the under dog. Americans are obese by generations of being top dog in their own backyard.
If "Blitzkrieg im Westem" shakes Americans out of their lethargic complacency, makes them realize the extreme seriousness of the present crisis, it will have done a great service
We thought we could stay in our own backyard, only venturing out when the time seemed propitious and the reward ample. Now we find some of the boards in the south side of the fence are rattling in the wind of totalitarian propaganda; the front gate might be left gaping by the overthrow of the ironclad watch dogs of the British navy.
BOOKS★
PATTER★
LETTERS
Americans have a decision to make. We can hide under the bed and stay there, as France did. We can build fifty different types of airplanes, constantly change designs, never allow any of them to get into real mass production. We can have short hours, high pay, easy living. We can have blind eyes, deaf ears. But we must accept the time limit that goes with this maybeit-won't-happen way.
Other alternative: We can tear up the bed of comfort, use the iron for ordnance; work day and night; live simply; concentrate on a few of the most efficient types of war equipment, especially planes. Most important: We must realize that we are not invincible simply because we are the United States of America.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Student Paper of
THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Lawrence, Kansas
Subscription 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 the Act of March 3, 1879.
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-Chief...Gray Dorsey
Editorial Associates; Helen Heenston, Mary McAnewan,
David Whitney, Pat Murdock, and Eldon Corkill
Feature Editor...Wandaile Carlson
NEWS STAFF
Managing Editor Stan Stauffer
Campus Editor Bob Trump
Sports Editor Dan Fleet
Society Editor Ann Nettles
Wire Editor Virginia Gray
Wire and Radio Editor Art O'Donnell
Copy Editors: Orlando Epp, Russell Bardner
Hydra, David Winters
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager    Rex Cowan
Advertising Manager    Frank Hugartner
Marketing    Mark Spencer
OFFICIAL BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Vol. 38 Wednesday, Jan. 8, 1941 No.66
Notices due at Chancellor's office at 3 p.m. on day before publication during the week, and at 11 a.m. on Saturday for Sunday issue.
NOTICES★
CATHOLIC STUDENTS: The Reverend E. J. Wisenberg will be in room 415 in Watson library from 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday for personal conferences—Joseph A. Zishka.
EDUCATION CONVOCATION: Mr. W. T. Markham will address all Education students in 206 Fraser hall on Thursday at 3:30 on the problems of vocational guidance. All Education students, practice teachers, and graduate students in Education are expected to attend—R. A. Schlegel, Dean, School of Education.
MATHEMATICS COLLOQUIM: Professor N. W. Storer of the Department of Physics and Astronomy will speak on Astronomical Navigation at the Mathematics Colloquium on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 4:30 p.m. in 203 Frank Strong hall. All who are interested are invited to be present—E. B. Stouffer, Chairman, Colloquium Committee.
SCHOLARSHIPS: There are a few loan scholarships available for use during the second semester. Applications should be made immediately in Room 1, Frank Strong Hall—Lela Ross, Executive Secretary, Committee on Aids and Awards.
SIGMA XI: The regular January meeting of the Kansas Chapter of Sigma Xi will be held in the lecture room of Blake Hall, Thursday, Jan. 9, at 7:30 p.m. Dean J. J. Jakosky will speak on Economic Aspects of Geophysical Exploration. There will also be initiation of new members—W. H. Schoewe, secretary.
THETA SIGMA PHI; Theta Sigma Phi will meet Thursday at 3:30 in the sky parlor—Mary Lou Randall.
Y. M.-Y.W.: There will be a Y.M.-Y.W. skating party Friday night, Jan. 10, from 9 to 11. Admission will be 15 cents. All Y.M.-Y.W. members are invited.-Helen Martin.
Believe First College Journalism Taught Here
The University Daily Kansan, news purveyor to nearly 5,000 University of Kansas students and countless Jayhawkers throughout the State, grew out of one of the first journalism courses in the United States.
ore years ago, institutions of higher learning res in journalism because newspaper men did
Fifty or more years ago, im fused to offer courses in journal not believe in teaching the subject. According to them, the only way one could become a good journalist was to "eat ink and sleep on the composing stone."
In 1891, Dean F. W. Blackmar became interested in placing journalism in the University curriculum and asked Dr. E. M. Hopkins, now retired professor of English, if he were willing to initiate it. During the fall semester of that year, Hopkins taught what is thought to be the first journalism course in the country.
After one semester, however, the course was discontinued because of the small enrollment. Not until 1900 did the University of Missouri offer the country's first regular course of journalism.
Then, in 1902, Chancellor Frank Strong invited Henry J. Allen, editor of the Ottawa Herald, and Ewing Herbert, Hiawatha newspaperman, to confer with him concerning the advisability of installing a permanent class in journalism. These men were so favorably inclined toward the idea that the Chancellor
decided to establish the new course. Hopkins was made instructor of a class in reporting which began in the fall of 1903 and has continued ever since.
The Kansan had been appearing sporadically before 1903, but Hopkins, aided by Jesse Keyser, who is now editor of the Chiekasha, Okla., Star, reorganized the paper, modeling it after the Yale News, the Harvard Crimson, and the Princetonian.
Only three students enrolled in the journalism class for the second semester of 1903, and, since a staff of three members was not large enough to publish the Kansan, Hopkins called for volunteers from the freshman rhetoric class. Fifteen embryo journalists responded, among them Roy Roberts, managing editor of the Kansas City Star, and Jerome Beatty, well-known magazine writer.
Not until 1911 did the Kansan become a daily paper. In that year, University of Kansas medical students transferred their equipment from the present journalism building to the north half of Dyche museum, and the Hill's journalists joy-
During vacation a Wichita paper printed a picture of Kappa pledge Patty Padfield, and told in flowery language of her beauty and high place in Wichita society. But her name was given as "Mrs. Padfield," which must have caused consternation among the local romes.
ROCK CHALK TALK
When Phi Psi's held their "Chad Hanna" party in Kansas City last Friday night, they reserved three rows of seats at the front of the Uptown theater, from which to view the screen antics of fraternity brother Ted North.
Whenever a new group would be ushered in, the Psi's already there would all jump up, give him the glad hand. People behind could not see. People in front could not hear. Everybody blessed the Phi Psi's.
"Baldy" Bolin, called "Edict" by the Phi Psi's because as president he was always making announcements and giving ultimatums, has issued his last edict. Bill Gray has now taken over the head office.
The other day Sigma Delta Chi, journalism fraternity, was doing a check-up on its alumni. They made out a list giving name, last known address, occupation, and newspaper title of each alum. Then Ken Jackson, secretary of the journalism department, took the list over to the alumni office to check.
One of the first things noticed was "Fred Ellsworth, Lawrence, Kan,
Occupation: Unknown. Title: Unknown.
For about 20 years Mr. Ellsworth has been alumni secretary, and is considered practically a campus institution. What Sigma Delta Chi is slipping?
Dear Mr. Buxton: Thank you for spelling my name correctly. I'm sure my fiancee in Kansas City will be able to recognize me.
After reading the latest Sour Owl, Jim Dodderidge considered himself maliciously maligned. He wrote editor Reginald Buxton a note something like this.
Says Tom Thompson, the Sig Alphas are settling down to two weeks of heavy study. Unusual? Yes, he admits it. But nevertheless true.
Everything was rosy for Chuck Todd, former proctor of Battenfeld, until he was called by the National Guard. He had worked himesif up to a campus office job, the proctor position, and a reputation for making good grades.
But he's in the army now. And C. H. Mullen has come from Templin to be the new proctor at Battenfeld.