SUNDAY, MAY 28, 1939
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
SECTION B
PAGE FIVE
University One of 13 Air Training Schools
Fine Arts Has Colorful Precarious 48-Year History
By Roscoe Born, c'41
Precarious and colorful— those two words describe briefly the history of the School of Fine Arts in the University.
Preciable because all through its history there was constant danger that the economy bloc in the state legislature would succeed in its attempts to discontinue the School. Colorful because in the 48 years of the School's existence it occupied room houses, schools, various universities, buildings, and the now-zarowed North College.
What might be called the beginning of a School of Fine Arts in the University was in 1877, when a department of music was added to the curriculum. The department flourished and the formation of the University established a School of Fine Arts with three major divisions—music, art, and elocution. At this time the entire School was housed in the North College building, which originally housed the whole University.
Trouble began early for the School of Fine Arts. A state legislature, which was inclined to take the School lightly, repeatedly refused to grant funds for its proper maintenance. As a result, the School received an exorbitant fee to the students deserving instruction in the higher arts.
Despite this fact, the School grew beyond any expectations in the next few years. Its advertised purpose was the development of an appreciation for music and art and so many students wanted development that the housing problem for the School became acute. Old North College couldn't begin to furnish the library. The situation was relieved somewhat when parts of the School moved into the Administration building (now Frank Strong hall), and into a downtown store.
Thus it was that in 1912 bega- the long fight for self-maintenance by the School of Fine Arts. A petition to the Board of Regents asking them to provide a new building for the School which would be suit- table to their needs was initiated by the Fine Arts student. When the petition reached the Regents on May 13, 1912, it had been signed by every student and every faculty member in the School of Fine Arts.
Just how this remarkable document was received by the Regents is not known but some conclusions can be drawn from the results obtained, or rather, did not obtain, for absolutely nothing was done to better the conditions of the art students.
Building Condemned
Enrollment still increased and the situation grew steadily worse. And in the course of the next five years new complications set in. The historic structure, North College, which housed the first session of the University in 1866, was deteriorating rapidly and actually became a source of great danger to the capacity classes meeting there daily. After an examination by the state architect the structure was condemned but classes continued as if nothing had happened.
But on Jan. 8,1917,nature took
Organist--into hand what the state legislature had refused to touch. The ancient edifice which had so long defiled the elements received serious damage at the hands of a driving Kansas gale. The wind so widened
Fine Arts Dean--into hand what the state legislature had refused to touch. The ancient edifice which had so long defiled the elements received serious damage at the hands of a driving Kansas gale. The wind so widened
Dean D. M. Swartbout, who has been dean of the School of Fine Arts since 1923.
Prof. C. S. Skilton, instructor in organ in the School of Fine Arts, who is one of the oldest faculty members at the University in 1904.
Famous Composer--the cracks in the north wall of the structure that immediate change of quarters was ordered for the School of Fine Arts.
Prof. Carl A. Preeyer, instructor in piano in the School of Fine Arts, and who is widely known for his compositions.
An eleven room house at 1406 Tennessee, several blocks from the Campus, was leased and the moving started at once. By Jan. 17, the new quarters were occupied and North College was permanently abandoned.
The new classrooms, which were originally meant for private living rooms, were only temporary. It was thought that surely in the face of this emergency the legislature would provide for the School!
A new campaign seemed to be under way. On Feb. 5, 1917, William A. Griffith, head of the department of drawing and painting, announces that he is being all classrooms and hall space but were crowded so that good work was an impossibility. Pampels explaining the
Students Use Halls
Bcenditions of the fine arts division were sent out over the state.
The campaign seemed near success when on Feb. 15 the Ways and Means committee voted an appropriation to the University of $64,500. But the School of Fine Arts, which was in such desperate need and had campaigned so vigorously, was completely ignored by the legislature. It was this that led for on Feb. 16, $75,900 more was voted to work on the Administration building, thus giving a home to the School of Fine Arts.
By the opening of the summer session the School had occupied its new quarters. On June 21, 1919, the music department moved into the center section of the Administration building with all its equipment from its temporary quarters. Again increased enrollment necessitated more space and again Dean Butter adopted a structure for the School. He didn't get exactly that, but a $8000 appropriation followed shortly to complete ten additional rooms in the same building.
In 1923, when the department of design moved into the third floor of west Administration building, virtually all of the School of Fine Arts moved there. Only a section of the ceramics department remained in another.
At the present time there are two major divisions in the School-music and art. The music department offers major courses in piano, voice, violin, violacello, organ, harp, composing, orchestra, drawing, Drawing and painting, design and public school art are the major courses offered in the art division.
Two Divisions Now
Dean Harold L. Butler, who fought for so many years to keep the School of Fine Arts alive, resigned in May, 1923. The position remained awarded to Dean Donald M. Swarthout, who heads the School today.
Students stormed the home of the late Francis H. Snow on Tennessee street to offer their congratulations to the great Kansas scientist in 1891 on the night of his selection as new chancellor of the University.
Snow's Election To Chancellorship Started Rallies
Snow succeeded John Lippincott who had resigned some 15 months before.
On the night of his notification of the chancellorship Snow was entertaining all members of the faculty at a dinner party. The cheering students soon broke up the party, however, as they insisted on speeches from every faculty member present. The professors spoke on a large balcony overlooking the front yard.
Twenty Men Enrolled This Spring To Complete First Government Quota
However, in order to answer the demand of the students for more organized Biblical instruction, the Council of Religious Workers met in 1920 to consider the question of incorporating a School of Religion in connection with the churches of Lawrence. This council was composed of three representatives from each religious organization inter-
An Expanding School
Council Met in 1920
Religion Offers Challenge
More faculty members have been added and the curriculum has been expanded in the 18 years that the School of Religion has existed here, so that it now ranks as a major department of the University.
By Ardath Cauble, c'39 Religion has been and probably always will be a challenge to the reasoning power of University students, and in order to satisfy the demand for the practical aspects of theology The School of Religion was established in 1921.
By Richard K. LaBan, c'39
Several years before, several churches had established divinity schools in connection with the University. Their object was to utilize the courses afforded by the University and to add to and work in connection with the material offered students studying for the ministry. The groups met usually in the evenings.
the pases of religion which have been most commonly chosen for study are courses in the study of the Bible, the history of religion, and the life and teachings of Jesus. While this School provides mainly instruction to the subjects of the Bible and religion, several missionaries and social workers doing graduate work in the University, are enrolled in courses.
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt gets an idea the next move is to put it into practice.
The inauguration of the Air Training School at the University last February was the result of such an idea. The administration hopes to train 15,000 student flyers annually for a five year period and the Air Training School at Kansas is but one of the 13 that have been estab-
included in student activities which included the Y.M.C.A., Y.W.C.A, the Christian Bible Chair, and the Pressberylian Bible Chair. The motion was carried unanimously and they accepted the laws to govern the organization. Soon after this three hours credit toward a degree was allowed.
This year's quota of 20 University students passed the medical examinations and enrolled in the "Civilian Air Training Course" earl. Students never, before any student could get higher off the ground than he could jump he had to buy a $20 life insurance policy which provided for $300 worth of life insurance protection and $500 worth of accident. To date there have been no accidents in the unit of the University Air Schools.
The first Board of Trustees was
Prior to this time religious instruction had been carried on with the "voluntary class" plan, but as no college credit was given for the students would not attend in sufficient numbers to make the plan a success.
In order to experiment with the project in its first year a total of only 325 students are being trained with 20 potential aviators enrolled at our University. Attracts Many
lished over the country this year under the supervision of the Civil Aeronautics Authority in Washington.
"The entire program may be a part of the federal government's pump priming policy—an increased interest in aviation among college people may lead to increased sales in the air industry," says Earl D. Hay, professor of mechanical engineering, who is in charge of the air program at the University. "Yet there is good reason to believe that we can make our aircraft better suited to provide a measure of safety and preparedness in case of a national emergency" comments Professor Hay.
Whatever the reason for the installation of the Air School at the University it is an exceptional drawing card and is now attracting students from all of the country and an increased enrollment is looked for next year.
The life of the University flying cadet is not an easy one nor can it be had by most students. If you are less than 66 inches tall, or do not weigh more than 132 pounds, or have a chest expansion less than $2\frac{1}{2}$ inches—your航空 career is over before you have begun. If your vision and hearing is not what the men in white say it should be—you can go back to playing in the orchestra. If you have flat feet, hammer toes, lung or kidney trouble, or a subscription to the Sour Owl, it is easy to see why you must be flyer. But nevertheless, if you have disqualifications the Air Corps amputes will say you're out.
With all requirements met the ground work began. In connection with the School of Engineering and
Began Work in February
Interesting to note is the fact that the new school was a pioneer institution of its kind. It was one of the first to be established in a state school and stood practically alone in this field. The progress of the school and the result of its efforts and experiments were closely watched by others who were interested in organizing similar kinds of study.
Add to Faculty
composed of three members of each of six different churches and they assumed all the expenses of the school on a prorata membership based on student enrollment church preference. The Rev. Arthur Braden was the first dean, and he was followed a few years later by his brother, the Rev. Samuel B. Braden. Enrollment Grows
While the original grant of credit was only three hours, now six hours credit may be obtained. Recognition of credit for courses were made available to students in other schools at the college. The selection of the Rev. F. Price as dean, the courses were numbered similar to other college courses.
His interdenominational character has probably contributed largely to its success, and also the fact that it is confined only to the offering of courses. As a result, it appeals greatly to students of every religion, and to people from all nationality for those who wish to apply scientifically the study of religion and its broad application to the problems of the world today.
Today the bulk of students are from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The first few years the enrollment numbered only about 55 students and its rapid growth can be seen from the fact that now from three to four hundred are enrolled in its classes annually.
Architecture all air students were enrolled in 5 hours per week which included courses in meteorology, flying rules, and air commerce regulations. When some of the fundamentals are learned by the potential feyers real flying instruction is offered, they can call for 35 hours of flying instruction for each student at the Lawrence Municipal airport.
Use University Instructors
Although the ground work is done at the University—under the guidance of regular University instructors—the flying instruction part of the program has been let out under contract by the federal government to the Robertson Aircraft corporation of St. Louis and to Donald J. Ashera, manager of the Lawrence airport.
The government has allotted $247.50 to the aircraft corporations to defray each student's expenses for the flying instruction and the University is standing a $750 expense for each student in order to obtain the graduate training course. However, the work at the University and at the airport are both a part of the C.A.A. program.
Receive License
With the completion of the course in June all flyers who pass the examinations will be awarded a private pilot's license. At present the University heads of the Air Schools are sending complete records to the Board of Certification for completion of each stage of the Air Training. After an exhaustive survey by the central bureau in Washington the University men in
Learning 'Ups and Downs' of Flying--charge of the schools will go to the capital for an after-school conference.
At the Lawrence Airport two of the twenty University students are given preliminary details by Bill Ashcraft, instructor. Left to right:
In the event that the Air School program is a success, and all present indications point that way, the federal government is prepared to expend five and three-quarter million dollars to train 15,000 students to fly next year. With such an expenditure the University of Kansas air school will be able to increase its enrollment to a point where almost all applicants who pass the requirements will be accepted.
Old Gate Near Dyche Museum Admitted Students in 1891
The official entrance to the University of Kansas in 1801 was an oleate just north of where Dyche Museum now stands.
Near the entrance stood a barn and barnyard where English students used to come to get some of their best descriptive themes.
The west part of the campus at that time was marked by a thorn hedge extending from north to south in a line perpendicular to about the middle of where the Chemistry building now stands. The only entrance through the hedge was a thorn arch near the middle.
Graduates--
(Continued from page three)
tionally recognized as being the greatest living authority on the dinosaur and protozoic life.
In the realm of college administration four graduates of Kansas University are now serving as college presidents. They are: Charles H. Watton, '18 at the Seattle Pacific College; Algie D. H. Dorsonan, '19 at the Northwestern College; Butcher, '34 for 23 years the head of Kansas State Teachers College; and Dr. H. J. Long, '20, at Grounville College.
Although people have been eating apples for years to avoid the calls of a physician, the number of doctors mounts steadily year by year, and in that list are found several Kansas graduates who have become physicians. Dr. Freed L. Soper has dna conscientious work by fighting the hookworm in Paraguay and yellow 'evil' in the tropics of Brazil.
Dr. Laeona Baumgartner, '33, is the only University woman to be graced both a Ph.D. and an M.D. degree. In 1034 she won the John Lovett Mosse prize for outstanding work in pediatrics.
The Pot of Gold
AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW
WHEN the University of Kansas was born 75 years ago an organization devoted to a related pursuit, in purpose if not in practice, was enjoying a healthy infancy. The Charlton Insurance Agency was organized in 1861, three years before the founding of the University.
For 75 years the University of Kansas has devoted itself to instructing citizens in the art of achieving personal success. The Charlton Insurance Agency has also charged itself with providing a criterion for personal success—insurance of financial security. Success—measured in security and happiness is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow of life.
CHARLTON Insurance Agency
Insurance Building