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University Daily Kansan Tuesday, November 10, 1959
Notes for Sale
Western Civilization study notes are selling well on the campus. The four students who have taken over the enterprising business from Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity report sales to one fourth of the students enrolled in the program.
The willingness of these students to substitute outlines for readings points up their attitude toward their educations:
They are pragmatic. They do not study a subject unless it applies to a speciality. They "C" out of courses they feel are unnecessary.
Western Civilization is not a popular subject. To most students it is a requirement for graduation and nothing more.
Like most humanities courses, Western Civilization has lost out to specialized education.
The students are the losers. They substitute a passing grade for the great reasoning of the past. They fulfill an immediate need while passing up ideas that are important to their futures.
There is nothing wrong with study notes properly used to supplement and guide reading. But notes are an inadequate substitute when used alone.
The Western Civilization faculty has taken no official stand on the use of the notes. And they should not. The notes can't be outlawed. Such a ruling would not be practical. It would be impossible to enforce.
But the students should take a stand for their own good. They should accept the program for the benefit it can do them, if for no other reason. They should look to the future, beyond the immediate goal of graduation, to the world they will live in.
This is a world of ideas and the questions raised cannot be answered with a mimeographed set of notes.
The notes may get them through a test. The readings and discussions will help them throughout life.
—George DeBord
Library Policy
Editor:
I am not one to crush a journalistic campaign. As a matter of fact, I concede that I am, as you delight in continually reminding me, pretty apathetic to the pearls of wisdom which flow from your typewriters in the newsroom. But in the cause of accurate journalism and in defense of my friends, I have at last been aroused to my democratic duty to speak.
I read with some care the recent series of articles which appeared in the Daily Kansan regarding a new library policy to recall overdue books. It seems, according to your original story, that heretofore, it has been impossible for a student to gain possession of a book which was in the hands of a faculty member. It was with a skeptical eye that I read your story, for in the past four years I have never been refused the request to have a book recalled.
In the interest of getting the "facts" straight, I decided to call on the person in charge of book circulation to find out if your story was in error or if I had been receiving some special privilege not granted to the masses who swarm the catacoms of Watson Library in search of knowledge.
The story I received was simple and to the point. It always has been the policy of the library, upon request, to recall an overdue book, whether checked out by a faculty member or a student. The officials
at the library were somewhat disturbed with the notion that the "power of the press" had forced them to change their policy.
May I suggest that the role of the press regarding this story served both a legitimate end and one which was not quite so fortunate. First of all, the press is to be thanked for informing a great number of students of the library policy. Secondly, I would suggest that the press ought to be criticized for creating an uncalled for antagonistic attitude toward those who are in charge of circulating books.
I would not be one to deny that obtaining books from the library can sometimes be a frustrating experience. But may I suggest that the underlying cause for this difficulty does not rest entirely in the hands of the circulation department.
In the past few years the load on the library has increased both beyond the physical facilities and the financial allocations. The sheer shortage of physical space makes it necessary for books to be stored in almost a dozen locations, including the stadium. The circulation of books has increased tenfold in the past five years. The addition of qualified full-time library personnel has not approached this pace. The increased demand for popular books cannot be met because funds to purchase additional copies are not available. When new books do arrive, the backlog of work in the preparations department is so great
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS By Dick Bibler
that it often takes months to get a book into the stacks and ready for circulation.
To know the limitations under which the library staff labors is to appreciate the fact that one can get a book at all. In my dealings with the full-time library personnel. I have always found them willing to go out of their way to fulfill my request.
I'm angry too. When I go to the library after a book, I would like to know that I can have it in my hands within a few minutes. But I think that it is unfair to blame the qualified library staff for my inconveniences and frustrations. Rather I think the responsibility lies on the shoulders of the citizens and legislators of this state who have not yet fully realized the importance of providing the essential tools for learning.
In the future I should welcome with enthusiasm a series of feature articles which reveal to the students and the people of this state the lack of adequate library facilities.
"YOU KNOW VERY WELL WHAT SIGNALS!"
Jeffrey K. Hadden
Lawrence, graduate student
Lawrence, graduate student
Glassy Hazard
Editor:
"Scuffling Students Crash through Window, Fall Seven Stories to Leave Permanent Impression on Campus."
Headlines of the future, more than likely. Students have been living in beautiful Templin Hall for six weeks plus, and the problem still exists. The front and back walls of the floor lounges are of full length plate glass, which have no protective barriers around them, apparently so the view won't be interrupted.
Since young men will horseplay to let off steam and pressure, and since the lounges are roomy, they scuffle there; it is even conceivable that a person might experience an attack of vertigo and tumble through the plates.
Seems to me somebody's brother-in-law scrimped a little too much here.
—John O'F. Madden
Kansas City, Mo., Freshman
With John Morrissey
We just received our Criminology term project-tackle Fort Knox.
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A bar was constructed in our apartment last month. Next month we buy books. First things first.
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Dad wrote and asked for more money. All he wants is money. He'll never shape up.
By John Husar
The tender romance of George Bernard Shaw and Mrs. Patrick Campbell came to life through the deft inspiration of two beloved actors last night on the University Theatre stage. Katharine Cornell and Brian Aherne, both artists of the highest degree, appeared on the KU Concert Course in Jerome Kilty's "Dear Liar." The play is a compilation of letters exchanged between the two friends between 1899 and 1939.
SHAW THE PLAYWRIGHT, and Mrs. Campbell, the actress, carried on a unique relationship. Both were busy people and traveled extensively. Only on rare occasions would they chance to see each other. Their lack of personal contact was supplemented by regular correspondence. The letters were preserved by both and record one of the world's sweeter and more innocent friendships.
Kilty, who appeared here two years ago in the University Theatre production. "King Henry IV, Part I," has arranged excerpts from these letters into a mellowly sentimental drawing-room comedy. The brilliancy of his composition emerges through the play's examples of the many different degrees of compatibility within the couple's relationship—all in two hours and ten minutes. Kilty made them seem like two people who, although possibly not in love, at least were intensely interested in each other.
SHAW AND MRS. CAMPBELL both had rich senses of humor, filled with sarcasm and biting cynicism. Both admired themselves and each other and frankly poked fun at the objects of their admiration. There was a bond of joyful understanding and companionship between the two. They enjoyed each other. Even when they were angry, a joke would be used to cement a point in issue.
And the actors played it that way. Miss Cornell played the role of the great actress with graceful dignity—a difficult task. She appeared as a woman who knew her man well; she constantly wore an expectant expression on her face, as one waiting for a verbal bomb to drop, while Mr. Aherne read Shaw's messages to her. Her most memorable moment came when she mimicked Mrs. Campbell rehearsing the Eliza Doolittle role for Shaw's "Pygmalion."
MR. AHERNE BUILT his character around Shaw's inner youth, even though he played between Shaw's ages of 42 and 82. He bristled with keen wit and reflected a huge enjoyment of the entire situation. He, too, had that expectant air found in Miss Cornell and a dapper charm which, with his magnificent voice, dazzled an audience already captivated by the warm flow of Shavian dialogue.
Last night was a grand evening in entertainment; possibly it was the climax of this year's theater season. Nothing but the best was expected and received when five of the theater's great personalities met on the University Theatre stage, although only two appeared in person.
English instructors today fail in teaching poetry because they have not read widely enough. If a student is interested in mathematics, his English teacher should be ready and able to suggest poems to him that involve some mathematical principle.John Ciardi.
Worth Repeating
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(To control excessive body weight) regular exercise, however difficult to get or however distasteful, is preferable to hunger.—Jean Mayer
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The director of the K-State production of "Guys and Dolls" was praising his show, "I'm very happy, absolutely thrilled, with the whole thing. The whole damn cast did a terrific job, especially Saturday night. Performances were much better, the show was better paced; in fact, everything was just delicious."—The Kansas State Collegian.
Daily Hansan
Founded 1889, became biweekly 1904, triweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912.
University of Kansas student newspaper
Telephone Viking 3-2700 Extension 711, news room Extension 376, business office
Member Inland Daily Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by National Advertising Service, 420 Madison Ave., New York N.Y. News service: United Press International. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $5 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays. University holidays, and examination periods. Entered as second-class matter Sept. 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kan., post office under act of March 3, 1879.
NEWS DEPARTMENT
Jack Harrison Managing Editor Carol Allen, Dick Crocker, Jack Morton and Doug Yocom, Assistant Managing Editors; Rael Amos, City Editor; Jim Trotter, Sports Editor; Carolyn Frailey, Society Editor.
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
George DeBord and John Husar ... Co-Editorial Editors
Saudra Hayn, Associate Editorial Editor.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Bull Kane Business Manager Ted Tidwell, Advertising Manager; Joanne Novak, Promotion Manager; Ruth Rieder, National Advertising Manager; Tom Schmitz, Circulation Manager; John Massa, Classified Advertising Manager.