ASC Calls for Governor's Apology
The All Student Council has called upon Gov. George Docking to issue a public apology for the statements he made against the University at his press conference last Thursday.
The call for an apology came in a letter drafted by the council. It is being sent to Rep. Odd Williams (R-Lawrence) and Sen. Don Hults (R-Lawrence) to be read before the Legislature.
The letter states, in part:
"We, as members of the All Student Council of the University of Kansas, are appalled at the recent irresponsible charges made against our University and its students by the chief executive of Kansas.
"The charges made about KU in the governor's press conference Thursday have absolutely no basis.
"His charges of lack of ethics stem from a disturbance between him and some KU students at a political rally in Leavenworth. Evidently our chief executive is taking a stand that those students who oppose his views are unethical."
The letter states that in 1958 the National Foundation awarded 11 pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships to KU students. Only 30 National Foundation fellowships were awarded in the Big Eight conference.
"Eleven graduating seniors received Woodrow Wilson Fellowships last year out of 19 awarded in Kansas. The 11 fellowships were thought to be the most awarded any publicly supported institution in the United States."
The letter also states that KU is one of four American universities playing a major role in the Atomic Energy Commission's training of scientists in radiological biophysics, and is one of seven centers chosen by the State Department for the orientation of foreign students coming to the United States.
"The KU post-graduate programs in medicine have become the most
complete and well attended of their type in the 49 states, according to the American Medical Association Journal.
"Something is blinding Mr. Docking from the facts of the roles KU is filling—to the satisfaction of a nation, but not of a governor.
"The governor's attacks on the faculty at KU are completely unjustified."
The letter states there are on the KU staff, presidents or chairmen of at least 13 national organizations, ten faculty members who were actively involved in the Manhattan Project which led to the creation of
the atomic bomb, and many educators who have received awards to study in centers of learning through out the world.
"These represent but a few of those who have been criticized so severely and are actively being sought by other leading institutions throughout the country.
Daily Hansan
"As the governing body of the students of the University of Kansas we call upon Governor Docking to issue a public apology for the unfortunate and careless words he uttered last week. We trust he will retract his statements in justice to his fellow Kansans."
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
56th Year, No. 96
Thursday, Feb. 26, 1959
Religious Views, Ideas Given Students Favor R.E.W., But Don't Take It Seriously All Men Have God'
A poll by the Daily Kansan finds that, in general, students favor Religious Emphasis Week. But many of the persons polled feel that the student body does not take the week seriously enough.
Students were asked what value they place on Religious Emphasis Week and what effect they think college life has on a student's religious outlook.
Here are the students' views:
Sally Gaffey, Parsons freshman: "I think that when college students are away from home, they tend to lose religion in the bustle of other things. But religion can strengthen some persons' faith, because they must learn to face problems alone for the first time."
Deanne Phillips, Abilene senior: "This week is an opportunity for students to give some time and thought to spiritual matters. College is a time of questioning, but it is also a time for the emergence of deeper values."
Mary Carol Stephenson, Pittsburg sophomore: "I think that the week's value is that by having so many opportunities to discuss our religion, we can begin to think more seriously about it."
Robert Christensen, Topeka freshman: "I don't think this week particularly accomplishes anything. If someone is a Christian, he will be one without a special week. College improves a student's religious views because you get a re-evaluation of old beliefs and know why you believe as you do."
Fred Bert Johnson, Kansas City, Kan., freshman: "Students are concerned about religion as much as they are concerned about a current world problem or event."
Gary Burgess, Pomona senior: "I feel the majority are unmoved by religion and are unwilling to sacrifice for it. However, it is important to some who find security in their beliefs."
James McElfresh, New York, N. Y., junior: "College life has the tendency to pull the student away from religion because of a lack of time or a loss of interest."
Jerry W. Laughlin, Overland Park
junior: "I think college makes the student forget religion because he is busy studying and has many distractions."
William Gerow, Kansas City, Mo., senior: "It is my opinion that for most of the students, Religious Emphasis Week has little meaning other than to remind them that they have a religion which they should be practicing more than they are."
Donald Hunter, Oak Park, Ill.
freshman: "I think Religious Emphasis Week is good and I believe that the people who participate get much out of it. But I don't think nearly enough students participate."
Peggy Kallos, Horton junior: "I believe it is of very little value judging merely from the students' lack of enthusiasm. From all around me Monday morning, all I heard was, It's convocation time! To the Union!"
Damon Patton, Wichita sophomore: "The value of the week, if any, is entirely personal. The sum total of its value is not high because most people do not take advantage of Religious Emphasis Week."
Dead Sea Scrolls Discussed
Gary Spurgin, Stanberry, Mo., junior: "Personally, I know of but a few people who have participated. The week's effect does not seem to have spread widely on the campus."
Marv Karen Smith, Delphos junior: "During college, one's religious views and outlooks become confused, but grow to a point which will lead to a better understanding of religion as a whole."
Lloyd Crawford, St. Francis senior: "The week serves to awaken the students. Activities are concentrated more on the spiritual side of life rather than on material things."
a professor of Old Testament studies yesterday contrasted the Jewish Dead Sea Sect, which produced the Dead Sea Scrolls, and early Christian communities.
William L. Nichols, Wichita freshman: "Up here, you have to adjust your beliefs and you actually see how the foots you learned in church apply to life."
Karen Fry, Okmulge, Okla., sophomore: "If your ideas are strong enough, college won't sway your beliefs."
Carol Hume, Oak Park, ill., sophomore: "I believe college life increases the student's beliefs."
The Rev. Dr. J. Coert Rylaarsdam, professor of Old Testament in the University of Chicago Divinity School, said the Dead Sea Sect was a community of preparedness for the coming of God with emphasis upon grace, while the early Christian communities emphasized the fulfillment of Jesus Christ.
The Dead Sea Scrolls were found
in the desert near Palestine in 1947 by a shepherd. The Rev. Rylaarsdam said the scrolls took reliable knowledge back from 950 A.D. to 50 B.C.
The Rev. Rylaarsdam said the Scrolls fall into two categories. The first section is related with the Old Testament, he said, and the second part deals with the type of community the Dead Sea Sect formed in the desert.
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls is considered by scholars to be most important achievement in the search for historical religious documents.
There is really only one religion in our world today. The basic response of Christians to God, a supreme and higher being, leads them into communion with those of other religions.
The Rev. Dale R. Turner, director of the Baptist Student Center at Kansas State University, presented this theme yesterday at the 4 p.m. coffee discussion at the Kansas Union.
"All men are religious by nature, and everyone has a god of some sort. All men feel restlessness and an awareness that there is a higher authority over them which demands loyalty and awe," said Rev. Turner.
Thus, religion is a response of an individual to that which he considers to be the ultimate authority over him and from which he derives his standards and values. Success may be a religion if that is what the individual sees as the ultimate, he said.
Rev. Turner said he felt that in Christianity the church is the "body of Christ." He added that he would question the sincerity of an individual's faith if he had no interest in participating in church worship, because it is really participation in part of the "body of Christ."
"Christianity is unique, however because of the understanding which Christians have of the nature of God through Jesus," he added.
"Church, in general, has not been the primary source in society which brought about the better position of the Negro. This is one case in which church has lagged behind fine arts, professional sports and even the military service, all of which have no racial boundaries.
Church and culture influence each other greatly, and sometimes one leads the other, he said.
"Considering all the world religions, I believe there is a certain amount of validity in each of them. I would walk the road quite a long way with a Moslem until we came to a definition of Christ," Rev. Turner said.
"Churches individually have fought for integration, but churches which really practice what they preach are in the minority.
But Moslems worship the same being we Christians do, the being which we call "God." The Christian concept of love is our additional dimension to offer others. Christs find the wrath and punishment of God to man an expression of God's love for man and for his own good. Man's love of fellow man grows out of his love of God, he said.
To Discuss English Exam
The final English Honors examination will be discussed at a meeting of June graduation candidates with Honors in English at 5 p.m. Monday in 205 Fraser.
Van Sickle Boosts Letters Campaign
Rep. Tom R. Van Sickle (R-Fort Scott) has urged students to continue the campus letter campaign until the legislature has voted on the University's proposed building program.
Rep. Van Sickle said, in a letter to John Downing, Kansas City, Mo. junior and president of the KU student body;
"The letter campaign which the students of the University of Kansas are developing has had an enlightening effect upon the members of the Legislature.
"As you realize, no decision has yet been made concerning the regents' request in regard to a 'crash building program.' I would suggest that you continue the present campaign at least until a decision has been made about this question."
Rep. Van Sickle said Monday, "I believe that a strong letter and promotion campaign will be more important and effective than any stunt or scheme that some expressive student might dream up."
An editorial writer from Kansas State college has accused Gov. George Docking of "a lack of discipline and human dignity."
K-State Girl Hits Docking
Sharon Totten, Winifred senior,
wrote the editorial about a press
conference Gov. Docking held with
a KU reporting class.
"in essence," Miss Totten's editorial said, "what Docking has done is to make an effort to discredit Daily Kansan reporters who quoted him by calling them 'unfriendly amateurs', but he has made no specific charge against them. He has not charged that they misquoted or misinterpreted him, but merely has called them amateurs.
"This, then, becomes just another rhetorical device to put them in a bad light, with no basis. And rather then being specific and saying what he means. Docking has passed it off by saying, 'there is no use arguing with them.'" the editorial said.
"Is this not then a show of the very thing the governor has been charging to KU—a lack of discipline and human dignity?"
Young GOP To Hear Hults
Sen. Donald Hults (R-Douglas) will address the KU Young Republicans at 7:30 tonight in Room 306 of the Student Union.
Joan Stafford, St. Joseph, Mo., senior and chairman of the collegiate group, said Sen. Hults will probably outline the basis of the budget controversy and possibly analyze Gov. George Docking's attitude toward the budget.
Miss Stafford said that Sen. Hults, a member of the Ways and Means Committee, will probably explain the committee's decision to increase the budget.
Weather
Sunny and warm this afternoon, increasing cloudiness and moderately shifting northerly winds spreading eastward with chance of few snow flurries in the northwest. Warmer southeast tonight. Not so warm Friday.
Rep. Van Sickle said the Speaker of the House has said that he has received more letters from individuals on the issue of the University budget than on any other subject before the legislature this session.
Gov. Denies He Is Unfair
Governor Docking denied today that he is being unfair to the University of Kansas. "They are trying to accuse me of being violent to KU which just isn't so," he said.
The governor said that in the last two sessions he asked for faculty salary increases but requested that the money be given to the Board of Regents to be given out to professors on a merit basis.
Governor Docking said he would sign a Republican proposal to give $2.6 million more to grade and high schools, and would probably have to sign proposed merit salary increases to professors at the states colleges and university.
"I think the regents should administer salary scales in order to prevent competition between schools. We should consider this as one state school system, not separate competing schools."
About the GOP proposal to grant 4.68 per cent salary increases over his budget, Docking said, "If they raise the state budget, that's the responsibility of a Republican legislature. I have no authority over them."
Diver Hurt At KU Pool
Kenton Keith, Kansas City, Mo. iophomer, suffered a fractured foot n a diving accident at the Robinson Gymnasium pool last night.
Lifeguard Ronald Thatcher, Lawrence senior, said Keith apparently slinped while on the diving board, fell to the side, and hit his right leg and shoulder against tae wall. Thatcher pulled Keith from the water and called an ambulance. Keith was taken to Watkins Hospital.
About 15 swimmers were in the pool when the accident occurred.
TGIF and Game For Senior Day
Seniors are anxiously awaiting the start of class activities tomorrow.
The first feature of the day will be a TGIF party at 4 p.m. at the Tee Pee. Seniors may enjoy a combo and jam session with no admission charge.
The senior intramural all-star basketball team will play the sophomore team at 5:30 tomorrow. The sophomores defeated the junior team yesterday. 55-45.
Seniors will sit in a special section for the game, which will be followed by the KU-Kansas State varsity game at 7:30.