Page 12 University Daily Kansan Friday. April 18, 1950
Exposition Born Of Pranks, Riots In Early Days
Publicity for KU's engineers has not always come from the constructive and informative displays which now characterize the annual Engineering Exposition.
In 1909, the date of the first annual engineering day, a parade was held in which some loud and spectacular displays were mounted on departmental floats.
One of the floats, constructed by the chemical engineers, sprayed the foul odor of phenyl-isocyanide over the somewhat unhappy crowd.
The engineering day celebrator went uninhabited for many years until 1922 when the lawyers made an attempt to decorate the floats with eggs—the rotten variety.
The engineers retaliated with their own rotten eggs and things threatened to get out of hand until former Chancellor Ernest H. Lindley settled the matter by abolishing engineering day.
THREE DINKS—Freshman caps may come and go but students will always exist. Illustrating this axiom are Clyde Hartter, Topeka junior and Laurence C. Woodruff, dean of students. Hartter displays an Oklahoma State beanie while Dean Woodruff holds in his hands (not in his teeth) a 1905 relic.
In 1923, P. R. Walker, dean of the School of Engineering, decided the burning energy of the slide rule set could be applied to something practical and the Engineering Exposition was born.
Exposition Born
It was decided that the engineers would compete for awards by making displays showing the work being done in each department and the first exposition was held in 1924.
A second exposition was held in 1925 but in 1926 it was decided the event would be held every two years. This plan was followed until 1931, when a three-year lapse occurred
The exposition was revived in 1934 and became an annual affair. It has been held on the same weekend as the Kansas Relays since 1936.
A three million volt atom smasher, model bridges, refrigerator units and designs of new houses are a few of the displays that have acquainted the people of this area with advances in engineering
Prevention For Nanning
One year an invention designed to prevent classroom napping was introduced. The sleepy student would sit with a rope tied around his neck. When he nodded, the rope jerked, opened a trap door, out of which rolled a bowling ball which knocked over some bowling pins.
Rear Guard In Frosh Caps
Sigma Tau, honorary engineering fraternity, awards the trophy for the best display. If the same department wins three years straight the trophy belongs to it permanently. This has happened twice in the history of the Exposition, first by the electrical engineers in 1941 and in 1957 by the petroleum engineers.
Showmanship has been added to technical skill as the exhibits have grown over the years.
If this didn't arouse the student a tack automatically came through the seat of the chair and punctured the dream and the dreamer.
Dr. Downs, a teacher for 41 years, is internationally recognized for her studies in rackettial diseases and particularly in tularemia. Agencies of the federal government have provided several hundred thousands of dollars for research under her direction since World War II, when she did to-secret work in the bacteriological warfare laboratories at Camp Detrick, Md.
Sirens mounted on the top of Marvin Hall, dynamite explosions and flashing lights have been used to lure the crowds into the Exposition.
Dr. Cora M. Downs, professor of bacteriology, has received a grant of $1,200 from Abbott Laboratories, Inc., of Chicago to be used as she desires. This is the second consecutive year that the Chicago pharmaceutical house has provided this recognition of Dr. Downs' consistent, high quality research in bacteriology and virology.
She Receives Grant For Top Notch Job
By JOAN JEWETT (Of The Daily Kansan Staff)
Back in the days when dad and the boys were college freshmen little billed caps were necessary expenditures—not only for their wardrobe, but also for their general well being.
Those who remember the freshman cap say its particular function was not to protect the head, out rather to prevent bruises to the posterior.
The cap wearing tradition grew out of attempts to protect the freshman in the class scraps of the early 1890's or late 80's. During this time such class scraped with the other three, but somehow the freshmen always got the brunt of the battles.
Such incidents as fire hose drenchings, leaving students hand-cuffed to trees to spend the night in freezing temperatures and making people ill by exploding stink bombs caused much concern.
In the days before the cap, a freshman was captured, stripped of his outer garments and taken to a sorority house. The women refused to let him in and he was then forced to perform before the crowd.
Freshmen Nearly Persecuted
The hazing had reached a degree bordering on persecution by 1905, and then the student council devised rules for cap wearing instead of hazing.
The rules were devised to (1) put an end to the physical violence, (2) foster school spirit, (3) and to unite the freshman rather than to ostracize him. Caps were to be tipped to the school flag, faculty members and seniors, who could be recognized by the arm bands they wore.
Former Chancellor Frank Strong said he was not opposed to the rules in general, but they seemed to "savor of persecution." He said it would have to be understood that no rowdyism would be tolerated on the campus.
The freshmen accepted the verdict and without a murmur donned the little green caps with red buttons.
After a few years the student council empowered the Men's Student Council, the "K" Club and Sachems to enforce the cap wearing rules.
Paddles Prominent Playthings
One of the men who got a new, well-oiled and decorated oak paddle in 1926 to enforce the rules was Raymond C. Nichols, current executive secretary to the chancellor. He was
a member of the Sachem organization.
"The paddlings took place anywhere," Mr. Nichols said, "and sometimes townpeople and high school boys got brought in. Every one tried to get a swat at the men running the gauntlet."
"It was instinctive for freshmen to try to protect themselves as they ran through the lines," he said, "but when hands flew back to cover the target area some finger bones were broken.
"Once I held a watch for a Daily Kansan editor while he got doused in Potter Lake for writing an editorial which accused the upperclassmen of being more juvenile than the freshman."
Mr. Nichols said he agreed with the editor, but as a member of the paddle squad all he could do was offer to hold his watch.
not wearing the cap at football games was to be tossed high into the air from a big canvas blanket.
The customary punishment for
Mr. Nichols said the blanket had handles for 20 or 30 men to heave at the same time. The tossings were stopped when the canvas got thin, he added.
Women Wouldn't Like Caps
Women Wouldn't Like Caps Miss Patricia Patterson, assistant dean of women, said she would not want to wear a freshman cap, in face, she doubted if other women would either.
"I don't think there is any chance that the caps will come back." Miss Patterson said, "because hazing has gone out of the fraternity system to a large extent. I just don't think we could ever return to the flamboyant snake-dancing days."
Finally in 1944 the All Student Council passed a resolution banning the physical enforcement of the tradition, and 1951 was the last year caps were sold.
FLOAT PREPARATIONS—Three women from Delta Gamma sorority prepare crepe paper for their float in the KU Relays parade Saturday
morning. The women are, from left, Jean Stone. Kay Morgen, Wichita and Suzanne Beutler, Hutchinson. All are sophomores.
Caps Face Extinction
Laurence C. Woodruff, dean of students, has a freshman cap, a relic of some 1905 freshman. He keeps it in his files now, except for the times that he wears it in the night shirt-parades held at the beginning of each school year.
Dean Woodruff said the main reasons for the extinction of the caps were the focusing of attention on cars and World War II instead of the caps. Also, he said, men were not wearing any kind of hats very much at the time of war.
Of course KU is not the only school that has had the caps. However, KU is about the only school that didn't give them a nickname. They have been known elsewhere as rat caps, dinks, bonnets, and beanies, but at KU they have simply been known as the freshman cap.
Nuclear Science Study Grows
To stay abreast with the space age, four courses in nuclear sciences are now being offered at KU.
However, the courses do not offer specialized training, but a broad foundation for students wanting to enter the fields for further study, two professors involved in nuclear training told a Daily Kansas reporter.
Russell B. Mesler, associate professor of chemical engineering, said that his department has one course, Introductions to Nuclear Engineering, which has met with high interest among chemical engineering students.
He said the department is planning to offer some new courses in the nuclear field. He said the department was also trying to offer a master's degree in nuclear engineering.
Prof. Mesler said the department was trying to secure funds to build a nuclear reactor at KU. He said the Atomic Energy Commission was interested in helping the University in this project and the main problem at present is finding the money to finance the work.
Ammon S. Andes, professor of aeronautical engineering, said that department was offering one open course, Ballistic Missiles, and two seminar courses dealing with missiles. This is the first semester the Ballistic Missiles course has been offered.
The two seminar courses the department offers are Hypersonics and Rocket Propulsion. Hypersonics is concerned with the aerodynamics of air or gases and their relation to the various missiles.
In connection with the Rocket Propulsion course, some of the students are building a blockhouse to test rocket nozzles. They will experiment with thrust, temperature, velocity and pressures and their effects on rockets.
18,000 Expected At KU By 1970
(Continued from Page 8.)
5. Because of scholarships and research contracts we have, it seems probable we can maintain high standards and perhaps raise them over our present standards.
Burton W. Marvin, dean of the William Allen White School of Journalism, said radio-television is the fastest growing branch of journalism in ratio of students. The radio laboratories now in Flint Hall will be moved to Hoch Auditorium next year, allowing room for expansion in Flint.
Dean Marvin indicated there would be an increased concentration on graduate work. He said, however, "We are primarily in the newspaper field," and that the school would not lose sight of that.
He pointed out that there are 12 to 15 "directions" a journalism graduate may take when he finishes school.