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University Daily Kansan Monday, Feb. 10, 1958
The Man We Look Up To
"He was dressed like a country hick in a Prince Albert coat and a wide-brimmed hat, with a large bull's head stickpin in his necktie, the day he arrived at Kansas University as a freshman.
"KU was twenty years old when he enrolled There were three main buildings and the University had an enrollment of about five hundred. He certainly did not conform as a student. When he enrolled he was so discouraged with his performance at the College of Emporia that he did not claim any credits and enrolled as a
WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE
freshman. Since he had some college work, however, the authorities allowed him to take some advanced courses. He cut across accepted lines and took many advanced social science courses. He also regularly cut classes which he disliked and spent time in the library, reading the books stored away in the stacks. By the time he was a junior and a senior, he had such mixed up credits that the University catalogue didn't know how to classify him. The catalogue took the easy way out and just omitted his name as a student. Solid geometry proved to be his downfall. Even after taking the final examination three times, he did not pass that final freshman course.
"He was too busy with extracurricular activities to become an outstanding student. He
made A's in two rhetoric and one history course. C's in two mathematics and one Latin course, failed in solid geometry and made B's in all his other courses. Because of his failure to pass solid geometry, he did not receive a degree.
"During his three and a half years at college he held many journalistic posts. One year he was business manager of the University Review, and another year, business manager of the University Times. He was editor of the college annual, Helianthus, in 1889. In his freshman year he was local reporter for the University Courier. His previous newspaper training on the El Dorado and Emporia papers made him valuable to these amateur college papers.
"The signed articles that appeared over his name attracted state-wide attention. The Iola Register observed that he 'has already done some of the brightest work the Lawrence papers have ever known.' "
The rather disappointing KU student who never succeeded in passing solid geometry to receive his degree was none other than William Allen White. He said later in reference to his college experience, "I didn't learn a lot at school, but I did learn one thing; I knew when they had done all they could do for me with what they had to work with. Some of the boys went five years and some of them six trying to get their diplomas. I had sense enough to know after four years that I was through and I got out." He simply gave up.
To many Kansas University students, especially those in the School of Journalism, William Allen White has become some sort of a legendary figure, an idol. We know him as the powerful Kansas politician, the author of "Mary White," the heart rending editorial-obituary Mr. White wrote when his daughter died after falling from a horse. We know him as one of the persons responsible for taming the Ku Klux Klan, as a Pulitzer Prize winning editor, as a great Kansan whose editorial style could be as stinging and powerful as it could be warm and tender.
It is difficult for us to think of this man who, in our minds at least, represents the very best in Kansas journalism as ever having been a student, a struggling student at that.
It was not intended that by bringing to light the unsuccessful college career of William Allen White we detract from his most glittering accomplishments in life but rather that we present the story of a man who as a student was only "average," and who perhaps because and in spite of the University climbed to one of the top positions in the field of journalism.
Professors must sometimes, when thinking of their "average" students, look in retrospect at one other of these students, the freckle faced, too cock-sure." fresh kid, who failed solid geometry three times. William Allen White.
Evelyn Hall
... Letters ...
Try The City Library
Editor:
A recent report by LoRoy Fox, Librarian of the Lawrence Free Public Library shows that check-outs of books have nearly doubled in the past five years. Perhaps part of this increase is due to the fact that some students have found it quicker and easier to make a trip down town than to go through the hodge-podge of activities required to obtain a book from the Watson Library system.
The following is an account of the frustrating experience I went through to obtain a standard history book.
Since the author's name began with "B" and was nearest the door from whence I entered I looked there first. With no success I searched for a title card and then for the subject card. Finally I found the subject card, out of alphabetical order. I gave my call slip to an assistant who promptly disappeared into the stacks for a quarter of an hour. Finally returning, she told me that it was not there, why didn't I try the undergraduafe library. This I did to no avail.
Realizing that I was getting nowhere and that I had already wasted forty-five minutes, I decided to go to the Kansas Union Book Store to purchase the book in a paper bound edition. There
I learned that all the paper bounds had been thrown in boxes and hauled off until the text book rush was over and it would be impossible for me to get it within the next two weeks.
I realize that Watson Library houses over 700,000 volumes while the city library has only 45,000. Books and time are an important part of my life as a student. The books I can eventually find, but the precious minutes that linger into hours searching for them can never be replaced.
Had I not desperately needed the book I would have given up at this point. I decided to make a trip to the city library. Upon arriving I went straight to the catalogue and promptly found the book listed under the author's name. I helped myself to the book and in five minutes was on my way back to the campus.
It seems that the University library system could improve its method of distribution.
Jeff Hadden Lawrence senior
Dahlas, though named after Swedish botanist Andreas Dahl, were first used as food by ancient Mexicans. The tubers contain a healthful starchy substance, insulin, according to "The World in Your Garden," a new book published by the National Geographic Society.
In 1915 the death rate for babies in their first year was approximately one out of 10 in the United States, while by 1950 it had been reduced to less than 3 out of 100, notes a new report of the Twentieth Century Fund.
Dailu Hansan UNIVERSITY
University of Kansas student newspaper
bweekly 1904, trweekly 1908, daily Jim 1909
Telephone Viking 3-2700 Extension 251, news room Extension 276, business office
Member Inland Daily Press Association,
Associated Collegiate Press. Represented
National Advertising Service, Madison
State University, News service: United Press. Mail subscription rates; $3 a semester or $4.50 a year. Published onward every summer at University. University holidays, and examination periods. Entered as second-class matter Sept. 17, 1910, at March 3, 1879. post office under act of March 3, 1879.
Dick Brown
Larry Boston, Bob Hartley, Mary Beth Noyes, Malecol Applegate, Assistant Managing Editors; LeRoy Lord, City Editor; Martha Crosier, Jack Harrison, Assistant City Editors; Douglas Parker, Telegraph Editor; Mary Alden, Assistant Telegraph Editor; George Anthan, Sports Editor; Bob Macy, Assistant Swathson Editor; Pat Swanson, Society Editor
NEWS DEPARTMENT
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
DIRECTORIAL DEPARTMENT
Del Bala, Editor
Feyell Hall, Marlinton Museum
Zimmerman, Associate Editorial Editors
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Ted Winkler Business Manager John Clarke, Advertising Manager Ann Huston National Advertising Manager Bill Irving, Classified Advertising Manager Todd McGraw Circulation Manager Norman Beck, Promotion Manager.
NIGHT CLUB PARTY
COUNT BASIE
and his
orchestra
Featuring
Joe Williams
FEBRUARY 22
STUDENT UNION