B
Ko
Sj p w
bo b !
m
no g w t u s t w
1. 已知 $a_{n+1}=\frac{1}{2} a_n + 1$，求 $\lim_{n \rightarrow \infty} a_n$ 的值。
SPORTS: This year's college football bowl matchups, finalized yesterday, have some teams upset, Page 7.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
VOL.102,NO.73
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1992
(USPS 650-640)
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
NEWS:864-4810
KU student is Rhodes Scholar
Lawrence woman ends University's 10-year drought
By Delin Cormeny
Kansan staff writer
Pam McElwee's parents have more than one reason to be happy about their daughter winning the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship.
"They don't have to pay for graduate school," the Lawrence senior said, while laughing.
McElwey found out this weekend that she became the first KU woman and the first KU student in 10 years to win a Rhodes Scholarship, which will
pay for a two-year stint at Oxford University in England.
"It's just incredible," she said. "I'm incredibly excited."
"You've got to have a very clear sense of what you want to study," she said, "My interest is in developing countries and biology."
She is one of 32 recipients chosen from among 100 national semi-finalists, which were chosen from among countless regional and state finalists.
But McElwey considered luck to be an element.
"I'm not the best student to pass through in the past 10 years," she said. "It was just the right time."
The 21-year-old said she will graduate from KU in December with a bachelor's degree in political science and
environmental studies. At Oxford, she plans to complete a one-year master's degree program in forestry.
She said her goal was to work for a United Nations agency or an international development agency, possibly in Kenya, as an environmentalist.
"I need to find something to do for another year," she said, because the scholarship will pay for two years of study. "I may study geography or biology. I'll just have to wait and see."
McElwee has finished her course work for her degrees and is a research assistant to Vice President-elect Al Gore's environmental policy adviser in Washington.
She said that although she was pleased about winning the scholarship, she was also a bit nervous about
living up to the title of Rhodes Scholar.
"Obviously, I always put pressure on myself to do well," she said. "And now I have to prove that I deserve this scholarship, so it is going to be hard."
McEIlee's mother, Margery McElwee, said Pam was simply continuing a family tradition by studying science. Both parents are scientists.
Margery McElwee teaches cnemistry, math and physics at Eudora High School, and Carl McElwee is a professor of geophysics at KU.
"I'm overwhelmed she won," Margery McElwee said. "I'm still in a state of shock."
The Rhodes Scholarships are awarded annually in honor of Cecil Rhodes, a South African statesman.
Special Sections Manager ...Brad Hamilton
Assistant Special Sections Manager ...Melissa Sliffe
Assistant Managing Editor ...Aimee Brainard
Copy Chief ...John Brothers
Copy Editors ...Shelly Solon
Val Huber
Stacy Friedman
Allison Lippert
Michael Kinnamar
Page Layout & Design ...Derek Nolen
Special Thanks to: Paul Wenks & his Reporting II class, Jeanne Hines,
Tom Eblen, Eric Nelson, Greg Farmer and Justin Knupp
The many origins of Christmas
By Henri Blanc
Special to the Kansan
By Henri Blanc
At the moment of the winter solstice, the ancient inhabitants of the British Isles would throw Yule logs on a fire to celebrate the rebirth of the sun. This was probably the early function of the Christmas tree.
"For political reasons, the early church chose the date of December 25 to include pagan holidays," says Paul Mirecki, professor of religion at KU. Indeed, Christians absorbed pagan holidays because the early church used already-established conventions to carry its message to its believers.
used to be white. When Jesus was crowned with a holy wreath, the berries became red with his blood.
Many other Christmas traditions also trace their origins back to pagan and popular beliefs, experts say. Along with the Yule festival, other pagan holidays were celebrated on December 25. Long before the rise of Christianity, ancient Romans celebrated the Saturnalia. They honored Saturn, the god of agriculture.
The tradition of hanging evergreen wreaths comes from paganism, too. For North European, Celtic and Teutonic tribes, the evergreen represented a promise of the sun's return. Later, this tradition was adopted by Christianity. According to legend, the evergreen berries
December 25 was also the feast of the Persian god Mithra. "It is very important because Mithraism was the major alternative religion in the late antiquity," says J. Patrick Hughes, professor of history at Fort Leavenworth University. Since this cult was a rival of Christianity, it was later forbidden, experts say.
Even some Christmas stories base their origins in the supernatural rather than Christian beliefs. Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol" was not the first ghost story written for December 25.
Although St. Francis of Assisi is supposed to have introduced the first creche, a representation of the Nativity, earlier scenes existed in churches before the 11th century. The first purpose of the creche was to tell Christians of the miraculous birth at a time when people could not read.
Some Christmas traditions are more recent. It was an American cartoonist, Thomas Nast, who in 1863 developed the character of Santa Claus as we know him today. The name of Santa Claus is actually the Dutch name for St. Nicholas.
The historical St Nicholas lived in Asia Minor, today's modern Turkey. He was a 4th century bishop who was known for his good work. For this reason, he is considered the gift-bearer. However, the original idea of gift-giving came from the kings who visited Jesus after his birth.
The Christmas celebration, however, is bigger than what it really should be, says Mirecki. "In Christian theology, Easter is more important than Christmas." Indeed, the gospels do not give any date for Jesus' birth.
Although Christianity seems to have engulfed December 25, no one should forget the holiday's religiously-ambiguous origins. This time of the year, by its origins, is a multi-cultural event.
NEED HOLIDAY MONEY?
NABI Biomedical Center introduces...
Performance Plus
Earn $135.00 per month.
Here's how it works...
Bronze: First 3 donations a month, earn
Silver: 4th, 5th &6th donations a month, earn
Gold: 7 donations a month,earn
$10 per donation.
$15 per donation.
Go for the gold! Save a life and make some $$$!
$20 per donation.
NABI Biomedical Center
816 W. 24th St.
(Behind Laird Noller)
749-5750
Mon-Thurs 9-6
Fri. 9-5
Sat. 9-1
Cocktail Dresses
Pageant Gowns
Tuxedo Rentals
Brighten your holiday fun with style that will put you in a festive mood.
221-7971
AMERICAN
1531 Main, Kansas City, Mo.
Daron J. Bennett / KANSAN
while playing Santa two years in downtown
ents
before it's due takes me
rite," he said.
with learning disabilities r college unprepared for ace. In college, the empha- dependent thinking and aing load.
uck me in slow classes," Brooks, a Boulder, Colo., see learning disability was during his first year at KU. Ight I was another dumb
going to go to college," he r 18 years of being called
ntinues, Pago 3.
did not read his first : Color Purple," until last
HOLIDAY EDITION • *K-you* • December 4, 1992
group
2
Richard Devinik/ KANSAI
e.members of the Delta
tack for $14,800 to Don Har-
ages Inc., and Rosemary
der of the Villages.