University Daily Kansan, August 19, 1982 Page 3
Students keep some traditions active, let others fade away
By JULIE LENAHAN Staff Reporter
The man sitting behind his desk is surrounded by shelves of books and rows of filing cabinets.
He speaks of Old Fraser Hall, Blake Hall and Robinson Gymnasium and the lick hedge that was a gift from Joseph Savage, a Lawrence citizen.
John Nugent, University archivist, is familiar with many of KU's historical changes and is surrounded in his office by its symbols and traditions.
Nugent said he missed the pep sections of the 1940s—"The Red Peppers," "Fresh hawks" and "Jay James"—and the night shirt parade of the 1960s.
KU TRADITIONS and symbols began with the first class of 1873, "when there was a consciousness and pride that they knew the number of a particular class," Nugent said.
The mythical Jayhawk is the most familiar KU symbol.
Pioneers traveling from Illinois to the California gold fields were first called "Jayhawkers." During the Civil War, they adopted the name and adopted by the first Kansas Cavalry.
And in 1890, this bird became the mascot for the KU football team.
But the Jayhawk was not drawn until 1912 when a student, Henry Maloy, drew the bird for the University Daily Kansan.
"MALOY SAID he put shoes on the bird so that it could kick the Missouri Hound Dog around," Nugent said.
Maloy also wrote that before the adoption of the Jayhawk, the buildog
Changes were made in the Jayhawk during the next thirty years.
"It wasn't until the 'smiling' Jayhawk was created that it became the most significant symbol," Nugent said.
It is harrod D. Sandy's design of a smiling or happy Jayhawk that has been most used since he drew it when he was a student in 1946.
The KU crimson and blue colors were adopted in May 1896.
Crimson was chosen for Harvard in honor of Colonel John J. McCook, who made contributions for a KU athletic field, Nugent sent. And blue was selected for Yale on behalf of Chancellor Strong.
But these are not the original colors adopted by the University Board of Regents in the 1960s.
The original colors used in the 1880's were maize and blue, the Michigan colors.
"Maize represents the ripened grain, and blue was symbolic of the Kansas
"Crimson and the Blue" is the title of a university song adapted by Professor George Barlow Penny in 1891.
Penny wrote the lyrics to the tune of a Cornell song, "Far Above Cayuga's Waters," which from an old English folk tune, "Annie Lisle."
ANOTHER POPULAR KU song,
"I'm a Jayhawk," was written by George "Dumpy" Bowles. He wrote this song for a school production in 1912, but it was not used until the '20s, Nugent said.
"I'm a Jayhawk" was used to raise funds for the Kansan Union and the Kansan Warriors.
"I believe it could have been used as the theme song for a drive that solicited contributions from students and alumni." Nugent said.
Members of the KU Science Club wrote the "Rock Chalk" yell when they returned from a scientific conference in the 1880s.
THE ORIGINAL version of "Rah,
Rah! Jahlawku KW" was changed by
Steven H. Schoenberg.
University Relations said the professor suggested using the words "Rock Chalk" in the chant to represent the limestone formation on the campus.
"Rock Chalk" has been used as a title of the variety show "Rock Chalk Revue," which began in 1950 and has become a tradition among KU students.
KU's historical buildings and memorials are symbols of tradition.
After World War II, the University wanted something as a symbol for everyone who had died during the war, Nugent said.
The University decided to build a tower, the Campanile, whose chimes have become a traditional sound at KU.
Another KU symbol is the University seal, established in 1865. It represents the biblical story of Moses and the burning bush.
University Relations said that the Rev. R. W. Oliver, the University's first chancellor, compared Kansas to the New York City by heat and drought but not destroyed.
These symbols have been passed from generation to generation of KU students and faculty with some recent additions.
THE JAYHAWK MASCOT costume was brought to KU football games in the early 1990s and was followed by the team's "Baby-Jay" costume in 1973.
Despite the continued use of symbols, augent said there had been a decline in the number of women with degrees.
Hobe Day, which was a homecoming rally day, the freshman "benanies" of the 1920s and the student induction ceremony, in which the traditions of the college were shared with and transfer students, are traditions students no longer practice.
Christmas Vespers, Kansas Relays,
homecoming, Parent's Day and the
Engineering Exposition are a few of the
traditions still present at KU.
"Waving the Wheat!" when a touchdown is scored is a favorite of football fans. But Nuugén did he not know that during his team's game, the arms from side to side started.
Nugent said the spirit felt for traditions and symbols was not as important to present students as it was by earlier generations.
"I don't know why it couldn't be," Nugent said.
"Maybe they don't know enough about the history or traditions, so we can just use it."
Graduate council represents needs, interests of students
By CAROL MILLS Staff Reporter
"We're basically a service organization 'for the 5,500 graduate students on campus, and we act as a liaison between government bodies." Berger said.
"ALTHOUGH WE ARE not an official part of the student governance system, we do act as a representative of the graduate students." Cannatella said. "We are committed to provide equipment for graduate preparations."
Representing the interests and needs of graduate students at the University of Kansas is the primary goal of the Graduate Student Council, the executive coordinator of the council, Tom Berger said.
David Cannatella, chairman of the council and a graduate assistant in systems and ecology, said the GSC acted as a conduit for problems encountered by graduate students and graduate assistants.
or not. Berger said the council provided assistance with minority concerns, information on fellowships and housing for graduate students.
"We're really a service organization among all these governance organizations," he said. "We provide funds for graduate students to publish articles in University-sponsored publications, we present or departmental organizations to bring in speakers, and we act as a sounding board for graduate student frustrations."
The GISC is financed by the Student Senate through funds from activity fees. The budget is about $22,000 a year. Berger said. This budget pays the sail-
"For example," Berger said, "systems and ecology grad students work at Dyche and Snow. One office had a typetype for all the budgets funds for an additional typewriter."
ary of the GSC coordinator and a part-time clerical person. The rest of the budget is divided up between graduate student departmental organizations.
"We try to offer as much information as possible," he said. "Those of us on the board have been on the campus for long time, and we know how we can help."
"WE WOULD LIKE the graduate students to contribute to the paper," he said. "But we have a problem getting the word out."
The council publishes a graduate
document newspaper four times a year.
Cannatella said that the council always had had a low profile.
The council also serves as a sounding board for graduate assistants, teaching assistants and research assistants.
"If the student loans are out for graduate students, then the only option left is to be a graduate assistant. That's better than the fee waiver for graduate assistants."
Berger said the budget cuta.ks and the effect they might have on the number of graduate students was an important issue to the council.
"IF WE HAVE fewer graduate students, then we have fewer graduate assistants," he said. "And in particul- tary cases, we need funds for paying graduate assistants."
The fee waiver proposal would increase the graduate assistant fee rejection rate from 69 per cent to 80 per cent. However, the proposal would still have to pay student activity fees.
With the fee waiver in effect, a full
payment of this full pay would pay $u0 out
of the $$u0.
CANATELLA the council was putting more effort into the fee waiver proposal this year than they had before, despite the budget cutbacks.
"The fee waiver wouldn't require all that much money from the state," he said.
HUTCHISON SAID the fee waiver would require the state to supply more tax money to the University. However, he said, the benefits of maintaining the graduate student enrollment and teaching would outweigh the budgetary difference.
"We have consistently made it one of the top priority issues," he said. "We need to provide exemptions for graduating students and that would not be hardest away to other institutions."
Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Jerry Hutchison said that the University has supported the fee waiver proposal for a long time.
He said there are plans to restructure the Council's constitution so that each department has a representative to meet with and bring issues to the council.
"We have an open council meeting twice a year," Berger said. "We go through the budget, look at fund requests from graduate organizations and discuss issues that graduate students and assistants bring up."
"We're here to provide services, and we can only be as effective as the students."
"Even with the cutbacks," Hutchison said, "there has been no suggestion to move the players."
Burger said the council needed representation from all the departments to develop and encourage issues like the fee waiver.
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