friday,october17,2003
homecoming
the university daily kansan 5B
DOCTOR'S ORDERS — 3.25.1880 At a meeting that could be considered the birth of University of Kansas Medical Center, KU faculty vote to establish a preparatory or first-year medical course, which is subsequently approved by the Board of Regents.
"NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE WORLD" 5.01.1893 The Panorama of North American Mammals, a version of which is now located in the University of Kansas Natural History Museum in Dyche Hall, debuts as the centerpiece of the Kansas pavilion at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
KISS-OFF — 1.12.1898
KISS-OFF — 1.12.1898 A group of KU students students launch a "Lips-that-touch-liquor-will never-touch-mine" campaign.
MUSIC MEN (AND ULTIMATELY WOMEN) — 9.30.1898 Two dozen male KU students gather on Mount Oread to form what will become the KU Marching Jayhawks.
the KU Marching Jayhawks.
University displays legend of Comanche
Ariel Tilson/Kansar
Zachary Spears and his sister Adelai stopped to look at Gen. George Custer's horse, Comanche, who is housed in the Natural History Museum. Comanche was the only one found alive, though wounded, on the battlefield after Custer's Last Stand.
By Bailey DeReus correspondents@kansan.com Kansan correspondent
A legend can be found on campus. This legend isn't named on a banner hanging in Allen Fieldhouse, nor does it involve a whale sighting at Potter Lake. This is one horse of a tale.
In the Natural History Museum, located in Dyche Hall, a horse named Comanche is remembered and celebrated from a turbulent part of the United State's history. Throughout the years of Comanche's presence at the University of Kansas, his stories and myths have stirred controversy and have brought people from all over the world.
Comanche was owned by Army Capt. Myles Keogh and together they rode for the 7th Cavalry, riding in tours of duty against the Ku Klux Klan and moonshiners.
fied."
In 1891, 10 years after the University of Kansas had become an official university, the 7th Cavalry from Kansas fought in the Battle of Little Big Horn in Greasy Grass Creek, Mont. Gen. George Custer led 200 cavalrymen to their deaths on a quest for the United States government to push the Sioux and Cheyenne Native Americans back to their reservation. The cavalry was outnumbered three to one and did not stand a chance. When more U.S. soldiers arrived on the scene of the battle, Comanche was the only one found alive.
"The policy toward the Native Americans at that time was conflicted, and this battle was an attempt to push the Native Americans to a small reservation," said John Simmons, collection manager of the Natural History Museum. "Comanche was a symbol of this battle. He was glori-
The celebrated war hero,
Comanche, was put in parades but
was never ridden again, said Brad
Kemp, assistant director for Public
Affairs.
In 1891, Comanche died at Ft. Riley. The 7th Cavalry wanted to preserve his remains, so they contacted Louis Lindsay Dyche, an explorer, lecturer and taxidermist who was working at the University at the time.
"Dyche had a good reputation as a naturalist in his day." Simmons said. "He was very successful and was very popular all over the country."
Two stories explain why the University has become Comanche's permanent home. The first, according to www.kuhistory.com, is that Dyche agreed to
do the service for free if the University could keep the horse. The second story is that there was no agreement, but the army never paid the taxidermy bill so the University would not return the horse to the 7th Cavalry.
Comanche continued to be celebrated in the museum as the "sole survivor." The controversy of the story arose because Comanche was not the only survivor from the battle; he was the only creature living when the soldiers arrived to the battlefield. Many Native Americans also survived the battle, so this was not a true representation of the incident.
In 1970, a delegation of students demanded a change because the information was false. The exhibit was then altered to better portray the battle.
preserve Comanche.
In the next few months, future plans for Comanche's exhibit will be explored by the museum, said Bruce Schertling, exhibits director.
Now Comanche stands on the fifth floor of the museum, but display cases around the horse stand empty. A handful of pictures show the process of what was done to preserve Comanche.
Apart from the misinterpretations surrounding Comanche, he has quite a following. It's not uncommon for people interested in history to come to the museum specifically to visit him.
"These people have a special interest in U.S. history and are interested in seeing an actual historical object," said Kemp.
By Crystal Futrell
correspondent@kansan.com
Kansan correspondent
—Edited by Ashley Marriott
Early KU fraternities engaged in fowl play
The world of secret societies and shrouded fraternities may seem like folklore legends today. But in its earliest years, the University of Kansas was known to have more than its fair share of undiscussed brotherhoods.
One of those organizations was called T.C.: Turkey Catchers.
called T.C. Turkey考生.
No one knows, or perhaps is willing to tell, who or how the T.C.s got started. The group was so secretive that little is known about it even today though it was infamous for its signature prank: kidnapping turkeys.
Former KU professor, historian and author of several books including Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas, an Informal History, David Dary said the T.C. group appeared soon after the University established its first handful of greek fraternities.
"Students would form these clubs to pull pranks because they found a release of pressure and tension by doing such things," Dary said.
At first, the T.C. men were recognized only by the tin-crafted letters "T.C." that they would wear on their shirt sleeves. No one knew what the letters stood for, though. Later, meeting sites littered with broken bottles and turkey feathers were discovered. But it was unsure whether this meeting site belonged to the T.C.s or another group.
At the same time, local turkey farmers noticed that their turkeys
were starting to disappear. No one suspected the T.C. men or guessed that their initials revealed their turkey-catching prank until one night when the T.C.s nabbed the wrong turkey farmer.
Founder of the University of Kansas School of Law, judge Nelson Stephens invited all of the men who wore the tin "T.C." letters to a special dinner at his house after having several of his turkeys mysteriously vanish. When the men arrived, they were escorted into the dining room where they discovered a whole roasted turkey on each plate.
The pranksters were discovered at last.
After that night, the T. C. group disbanded because their cover was blown, the tin letters were thrown away, and local turkeys breathed a sigh of relief. And as for its not-so lucky-companions, its fate remains a mystery.
Dary said he thought these groups weren't as prevalent today mostly because of modern technology.
"We now have television and the Internet," he said. "Students aren't bored as the students back in the late 19th century were."
Some might try to affiliate these prankster-pulling societies with today's fraternity and sorority systems. But Beta Theta Pi member, John Igo, Colorado Springs, Colo., junior, said the association shouldn't be made.
"Everything we do as a fraternity is open," he said. "We're not afraid to hide from society."
Edited by Erin Riffey
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