History expert says grasslands not dull
By Cheryl Hentsch
The prairie country is dull, you say. The grasslands are monotonous and the frontier is gone, you think. Then spend a few minutes with James C. Malin, recently retired KU history professor and internationally respected authority on grassland culture of North America.
"Although most people think the prairie and grassland country is monotonous," Prof. Malin said, "I've discovered that what is really monotonous is their minds—the grass country is beautiful, ever-changing."
"AS FOR THE DISAPPEARANCE of the western frontier, if people think America has closed a page in the history books, they've underestimated their own potential," Prof. Malin frankly observed.
More than 45 years of research and experience add authority to his statements. As specialist in the historical study of the Trans-Mississippi West, he stresses the study of ecology and other sciences with history to get the proper background setting of a certain region. His region is the grasslands of North America.
Prof. Malin's most widely known and debated theory appears in his book, "Grassland of North America."
His central theme is the adaptive process of the white man to subhumid grassland environment.
"ONE HUNDRED YEARS is a short time in human history and in the last century a number of blind alleys have been explored to extend progress," Prof. Malin explained. "Man first had to learn he couldn't conquer and rule nature. You see, his European culture enabled him to occupy forest-clad eastern United States, but when he crossed the
"He had to learn that old ways of tree-planting, settlement and rainmakers would not change the climate. Only by improvisation and borrowing did he find crops and crop strains that would supply dependable modes of land utilization."
Mississippi River, grass country presented new situations.
"The individual is the ultimate creative force in civilization with his creative intelligence. That is why (Frederick Jackson) Turner was wrong in 1893 when he said the frontier was gone, the supply of usable land exhausted.
Spurred with enthusiasm for his subject, Prof. Malin noted that the history of society is not a vacuum, neither is it completely determined by past events.
"WHAT REALLY MATTERS is intelligent adaptation to environment. The frontier is never closed as long as we move toward that goal, as long as our minds remain fertile and ever open to new seeds of thought and imagination," Prof. Malin said.
The range of conversation topics which he covers spans 73 years of living in the Midwest and 42 years working with KU students. In one hour, he can discuss everything from campus demonstrations to conservation.
While talking about the KU he has known for so many years, Prof. Malin pointed out that although he had seen many changes come to the campus and had watched styles and students come and go, he found that the student himself had changed little. "Like the Lost Generation of the '20's and the students during the Depression, today's generation still finds a need to express itself—today, he demonstrates."
sized that contrary to the belief of many experts, conservation is not a problem of "locking up" existing resources but discovering ways of using resources that have always been present.
Prof. Malin also expressed amazement at the large sums of money it takes to run the University today. "Imagine, $2 million to build a library back in 1921 when I began teaching."
SHIFTING HIS CONVERSATION a full 180 degrees to conservation, Prof. Malin empha-
"Men have lived in the great plains for about 10,000 years—and they could for 10,000 more," he explained, "but to do so, men's minds must produce new ideas that can be translated technically into new resources."
Exhibitionist seen on Hill
"But you know," a colleague admiringly noted, "it's just his confidence in the worth and utility of the individual's intelligence which makes Prof. Malin special."
"HE CERTAINLY CANNOT be called a conformist," said George Anderson, chairman of the history department. "He does not believe in being completely dedicated to one theory whether it is cultural, climatic, great-man, etc."
An exhibitionist was reportedly seen on campus by several persons last night and was the object of a search by campus police.
The Traffic and Security Office said that officers made investigations in the areas where the exhibitionist was seen, but that nobody was found.
"There is a world of difference between influencing the course of history and determining the outcome. I don't believe in riding a hobby (horse) to death."
As Prof, Malin himself puts it: "No one can say with complete assurance that this particular event caused this event. Any occurrence is an accumulation of causes which influence but do not determine a happening.
Daily Kansan
Tuesday, May 17, 1966
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