May Day Revelry Here Sometimes Went Wild
MAY FETE OF '08—The sometimes ferocious Maypole scraps at KU in the 1890's and early 1900's gave way to picturesque May Day celebrations like this one in 1908 where white-
gowned coeds wound Maypoles. "Self-powered buggies" were becoming popular. There are four in this photograph, the first showing automobiles on campus.
In an era when student and faculty unrest makes news coast to coast, it is nostalgic to look back to a time when the ferocity of the annual Maypole fracas was a school's biggest discipline problem.
In fact, KU in the 1890's encouraged May Day revelry because it aroused student spirit. But things got out of hand.
The first of the Maypole scraps came in 1891 after the junior men erected a 40-foot pole emblazoned with the figures '92. Shortly after 9 a.m. classes began, members of the class rushed from University Hall (later Fraser Hall) to see the pole on the ground and their colors in the dust.
THE GUARD they had left at the pole was bound hand and foot. A sophomore with an axe stood by his prize.
The juniors, aided by the freshmen, attempted to regain their pole and banner but the seniors came to the rescue of the sophomores and together they cut and burned the banner.
Undaunted, the junior-freshmen made two flags and unfurled them from the north dome of the hall, where other students stormed the heights in vain. The battle raged through the day, but as dusk approached, two daring sophomores scaled the domes from the outside and seized the flags.
The following year the juniors profited by the mistakes of their predecessors and mounted a stout iron pipe. The contest lasted a day and a half but the colors stood.
THE FIGHTING became more intense that year. "Many of the boys had the greater part of their clothing torn to shreds," the campus newspaper reported.
In 1894, according to the Courier, "the colors waved over Mount Oread all (Tuesday) morning. All night long you could hear the different class yellas as the boys went up and down the hill making preparations. . . About 2 a.m. the pole was raised. . . The only excitement was caused by two of the sophs and seniors who were tied to the telegraph poles and left until morning. Nothing but good feeling and gently actions were shown all day save in the instance of the senior who disgraced himself by slugging."
Nevertheless, the state press
became incensed about increasing violence at the events and the disruption of classes. Inevitably, two freshmen were seriously injured in the battle of 1904. The administration argued strenuously against the custom, and when May Day 1905 arrived, no class flag was flown.
INSTEAD A funeral cortege with a band paraded up main street to the campus where a funeral oration was delivered and an honor guard fired a salute.
That was the end of the Maypole scraps. A delighted Chancellor Strong stated: "Nothing has happened in the whole history of the institution that has done so much to disarm criticism and beget confidence on the part of the state as that act of the student body."
Student May Day observances resumed in 1908 with a much different format, the May Fete. Some alumni accustomed to the sometimes brutal contests of the 90's sniffed audibly at "Lord Fauntleroys who would tolerate such events as Ring Around the Rosy."
The May Fete with its white-gowned girls gracefully winding Maypoles on the campus lawn near the famous lilac hedge faded, too, after a number of years. But not before it won KU at least one new student. An alumnus recalls:
"Up the hill we hurried . . .
then the sight of the pretty girls
and the smell of the lilacs and
that glorious view out over the
valley! Good Methodist that I
was and with a girl that I liked pretty well at Washburn, I didn't even go to visit Washburn and Baker University as I had originally intended, but decided right then to go to KU."
Wed., Thurs., Fri.
Robinson Gym
7 pm
KU Karate Club Announces Karate Classes
7 p.m.
Pope Prepares Fasting Precepts
Head Instructor Shoichi Yamamoto 4th degree, Black Belt
By United Press International
Women's Self-Defense Class
Sat., 9:30 a.m.
Robinson Gym
By United Press International Pope Paul VI is preparing to issue a decree relaxing Lenten fasting regulations for Catholics throughout the world, highly placed Catholic sources said Wednesday.
Two New Jobs Created In School Of Journalism
Creation of two new positions on the School of Journalism faculty has been announced by Dean Warren K. Agee.
Malcolm Applegate, a KU graduate, will direct alumni relations and job placement beginning July 1.
A high-level teacher will be added to strengthen the graduate program and direct professional studies.
THIS SUMMER the school will sponsor two institutes for high school teachers and a camp for high school students interested in journalism. The institutes are scheduled June 7-17 and the journalism camp will be directed Julie 19-July 31.
Plans for creating a Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame room in
the Flint Hall library were discussed at the meeting. The addition will triple present library capacity.
No Booze Then
Daily Kansan 5
Wednesday, February 16, 1966
Drinking during prohibition was a serious offense for KU students. In 1923, "any student known to be intoxicated would by that act be disconnected from the University," said Chancellor Lindley. Two men students, arrested in downtown Lawrence with a pint of liquor in their car, were suspended in 1926.
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644 Massachusetts
Minority Opinions Forum
presents
FRANK WILKINSON
Leader of National Committee to Abolish House Un-American Activities Committee
(Convicted and jailed for contempt of Congress
Banned from speaking at several universities)
4:00 p.m. Thursday, Feb.17 Forum Room