University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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10 It does not take a stretch of the imagination to realize that the life of a culture or civilization is mirrored by the wake of its attainments. So too, from the early days of the University, and of the spark which flamed into the School we have today, the University Daily Kansan is that mirror which unfolds the history of our very own community. Your student-run newspaper can account for the Leonard Snyder Gets Tip from Professor Telfel Setting Up the Galleys history of the University in its files for nearly three quarters of a century. But it wasn ' t until Dr. E. M. Hopkins started a regular newspaper 55 years ago that the University Daily Kansan became established. Although there were several literary, news, and University Matter publications in existence before this time, it remained for Dr. Hopkins, to start the THE JAYHAWKER first journalism course in 1894. It was he who started the Semi-Weekly Kansan then, until, in 1907 under Dr. Hopkins and Leon N. Flint, Professor Emeritus of the Journalism Department, the Kansan emerged into a tri-weekly, which was changed to a daily in 1912 with its present name. While still part of the English departement one of the early lecturers of journalism was Charles M. Harger, who taught here from 1905-10. At the time Mr. Harger was lecturer, Newspaper Writing was a three hour course survey- ing the entire field of newspaper work in- cluding practice in reporting, editorial and feature writing and proof-reading. Mr. Harger and Professor Flint directed the journalism classes during the years 1907-09 when the courses began to as- sume some independence from the English department. Merle Thorpe became the first chair- man of the newly established Department of Journalism when Mr. Harger left the University in 1911. Mr. Harger, who was editor of the Abilene Daily Reflector since 1888 until he came to K.U., was President of the State Board of Correction in 1915- 16 and was also a member of the State Board of Regents in 1925-38, serving as its chairman since 1930. In that year when he became president of the State Historical Society. Mr. Harger was a well-known contributor to many national magazines, including Century, Harper ' s, and Schibner ' s. Taking over Mr. Harger ' s duties and responsibilities in 1911 as chairman of the Department of Journalism, Merle Thorpe saw the enrollment in the depart- ment increase from 50 to 216. Now a member of the Board of Directors of Cities Service, he left the University in 1916 to become the editor of Nation ' s Business. While here Mr. Thorpe directed the organization of the department in the present building. Here he developed new courses and super- vised the installation of machinery in the Daily Kan- san ' s plant. While he was chairman of the depart- ment the staff members were Leon N. Flint, now professor emeritus; Joseph W. Murray, now manag- ing editor of the Lawrence Journal-World; Saul

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FALL NUMBER, 1948 at the same time the United Press wire ticks out state, national, and international news at the rate of 40,000 words a day. Once the stories have been checked and double checked they pass from the hands of the capable slot man, who is the managing editor or his assistant, to the linotype operators who change the copy into type for the printers. When the paper has gone to bed and the presses start to turn out the neatly trimmed and folded papers, the managing editor and his staff pray that no errors, typographical or factual, have escaped their attention. But a mistake made once is usually avoided the second time. for the task yet to come. It will be the job of these same University Daily Kansan reporters and editors to translate tomorrow ' s domestic and foreign happenings in our great metro- politan and rural papers, as well as through other media. They will step into the professional ranks already made famous by a host of alumni. Take Bill White himself. He attended K. U. And the late Raymond Clapper, famed Washington columnist and one-time chief of the Washington bureau of the United Press, who was killed while serving as a war corespondent in World War II. Ben Hibbs, now editor of the Saturday Evening Post, was an editor The Heart of the News Room, the Slot for Managing Editor and Staff A newspaper is not complete, though, without including the business aspect of advertising and management. The University Daily Kansan adver- tising department, with Mr. Lee S. Cole, as advisor, also provides a training ground for tomorrow ' s ad- vertising men and women. These students solicit ads and compose them as lab work for their courses. Your University paper is entirely staffed by news and advertising majors journalism students who receive no financial rewards for their efforts. The only compensation received by these students is the satisfaction 1 of being able to serve now and prepare of the University Daily Kansan a quarter of a cen- tury ago. Roy Roberts, president of the Kansas City Star, is another outstanding graduate. Chet Shaw, executive editor of Newsweek; Robert Reid, editor of Country Gentlemen; Earl Johnson, general news- manager and vice-president of the United Press; col- umnist Doris Fleeson; Brock Pemberton, theatrical producer; author Jerome Beatty; and more than 30 publishers of Kansas newspapers. These are but a few of the personalities who have worked on the University newspaper and who have seen the growth of Kansas journalism.

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FALL NUMBER, 194 31 Lewis, who later became publisher of the Lynden (Wash.) Tribune; H. F. Harrington, who became dean of Northwestern School of Journalism; Harry Neal, William B. Brown, and J. Wainwright Evans. Born at Thayer, Kan., in 1875, Daddy Flint was graduated from Lawrence High School in 1893, and from K.U. (Phi Beta Kappa) in 1897. Someone would be in for it if Prof. Leon N. Flint heard it said that the success of the University Daily Kansan was due to him. For although he was the head of the department for 25 years, when he saw more than 1200 journalism majors graduated, Daddy Flint still discounts any credit that would come his way for the success of the Daily Kansan. He would shift the credit to the skill of the 39 instructors who have taught and to the energy of the students who worked in the department. Of course, it is a simple task indeed to look in Who ' s Who and read the columns of factual stuff printed in six-point type about Flint, Leon Nelson, as principal of Olathe high school, publisher of the Manhattan, Kan., Nationalist, editor of the Gradu- ate Magazine and the Kansas Editor, and past presi- dent of the K.U. Alumni Association. The author of three books, Newspaper Writing in High Schools, The Editorial, and The Conscience of the Newspaper, as well as a prolific contributor to the magazines, Daddy Flint has found time to run his own personal employment bureau, besides run- ning the department. It is estimated that more than 800 studnts have obtained jobs through his valuable contacts with professional newspapermen. Students have gone to the press associations, The New York Times, and the Scripps-Howard organizations. Maga- zines have hired graduates of the department and the continued excellence of Kansas journalism owes no little credit to the inspiration and teaching of this man who spent 40 years on the University faculty. Although Daddy Flint retired as chairman of the department of journalism in 1941 when Prof. Elmer F. Beth took over as acting chairman, he con- tinued to teach journalism clasess until 1945. Living near the campus now Professor Flint still maintains an active interest in the School offering his fine ad- vice as always - - growing out of his long and valued association with K.U. In the spring of 1946 the University was presented with an oil portrait of Professor Flint which is now in the reference room of Watson library. Sponsored by the Kansan Board, student governing body of the University Daily Kan- san, the portrait ' by Raymond J. Eastwood, associate professor of drawing and painting, was made through the contributions of students and alumni. Professor Elmer Beth who played an active part in the planning of the William Allen White School since he took over the chairmanship of the depart- ment in 1941, came here from Idaho, where he was assistant professor of journalism in 1930. He re- mained at Idaho for ten years, coming to K.U. in 1940. Professor Beth was born in Chicago in 1902. He studied at the University of Wisconsin, receiving his B.A. in 1927 (Phi Beta Kappa), and his M.A. the following year. From 1928 to 1930, Professor Beth instructed at Washington State College, when he left for Idaho. An active newspaperman, Professor Beth was a correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor for years, and has served on the staff of the Two Rivers (Wis. ) Chronicle, and Reporter, the Manitowoc (Wis. ) News-Herald, the Milwaukee Journal, the Madison Capital-Times, and the Moscow (Idaho) Star-Mirror. Chancellor Malott expressed his appreciation of Professor Beth ' s activities in the department when he said he served throughout the war years ably and well, though acting against his own desires and interests, as acting head of the school. Professor Beth developed the work in journalism immeasurably dur- ing those difficult and frustrating years. He is now enabled to return to teaching and research in which fundamental capacities the University will continue to benefit from his high standards, his fine character, and his inspiring ability. And for the new William Allen White School of Journalism and Public Information the Chancellor summed it up by saying the school will try to make something worthy of the breadth of vision of the in- (Continued on Page 94) The Presses Start to Roll