Pittsburg State University - Kanza Yearbook (Pittsburg, KS)

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Francis Baxter - Frances Baxter attended summer school in Pittsburg in 1922 and 1923 as Frances Lawrence. She was a full time student in 1924 and 1925, she acquired her Life Certifecate for teaching in 1925. Baxter came back to Kansas State Teacher's College in 1944 and received her bachelor's degree. She went on to obtain her master's degree in art in 1949. As an art major, Baxter's advisor told her that she would have a better chance of getting a job if she were active in the campus organizations. Taking this advice to heart, she joined Lambda Phi Delta, a fine arts social sorority: Delta Gamma Zeta, an English Society, Kappa Delta Pi, an education honor society: and the for- eign language society. On weekends, Baxter often went home to Hume, Missouri, about 60 miles away. Although her father wanted her to go to business college in Kansas City, Baxter wanted to be a teacher. ln order to do as she wanted, she spent the regular school 1925 terms of 1922 and 1923 working in de- partment stores in Hume to earn the S90 needed for tuition, room, and board for a summer term. She finally borrowed the money to finish her education. After receiving her Life Certificate for teaching, Mrs. Baxter taught two years in Cherokee and one year in the art depart- ment of KSTC. She has taken eight hours of ant and Spanish at the International University of Mexico. She also worked in the county treasurer's office in Girard. While a student, Baxter met her future husband, E. Victor Baxter. They were married in 1927. He founded Pittsburg Broadcasting and KOAM-TV. When her husband died in 1975, Baxter became the chairman of both boards: positions she still holds at 75 years of age. Baxter has spent her leisure time painting, traveling with her husband, and studying and teaching foreign languages. She won second place at the District Women's Art competition in 1958. She studied German and Russian through Adult Education classes and taught Spanish to Adult groups during the 1950's. She now spends her spare time as a member of the Diamond Jubilee As- sociation for the Pitt State 75th anniver- sary. Baxter said she feels her education has helped her broaden her life. She feels that having an education helps you to under- stand your surroundings. Baxter said Pittsburg State University has grown in quality as well as quanitity. She said she believes kids are learning more today. I think TV has had a lot to do with that. Baxter has always enjoyed going to school, and she still loves learning, but she has finally stopped getting homesick every tall when classes resume. .... ,we xx . it? . 5 A 1 .v- K . j 3 , fi 'li PS U has grown in quality as well as quantity.

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John Lance - 1918 We have spirit We have togetherness. John F. Lance has lived near Pittsburg all his life. Raised in a house on the site of the present TKE house, he watched builders construct Russ Hall where he used to shoot off his July 4th fireworks. Lance, now 81 attended College High and the State Manual Training Normal School from 1911 until 1918. He studied in the industrial arts department which was the best in the country at that time. While a student, Lance was active in foot- ball, basketball, baseball, and track. He was an All-Conferenceplayer in each sport and broke the state records for pole-vault and high jump. Besides sports, Lance participated in de- bate with the Manus Verez literary soci- ety's debate team and served as business manager of the Kanza in 1918. Being an outdoorsman, Lance enjoyed hunting, fishing, and trapping. He often sold rabbits that he trapped for 10m a piece. During the winter he ice skated on what is now the University Lake. Lance worked several odd jobs while in schoolg he put up hay and helped build a house for Mr. Ebeneezer Porter. He received news that Russ Hall had burned while he was working in the wheat harvest in western Kansas. He quit har- vest, came back, and worked with the rebuilding crews scraping old mortor from bricks. Lance said he never really needed to work because he lived at home and the family raised almost all of their own food. As a student in World War I, Lance said there weren't really any differences in academics, but the sports teams lost sev- eral players. In 1916 he was selected to be the football captain for the 1917 sea- son, but he decided to enlist in the Army. He felt that being named the captain was the highest honor given to a male student, however I felt my country needed me more than the football team did. When his coach learned of his decision, he called Lance in and with tears in his eyes, and begged him to stay and lead what little team was left. Lance decided to stay but was unable to play the full season because of injuries. Lance felt that Pittsburg has always had fewer students but has outranked other schools in certain areas. We have spirit. We have togetherness. That's something you don't have in a big school. After graduating in 1918, Lance served as the Industrial Arts Department head and the athletic director at Southwestern Oklahoma Normal School. Returning to KSTC in 1922, he began a 41 year career as PSU basketball coach. He was named Coach of the Year by the National As- sociation of Intercollegiate Athletics in 1956 and was one of only a few coaches to win over 600 games at one school. Lance served as an official in the Big Eight, the Missouri Valley, and the South- west Conferences. He was asked to offici- ate in Orange Bowl game in 1955, but the Oklahoma City All-College Tournament was scheduled for the same time. Since the Gorillas were the All-College champi- ons the previous year, he felt obliged to be there again. Lance feels students are learning more today. There's more to be learned. He doesn't feel that today's student is more intelligent, but he has more to learn and is pushed harder. Lance married Clara Strickland more than 60 years ago. They have four children, all of whom received their bachelor's degree from Pitt State. The Lances continue to be active in the community and Lance still keeps information about the happenings in the sports world.

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Helen Messenger - 1930 College was just as much 'the thing to do' then as it is now. Students today are learning more be- cause they' re smarter. They have a much broader range of experience than stu- dents when I was going to school, said Helen Messenger, a 1930 KSCP gra- duate. Messenger, a physical education teacher for over 35 years, said she thinks most students today are as serious about their education as they were when she was in college. Some, of course, are more seri- ous than others she admitted. There were just as many peoplein my age group who went to college just because it was the pattern of life. College was just as much 'the thing to do' then as it is now. Messenger feels that PSU students today should be very proud of their university. It's always been a good school. My dad was so proud of the college that he thought it was stupid to go to some other college. The campus is a fabulous place now, says Messenger. She points out the fact that old schoolmates coming back for class reunions always rave over the im- mrovements since their graduation. When we were in school the only build- ings were Russ Hall, Carney Hall, White- sitt Hall, the Library, Horace Mann School, the old gymnasium, the College Inn, and the Music Hall- my Dad helped build that. Everyone always hung out at the College Inn ilocated where the New- man Center now standsj between class and at lunch and the like. It was the place to have a coke and sit around and talk and yell at each other and just generally tave fun. Messenger, who has never married, was raised in Pittsburg and has lived here most of her life. I remember watching Russ Hall burn to the ground during an electrical storm when I was seven years old. She recalled that the fire engines were pulled by horses and that one of the favorite horses was electricuted in the storm. Messenger was a member of the Pitts- burg High School class of 1926, the first :lass in the old public high school building at 1310 N. Broadway. During her college years she lived at her father's home, 223 W. Adams. Most students couldn't afford cars, Mes- senger recalled. Some used the family car whenever they could get it away from Dad. One could often catch rides with friends or, for a nickle, ride tne street car which ran down Broadway all the way to Chickapee. Usually, however, the most reliable mode of transportation was walk- ing. The twelve blocks that Messenger traversed every day didn't really seem very far. I walked out of necessity then: today l just walk for my own pleasure and health. Messenger was a member of Lambda Phi Delta, a fine arts sorority on campus, which was housed on Lindburg Street. One of the main projects of the sorority was presenting a play in the annual vari- ety show on campus. There was fierce competition for the best play award and everyone worked very hard on them, she recalled. Messenger worked part time at Banta's Jewelry Store, which was located in the 500 block of North Broadway, during her college years. Most of the money she earned was spent on clothes, her educa- tion being paid for by her parents. As a physical education major Messenger was involved in all phases of that depart- ment. She was a member of the Women's Athletic Association which gave demon- strations of different sports and spon- sored 'playdays' for girls in area schools. There were no Intramurals or women's sports teams during her college years. Competition with girls was never accept- ed. The only sports competition Mes- senger recalled being involved in in col- lege was swimming. I was often sent to represent the school in swimming and div- ing meets. After graduating in 1930, Messenger be- gan her first teaching job in Tulsa. Her starting salary was S100 per month. To me that was a lot of money. I had enough money to pay rent, buy a Chevy coupe and still have plenty left over for Christ- mas presents and spending money, she said. After two years, she moved to Des Moines where she taught for a year be- fore returning to Kansas. In 1940 Messen- ger began teaching at her old alma mater. PHS, where she was a physical education instructor and coach for 29 years. I felt ike l'd come back home, she said. Since her retirement in 1969 at the age of 62, Messenger has traveled extensively. touring Europe and the Far East as well as parts of the United States. Her most re- cent jaunt was a fishing trip to Canada last year. Messenger has always been intrested in teaching children, especially girls. Be- sides teaching in the public school, she was a girl scout leader for over ten years and taught Fied Cross swimming for 20 years. l had a fine time going to school be- cause l loved doing it, Messenger con- cluded.