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NU 'Gomes Into Own' In 1890's
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Greeks, 'Barbarians' Duel With Flowers,
Football Almost Outlawed By Legislature
Vol. 77, No. 66
The 1 Daily Nebraskan
Friday, February 28, 1964
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ENROLLMENT UP AGAIN
He infer G3 d
sir
By Mick Rood
Senior Staff Writer
A record 11,056 spring se
mester students are attending
the University, which repre
sents a 10.8 per cent increase
from this time last year.
Registrar Floyd Hoover says
the enrollment gains are quite
general throughout the Uni
versity's colleges and are es
pecially apparent in Arts and
Sciences, up 360; Teachers,
up 280; Business Administra
tion, up 104; and at the gradu
ate level, up 224.
"A higher retention rate,
prompted by better higl;
school preparation in Nebras
Line Kills
New-Dorm
Worker
A construction worker was
killed and another received
extensive burns late yester
day afternoon when a crane
with which they were in con
tact touched a high voltage
line. They were working on
the new men's dorm at 17th
and Vine.
Glenn A. Lybarger, 28, of
2335 North 14th, was dead on
arrival at the Lincoln Gen
eral Hospital. A co-worker De
Wayne A. Trumpp, 30, of
Manhattan, Kan., received
third degree burns on 90 per
cent of his body. Both men
are employees of Hunter and
Lunberg Construction Co. of
Manhattan, Kans.
The two men were pushing
a dirt bucket that was at
tached to the large crane
when the boom of the crane
came in contact with the
wire, according to investigat
ing officers. The operator of
the crane was untouched.
"It's a miracle that Trumpp
is still alive," said Officer
Donald KaMer of the Lincoln
Police. "The doctors were
amazed at his condition."
Trumpp was conscious
when police arrived on the
scene. He is listed in fair con
dition at Lincoln General Hos
pital. The voltage of the wire is
about 30,000 volts, according
to Kahler. "I don't think it
was negligence on the part
of the construction company
or the crane operator that
caused the accident," he said.
"The crane was stopped and
the men were pushing the
bucket when the contact
came."
Both men are married and
have children.
Officer B. Peterson and
Kahler were the investigating
officers.
On PEfS
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REALLY A BILLBOARD
FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE This billboard at 14th and N streets announces the
presentation of the 1964 Coed Follies tonight at 8 in Pershing Municipal Auditorium.
It wag a Joint effort of Associated Women Studentg (AWS) and Stoncr System.
ka, has prompted the enroll
ment increase," says Lee
Chatfield, Director of Junior
Division and Counseling Serv
ice. Chatfield said the University
is getting a larger proportion
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MEN BEWARE IT'S LEAP YEAR
Ladies, Praise Caesar;
He Started Leap Year
It's leap year, and perhaps
the blame falls on Julius Caes
ar.
Back in 45 or 46 B.C.
(scholars aren't sure) Caesar
altered the calendar. At this
time, the Roman ten month
system had shifted January to
the summer. The noble emper
or then adopted a semblance
of our modern calendar.
Caesar decreed that every
fourth year should have an
extra day to compensate for
the average solar year which
was 365.25 days. The extra
day is Hi February, which has
29 days instead of 28 this year.
Even Caesar made mistakes
and by the sixteenth century,
his miscalculation of hours
had increased to a ten dav
error. Pope Gregory XIII
eliminated the extra days and
decreed that v e a r s divisible
by 100 were not leap years,
ih Schools
emitioim Hafre
of high school seniors from the
state. Better high school prep
aration in the last few years
keeps students in school at
the freshman and upperclass
man level, according to Chat
field. .r ,
Evidence of increased Ne
but years divisible by 400
were. Hence, the next leap
year occurring on a centesi
mal year will be in 2,000 A.D.
The origin of the term "leap
year" is obscure. A possible
reason is that the day follow
ing February 29 "leaps over"
a day of the week.
Leap year's custom of fe
male initiative, nevertheless,
was well reinforced by a
Scottish law in 1288. The law
said women had the right to
propose to men.
Any man who refused this
gentle offer had to pay a maxi
mum fine of one pound or
else prove he was already
married.
Western civilization con
stantly evolves, a n d a few
years later, a similar law was
passed in France. By the fif
teenth century, Genoa and
Florence, Italy had the law
in the books.
IMP In.
info
braska enrollment is reflected
in that 50 of 100 four-year Re
g e n t Scholarship winners
came to the University while
a year ago only 35 of 100 ac
cepted the honor.
"The retention rate up to
1962 has been around three
per cent higher and seems to
be going higher," says Chat
field. Quality as well as quantity
stems from the high school
senior crop. Enrollment in
creases compare with high
school increases.
Chatfield praised the Uni
versity's honor system as be
inff an added incentive for Ne
braska high school's promis
ing students to come to Lin
coln. He added that studies
made by the Junior Division
have Droved the nrnfratn's
, i o-
selection system is accurate.
Of the space problems
caused by the booming enroll
ment figures, Chatfield noted
that no new classroom space
can even be started until 1967.
He said the only way to re
lieve the crowded conditions
is to increase the number of
class hours during the day.
"Faculty and students alike
are going to meet the prob
lem that "work days" may
run from 7:30 to 7:30 six days
a week," said Chatfield.
Chatfield guessed there
would be a 3,500 freshman
class next year if trends con
tinue as they have. He said
that the three-to-one ratio fa
voring boys at the University
was diminishing slowly every
year.
The enrollment by compon
ents are:
Total 11,056 up 1,075 from
a year ago; men 7,668; women
3,388.
Arts & Sciences 2,476 up
360 from a year ago; 1,610
men, 866 women.
Teachers 2,086 up 280; men
695; women 1,391.
Engineering-Architecture
1,474 up 42; men 1,466; wom
en 8.
Graduate 1,314 up 120; men
1,043; women 271.
Teachers Advanced Profes
sional 471 up 104; men 305;
women 166.
Business Administration
1,119 up 104, men 1,030; wom
en 89.
Agriculture-Home Econom
ics 1,065 up 84; men 704;
women 361.
Medicine-Nursing 435 down
20; men 309; women 126.
Law 159 up 16; all men.
Pharmacy 141 up 18; men
116; women 25.
Dentistry 131 down 3; all
men 52; women 22.
Junior Division 74 down 18;
48; women 63.
Dates Will Pay
For Extra Hour
Late Date Night will be
held tonight in conjunction
with Coed Follies. The Asso
ciated Women Students board
has ruled that all women stu
dents will be granted 2 a.m.
hours.
For each minute a woman
student stays out past 1 a.m.
her date must pay one penny.
One late minute constitutes
an automatic weekend cam
pus. No overnights or out-of-towns
will be allowed. Spe
cial permission will be need
ed to go home.
Mortar Board is sponsor
ing Late Date Night as a
money-making project. The
money collected will be used
to support such projects as
the foreign student emergen
cy fund, the graduate semi
nar, and the scholarship
luncheon.
Teachers Must Apply
Elementary education ma
jors who plan to register for
student teaching during the
first semester 1964-65 will
need to make application by
April 1. The application forms
may be obtained in 202
Teachers College.
A.
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ATHLETIC BUSINESS, 1890-(Above)-This
receipt reads "To the treasurer of
the Athletic Association: Pay to A. M.
Troyer thirty-six dollars $36.00 for foot
ball suits." The ancient document was
loaned to the DAILY NEBRASKAN by Dr.
Robert Manley, assistant professor of
history.
(Right) Architectural Hall, completed in
1895 was used for many years as the Uni
versity Library. Howard Caldwell, a Uni
versity professor at that time called it
the finest building on campus.
By Frank Partsch
Senior Staff Writer
"If you cannot earn, you
can at least learn," said
Chancellor James Canfield
to the people of depression
racked Nebraska in the
1890's, and the people an
swered him by supporting
the University with an en
thusiasm never before ex
perienced in the young
school's history.
During Canfield's admin
istration (1891-95), Nebras
ka was paralyzed by a se
ries of droughts and the
worst depression ever ex
perienced by the state to
that time. Before 1890, en
rollment had never been
above 500; when Canfield
left in 1895, more than 1,500
students attended classes at
the University.
Canfield, an efficient, dy
namic personality, sold the
people on t h e value of a
practical education. He had
had a colorful background,
including work as a rail
way suj "ntendent, con
struction ,snt and lawyer.
Canfield understood the
people of Nebraska and
their legislature, and,
through a strong respect
which he earned from the
legislature, he was able to
increase the University ap
propriations substantially in
spite of the economic condi
tions of the state at that
time.
"During my first three
years in office I traveled
8,000 miles through the
state of Nebraska," he re
marked once, "and during
the final year I traveled
8,000 through the corridors
of the Capitol building."
Dr. Robert Manley, as
sistant professor of history,
blames his popularity with
the legislature, in part, for
Canfield's decline in popu
larity with the people. "The
people began to grow sus
picious of his political am
bitions." Canfield left the Univer
sity in 1895 to become pres
dent of the State Univer
sity of Ohio and, eventual
ly, librarian of Columbia
University.
The 90's were an era of
personalities at the Univer
sity. Charles Bessey, p r o
fessor of botany, dean of
the Industrial College and
several times acting chan
cellor, was one of the most
widely known and respected
University faculty members.
His work in agricultural
research was a major fac
tor in winning the states'
support for the agricultural
program, the Industrial Col
lege and the University.
In 1886 Bessey established
the Botanical Seminar for
a few of his advanced stu
dents. Guided by the in
spiration and knowledge of
the beloved professor, the
"Bot-Sem" soon became an
exclusive educational group
on campus.
One of the prominent
graduates of the ,JBot-Sem"
was Roscoe Pound, who la
ter entered the College of
Law and became the dean
of the Harvard Law School.
Bessey assumed and ex
panded the program of
farmers' institutes. Through
his work, the University be
came a leader in conduct
ing local meetings to ex
plain techniques of modern
agriculture. Beney ad
dressed many of the meet
ings himself.
Lt. John Pershing ar
rived in 1891 to take com
mand of the military de
partment. During his period
of duty the University Ca
dets no longer criticized the
idea of drill; they became
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so enthusiastic that a vol
untary drill organization
was formed in 1893.
The group was called the
Pershing Rifles and is pres
ent today in colleges and
universities throughout the
nation.
In addition to his duties
in the military department,
Pershing taught fencing and
mathematics and attended
the College of Law. He
earned a degree in law in
1893.
Pershing's fame, earned
during the First World
War, somewhat obscures
that of one of his succes
sors, Col. Stotsenburg.
The colonel had been in
command at the University
only a few months when he
was called to command the
First Nebraska regiment, in
the Spanish-American War.
Stotsenburg's spit-and-pol-ish
military standards were
the exception rather than
the rule in the American
army during the Spanish
American War, and severe
criticism echoed from t li e
state legislature to Wash
ington. After a Washington in
vestigation had cleared
Stotsenburg of all blame,
the regiment was sent to
the Philippines. It soon be
came evident that the col
onel's stern discipline had
not been in vain, and his
men proved themselves ad
mirably. Stotsenburg became a he
ro overnight, but did not
live long afterwards; he fell
in action at the head of the
regiment in 1899.
A new library building,
sorely needed to house the
books stored in University
Hall, was completed in 1895.
The library was built for
$110,000, and Howard Cald
well, in his book, Education
in Nebraska, said, "It is by
far the best building on the
campus. It is a credit to the
state, both architecturally
and artistically."
Caldwell's use of the word
"architecturally" has
proved to be somewhat
prophetic, because when
Love Memorial Library was
built many years later, the
old library became known
as the Architectural Hall, as
it is today.
During the 90's the Greek
houses, banned from the es
tablished literary societies,
formed their own society,
the Philodicean. Rivalry
was still very strong be
tween the "frats" and the
"barbarians or "barbs."
A group of coeds from the
three sororities, Kappa Al
pha Theta, Kappa Kappa
Gamma and Delta Gamma,
celebrated one Arbor Day
by planting a Greek flower
bed.
The history of Kappa
Kappa Gamma Fraternity
(for at that time, the word
"sorority" had not yet been
used) tells the story. The
girls finished the garden
and, "replacing the ice
cream which the barbs had
made off with, proceded to
carry out plans for a pic
nic." "The next morning all
their work had disappeared,
of the 200 plants only 50
remained and t h e s e were
et in the form U. of N."
Although most of the frat
barb hostilities were not so
violent, the opposing groups
carried on a running battle
in the student publications.
The HESPERIAN STU
DENT, whose editor was
William Cathcr, had always
been barbarian, and the
Greeks, in retaliation,
r,
JKfe
14,
founded the NEBRASKAN
in 1894.
Seven years later the two
papers merged, and the
DAILY NEBRASKAN was
born.
The NEBRASKAN was
nicknamed "Riley's Rag,"
after one of its managing
editors, Frank "Rag" Riley.
The nickname "Rag" has
lived to the present day and
is an integral part of every
student's vocabulary.
Ever since the first ap
pearance of newspapers at
the University, editorial
writers had mourned the
lack of school spirit. This,
coupled with the need for
some forms of physical edu
cation, brought about a
strong demand for some
sort of athletic program.
The HESPERIAN, in 1874,
reported on the state of ath
letics at that time: "The
sophs and preps do occa
sionally, about once a
month, take a spurt and
muster up enough energy to
,. attempt a game (?) of base
ball." "They get most beautiful
ly beaten in every attempt
by the High School Urchins,
or by any other set of school
boys who will deign to let
themselves be amused."
The writer continues that
the University is ashamed
of the teams, because they
have t he audicity to call
themselves the "University
Nine."
The STATE JOURNAL in
1879, after inspecting a new
ly arrived shipment of gym
nastic and field equipment
in the basement of Univer
sity Hall, reported that the
"young Spartans" will now
have exercise which will
equip them better for the
long hours of study."
The ambitious students
laid out a mile track in the
basement, 65 laps in all,
and a "Mr. Dennis" set the
record with an impressive
time of 8:10.
By 1896-97 the mile record
had been cut down to 4:57.2
by W .Sawyer. Other rec
ords on the track during the
90's were 100 yard dash,
10.5 seconds, 440 yard dash.
55.2 seconds and 880 yard
run, 2:10.
Football was introduced in
the 80's through the influ
ence of faculty members
from the east. The HES
PERIAN was a strong back
er of the football team, and,
in 1890, after the team had
beaten the Omaha YMCA
10-0, the paper said "We be
lieve that the football game
at Omaha did more to ad
vertise the University there
than could be accomplished
by several hundred dollars
expended in any other man
ner." The baseball and football
teams were immediately
successful, and the adminis
strati on sheepishly an
nounced the addition of an
Athletic Department in 1891.
Manley says that the Uni
versity, in considering the
physical education of the
students, became an early
leader of physical education
for both men and women.
The football teams of the
90's were strong, but the
HESPERIAN moaned, "It
seems strange that the foot
ball men will not get out and
practice as they should
when we will probably play
the University of Illinois
team in less than three
weeks on our home ground."
With the flying wedge as
its backbone and the for
ward pass far away in the
future as an offensive weap
on, football was a different,
(Continued on p. 3)
