To the editor:

It’s time to “blow the whistle” on blowing the whistle. You won’t find Lawrence’s oldest source of noise pollution on the outskirts of town; it’s not a factory that blows a whistle to summon workers. Instead, you’ll find it on central campus; it’s KU’s whistle that blows throughout the day to signal the change of classes.

For those unfamiliar with KU’s daily schedule, all class periods do not start and end at the same time. The whistle shrieks midway through many sessions – interrupting lectures and other KU activities – thus bringing the university’s mission of teaching, research and service to a momentary but screeching halt.

Many of KU’s faithful do have great affection for the whistle, feeling that it’s a tradition, the “voice of the Jayhawks.” But some traditions result from habits that should be reconsidered, especially if they reduce performance. If KU had never had a whistle, would the idea of building one today be taken seriously? Doesn’t the Campanile tell us the time in a more pleasant and less intrusive manner?

Those of us at KU who did not miss the whistle think that there is more at stake than its cost of operation. It’s the productivity we lose while waiting for the noise to end so that we can resume our work. To those who’d like to help KU by financing the return of the whistle: Thanks but please put the money toward KU’s more pressing needs. Let’s let the whistle rest in peace, so that we can concentrate without interruption on what we’re here to do.

Robert R. Basow,
Lawrence