100 years ago: KU students ‘flunk out’ on current-events quiz

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Oct. 22, 1912:

  • “Candidates for editorial offices of the State of Kansas and in fact other states ‘flunked out’ sadly in a news quiz which was given on the hill yesterday, according to a news letter from the University. It is stated that they were unable to answer the simple question of why the Roosevelt electors left the Republican ticket in Kansas. Many of the students were unable to name the candidates for Vice President in the United States and they didn’t know the candidate for governor in the State of New York. Here are the questions that puzzled the students: 1. Who shot Roosevelt? In what city? 2. What great trial is now going on in New York? 3. With what country has Turkey just concluded peace? 4. What war is starting now? What is its cause? 5. What team won the world’s baseball championship? 6. Name the officers of the president’s cabinet. 7. What is the date of the national election? 8. Who are the three candidates for governor of New York? 9. What are the Archbold letters? 10. Name the five candidates for president. 11. Name the five candidates for vice-president. 12. What American strike is on now? 13. Who is president of the Red Cross? 14. How many electoral votes are there? 15. How many has Kansas? 16. Why were the Roosevelt electors withdrawn from the Republican column in Kansas? 17. Who are the candidates for governor in Kansas? 19. What municipal row is now on in Kansas City? 20. What Kansas City singer who has won fame abroad has just returned home? 21. When will the parcels post law go into effect? 22. What federal law affecting the newspapers has been enforced recently? 23. Who was Jules Massanet and in what month did he die? 24. Who is Pierre Loti? 25. What is the latest play of George Bernard Shaw to arrive in America? 26. Who was Samuel Coleridge Taylor? 27. What great religious leader died in England last month? 28. What great order did he found?
  • “The students of the University had a different kind of chapel talk this morning, when Professor D. C. Croissant of the English Department, instead of dwelling upon some theme which has been thoroughly covered before, departed from custom and told his audience about the United State Marine Band, which will give a concert in Robinson Gymnasium at 10 o’clock on the morning of November 2nd. The concert will be given for the benefit of the Women’s Dormitory Fund and those people in Lawrence who are for fine music will have the opportunity of hearing one of the best bands in the world.”