100 years ago: Frog catchers wanted: KU students could earn money while helping labs
From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for April 26, 1914:
- “How students of the University of Kansas may work their way through school by catching frogs, and selling them to the University for biological laboratory work was told this morning by Dr. Ida Hyde, head of the department of physiology in the University. Dr. Hyde has had trouble recently in obtaining the frogs for research work, and has hired a student to catch them by the hour. The departments of anatomy, physiology and zoology, at the University of Kansas, usually use 200 dozen frogs a year and perhaps half as many turtles. For the frogs, the University pays from 50 to 75 cents a dozen, and for turtles $1.50 to $2 a dozen. The amphibians previously were shipped to Lawrence from as far east as Chicago and Detroit. ‘Frogs are in great demand at all the large universities of the west and in many big schools,’ said Dr. Hyde. ‘At present we must buy them in the east, but there is no reason why we shouldn’t use Kansas frogs in Kansas. Two or three years ago there was a student in the University of Nebraska who made a comfortable living selling frogs to Nebraska, Kansas, and other western universities. His method was to catch them in the fall, just as they were going into the mud and store them in mud boxes in his cellar. Then as shipments were ordered from him he would dig the frogs out, pack them in wet hay, and they would be delivered to us alive and in good condition.'”
- “The potato growers on the south side of the river between Lawrence and Eudora met last night at No. 12 School House and perfected an organization. John Moody was elected president and L. M. Walter, secretary. There were about 25 growers present and they represented 800 acres of potatoes. Their first move will be to purchase a ton of Paris Green to fight insect pests with and then they will buy their sacks together. They plan to unite in buying their general supplies for their work. Later they will take up the question of the quality of potatoes. It is believed that with proper watching the market conditions can be increased…. The Kaw bottom on the south side of the river has raised a lot of potatoes, but the market has been further east and on the north side of the river. The south side growers will try and make their own market this year and they will do it first of all by putting out the best potatoes on the market.”
- “The water situation is becoming acute. The condition of the water is intolerable. The efforts being made now to get a better supply would be praiseworthy if there were anything to it but it is just prolonging the agony. The Journal-World takes the position that there is nothing to be gained by this temporizing. It refuses to get excited because it has been excited many times the same way and nothing has come of it. There is just one way to handle this question and that is by owning the plant…. Unless this is done this paper will not get excited or try to excite the people. There is nothing in all this talk.”