100 years ago: KU Orchestra grows in reputation

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Jan. 30, 1914:

  • “It was demonstrated last night at Fraser Hall that Lawrence and the University have developed a Symphony Orchestra which is not merely a commendable organization of students, but a real instrument for expressing the musical life of the community and bringing it into touch with the musical life of the country. The University Orchestra is now in its eleventh season and is well known to the music lovers of the state, the Clef Magazine in Kansas City having recently stated that it is probably the best of the ten orchestras in Kansas…. Its program last night was well worthy of the serious attention of music lovers. The string section is larger than ever before and its tone and shading show the results of the work of the last few years in the violin department; the wind instruments are always the weak spot in amateur orchestras but their work last night was often excellent and it is to be wondered at that such complete groups of brass and wind can be assembled from a community of this population…. It must be admitted that the program last night was rather popular in character, but the orchestra has shown its ability to perform classical music and will introduce more of it as the taste of the community may demand.”
  • “Fourteen cars of Santa Fe freight number 36, eastbound, left the track one mile west of Lecompton this morning at 12:40 o’clock tying up traffic until late this morning. No one was injured. The wreck was caused by the breaking of a rail under the train. Several of the cars left the track entirely and piled up on the right-of-way but the most of them were only derailed and but slightly wrecked. The biggest loss was in the tying up of traffic. However, the early morning trains were switched over the cut-off, via Ottawa…. Had it been a passenger train there might have been heavy loss of life. However, no one was injured, whatever.”
  • “Plans for a big wolf hunt to be held north of the city on February 5 have been completed. The following information is offered regarding the hunt: Beginning at ten o’clock and round-up ends at twelve o’clock, two miles and a half west of Reno on the Taylor meadow. East line forms on the Tonganoxie-Eudora road, south line forms in North Lawrence city limits, west line forms on the line with Midland, and north line forms on the line with Mound school house.”