World War I in Lawrence: KU allows ‘military passes’ for patriotism

Today’s story comes “from somewhere in France with the American troops,” where a recent KU student was worried about the state of his grades.

Having left school in the spring of 1917, volunteering for the army months before the first draft, the young man wrote a letter back home to try to tie up some academic loose ends.

According to the Journal-World: “A student-soldier from the University of Kansas is worrying, not about the Germans he soon will face, but about his class grades in the University of Kansas. The student-soldier is Edward Pinaire of New Albany, Ind., a freshman in the college of the University, who withdrew from the University April 13 to enlist. Olin Templin, dean of the college, received a letter from him this week, asking if he would be given full credit for the work he had not been able to finish because of the war. Dean Templin replied immediately that Mr. Pinaire had been given credit for the year’s work…. Pinaire’s record shows only ‘ones’ in his grades, the highest grade given at the University.

“His letter reads: ‘I withdrew from college to join the army. One of my friends seemed to think it was doubtful whether some of the students who withdrew would receive their credits. I hope the report is false as I value my credits highly…. I am learning much now that is not in the curriculum of the University of Kansas. My eight months of French grammar in the University gave me an excellent foundation to build upon. My address is simply 16th Infantry, Company G, France.’

“Mr. Pinaire was one of 652 University of Kansas students who withdrew because of the war and who received ‘military passes’ in their school work because of their patriotism.”