What is a university? asks the staff of the 1957 Parnassus.
A string of questions follows: Is it a good library? A football team? Scholarly professors? 5,470 students? A place to go after high school?
The answer is found inside a description of the University of Wichita in 1957: “WU isn’t a typical university. We do things our own way. The school doesn’t fit the stereotype. It’s a fast growing municipal university.
Veterans comprise almost one-third of the enrollment, and many students are married. A large number of students are here only for an education and none of the frivolity in the realm of college activity. College is one of two full time jobs for some.
“WU isn’t all different from other colleges. Students still participate in college dances, sports events, and organizations. But some have to choose carefully.
This book is an attempt to tell of the many tiny elements that form college life. It is an effort to tell the story of WU and to record the intangible world of memories that surround each individual during a year of school.”
