SOC 101- Introduction to the 'Tan Man'

Not all campus learning is contained in the Academic Course Catalog.

Oct 30, 2021

Pursuing a college degree entails countless hours spent in lecture halls, endless studying in dorm rooms, and late-night cramming for exams. But, not everything learned while spending time on college campuses is covered by professors and teaching assistants in classrooms. Many important life lessons are learned outside the classroom, on campus, and around town, and are as meaningful and memorable as any nuggets of wisdom absorbed inside classrooms.

My campus experience happened to occur in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, at the University of Kansas, in Lawrence, Kansas. Certainly, the character and personality of campus settings differ widely, depending upon the school, and the era, but I would argue that my experience was representative of a large, midwestern university at that time. Certain people, places, and things stand out to me from that time, which I believe my fellow students would recognize, and recall fondly as well. Students from other schools, and other eras might not understand these specific references, but might recall similar things from their own collegiate journeys.

Some of the more memorable (non-academic) things I remember from my time in Lawrence include:

The Tan Man - Since I’ve included his unofficial title in the headline of this column, and also reflected an era-appropriate picture of this guy above, I’ll attack the Tan Man first. The Tan Man (real name: John Schneider) was well-known on campus and around Lawrence around this time, including holding court at the campus-adjacent “The Wheel” (real name: The Wagon Wheel Cafe). The Tan Man spent most of his time shirtless, including in the dead of winter, and could often be found camped out at “Wescoe Beach” (real name: Wescoe Hall), absorbing whatever sunshine was available that day. The story I heard about him was that he was a Vietnam War veteran, who had lost all sensitivity to the cold, due to a bizarre war wound, and therefore determined to always be shirtless - a story that was apparently untrue. The Tan Man was always around, and willing to talk, but he was viewed mostly as a kook; he was one of the cast of characters who helped to define the KU experience at that time, which included several evangelists who would surface from time to time: “Brother Jed” and “Sister Cindy” were two whom I recall ranting on campus, yelling about drugs and sex and drinking - the three primary hallmarks of campus life, right? Get this: Wikipedia tells me that these two have been married, since 1983 - talk about your “meet-cute,” huh?
Chi Omega Fountain - Located at the edge of campus, directly in front of the Chi Omega sorority house (duh!), this iconic fountain has served mostly as the scene of student hijinks, including tossing in friends who have just gotten pinned, or engaged, or are celebrating birthdays, or adding copious amounts of laundry soap designed to produce soap bubbles flying all over the place.
Joe’s Bakery (a/k/a Joe’s Doughs) - Joe’s Bakery was a Lawrence tradition for twenty-eight years, until closing in 1980, and was quite popular with students, as the “Age 18 Bars” closed at midnight, and everyone would head to Joe’s, and queue-up for fresh, hot glazed doughnuts, whose arrival was signaled by the illumination of the “Hot Donuts Now” sign in the window. I remember one such visit, in which I burned my lip on a glazed doughnut - that’s how fresh they were.
Bronze Jayhawk in front of Strong Hall - The legend attached to the large bronze Jayhawk perched in front of Strong Hall on campus suggests that, if a virgin were ever to graduate from KU, the Jayhawk (a mythical, flightless bird, mind you) would fly away, never to be seen again. I’m sure a similar myth is attached to monuments located on campuses across America. Perhaps Northwestern’s Wildcat would race down into Chicago, maybe get a place in Lincoln Park; Nebraska’s Cornhusker would run off to join migrant workers picking corn; and Ohio State’s Buckeye might travel to Betty Crocker’s kitchen to be crushed and included in its brownie mix.
“Traying” down the Hill next to the Campanile - I know it’s hard to believe that there is a hill in the state of Kansas, but, sure enough, KU’s campus resides on Mt. Oread, and is really quite a pretty campus. When KU experienced a significant snowfall, students would procure plastic trays from the cafeterias, and use them as sleds, traveling down the hill towards Potter Lake; a badge of honor was to gather enough steam to dump over the edge of the lake, and land on the frozen surface. Often, a local farmer would show up in a pickup truck, and unleash an enormous tire-tube, upon which would pile a dozen or so students, who would then careen their way down to the lake. During the offseason (you know, when there was no snow), this hill, home to a number of old trees, was a very inviting mid-day napping spot.
“The Wheel” (real name: The Wagon Wheel Cafe) - As indicated above, this longtime student hangout is located just off campus. Students who grabbed lunch at The Wheel on Fridays oftentimes didn’t find their way to Friday afternoon classes, instead whiling away the day with a significant number of beers. Just down the street from The Wheel is “The Hawk” (real name: Jayhawk Cafe), an “Age 21 Bar,” with an earthier vibe than The Wheel. Other memorable bars around town included: bunches of bars located on Massachusetts Street, the main drag in Lawrence; Johnny’s Tavern, a rugby bar on the other side of the river; and Ichabod’s, a bar housed in an old school building, on the north side of town, in which you could purchase a customized “schooner,” with your name or nickname etched on it, which would sit behind the bar, until you arrived to quaff a (very large) beer from it. There were also a number of clubs sporting dance-floors around town, including G.P. Lloyd’s, and Gammons, this being the Donna Summer/Bee-Gee’s era - a show of hands of those who have danced beneath a mirror-ball, on a dance-floor containing multi-colored, flashing lights.
“Wescoe Beach” (real name: Wescoe Hall) - Wescoe Hall was a concrete academic building constructed in the early 1970’s, squarely in the middle of campus, on Jayhawk Boulevard, and which featured extensive concrete steps and planters, ideal for The Tan Man (and others) to lounge in the sunshine.
Allen Fieldhouse - Home of the multiple NCAA Final Four champion Jayhawks basketball team, this massive building was also the site of class registration, which in my time meant wandering around the concourse, retrieving computer punch-cards for each class. I presume that task has now been relegated to an online activity - the process seemed archaic even back then. The best part of a KU basketball game, to me, was the pregame, and halftime sweeping of the court, by two guys, each manning one of those wide brooms: one red, and the other blue (KU’s colors). The “sweepers” would nonchalantly march up and down the floor, seemingly oblivious to the chants from the students: “Go Blue!” and “Go Red!” Although, I believe I could detect sideways glances from each during their last pass down the floor, and perhaps a little extra push, as they reached the end-line - winning matters, even in the non-contact sport of sweeping. A side-note for you which may come in handy in your next trivia contest: Who is the only University of Kansas basketball head coach to post a losing record during his time at KU? Answer: Dr. James Naismith - you know, the inventor of the game of basketball. Ironic, no?
KU Information - I see that the university currently mans a booth on campus, and provides online information, likely mostly about KU. But, during my time on campus, KU Information was housed in a tiny office in Strong Hall, crammed with dictionaries, phone books, encyclopedias, and numerous other reference books. They didn’t welcome physical visitors; the primary connect-point was a phone number which you could call, and ask anything at all, and they would attempt to answer your question. Who won the Cy Young award in 1956? What’s the telephone number for Johnny’s Tavern? If a tree falls in a forest, . . .you get the idea. They were the original internet search engine. There are three things which I am curious about, but which I don’t think I ever got around to asking KU Information: Why is Comanche (Custer’s horse, and the only survivor from the Battle of Little Bighorn), stuffed and on display at a museum on KU’s campus? Why is Dwight Eisenhower’s presidential train car located at a remote spot in the Irish Hills, next to a barbecue food truck in southeast Michigan (for which I once paid $1.00 to tour the train car, and purchased a commemorative plate)? And, why didn’t Dr. James Naismith simply amend his thirteen rules of basketball, in order to ensure wins for the Jayhawks? (Perhaps Rule No. 14 could have read: “Any basket scored by a player not wearing a Jayhawks uniform shall not be counted in the final score?”)
KU Marching Band - KU Football games began and ended for me with the KU Marching Jayhawks, which began with the Saturday morning run-through at the stadium, followed by the band assembling at the Chi-Omega Fountain prior to the game, at which point the band would march down the hill, playing “I’m a Jayhawk,” thundering aloud as the band hit the concourse underneath the stands. The band would then disperse to a number of tunnel entrances, and run down the steps onto the field to perform the pregame show, including the “Sunflower Song” (depicting a Sunflower), and the Star Spangled Banner. The band would perform a halftime show, and then a postgame concert, concluding with a unique, tuba-infused arrangement of “Home on the Range” to a generally empty stadium. Geez, what a band-wonk I am!
Lawrence Cuisine - An obligatory component of any travelogue (even one which travels back in time) is memorable dining experiences. Although Lawrence at that time was pretty much a food desert, there are two places which do stick out in my memory: The Smokehouse, which provided decent barbecue (alright, it wasn’t in the same league as such Kansas City institutions as, Arthur Bryant’s and Gates, but acceptable for Lawrence); and Border Bandido’s “Texas Burrito,” which was bigger than your head.
GSP & Corbin Dorms - This very large set of dorms was located just up the hill from the stadium, and was the first-year home for virtually all freshman girl students at KU. A prolific bank robber, in the early 1900’s, named Willie Sutton was once asked why he robbed banks. He responded, “Because that’s where the money is.” So, why did we go to GSP & Corbin dorms? Because that’s where the girls were.”

Perhaps reading about these KU and Lawrence touchstones from the late 1970’s and early 1980’s has caused you to think about such memories from your own experience. My only advice to you: “Stay tan, my friend.”

Shameless Marketing Tactics

Do you feel compelled to offer your two cents on this column’s topic? Feel free, free, free to do just that right here.

Rule of Three

Discussion about this post