Test your KU knowledge: Is it Hayworth or Hahworth?

Did you “Hay-worth” or “Hah-worth” when pointing out KU’s biological sciences building?

If you want to prove your credentials as a true KU insider, you will say  “Hah-worth” —despite the more common usage of “Hay-worth”—simply because none other than Erasmus Haworth himself, for whom the hall is named, pronounced it “Hah-worth.”

 Haworth, known as “Daddy,” was a geology and mineralogy professor and department chair from 1892 to 1920 and founder of the Kansas Geological Survey. He earned bachelor’s (1881) and master’s (1884) degrees from KU and a doctorate at Johns Hopkins University (1888).

 Haworth’s granddaughter Darthea Stodder diZerega, of Wichita, has researched the point and learned that Haworth’s wife, Ida, did not like “Hay-worth”; she considered “Hah-worth” more pleasing and encouraged its use. Erasmus’ father, Ellwood, a Quaker minister in Galena, also used that pronunciation. Among Erasmus’ descendants “Hah-worth” is used, says great-grandson Ed diZerega of Lawrence.

 The first Haworth Hall, named for the professor when it opened in 1909, housed geology and mineralogy and was on the present site of Wescoe Hall on Jayhawk Boulevard. After a new mineral resources building, Lindley Hall, opened in 1943, various biological and medical departments moved  into Haworth. When the new biological sciences building was completed in 1969, the name moved down the Hill with it.

For more history, visit http://www.kuhistory.com/proto/story.asp?id=76