An article on the University of Hawaii from May 24, 1958, in the Saturday Evening Post provides thought-provoking contrasts between then and now.

The magazine was heavy on "happy Hawaiians," ethnic beauty queens and surfing, but got to the heart of what UH meant to Hawaii as it moved out of the plantation era.

"The happiest Hawaiians of all are not surfboard riders or hula dancers or ukulele players, but bookworms," the Post reported.

It quoted student activities supervisor Susan Daniels as saying, "It is such a cherished privilege to have an education that these young people have to be prodded into having fun."

The hard-studying students — 6,700 in the day and 7,000 at night for an annual tuition of $170 — had the full support of Hawaii’s political powers in 1958.

"The university budget is one of the few items that the economy-minded territorial legislature, in which there are now 30 old grads, passes without protest," the Post reported. "The legislators know that their university is the answer to the hopes and prayers of thousands of island families whose forebears were originally imported as plantation laborers."

Quonset huts and barracks from the World War II days were being replaced with new buildings like Sinclair Library.

UH was becoming a magnet for Asian and Pacific students and athletics had a scrappy can-do attitude.

Football coach Hank Vasconcellos lost Hawaii’s top players to mainland schools, which were reluctant to play here because of high travel costs.

So Vasconcellos gathered the best players left, tuned them up against local military teams and took them on an annual mainland tour to play teams such as Nebraska, the College of the Pacific and Fresno State.

He and his players managed to win a few, make expenses or even turn a small profit and charm opponents into making return visits here.

What have succeeding generations done with this wonderful legacy?

Legislators squeeze the UH budget and micromanage to an extent that has paralyzed school regents and administrators.

Those new buildings from 1958 have been neglected and left crumbling to the tune of a nearly $500 million maintenance backlog.

The Asia-Pacific vision never jelled and it’s an annual budget struggle to keep the East-West Center open.

Many students still study hard, but others act more entitled than privileged. The faculty is among the most politicized.

Athletics was recently forgiven a $14 million deficit and has already run up $2 million more flying in football opponents so UH can play in a conference in which it isn’t competitive.

What hasn’t changed from 1958 is that UH is as important to Hawaii’s future as ever.

What will it take to shame us into parking the politics and restoring this state treasure we inherited?

Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com or blog.volcanicash.net.