The University Daily
University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
KANSAN
Monday, June 15, 1981 Vol. 91, No. 148 USPS 650-640
By LINDA LANG Staff Reporter
From the performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, "The Pirates of Penzance," at the opening of the Bowersock Opera House in 1882, to the performances of John Lee Hooker and Colt 45 at the Lawrence Opera House last weekend, the entertainment in the building at Seventh and Massachusetts streets has played a large role in the social life of Lawrence.
Although the structure was gutted by fire in 1911 and was closed for a few years in the late 1950s, the flow of entertainment at the Opera House has been steady and varied. The show, with goals-making contests, Charlie Chaplin films, rock 'n' roll and reggae have all been
sut the future of the Opera House is uncertain. The owner of the building, H. Skip Wood, would sell it, and according to his reactor, Cory Brinkke, several parties are interested in buying it.
PUBLIC SENTIMENT IN LAWRENCE to save the Opera House is rising. The Lawrence City Commission is considering using public
money, possibly federal revenue sharing funds or general obligation bonds, to purchase and renovate the structure.
The Commission will discuss the Opera House matter at its meeting 7 p.m. tomorrow.
Commissioner Barkley Clark said he would like to see the building used for a variety of purposes, such as a performing arts or dinner theater, for rock 'n' roll concerts or for overcrowded City Commission meetings or other civic functions.
"It's a unique combination of historic preservation, a shot in the arm for the north end of downtown Lawrence and multiple-use civic hall." Clark said.
Steve Jansen, director of the Watkins Community Museum, 1047 Massachusetts, also said he would like to see the Opera House used as a civic hall.
"I feel strongly that it would help the city anchored downtown," he said.
Jansen said he would like to save the Opera House because it would help to preserve the name of Justin D. Bowersock, who founded the Bowersock Opera.
ALTHOUGH BOWERSOCK WAS IN-
FLUENTIAL in Lawrence during the latter part of the 19th century, he is not as well remembered as J. Watkins, local philanthropist for whom a community museum is named, according to Jansen.
Bowersock was a local entrepreneur who served as mayor of Lawrence from 1881 to 1885. According to Emory Scott's book, "One Hundred Years of Lawrence Theatres," during Bowersock's term in the Legislature as representative from Douglas County, Kansas, he and his company supplied economic relief to victims of William Quantrill's Confederate raid on Lawrence in 1863.
Bowersock founded a number of companies in Lawrence, including the Lawrence Paper Company, which still operates in the industrial park north of Lawrence.
The Bowersock Opera House, established in 1882 and later known as the Bowersock Theater, showed films and presented plays and other live performances.
In his book, Scott recalled that when scary parts of movies such as "Phantom of the Opera" came on, employees of the Bowersock turned off the mic to blue tone lights that added to the eerie atmosphere.
See OPERA page 6
Low GPAs bring College dismissals
By JOE BIRNEY
Staff Reporter
For the first time since the spring of 1975, students have been dismissed from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for failing to meet the College's grade-point requirements. Since 1975, the College's only requirement was to have a 2.0 GPA to graduate.
Teri Carswil, academic administrative assistant of the College, said the dismissal policy was voted in by the College Assembly last fall because it felt that some type of minimum requirements should be established similar to the standards of the early 1970s.
The new policy resulted in the dismissal of 698 students after 2,300, or 23 percent of those enrolled in the College, were placed on a probationary standing after the fall semester.
A student is placed on probation if his senester or cumulative GFA fails to meet the requirements, best freshmen, 1.5 for
sophomores and 2.0 for upperclassmen. If, following the probationary semester, the student is assigned to the semester for the competitive GPA or the minimum GPA requirement, the student will be dismissed.
Carswell said that those dismissed included many upperclassmen who had not progressed in their academics enough to graduate with the required GPA of 2.0. Those dismissed included 131 freshmen, 155 sophomores, 191 juniors and 92 seniors.
Carswell said she believed the policy was good not because of the number of students dismissed, but because it was important for students to know where they stand.
we have a responsibility to let them know whether they are going to graduate or not," she said.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences' percentage of students dismissed is comparable to other schools at KU that allow freshmen to enroll, Carswell said.
YAHOO YAHOO YAHOO
Brigid Foster (front right) and Ernil Muzzy (left) listen to speeches on the front steps of the Topika Capitol grounds during the 'Take back the Night' rally against rape Saturday night. The rally's theme song said, "Reclaim the night and win the day. We want the right that should be our own, A freedom women have seldom known. The right to live, the right to walk alone without fear." See story page three.
A dismissed student may petition for readmission to the College after one semester has elapsed. Pettitions for immediate readmission are possible under certain limited circumstances. If a student is reinstated, it is normally on a probationary status.
She said that some of the other schools have a higher minimum GPA requirement than Liberal Arts.
When reviewing a student's petition for readmission, the Probation Committee will look for satisfactory performance at another school, some change in attitude or perspective that has not been recognized, or if rereadmitted. The student may also enroll in easy-access courses at KU as a special student.
Carswell said that most of the dismissed students she had spoken with were making plans to do what was necessary to be reinstated.
MARTI FRUMHOFF/Kansan Staff
The fate of the Lawrence Opera House will be decided at tomorrow night's Lawrence City Commission meeting. The Commission will choose whether or not to buy the building and use city funds to restore it.
Holidome's facilities to make cuts into Kansas Union catering service revenue
By TIM ELMER Staff Reporter
The Holiday Inn Holdome, under construction at the corner of Second Street and the west Lawrence turnpike access road, could cost the Kansas Union several thousand dollars in income each year, Warner Ferguson, associate director of the Union, said last week.
Because the Union has been the only place in Lawrence that has had dining facilities for over 1,200 people and banquet facilities for an additional 500, it has been the traditional meeting place for University-related and non-University-related groups, Ferguson said.
After the completion of the Holdione in early February, 1982, it will have dining facilities for 1,000 people and banquet facilities for an adult audience. The Lange, director of sales for the Holdione, said,
Ferguson said, "It is inevitable that some of the Union's business will go to the Holidone."
TOTAL REVENUES FOR THE UNION were
$389,500. Of that amount, $98,000 came from banquet
sales. Of that amount, $98,000 came from banquet
and conference room fees and $315,000 from the Union's catering services.
Although Ferguson would not speculate on how much of the $405,000 in yearly income the Union might lose, he said he expected the first two or three years to be ultimately until the novelty of the Holidone wore off.
The great majority of the Union's business comes from activities within the University, he said. University activities include commencement and homecoming banquets. Continuing Education programs and departmental functions.
"But to my knowledge, none of those groups are required to use the Union," he said. "I am sure some of those groups will want to try the Holidome."
Non-University related groups such as the Chamber of Commerce and high school promis also use the Union, he said and some of them may also want to try the Holidome.
"The Chamber of Commerce, for instance, probably will have some of its functions out there because they will want to support the operation," he said.
ONE IMPORTANT ADVANTAGE the
Holidome may have over the Union, Ferguson said, would be the availability of alcoholic beverages at the Holidome.
The Union is not allowed to serve alcoholic beverages because it is on state property. The Union can serve cereal malt beverages, but they are not considered alcoholic, he said.
Diana Campbell, secretary of sales for the Holdome, said that although the Holdome could not serve alcoholic beverages at its dining and banquet functions, it could provide setups for those who wanted to bring their own cup. Alcoholic beverages would be served in the club, she said.
Ferguson said, "it is easier, in my opinion, to attract a group to a conference if you have alcoholic beverages available as opposed to if you can't have any."
Another initial advantage the Holidome might have, he said, is its newness.
"There will be certain groups that have used our facility before that will initially go out there and give them a try." Ferguson said. "They will want to see what they have, what kind of food
See HOLIDOME page 6
State agencies to provide relief from heat
By CHRIS TODD
Staff Reporter
Last summer's scorching temperatures were devastating, especially in large metropolitan areas like Kansas City, Mo., where by the end of 2016, temperatures had risen to the ominous heading, 'heat-related fatality.'
In Kansas, according to statistics from the state health department, there were 104 heat-related deaths last summer, 80 of which involved people over the age of 60.
rms summer, a host of agencies and organizations are gearing up for what they hope won't occur—a long, drawn out heat wave that causes the lives of many poor, sick and elderly people.
The Kansas Department of Social Rehabilitation Services, which disperses state and federal funds for various social programs and administers the Medicaid and food stamp programs, will provide assistance in the event of an extended heat wave.
Last year, according to state energy assistance program head Phil Gutiérrez,RSZ, dispensed funds, most of which were provided on an emergency basis, to various community action programs, or programs administered by local organizations throughout Kansas. Some of these include the Salvation Army, the Catholic Social Services and the Council on Aging.
Gutierrez said, this year the plan will be different. Instead of dispensing funds to community
action programs, SRS will provide direct assistance by helping people pay utility bills and buy fans or air conditioners.
ALTHOUGH THE PLANS are pretty much finalized," Gutierrez said, "the state is still in the process of approving a draft of the program. The program has not yet received funding for the program."
In Lawrence, SRS administrator of income maintenance Ernie Dyer said that he had been getting calls about application for heat treatment because he had not received anything until the state approved the renewal.
"Right now," said Dyer, "we're just telling people to keep in contact with our agency and to
Other organizations and agencies in Lawrence are preparing for problems that a severe weather event could cause.
THE LAWRENCE Council on Aging, according to director Alex Conchola, will open several heat relief sites at various location around the city. The sites will be air conditioned, and transportation to and from the sites will be provided.
The ESC, said Conbolla, is an organization that combines two aspects of the social sciences with business organization.
provided. The Emergency Service Council will also provide direct assistance to the sick and elderly in case a long heat wave occurs.
See SRS page 6
Weather
today's high will be in the mid-70s, according to the National Weather Service in Topeka. Skies will be partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms, but the low in the mid-90s. Tomorrow will be humid and warmer with the high in the low 80s.