University Daily Kansan, April 22, 1983
Page 15
Trip to Washington draws fire
By JOEL THORNTON Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
A trip to Washington, D.C., last weekend by KU administrators and professors to watch KU students perform the play "The Buried Child" was not financed by state money, officials said yesterday.
'Ron Willis, professor of speech and drama, said that the entourage of KU professors, administrators and their spouses, which attended a KU theatre company's production of "The Buried Child" and "Sage of Emporia," paid for its own travel and lodging expenses.
But Dennis Quinn, professor of English, said it did not matter whether the University or individual professors paid for the trip. Quinn had written a letter to the Kanas, complaining the play was offensive. Quinn also suggested in his letter, published yesterday, that the group of administrators and professors might have made the trip at state expense.
The KU cast performed "The Buried Child" at the American College Theatre Festival, after advancing through local and regional competition. KU was one of seven schools that had advanced to Washington from an original field of work.
I have not seen the play, I have not read the play, and I intend to do
neither," Quinn said. "It seemed to be about an exceedingly sordid subject matter and I very much dislike plays that exploit this sordidness and ugility."
"The Buried Child" is about the struggles of an Illinois farm family, in which the husband murdered his wife's child. "The Buried Child" is boy's father is not revealed in the play.
"I would say there is a great deal of skepticism about who paid for the administration and the faculty," he said.
He also said it was inappropriate for University administrators to spend the money for a trip to Washington when he arrived. The professors were strained financially.
Wills said the theatre festival was sponsored each year by Amoco Inc.
Amoco paid the travel expenses of the play's cast and crew, as well as its director, Jack Wright, professor of speech and drama.
WILLI SAIED that Amoco also paid his expenses to Washington, because he was chairman of the American College Theatre Festival this past year.
Willis said that Wright also performed "Sage of Eperia," a biography of William Allen White, in Washington, Many KU alumni and other officials attended the one-man show, he said.
The William Allen White Foundation also financed some of the expenses for the set of the "Sage of Emporia," he said.
Among the administrators who went to Washington were Dennell Tacha, vice chancellor for academic affairs; Robert Limeberry, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Bobby Patton, chairman of the speech and drama department; Richard Wesley, associate chancellor for research; studies and public service; and Gerhard Zuther, chairman of the English department.
WILLIES SAID that he wondered whether Quinn knew anything about "The Buried Child" when he wrote the letter.
Willis also said that the play won a Pulitzer Prize in 1979 and was named the best off-Broadway play of the 1978-79 season.
Quit said, "All I can say is so much for those awards." They used to give Pulitzer prizes to much better plays than that. The critics are most enthusiastic about the most gruesome subjects."
A money-raising drive for the Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Award Fund has reached two-thirds of its goal, the fund's founder said yesterday.
Women's sports fund hits $3,600
The award fund was established last year to provide money for buying awards for women athletes. Money for awards has never been a part of the budget for women's sports.
dowment Association. The maximum goal is $10,000.
RENATE MAI-DALTON, the fund's founder, said $3,600 had been raised so far, which will be used as principle in an ongoing account through the Kansas University En-
Only the interest on that money will be used to pay for the awards.
The fund raising drive, which is being conducted solely by Mai Dalton, consists of a letter-writing campaign that contributed nearly year she said.
Of the 88 people who contributed last year, 35 have donated again this year, she said. Donations range from $3-$250. The average donation is about $50, up about $10 from last year.
The drive will last through June or July.
THE FUND LAST year was not linked to the Endowment Association and only paid for rings given to senior athletes. At the urging of Del Shankel, professor of microbiology at North Carolina, Mai-Dalton decided to raise the money and let the 10-12 percent interest be split among the sports each year.
"The budget of women's athletics was so small that no kinds of awards, or banquets were provided for," she said. "I wanted the athletes to be recognized for their service to the University."
Wiseman, piano, will be at 8 p.m. in Swarthot.
On campus
TODAY
INTERVARSITY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP will meet at 7 p.m. in the Pine Room in the Kansas Union.
THE OHIH BALLET will perform at 8 p.m. in Hoch Auditorium.
THE BIOLOGY CLUB will meet at 4 p.m. in the Sunflower Room in the Kansas Union.
A DOCTORAL RECITAL by Steven
A PANEL DISCUSSION about religion and social life, sponsored by the Muslim Students' Association, will be at 7:30 p.m. in Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union.
HARAMBEE will have a Bible study at 7 p.m. in the Fireplace Room in Lewis Hall.
GOSPEL SINGERS from the Papago Reservation in Arizona will give a free concert at 5:30 p.m. on the west side of Haskell Junior College Campus.
INDIAN, RESIDENTS of McCollum Hall will perform folk and classical dances on the second floor of McCollum.
COLUMN
A MASTERS RECITAL by Nancy Kvam, violin, will be at 3:30 p.m. in Swarthout.
LAWRENCE TRIAL
TOIF COOKOUT will be from 3 to 7 p.m. at the St. Lawrence Catholic Center, 1531 Crescent Rd.
SUNDAY
THE SUNDAY SUPPER will be followed by a discussion by Doug and Ann Farha, offspring of missionary families in Bolivia, "The Gospel of Liberation," at 5:30 p.m. at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries.
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The Russians are Here!
And we need your help.
Several KU graduates secured Soviet acceptance of the Relays Invitation and have planned this week's events. Much of the success depends on your in-volvement and support.
Bob Swan '64
Bob Swan '64 Dr. Mark Scott '70 Athletes United for Peace Post Office Box 1776 Lawrence, KS 66044
Be sure to attend the colorful openings at 1 pm which will be covered by USSR and US T.V. Special send off with singing at 5 am at the Holidome on Monday, April 25th. Attractive commemorative buttons and posters are now available at several campus locations. Since we owe thousands of dollars in this effort for peace, we greatly appreciate your support in purchasing these official commemorative items.