KU's family next door
Meet the Chalmers family.
They're really not much different from most families. In fact, they are in many ways like the family next door.
It's just that when Mrs. Chalmers, Mary Ann, sends her husband off to the office in the morning, it is to the office of the Chancellor of the largest university in Kansas that she sends him.
The other men in Mrs. Chalmers life are E. Laurence Jr., "Chip" 16, and Tom, 13.
The family enjoys being together. Though the Chancellor's responsibilities tend to make those special family times infrequent, they seize every opportunity to be together. When time permits, they go to their cabin in Colorado which they built themselves. Or they take their hydroplane to a nearby lake for a cruise.
Chip is involved in many activities at Lawrence High School. He is on the student council and has a part in the school play.
His "pad," as he calls it—an area of the basement—houses his electric organ, which he plays in a combo. He also plays harpsichord in a baroque group.
The high school junior is an Eagle Scout.
Tom, an eighth grader at Central Junior High, is interested in science. He has several turtles, one of which, a gopher turtle, he raised from an egg he found when the family lived in Florida. He has read a lot about turtles and is a little disappointed that Kansas doesn't have a very wide variety of the creatures.
The younger teen plays French horn and is tutored in French twice weekly to keep up with the language he has studied since he was in fourth grade.
The 13-year-old's first reaction to the prospect of moving to Kansas, his mother said, was, "It's all right, if I can have a snowmobile." He is looking forward to the first snowfall.
A very important member of the Chalmers family is Buffy, a pomeranian. His registered name is Chalmers Lord Buff, "a pretty big name for such a little dog," Mrs. Chalmers mused. Buffy meets guests at the door with his favorite sock in his mouth.
Tom is the family chess champion. He often out-maneuvers his father and older brother at the game of strategy. The game table in the living room is always set up for impromptu matches.