Page 2 University Daily Kansan Monday, April 9. 1956.
The Phogger Fights On
While University students enjoyed a week's vacation married only for the most part by thoughts of neglected assignments. Dr. Forrest C. (Phog) Allen, whose pleas were finally refused by the board of Regents, made no effort to conceal the act that he was not ready to yield the spotlight ust yet.
Dr. Allen also came to the defense of KU's former great miler Wes Santee, who now appears to be sidelined for keeps as a result of an AAU suspension.
But Dr. Allen wasn't the only one who was talking. In return he found himself involved in the above-mentioned $35,000 libel suit, out of a job, and also saw his prize pupil, 7-foot Wilt (The Stiff) Chamberlain, under the AAU microscope for a thorough examination for any symptoms of the dreaded professionalism.
Along a more trivial line, Dr. Allen merely audged at plans to run him in the Republicanubernatorial primaries in Kansas, and expressed more interest in the head coaching job at Lawrence Junior High School.
If Dr. Allen expected the victims of his verbal harages to show mercy on an unemployed 70-
year-old victim of circumstances, he was sadly mistaken, as the numerous sharp rejoinders by Mr Henshel and company will prove.
But if past observations can serve as any sort of guide, Dr. Allen expected no measure of sympathy from anyone concerned. He has shown by his actions that he does not consider himself ready for retirement, in spite of any rulings which might affect his status. In his anxiety to remain in the spotlight Dr. Allen made a number of statements which will undoubtedly have long-lasting repercussions and unexpected results.
So. Dr. Allen has again demonstrated that he will go down fighting, battling all the way against forces which he cannot control.
This fight-all-the-way philosophy also marked each one of the many great basketball teams which Dr. Allen coached here at the University. However, most observers remember that once a game was over, whether in victory or defeat, Dr. Allen remained the same. He was especially noted as a gracious loser, and a quick man with a smile for the opposing coach.
However, in this much bigger battle, Dr. Allen has not demonstrated this same type of sportsmanship. Instead, he continues to fight for his objectives. This strategy appears to be having a negative effect on most observers, and could possibly be compared in effectiveness with a coach attempting to change the score after his team had lost the game.
—Dick Walt
Criticize Or Compromise
The Old Play-Review Issue
Long and loud have been the complaints of many on Mount Oread that those who write the critical reviews of dramatic and musical productions have not been truly critical. University Daily Kansan reviewers have been accused of all sorts of negligence from all sides.
But come the revolution—and it has come—and the right hand will no longer know what the left hand is doing! The hand which formerly unquestioningly offered the pats on the back for the slightest endeavors on the part of the rest of the body will now deliver only appropriate criticism and praise where it is due.
To quote a certain loved and respected, but uncompromising educator on this campus: "It would seem the only way you can be POPULAR around this place is to say the things which you know certain persons want to hear!"
The argument that campus productions should not be criticized as professional because they are amateur has been repeated more than once by several sources.
Recently a wise question was directed toward one of these sources: "But are The Univeristy Daily Kansan and the Jayhawker criticized from that standpoint? Should they be considered as amateur endeavors?" And the inquisitor answered. "Why, eh, yes, eh, I don't know."
It's shameful when a reviewer must carefully search for SOMETHING nice to say about a performance so that a pleasing review can be written and everyone will remain happy. One staff reviewer is a competent musician who has studied seriously here and abroad. This person has been criticized for always writing "something nice" about performances. Also this person's ability and knowledge of fine arts have been wrongly and ignorantly questioned because of the always-complimentary reviews which have tactfully been given.
If the person who reviewed a performance were not a competent musician in his own right, would that matter? For whom are dramatic and musical performances given? Who is the recipient? And if he is not pleased—have the performances been successful? After all, beauty is in the eyes and ears of the beholder.
The idea that "these kids are only amateurs and the only pay they're getting paid is praise for their performance" is a nice pollyanna attitude, but unfortunately not very true to life. Let's remove our rose-colored glasses and face the cold facts. These performers are striving for some degree of professionality or they wouldn't be in a university.
The entertainment world is no bed of roses. The stage has been compared to a battlefield. When troupers are being trained they should be given the type of conditions which they can expect when they encounter the real thing.
A horse of quite a different hue is that a play must be entertaining in the first place, if it's to be successful. No matter how excellent the acting, if it's not an entertaining play to begin with, it might as well be forgotten.
The cast of a play which is a flop because of a poor play is the fault of some undiscerning person or persons. When this is the case, those persons responsible should be criticized, regardless of their positions or politics.
Jim Tice
The initiative has been taken! Now we can hope to see some honest criticisms in reviews in the future.
Daily Hansan
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1889, became biweekly 1904,
triweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912.
Telephone Viking 3-2700
Extension 251, news room
Extension 376, business office
Member Inland Daily Press Association.
Associated Collegiate Press. Represented
Athletic. Advertising Service.
fiaidian.org. News service: U.S. Mail.
service: United Press. Mail subscription
rates: $3 a semester or $4.50 a year. Published
in Lawrence, Kansas. University year except
Saturdays and Sundays. University holidays,
and examination periods. Entered
as second-class matter Sept. 17, 1910, at
the office, post office under act of
March 3, 1879.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Richard Hunter ... Business Manager
James Wiens, Advertising Manager;
David B. Cleveland, National Advertising Manager; Mary Lue Wiekershamn, Advertising Manager; Michael Foyer, Circulation Manager; Walter Baskett Jr., Promotion Manager.
AIRLINE HOSTESSES FOR TRANS WORLD AIRLINES
Start Now At Age 20 NOW RECRUITING FOR JUNE CLASSES
Tom Sawyer
Topeka senior
American Theater in Mexico City in 1947 for an extended engagement under the auspices of the Theater Guild and the American Embassy in a highly "successful" effort to bring "the finest in American theater to the Mexican people."
Mr. Haworth was later associated with Miss Lawrence in other productions and also with such names as Mel Ferrer, Jane Cowl and Dame May Whitty.
You can now fly with the finest airline in the world with routes both in the United States and Overseas if you can meet these qualifications. High School graduate; age 20 to 27; height $^5'2$ to $^5'8$; weight 100-135; attractive; unmarried; eyesight 20/50 or better; training at TWA's headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri at company expense with pay.
About Face
MR. R. PAUL DAY TRANS WORLD AIRLINES 10 Richards Road, Kansas City, Missouri
I read with interest your article on the current University Theater production of "Pygmalion" in Tuesday's Kansan. As for local color concerning the original 1932 production of this play and the subsequently successful cast of the Craftons, Inge, Callahan, and Feist, I fear you have overlooked an even more interesting facet of the Shavian classic.
... Letters ...
Editor:
Milton Bailey Haworth, costume and scenic designer of University Theatre, was the original designer for "Pygmalion" when the late Gertrude Lawrence and Dennis King, a rather "succeful" duo on or off any "hill," played the leading roles in Mexico City. The cast also included Cecil Humphreys and was directed by Sir Cedric Hardwicke. This company was the original broadway cast with the exception that Dennis King had replaced Raymond Massey, after the latter had enjoyed a two-year run of the play in New York.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (UP)—When a clock in Frank Weber's office continued to run counterclockwise despite all efforts to repair it, Mr. Weber solved the problem by changing the face so the numerals are counterclockwise too.
The play was presented at the
One of every two Danes is a bicycle owner. Adults cycle to and from work, while youngsters take to riding almost as soon as they can walk, the National Geographic Society says.
IN KANSAS CITY, IT'S . . .