University Daily Kansan Wednesday, Oct. 26, 1955
Science Fiction Writer To Speak Tomorrow
James Gunn, free-lance science fiction writer and assistant instructor in English, wil speak at 2 p.m. tomorrow in 205 Flint on "Science Fiction, What It Is and What It Does."
The lecture, which is owen to the public, will be given for the Children's Literature class, taught by Mrs. Natalie Calderwood, assistant professor of English.
"Science fiction is explained Fantasy," Mr. Gunn said in an interview yesterday. "It is a very real expression of our age."
He said that society is future directed, in the sense that what is to come is more important than what has happened.
Science fiction may appeal to the technical mind, he continued. He said during World War II a good mind could tell where the atomic plants were by increased sales of science fiction magazines.
No 'Trash Fiction'
"I don't really think there is 'trash fiction,' he said. "There are values in all types of fiction depending upon the types of persons who read them." he explained.
He advises aspiring writers to study hard in their fields, to keep writing, and to keep sending stories to magazines until they sell.
"Pulp magazines are useful for writers, because, although they are just as rigid in their ways as some of the slick magazines, they use a large amount of material, and they provide the income beginning writers need." he said.
"Aspiring authors, if they can afford it, should spend a few months just writing to see if they can."
Sold First Story In 1948
Mr. Gunn, a 1947 graduate of the William Allen White School of Journalism received a master's degree in English from KU in 1951. About 20,000 words of his master's thesis, a critical analysis of science fiction, was serialized in a science fiction magazine.
Mr. Gunn wrote and sold his first science fiction story in 1948. Forty of his stories have been published in such magazines as Argosy, Astounding Science Fiction, Galaxy Science Fiction, Beyond, If, Starting Stories, Thrilling Wonder Stories, and Fantastic Universe.
His first novel, "Star Bridge," written with Jack Williamson, was published in April. His second, "This Fortress World," will be published soon.
While serving as editor for a firm publishing paperback reprints, Mr. Gurn edited a collection of humor and cartoons entitled "Funny Side Up." Except for three-months' service as assistant civil defense director of Kansas City, Mo., he has been a full-time free-lance writer for the last three years.
Among Mr. Gunni's recent stories are "Feeding Time," a short-short in the August Astounding Science Fiction; "New Blood," a novelle in the October issue of the same magazine; "Little Orphan Android," a novelle in the Steppeen Galaxy Science Fiction; "The Naked Sky," a short novel in the fall issue of Starling Stories, and "Hoax," a novelle in the December issue of If.
Great Britain has an estimated 19 cars per mile of road compared with the United States' 15 per mile.
JAMES E. GUNN
How Do Children React To Tests?
NEW YORK —(U.P.)— An educational psychologist has suggested that it is time educators found out what tests in the elementary schools do to the forming characters and personalities of children.
Prof. Arthur R. Delong of Michigan State University made a survey of elementary grade teachers and of observations by professionals of the behavior of children while under test pressure, and came to these conclusions:
1. Incessant testing influences the forming characters and personalities of children. Whether the effect is good or bad, he could not say.
2. Elementary teachers are so little aware of this that their mass answers to a questionnaire provided no hard-and-fast information
"Observers watching elementary school children taking tests have long been aware that the classroom atmosphere is different during the test period than it is at more usual times," he said in a report published by the National Association for Mental Health.
"Some children work with an intensity never otherwise displayed; others do not work at all, but sit twiddling a pencil, gazing occasionally at the teacher and other classmates. Some youngsters openly, others furtively, study the test answers on papers near enough to read. Occasionally a child weeps, or a little group breaks into uncontrolled, though smothered, giggling."
One student was tried for a parking violation in Student Court last night in the Student Union and two others were found guilty of parking violations by default.
Three Cases Heard By Student Court
Waldo W. Anderson, Traer sophomore received a conditional verdict pending a further investigation of his case.
Robert D. Ausherman, Mission graduate, and Pingle P. Reddy, Hyderabad, India, junior failed to appear last night.
About 70 per cent of every tree harvested by the American lumber industry now is salvaged for use.
Benson's Farm Policy Causing Cabinet Split
WASHINGTON—(U.P.)—There's serious trouble deep inside the Eisenhower administration.
The cabinet is disputing what should be done about the price squeeze on farmers. The farmers' costs remain high. At the same time, they are getting less for what they produce and sell. This is notably true of farm machinery and hogs.
Major Political Conflict
The great Midwestern corn-hog states long have been the bedrock of the Republican political structure. Falling pork and lard prices have jarred foundation and structure with an earthquake shock.
Vice President Richard Nixon,
Attorney General Herbert Brownell
Jr. and Postmaster General Arthur
Summerfield are among those batting to force Agriculture
Secretary Ezra Taft Benson's hand in behalf of hog raisers. Sec. Benson has been standing pat, confident that President Eisenhower will support him and is sure of the powerful support of Mr. Eisenhower's younger brother, Milton.
This all adds up to a political conflict of major proportions which is reaching the point where the President must act if he is to avoid a bruising public row within his own administration.
Mr. Benson is being urged to use some of the unallocated funds at his disposal to bail out the corn-hog producers. He has argued that hog prices must go lower before government can intervene successfully.
Mr. Nixon and some of his cabinet colleagues want instant action. The blue chips are down in this dispute. Mr. Benson's opposition landed a haymaker during the recent Republican governors' conference at Des Moines, Iowa.
Benson On Spot
Willard Shelton, a discerning reporter who contributes a column to the CIO News, relates it this wav:
"The GOP governors were greeted with a banner headline in the Des Moines Register, over a copyrighted story by the Register's chief Washington correspondent, Richard L. Wilson, saying that Nixon's viewpoint was that Benson must 'act' on the farmers' problems, and that Nixon had an appointment to tell Benson as much."
There is no doubt in Washington that Mr. Nixon gave the story to Wilson. The current word is that Mr. Benson may act in a matter of days or weeks.
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