Friday, Nov. 12, 1954
University Daily Kansan
Page 5
Kansan photo by Harry Elliott
MEMBER NO. 111—Prof. Russell L. Wiley, band director, adjusts a band shake on President Eisenhower's head at Abilene yesterday, making him the 111th member of the unit, although the Chief Executive admitted he cannot play an instrument. The hat ceremony was delayed several minutes because the two principals could not get in the proper place for about a dozen photographers who took
Ike Wouldn't Look at Cameras, So Wiley Had to Get 'Rough'
Kansan photo by Harry Elliott pictures at the Eisenhower Memorial museum dedication and other activities there yesterday. Others are, left to right, Stan Hamilton, Kansan reporter; Dean Thomas Gorton of the School of Fine Arts; Prof. Raymond Zepp, assistant band director (partly obscured); Prof. Wiley; the President; Richard Fritz, band president, and Thomas Siegfried, drum major.
By STAN HAMILTON and GRETCHEN GUINN
Abilene—Prof. Russell L. Wiley, band director, undoubtedly got away with more "rough stuff" with President Eisenhower here yesterday than any person has since Ike was inaugurated 21 months ago.
Nothing ulterior was intended by the normally gentle KU band director, of course, but had almost any other person treated the Chief Executive so "ugentmanly" a bevy of muscled secret service men probably would have escorted him away from the scene.
The whole episode came when Prof. Wiley; Prof. Raymond Zepp, assistant director; Dean Thomas Gorton of the School of Fine Arts; Thomas Siegfried, drum major, and Richard Fitz, band president, were to install the President as the 111th member of the band.
The five stopped Ike moments after he had completed a brief tour of the museum to present him with a band shako (the type of headgear in the new uniform) and a gold band key.
About a dozen photographers previously had set up the layout with Prof. Wiley and several presidential aides. All was arranged in advance as to how Prof. Wiley would stand, how he would place the shake on Mr. Eisenhower's head, who would hand him the key and how, and so forth.
The President either misunderstood Prof. Wiley's requests or preferred to ignore the clamoring of the photographers. Anyway, he didn't turn to suit them.
But the President had not been informed as to the whims of the cameramen. He turned his back to talk more intimately with the band director.
That is when the good Prof came into the act.
First he took Mr. Eisenhower by the arm and tried to straighten him as, as prearranged. That did not work. Next he moved past him and gently nudged Mr. Eisenhower into the supposedly proper places. This also failed to conform to the
script.
Twice more the band director pushed or tugged the usually safely protected Chief Executive. Finally the photographers were happy.
Came time to affix the shako and again something went wrong—for the photographers, that is. Prof. Wiley's arm was in the way, his face was turned away, the President was looking the wrong direction, etc., etc.
Again Prof. Wiley came on to save the day, again by some pushing and pulling. He adjusted the headgear several times, each time just barely managing to avoid scraping like its nose.
But all went well. The President, accustomed to being joustled in throngs, apparently didn't even feel the effects or was even aware of them. The two smiled and exchanged cordialities during and at the end of the ceremony.
The secret service men hardly knew what to do. Several were unusually conspicuous by their amazed looks, as if to say, "He can't do that to the President."
When a mechanized unit from Fort Riley came early in the procession he was heard to remark to his wife, "I had no idea the government was participating in this thing."
NOTES FROM THE DEDICATION: The President watched the morning parade from the marquee of the Sunflower hotel, too far away from reporters for them to hear most of what he said to other members of the official party.
At another point he turned to his grandson, ruffled his hair, and said, "What do you think of that band?"
When the President left the hotel after the parade to go to the museum, he was held up about two
minutes by photographers. When the professionals had finished he paused to let a small girl take his picture with a box camera. She was so awed that a bystander leaned over and urged her to "hurry up and take it."
Persons in the front rows of the crowd at the dedication ceremony were lucky to get even a fleeting glimpse of the President. Cameramen crowded in front of the podium and on a platform stuck practically in Ike's face. Reporters, radio men, television crews, and movie photographers scrambled about, adding to the melee.
Why was the shako given the President a size 7'4"? Siegfried explained that the size is about normal, so it was decided upon. He said the band had been unable to obtain the correct size. (The guess was fairly close for it seemed an almost perfect fit).
The President's speech took exactly 6 minutes and 40 seconds. He was in the museum exactly 16 minutes and 40 seconds, according to the writer's watch.
The car in which the President rode is a car addict's dream. A custom Lincoln convertible, it had a plexiglas clear dome extending over the back seat. Over the front seat was a convex curved dome that stood gap between the two top covers, allowing Ike to stand up.
Early State Groups To Be Discussed
In a report on "Kansans from Europe," a University of Kansas professor will tell of the more than 500 Kansas settlements which originally used some language other than English.
Dr. J. Neale Carman, professor of Romance languages, will address a foreign language meeting Nov. 18 at the cafeteria of Kansas State Teachers College at Emporia.
For seven years Dr. Carman has been studying the foreign language settlements of Kansas. He has classified 410 settlements, exclusive of the Mexican colonies which will put the total beyond 500, and counting railroad points where several families stayed on.
Christmas Dance Scheduled by UVO
An all-University, semi-formal Christmas dance will be held by the University Veterans organization in absent Union ballroom Friday, Dec. 10.
Music will be furnished by Jim Smith's orchestra. Frank Tavares, fine arts freshman, will provide in-ermission entertainment.
Tickets are $1 per couple and may be purchased from UVO members
Advertising Is Theme of Parley
"Advertising: Heartbeat of America" is the theme for the national convention of Gamma Alpha Chi, national professional advertising fraternity for women, on the campus through Sunday. Each of the key speakers will stress the opportunities for women in various fields of advertising.
Representing the Treasury department will be Fred D. Carl, who will bring greetings from Dwight D. Eisenhower, Mr. Carl will speak at the national activity breakfast to tomorrow morning in Lawrence.
Principal speaker at the banquet in Kansas City today is Sidney R. Bernstein, editor-in-chief of Advertising Age. Mr. Bernstein is vice president of Advertising Publications, Inc., and editorial director of Industrial Marketing and Advertising Requirements.
Mabel Obenchain, promotion manager of Famous Features Syndicate, will speak at the national honors dinner tomorrow evening in Lawrence. Mrs. Obenchain, a graduate of Northwestern university, is the retiring vice president of the Advertising Federation of America and former president of the Women's Advertising club of Chicago.
Other speakers include Connie Weber, Midwest editor of Vogue; Bruce A. Brewer, president of the Brewer Advertising agency; Kenneth Greenwood, KMBC-TV; Claire Forbes Walker, president of the Claire Forbes Advertising agency; and Honor Gregory House, president of the Gregory House Advertising agency.
Delegates who go to Kansas City today will be guests on Ben Johnson's 4 p.m. television program on KMBC-TV. Mrs. Johnson is national president of Gamma Alpha Chi.
Mathematics Club To Hear Dr. Bing
Dr. R. H. Bing, mathematician from the University of Wisconsin, visited classes yesterday in connection with a new plan to stimulate interest in higher mathematics. Dr. Bing will speak to the Mathematics club on "Examples and Counter Examples" at 4 p.m. today in 203 Strong. He will discuss "Decompositions of Euclidean Spaces" at 10 a.m. tomorrow in 203 Strong. The first of five lecturers to tour the nation, he is a representative of the Mathematical Association of America and is touring on a grant from the National Science foundation. He will be available to discuss mathematical career opportunities with students.
914 Massachusetts Street LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Everyone Welcome
Student Bible Hour 9:45 a.m.
Worship Service -- 11:00 a.m.
Student Supper Meeting 5:30 (Sponsored by Gamma Delta)
Immanuel Lutheran Church
(Missouri Synod)
17th & Vermont Norman Brandt, Pastor