Lawrence marquees reflect owners' humor
By HOWARD PANKRATZ Kansan Staff Writer
"Everyone's a ham, there is nothing they like better than seeing their name on a marquee," said Mrs. Rita Skaggs, assistant manager of the Holiday Inn.
"My help likes to get me in trouble," laughed Dave Jones of Commonwealth Theaters, "when I'm gone for a few hours they'll put something up on the marquee, take a picture of it, and send it in to the home office in Kansas City. Some of the stuff they put up!"
Marquees are fun and those who have the biggest ones around town enjoy them immensely. Technically the signs are for advertising purposes, the managers of the hotels, motels and theaters of Lawrence view them as a way they can show off their ingenuity, good humor, and interest in Lawrence and KU.
Dave Jones, a 1969 University of Missouri graduate, says he hasn't found it hard to support
the Jayhawks on his Hillcrest marquee. "It felt a bit funny at first, but this summer I made a $20 bet on the Hawks figuring they'd beat the Tigers. Right now, I'm worried about that twenty and am trying to give them all the support I can."
Jones said a Jayhawk will soon adorn the marquee before every home game. Prior to the KU-Kansas State game the Hillcrest marquee read, "KU Will Make Silo Tech Look Like A Funny Girl Playing With A Lion in Winter, Love, Isadora."
Ernest (Bud) Miller, the manager of the Virginia Inn, also likes to be original. Unlike Jones, who has been told to avoid campus controversy, Miller will readily express his own views.
Last spring, I put 'Love America, or Leave It' on the sign. I've never had a bigger and more favorable reaction to any sign. I got a lot of phone calls about it," he said.
Miller said the Virginia Inn
After 116 minutes of sometimes heated but never bitter discussion, the debate ended abruptly at 9:05 p.m. when Rep. G. V. Montgomery, D-Miss., officially noted the absence of a quorum.
WASHINGTON (UPI) — House members supporting Wednesday's nationwide moratorium led a lively, give-and-take debate on Vietnam Tuesday night but were blocked in efforts to keep the House in session all night.
House debates protest
By a roll call vote of 112-110 members then voted to adjourn the House.
would limit what it displayed. If the mayor, the city or a department at the University calls about somebody coming to town, he'll display the person's name. He added, "If some group is having a convention in Lawrence—like the American Legion—I'll put a welcome up even if they aren't staying here." Outside of that, he won't display names.
Prior to Montgomery's action, the house twice rejected attempts
Oct. 15 1969 KANSAN 15
to close debate through parliamentary devices. The exchange resulted in what many members felt was the most thorough discussion of Vietnam the House had ever held.
The Holiday Inn policy is more liberal. "Anyone can call us and request that the name of a friend who is visiting town be put on the sign," said Mrs. Skaggs. "If we don't have anything else planned for the marquee, such as an association meeting in Lawrence, we are delighted to help."
The House backers of Vietnam moratorium day argued in favor of a more rapid withdrawal of American forces than the Nixon Administration now publicly contemplates.
Proposals ranged from an immediate withdrawal to a phaseout that would be completed by the end of 1970.
Mrs. Skaggs said no charge is made—which is true of all hotels and motels in Lawrence and they would create personalized signs though the persons weren't staying at the Holiday Inn. She said more than anything, the reaction of the person who sees his name is the most enjoyable part of the marquee business.
Supporters of administration policy urged that President Richard Nixon be given time to work out an orderly withdrawal, one that would not leave South Vietnam in chaos and endanger American troops.
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lack of marquee space at the Red Dog Inn.
Another chuckler was Mrs. Ruth Szabo, manager of the Eldridge Hotel, famous for its "Have Your Next Affair Here" sign. "I haven't received one complaining telephone call about our signs," she said, "but I received a few good-natured calls about what kind of affairs we were talking about." She said many of her ideas came from a hotel association booklet which showed what other motels and hotels had done around the nation. Asked if her help contributed ideas, she chuckled, "Yes they do, but a lot of what they suggest could never go up there."
John Brown of Mid-Continent Entertainment Inc. mourned the
"It would be a gas if we could put up something funny every day and have people come down here and laugh at the sign. But, because of our limited space and because we are essentially trying to sell products in a way hotels aren't, we can't do it." He said they do support the Jayhawks during the school year, and the Red Dog's marque will always have something original on it like "Go, Hawks."
But Jones, Martin, Mrs. Szabo and Mrs. Skaggs haven't heard any complaints so far and it is doubtful whether old ladies will deter them from something they consider fun.
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