Kansas State Historical Society Topeka, Ks.
KU COED STRANGLED
Body Recovered From Potter Lake
The body of an 18-year-old fine arts sophomore was found in Potter lake shortly after midnight today.
Joseph Skillman, campus police chief, identified the girl as daughter of a wealthy Kansas City manufacturer.
Atomic Blast Scheduled for KU Stadium
An atomic bomb will be exploded in Memorial stadium April 17 to mark the opening of the 1953 Kansas Relays and Engineering Exposition, Dean T. DeWitt Carr of the School of Engineering announced today.
The U.S. Atomic Energy commission, which approved the blast, hopes to obtain vital data on how an atomic explosion would effect heavy populated area in wartime.
Dean Carr assured the University that the blast will just scorch the grass off the football field, leaving the bleachers untouched.
"My heavens, son," he told a reporter, "everyone knows that at atomic explosions mushroom up thousands of feet before they spread out." He said that he positively believes that it will be the biggest thrill ever witnessed in the stadium.
"All this poppycock about these bombs being dangerous is pure nonsense," he said. "I would like very much to see the attendance go way up for this event, because this is the biggest event we've ever thrown," he said.
"I have had only one disappointment in connection with the blast so far," the dean said, "and that was the fact that the Lawrence Public schools have declined my invitation for the kindergarten kids to have a front row seat." But the dean said the Russian embassy gladly accepted.
Truck Hits J-Student; Revenge Suspected
Ronald Kull, journalism senior, was reported in good condition today in Watkins Memorial hospital Kull was struck Friday by a buildings and grounds truck while crossing the lawn near Danforth chapel
Aspirin Shipment Arrives
ing the lawn bag Danko. Kull said, "Ever since I started writing Daily Kansan articles running down the buildings and grounds boys, they've been just waiting for a chance to run me down."
Watkins hospital today announced the arrival of a new shipment of aspirin. "We're ready now to handle all those broken legs, sunburn cases, and influenza patients we've had to turn away these last few days," Dr. Ralph L. Cunateson said.
He said she had been strang. There were heavy black marks on her neck. Parts of her clothing were found along the bank of the lake.
Miss Burzurk's roommates said they didn't know anyone who would do such a thing to her.
"She was a nice girl," they said. Police traced Miss Burzurk's actions up until 11:55 p.m. yesterday Friends said she had a movie date, and her boyfriend picked her up at her dorm at approximately 7:34 p.m. Her roommates said Miss Burzurk wasn't ready when her date arrived, but that he showed no signs of impatience while waiting for her.
They said she seemed a little nervous while putting on her lipstick. She got it on slightly crooked the first time and smeared it the second time. They had attributed her nervousness to haste.
She left wearing a short-sleeved shell pink sweater accented by a toast brown scarf tied in a sailor knot around her neck. Her smart, plaited skirt was of orlon, the same shade as her scarf. The costume was complemented by a wide, neutral leather belt which matched her shoes.
THE couple was seen going into a local movie theater at approximately 8:13 p.m. The ticket-taker said, "I remember taking their tickets."
The pair was next noticed in the Hawk's Nest of the Student Union, sitting in the fourth booth from the left on the north side, drinking coffee. Officials declined to comment on whether the coffee was black or with cream.
The last time Miss Burzurk was seen alive was at the door of her dorm at approximately 11:55 p.m. The housemother remembered that the couple exchanged a long kiss and whispered "goodnight."
"Then I pulled the shade and turned on the radio," she said. "I naturally supposed Orvetta had gone in—she was such a sweef girl. She never signed out late for meals, and kept her room so neat and tidy." she said.
About 12:14 this morning police received a mysterious phone call requesting them to check the Potter lake area. Although they thought it was just a gag, they made a routine check.
An unidentified couple told police while they had been driving through the vicinity of Potter lake late they heard a muffled gasp, and then a splash. "We thought someone had thrown a stone into the water," they said.
"When we saw clothing on the bank we decided to drag the lake." Mr. Skillman said. Several policemen returned to the police station for lake-dragging equipment.
About midway in the lake they hit a snag. "Then we realized that
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CAMPUS TRAGEDY—Herkimer Haddox, college junior, wades from the depths of Potter lake with the body of Orvetta M. Burzurk, fine arts sophomore, who was found in the lake last night. Campus police said Miss Burzurk had been strangled before she was thrown into the lake. Police are searching for her boyfriend, who has not been seen since yesterday evening.
Daily hansan
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Wednesday, April 1, 1953
50th Year, No.118
Murphy Granted Leave of Absence To Assist Hobby, New Cabinet Post
Hoch Condemned For Weak Ceiling
Hoch auditorium has been condemned for further use until extensive repairs can be made on the ceiling supports, the department of building and grounds announced.
One of the main arches in the ceiling has cracked under the strain of sympathetic vibrations caused by the extensive use of the pipe organ.
it was further weakened during the past basketball season by the classical numbers played by the KU band.
Relax - We're Foolin'
Does today's Daily Kansan front page seem a little different from the usual? Since this is the time of the year for all practical jokers, the reporters and editors of the Daily Kansan got together and let their imaginations run rampant. This is the result. APRIL FOOL!
Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy today was granted a year's leave of absence by the board of regents to accept a post as administrative assistant to Oveta Culp Hobby, newly appointed head of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
Pach, FACTS Combine Forces
Pachacama and FACTS political party spokesmen today announced both parties will dissolve their present systems of organization and combine to form a new party.
The new party will be known as the Creatively Reorganized Advocates of Progress party, Larry Loftus, college sophomore and Pach president, said.
ROTC Deferments Canceled
All ROTC deferments will be cancelled April 15, the Department of Defense announced today in a communique to University officials.
Students in the 19-20 age group will be allowed to finish the present semester, but those in the 20-24 age group will be eligible for immediate draft at the discretion of their local draft boards.
communicated. Let Louis Hershey, director of selective service, said this action was necessary because so many men were entering college to elude the draft that necessary quotas cannot be filled.
their local train
In an interview immediately
after the news was received, Chanc-
corler Franklin D. Murphy said he
believed that this unprecedented
step by the federal government
would prove to have a detrimental effect on the enrollment at the University.
Immediately after receiving the news, which was followed within a few hours by orders giving new assignments, the staff members of the three ROTC units prepare to
"I think we will undoubtedly lose a large number of male students, as well as many girls who came to Kansas because of the high ratio of men to women."
men
Registrar James K. Hitt said that over 3,000 male students would be affected by this sudden move, leaving only veterans and men with a 4-F draft classification. He stated that the ratio of women to men on the campus would be approximately 10-1.
leave.
Col. Lynn R. Moore, professor of air science and tactics, said "I am glad to see Gen. Hershey take this action. I think all these boys will enjoy the invigorating atmosphere maintained by the Air Force.
Col. Edward F. Kumpe, professor of military science, stated that he thought it was a too drastic a step. "They might have at least let me apply for a transfer before they assigned me to Texas," he said.
The name of neither of the present parties has too much significance, Henderson said, adding that "while the actual words 'FACTS' and 'Pach' mean little, this new party will really stand for CRAP."
Capt. William R. Terrell, professor of naval science, when finally located studying a navigation manual, refused to comment.
Chancellor Murphy said that the vacated Military Science building would be utilized as facilities for the enlarged Faculty club.
Loftus said his party has finally felt the need for an alliance with FACTS, because several members of the Pach Inner Circle have recently resigned to join FACTS. "It must be that warm, democratic feeling they get at FACTS meetings." Loftus said.
"We feel that since Pach and FACTS have been for the politicians, the students deserve their own party," he continued, "so we'll make sure that the students and only the students get CRAP."
Henderson said that FACTS decided to join forces with Pach because "we get so lonesome at our own meetings."
"I feel that I'm speaking for both Pach and FACTS when I say that the parties believe campus politics have been too much the plaything of politicians," Loftus said.
The chancellor, who consistently denied rumors of the past six months of his accepting such a position, told a reporter this morning "I would like to contribute my own small bit to improve the health, education, and welfare of our great nation."
Laurence C. Woodruff, dean of men, was appointed by the regents to be acting chancellor.
The Kansas rural health program, started when he was dean of the University School of Medicine, was denounced by Dr. Murphy as "an ill-thought-out system of my puerile medical school administration and not a really workable scheme for any free society."
Dr. Murphy indicated his first step in the new job would be to take action against the American Medical association for "standing in the way of a progressive socialized medicine scheme for the nation."
The chancellor also indicated he would advise Congress to approve a measure calling for government- paid health and insurance benefits for families below the $5,000 income level.
"These people in the lower income groups have been neglected by the government, so some plan like this is necessary to offset the high cost of living. While their income may have increased, taxes have kept their take-home pay from increasing. Many of them cannot afford decent medical care," he said.
Students Go on Strike
Nine student employees of Watson library today walked out of the stacks in an effort to force the library to raise their wages to a minimum of 68 cents an hour. The strikers carried signs reading "We may work at the library, but we still deserve to be treated like humans!"