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'Merry Widow' Cast Praises Play
By JERRY KNUDSON
Monday, February 9, 1953 University Daily Kansan.
When Jeanne Aldridge became assistant to the newly created University Theatre last fall she had no idea she would be on the performing side of the footlights in one of the productions.
Miss Aldridge will play the title role in "The Merry Widow," the colorful Franz Lehar operetta to open in Fraser theater Monday, Gretta Reetz, fine arts sophomore, will be the merry widow for the Tuesday and Wednesday performances.
Moreover, Miss Aldridge has had a "life-long desire" to play the well-known widow. It's fun, she said in spite of the long rehearsals; "We've all had to learn to waltz, of course, and be charming—a liberal education all the way around."
University audiences have seen Miss Aldridge before in the feminine leads in "Sweethearts" (1950) and "The Pink Lady" (1951), both productions of the Light Opera guild.
She has also appeared in two musical productions of the University of Kansas City under Dr. John Newfield, stage director for The Merry Widow," before he came here to head University Theatre.
Miss Reetz has jumped to the alternate starring role after appearing only in the chorus of "The Bartered Bride" presented by the Light Opera guild last year.
Dale Moore, fine arts junior, has the male lead of the dashing Prince Danilo, the first romantic lead he has played since Nanki Poe in "The Mikado" as a senior in high school at Olathe.
"I feel that playing Danilo is quite an opportunity because it's one of the few times when so many lovely ladies have to make over you and act like they like it." Moore said.
Moore added that "it's interesting and a challenge" to play opposite two leading ladies. Since Miss Aldridge and Miss Reetz naturally give individual treatments to the role of the merry widow, Moore has to adapt himself to each "It keeps you on your toes," he said.
Moore has appeared in "The Pink Lady" and "The Medium" and "Good Medicine" last year. He plays bass drum in the band and has been vocal soloist for the band and choral groups on the campus.
He has been soloist and song leader for various conventions, including the General Federation of Women's clubs national convention in Houston in 1951.
The box office for "The Merry Widow" is open daily from 10 to noon and 2 to 5 p.m. Students may obtain free tickets by having their ID cards punched.
Benson Quered On Falling Prices
Washington — (U.P.) — Farm state congressmen today pressed their demands that Secretary of Agriculture Ezra T. Benson do something about falling cattle and crop prices.
Sen. Karl, E. Mundt (R.-S.D.) joined a list of agriculture committee members in urging that Mr. Benson take immediate action to ease the "serious, growing anxiety" of farmers over declining prices.
Former agriculture secretary Clinton P. Anderson agreed that the present farm price situation is serious. He predicted farmers will have "one of their poorest years in a long time" in 1953.
Sen. Mundt warned that "if the anxiety of the farmers grows great enough, panic could develop" and they might start dumping crops in fear of future price declines.
He said that the farm belt is seriously concerned about falling cattle and wheat prices. But, he added, "a few words of assurance" from Mr. Benson and "a few positive steps" would help greatly.
Some farm state senators have criticized Mr. Benson for refusing to say whether he favors continuation of mandatory 90 per cent of parity price supports on basic farm crops.
Mr. Anderson forecast a gloomy picture for cattlemen who have been selling livestock at increasingly lower prices. He predicted beef prices will continue in "a rather steady decline."
THE MERRY WIDOW—Jeanne Aldridge, assistant to University Theatre, flicks a wicked fan as Sonia, the merry widow, in the Franz Lehar operetta which opens at 8:30 tonight in Fraser theater. Gretta Reetz, fine arts sophomore, will play the role in the Tuesday and
Wednesday performances.—Kansan photo by Jerry Knudson.
Geological Survey Prepares Boxes of Kansas Minerals
Boxes containing 20 Kansas rocks and minerals are now being prepared by the State Geological survey at the University for distribution to Kansas high schools. $ \textcircled{*} $
The boxes contain samples of oil shale, volcanic ash, red shale, rock gypsum and selenite, halite (common salt), shale, sphalerite, asphalt rock, chert, limestone, bentonite, dia Tomaceous marl, anhydrite, ball clay, galena, sandstone, coal, sand and gravel, opaline sandstone, and chalk.
With each box is a chart of its contents, which gives the name of the rock or mineral and its location in the container.
Also included is a 56-page booklet, "Kansas Rocks and Minerals," prepared by Laura Lu Tolsted and Ada Swineford. Written in nontechnical style, the booklet is meant for practical use either by professional persons or people curious to learn more about the state's rocks and minerals.
The booklet describes, generally how mountains, seas, volcanoes, and other natural phenomena contributed to the formation of Kansas topography. Methods of identifying rocks and minerals are suggested, and illustrative diagrams of rock formations and pictures of rock and mineral specimens are provided.
"Soon the University of Kansas will be able to extend its services to the borders of the state by means of a K.U. tape network." R. Edwin Browne, director of radio, said today in speaking of the new tape duplicating machine due here this month.
The machine will prepare four transcriptions simultaneously, permitting a maximum of eight simultaneous recordings in the KFKU-KANU studios.
Tape Duplicator Slated for KU
The new equipment will permit offering an educational program service to all Kansas radio stations. "This means we will be able to offer Kansas broadcasters on a regular basis the here of the programs originating here." Mr. Browne said.
Chinchilla fur is worth about three times its weight in gold on the present market.
Topeka—(U.P.)—Kansas Democrats today pondered a choice of four U.S. senators, one of whom will be the principal speaker at Washington Day festivities here Feb. 20-21.
Kansas Democrats To Name Speaker
Former President Harry S. Truman yesterday declined the invitation to be principal speaker at the Democrat's annual Washington Day meeting.
Democrat National Committeeman Kenneth T. Anderson, Emporia said Senators Stuart Symington and Thomas C. Hennings Jr., Missouri, Russell Long, Louisiana, and Paul Douglas, Illinois, as those being considered.
Paintings by four fine arts faculty members are displayed in an exhibition which opened yesterday in the Museum of Art.
The four are John Armstrong, instructor of drawing and painting; A. Dwight Burnham, instructor of drawing and painting; Raymond Eastwood, professor of drawing and painting, and Robert Green, assistant professor of drawing and painting. The paintings will be displayed the rest of the month.
4 Faculty Members Display Paintings
'King of Hearts' Reigns Over Sorority Pledges
The "King of Hearts" reigned over about 200 sorority pledges and their dates Friday night at the junior Panhellenic "Hearts'n Rhythm" dance.
For the first time a king, was chosen instead of a queen. King is Robert Ball, college junior, and a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He was representing Pi Beta Phi sorority as the date of Marlene Moss, president of the junior Panhellenic council.
Crowning took place at intermission time. As trumpets sounded, Barbara and Patricia Norrie, college freshmen, dressed as pages announced the coming of the king.
Mary Beall Porch, college sophomore, introduced each of the 13 canidates and placed a black and silver crown on the king. He also received a leather stud box.
The other contestants put up by the sorority pledges included the following: Jim Barrow, Beta Theta Pi, for Alpha Chi Omega; Jim Blessing, Sigma Chi, for Alpha Delta Pi; Jim Perkins, Sigma Nu, for Alpha Omega Pi; Bill Chaney, Lambda Chi Alpha, for Alpha hi; Liary Davenport, Delta Upsilon, for Chi Omega.
The king was chosen by a committee of faculty members on the basis of pictures. Each sorority pledge class was entitled to nominate one boy who is dating one of their members.
Frank Cindrich, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, for Delta Delta Delta; Charles Thomas, Delta Upsilon, for Delta Gamma; Joseph Woods, Delta Chi, for Gamma Phi Beta; Joe Muller, Beta Theta Pi, for Kappa Alpha Theta.
Chaperones for the dance were Mrs. Dean Alt, Mrs. C. H. Wentworth, Mrs. Ralph Park, Mrs. Arthur H. Little, Mrs. J. H. Kreamer, and Mrs. L. L. Williams.
John Simons, Phi Delta Theta,
for Kappa Kappa Gamma; Tom
Woods, Phi Kappa Sigma, for Sigma
Kappa, and Robert McMullen, Phi
Kappa Sigma, for Theta Alpha.
Envoy Reports Stalin Healthy
Moscow — (U.P.) — Premier Josef Stalin today appears in the best of health according to Argentine ambassador to the Soviet Union Leopoldo Bravo.
Mr. Bravo conferred with Stalin Saturday night in one of the rare interviews granted by the Soviet premier to ambassadors.
The Argentine ambassador said he proposed trade between the USSR and Argentine be expanded. He said "best possible impression" of Stalin.
Mr. Bravo, 32, said he extended to Stalin the greetings of President Juan Peron of Argentina and told the Soviet leader that Argentina wished to expand "existing relations between the Soviet Union and the Argentine republic in the economic field."
"Generalissimo Stalin thanked me for the greetings of our president," Mr. Bravo said.
"Generalissimo Stalin made the best possible impression on me. Physically he appears in the best of health. He has extraordinary agility in conversation. He was amiable and arraveable." Mr. Bravo said.
Stalin was wearing a green civilian tunic with only one decoration—the "Hero of Socialist Labor."
KING FOR A DAY—Robert Ball, college junior, was crowned by Mary Beall Porch, college sophomore, to reign as king of hearts at the junior Panhellenic dance Friday at the Military Science building.—Kansan photo by
Jerry Knudson
Actress Enters Kansas Convent
Xavier — (U.P.) — Film star June Haver was in seclusion today at the Sisters of Charity convent where she will spend a rigorous two-year training course before taking vows of chastity, poverty, and humility as a Roman Catholic nun.
Miss Haver arrived by air from Los Angeles at Kansas City Municipal airport yesterday. She was met by friends who drove her to the convent.
Miss Haver twice before has visited the Sisters of Charity convent at Xavier, outside Leavenworth.
The tiny star of Hollywood musicals announced last week that she would not renew her contract with 20th Century-Fox when it expires Feb. 20.
Miss Haver, who was converted to the Roman Catholic faith when she was 16, first visited the convent for a week in Nov., 1950, after returning from a trip to Europe, during which she met Pope Pius XII.
She will spend a six-month probationary period, beginning Wednesday, before receiving a white veil and continuing training for another 18 months. After the two-year "novice" period is completed, she and other novitates will take vows as nuns for one year, repeating the vows annually for another half of six years, she will take the lifetime vows and will be assigned to teaching, nursing or the care of orphans.
After Wednesday, she will begin a schedule of study and prayer that will consume more of her waking hours.
Miss Haver has been married and divorced, but it was understood she received special permission to enter the sisterhood, although normally the church would not recognize a civil divorce.
Navy Launches Midget Craft Program
Washington —(U.P.)—The Navy is developing midget mine-sweepers and submarines that can be launched from "mother" ships.
The "baby" submarine is still in the planning state, but 50 of the new "minesweeping boats" are already under construction.
Development of the midget craft represents an innovation in U.S. Navy tactics. The Navy in World War II used "mother" ships to carry amphibious landing craft to combat areas, but it has never employed the on-the-spot landing technique for combat vessels.
A contract to design and develop a 25-ton submarine for experimental purposes already has been given to the Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corp. Farmingdale, LI.
The eventual tactical purpose of the small submarine is still secret. It could be used, however, for sneaking into enemy ports, stalking enemy submarines, or possibly as an advance station for directing guided missiles onto their targets.
The minesweeping boats weigh 30 tons, are 57 feet long, have a top speed of 10 knots and carry a crew of six. They are designed for transportation aboard fleet tankers, cargo ships or a partially submersible ship called the landing船 dock.
Because they have a draft of only four feet, the boats would be able to pass over mine fields that would be hazardous for larger minesweepers. A Navy spokesman said they should be particularly useful for sweeping a coastline in preparation for an amphibious landing.
Small shipyards on both east and west coast are now building 50 of the wooden craft at a cost of about $65,000 apiece.