PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1950
The Editorial Page-
Trial Booking
The performance of Harry James and his music makers in Hoch auditorium Friday may usher a new era of big name entertainment into the University. But students will have to prove the validity of their clamor for name bands before any campus organization can risk sponsoring additional ones.
When Margaret Granger assumed the presidency of Student Union Activities the past spring, she and her assistants began thinking ahead. They wanted to eliminate the stigma which has marred the University's ability to attract name bands. They wanted to prove that students were interested enough in top-notch entertainers to pay top-notch prices for bringing them here. They wanted to provide on-the-campus entertainment of the caliber for which students are often willing to travel 30 or 40 miles from Lawrence.
The task this group set for itself was not an easy one. Paul Coker began corresponding with three Chicago agencies—Music Corporation of America, Associated Booking Corporation, and General Artists. Each agency sent back the same reply. Tours were not yet arranged, and it was too early to know which bands would be in this part of the country for K.U.'s Homecoming week-end.
By August, prospects of name bands still looked disappointing. When the Union committee would request information concerning one of the eight musicians they considered "tops," the agencies would suggest instead a second-rate band which was available on the desired date.
mature on the desired date. "They gave us the run around," Miss Granger explained. Finally, in desperation, she wrote to William Wittig, manager of the Pla-Mor in Kansas City. Mo. He graciously consented to give the amateur contractors a few pointers on hiring musicians.
James Burgoyne, new social director of the Union, and Melvin Clingan, All Student Council president, accompanied Miss Granger to Kansas City. Without complaining about the prospect of competition from the University, Mr. Wittig opened his schedule book and allowed the group to study it. He had booked no name bands for the Homecoming week-end, but consented to contact the agencies for information.
Still, there was one drawback. According to a Big Seven agreement, no student group could spend more than $1,750 for entertainers. Prices of first class dance bands seemed outrageous.
. . . he's hard to hire . . .
Finally, a wire came from the M.C.A. saying that Harry James would be available Friday, Oct. 13 and would sign a contract for a $1,750 guarantee with provisions for 60 per cent of surplus profits, if any. At last, after nearly three years of waiting, K.U. could have another trial performance of a name band.
Hoch auditorium seemed the most ideal spot for staging the appearance of James and his musicians, but it was not easily obtained. A foreign film had been scheduled for the auditorium on the night of the 13th. The administration, eager to cooperate, shifted the movie to the 14th.
Associated Women Students,
with Dean Margaret Habein's approval, have granted special permission to all women students who attend the performance. Closing hours will be delayed until 1:30 a.m. (for those who arrive home with the rubber stamp mark on their hand, signifying their attendance).
ing their attendance. With only one obstacle remaining, Student Union Activities officers and workers are eagerly awaiting the outcome of their efforts. That one obstacle is the need for selling enough tickets to prevent a financial loss. Nearly $300 will be spent by the committee for the use of Hoch auditorium, the construction of a band platform, promotion and other expenses. Together with the minimum guarantee for the dance band, this means about 1,250 tickets must be sold in order to "break even."
Perhaps K.U. does not have 1,250 students interested in nonclassical music. If so, the venture may have been unwise. But there are obviously a lot of persons who believe in its value enough to gamble that Jayhawkers will support the undertaking not because they are loyal, but because they are interested.
A straight "A" student, fearful of the trap which caused the only "B" on a 1950 graduate's transcript, requested permission to audit Social Dance. This seems puzzling since audit implies only the act of listening.
Woeful coed: "I have an awful time carrying all my books to school every day."
Scornful upperclassman: "Books! You must be a freshman."
An industrious student stayed up all night preparing his assignment for the following day, but when he walked triumphantly into class the professor threatened to forbid his return should he arrive unshaven again.
Candidate Criticized For Youth
ROBERT BROCK
Bob is a veteran of 31 months service during World War II, a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a member of the K.U. Young Democrats club. He attended the Washburn Law school at Topeka in 1948.
door and introduced himself as a candidate for the state legislature the man jumped all over him "for having the gall to run at his age". Brock took the only way out. He smiled, like a good politician, and left.
At Washburn he roomed with Robert L. Bock (people are always getting their identities mixed) who was a member of the state legislature, and with him attended all of the legislative sessions and hotel meetings.
From these meetings came a very active interest in politics and a desire to try to remedy some of the bad conditions existing in Kansas
Brock, who is only 25, had many reactions from people when he introduced himself to them as a candidate for the state legislature, but the most virulent came from a man living in a small neighboring town, who was later found to be a superintendant of schools.
Speaking of the legislative pay which is only $7 a day plus an expense allowance, Brock said, "The low pay doesn't attract the best personnel. A large part of the present members are incompetent or are there to party or get away from their wives.
Candidates for the state legislature are only allowed $63 for advertising themselves to the public, so Robert Brock, third year law student who is running for the state legislature from Rice county, spent part of the summer meeting people to advertise himself.
When Brock knocked on the man's
"I really think that if our legislature were organized properly the idea of a person as young as myself running for the legislature would and should be ridiculous. However, after seeing the last legislature in action I don't have any inferiority feelings as to my qualifications."
Brock has based his platform on several points, which don't coincide in every detail with the Democratic platform. He promises to work for stronger gambling laws, increased
old age assistance, and a responsible single executive.
"We need strong anti-gambling laws to deal with the threat of an organized syndicate here in Kansas. Under the present law state enforcement officials can find a whole warehouse full of one-armed bandits and not be able to take any action unless they find machines in use.
they have not been under political control by powerful gambling interests, but now is the time to pick such a possibility by removing petty laws concerning playing cards on Sunday and personal bets and replace these with stronger legislation designed to protect the public against politically corrupting influences," he declared.
Concerning a responsible single executive, Brock contends, "we elect separately all of our state offices and they are not responsible to the governor. This condition is an invitation to inefficiency and irresponsibility. A change is needed to enable the governor to appoint a responsible cabinet."
Bob said in speaking of his experiences this summer that most people were very nice and had many words of encouragement. He also said, "I found that a lot of independent voters, as well as others have a plague on both parties, and intend to vote against the Democrats nationally and the Republicans locally."
Bob says that he thinks he has a 50-50 chance of election, regardless of what the school superintendent had to say concerning his having the "gall to run."
Silvia Tammisto Plans Finnish Party
By KOJI SATO
It's 150 Finnish pancakes! But that's only one part of a Finnish party Silvia Tammisto is planning for her Delta Gamma friends tonight. When asked how the pancakes taste, she answered, "They're sweet and fattening." Silvia's new K.U. friends are also going to see her in a Finnish national costume and learn some of her favorite Finnish songs.
Silvia is a newcomer on the campus this fall, and a girl with energy and versatility. She came from Helsinki, Finland, 2½ months ago. She is a foreign student, but an American citizen.
Born in Chicago, Ill., the daughter of a Finnish professor, Silvia returned with her family to Finland when she was only 6 years old. Her education ended there with study at the University of Helsinki. Now she is majoring in American history.
"There are many political parties in Finland," Silvia said. "The socialist party is the strongest party against the communities there. And I am a socialist. Finland is not behind the iron curtain, but is under it. I left Finland without any difficulty. You know it is almost impossible for the people behind the iron curtain, such as the Hungarians, to leave their mother country. Although we have to pay attention to Russia, communists in Finland are small in number. We had two wars against Russia and one with Germany since 1939, but we remained independent all the time. The people are living peacefully with enough food and clothing."
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UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
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Silvia, brought up at a Finnish parsonage, is naturally interested in the religious life of her home home. She stated, "Ninety-six percent of Finland's 4,100,000 people belong to the same Lutheran church, and we have two state churches. The people are religious, though not extraordinarily so. When we had the Winter war against Russia in 1939-40, all people united for prayer. It was really a religious awakening."
Silvia is taking voice lessons because, as she says, "Finnish music is a part of me. Our songs are beautiful, rich, and said. The national Epos, 'Kalevala,' can be compared with the 'Iliad' and 'Oyssey'
of Greece."
SILVIA TAMMISTO
Miss Mary Larson, associate professor of zoology, and Delta Gamma, social sorority, are sponsoring Miss Tammisto's year at K.U.
KU's Museum Of Art Is No Morgue
The idea that an art museum is a sort of morgue for old dishware, whose walls are decorated solely by dim pictures of 17th century Dutch saints, doesn't apply to the Museum of Art in the Spooner-Thayer building. Early works are present there, of course. The museum lists the recent acquisition of two Italian oils dating back to 1600, and an Indian bas relief circle 350 A.D. In addition, however, the museum is displaying the originals of four Saturday Evening Post covers, a gift of the magazine's publishers after the showing of Post illustrations held here last year. This year, for the first time, the Museum of Art has been given purchasing funds by the University, (it has had to get along on gifts and grants before), so several more additions to the collections are being planned.
Not only does the museum boast several noteworthy exhibits and collections, it also has the distinction of being one of the most comfortable and informal places of its kind. Some of the furniture is Early American, but all of it is comfortable, and the antique tables bear, in addition to Chinese vases, the latest issues of popular magazines. It's a good place for between-class browsing, as well as for serious art study.
Geological Society Hears David Delo
Dr. David M. Delo, executive secretary of the American Geological institute, Washington, D.C., addressed 100 persons at the monthly meeting of the Kansas Geological society Saturday. He discussed "Geologic Manpower in the Present World."
Dr. R. C. Moore, professor of geology and director of research for the Kansas State Geological survey gave an illustrated report on stratigraphy of rock of the Pennsylvania era in the mid-continent region
After a luncheon, the geologists and their wives attended the Colo-
A daily paper has been published by the students of journalism at K.U for 38 years.
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