University Daily Kansan
Friday, March 17, 1950
Lawrence, Kansas
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
STUDENT NEWSAPER
Geiger Counter Developed For Civilian Use
Washington, March 17—U.P.) The Atomic Energy commission has developed a cheap geiger counter that could be used by civilians to detect dangerous amounts of radiation in case of an atomic attack.
The disclosure came as the commission appeared at public hearings of the joint congressional atomic energy committee. The legislators are investigating the state of the nation's civil defenses against A-bomb and H-bomb attack.
"Therefore, whether or not this high level detection instrument is manufactured may depend upon civil defense requirements for monitoring devices," he said.
John A. Derry, executive officer of the A.E.C.'s division of biology and medicine, said the geiger counter was developed by the instrument laboratory of the commission's New York operations office. He said it could be sold—on a mass production basis—for $10 to $15.
Mr. Derry explained that the instrument would be useless to prospectors seeking sources of uranium. He said they will have to continue to rely upon more expensive kinds.
The inexpensive instrument uses a gas-filled geiger tube specially designed by the Amperex Electronic Products company, he said. He explained that it delivers 50 to 100 times the current of conventional tubes and does not need to be amplified.
The new geiger counter operates on ordinary flashlight batteries which have a life of 80 hours or more, he said.
THE WEATHER
KANSAS—Generally fair today, warmer east and south-central. Mostly cloudy tonight and Saturday followed by occasional rain east and central Saturday. Colder Saturday and in extreme northeast tonight. High today 60 to 70 west. Low today 30 north to 40 southwest.
Wearin' Of Green Is Still In Style
"Uncle Jimny" and his young friend didn't forget the "wearin' of the green" today.
Unknown painters splashed the two with green from head to toe and added a bit of yellow here and there for color.
Even "The Pioneer," the statue east of Fraser hall, still bears a light coat of green as a result of the Kansas State and Kansas University rivalry.
Bradley Game To Be Telecast
WDAF-TV will telecast the basketball game between Bradley university and the University of Kansas at 8 p.m. Monday, March 20. Vic Peck and Randall Jessee will describe the game.
The telecast will originate from a box on the west side of the arena in Municipal auditorium* in Kansas City. Two cameras will be installed to provide both close-up and distance shots of the action.
The rival coaches, Forrest Anderson of Bradley and Dr. F. C. "Phog" Allen of K.U., will be interviewed between halves.
Most Lawrence appliance stores are planning public showings of the game. They are: Beaman's Radio and Television, 1200 New York street; Bowman Radio and Electric service, 826 Vermont street; L. Loke Smith company, 846 Massachusetts street; Bell Music company, 925 Massachusetts street; Hanna Radio shop, 933 Massachusetts street; Gravitt's Trail and Home Supply company, 916 Massachusetts street; Lawrence Hardware and Home Appliance store, 724 Massachusetts street.
Students may also see the game telecast in the lounge of the Union
Rabbi Nathan Herschfeld of Kansas City will speak on "A Program for Jewish Life Today," at 8 p.m. today in Danforth chapel. Services will be under the direction of the University Hillet counselorship.
Rabbi To Speak Fridav
Green Is Coverin' The Hill For It's St. Patrick's Day
Kiss he blarneystone my lad. Bow down to your colleen. Sure and 'tis a fitted' day for the wearin' of the green. Today is the ith anniversary of the death of St. Patrick.
By FRANCIS J. KELLEY
This is the day when all good Irishmen assemble around the festive board and have themselves a "toot." And toot it is. St. Patrick's day takes them away from thoughts of business and domestic affairs and reminds them of their ancestry. And do they love that!
And there's a lot of them, too! In a recent poll, 1,216 post-hole diggers with non-Hibernian names were asked the question: "Are you Irish?" Ninety-five per cent of the persons asked replied, "Naturally." And that's the way it goes. Everyone is Irish, part Irish, married to an Irishman, or has a maid who goes with an Irish cop. But the Irish don't mind. They're big-hearted with their nationality. They operate on the principle, "The more the merrier."—unless more includes an Englishman. They draw the line at Englishmen.
But back to St. Patrick. St. Pat, you know, was not a native of Ireland. There is every reason to believe that he was something of a Frenchman by his mother's side and something of a German by his father's side.
It is somewhat suggestive that the apostle of Ireland was himself a for-ing born citizen. He acquired a better right to speak for Ireland than any man that was ever born there before or since.
The future apostle of Ireland was born in Scotland, somewhere about the end of the fourth century. It was from his native shore, almost within sight of Ireland, that he was kidnapped by pirates and made a slave in Ireland.
It should be a lesson to moderate Irish patriots who would have it that there is nothing good that does not come from Ireland. There are good things, always have been, and always will be, out of Ireland as well as in it
While it is permissible for us on this one day of the year to blow our horn a little, it is well for us to be modest enough to acknowledge and to be thankful for the apostle who was not an Irishman and yet was the best Irishman who ever lived.
AEC Biologist To Talk Monday
A lecture on "The Use of Atomic Energy in Research and Education" will be given at 4 p.m. Monday March 20 in Strong auditorium. The speaker will be Dr. Paul B. Pearson, chief of the biological branch of the atomic energy commission.
While visiting the University, Dr Pearson will inspect projects which are under the auspices of the atomic energy commission, and will confer with researchers who may want to use radioactive substances in research.
He will inspect the experiment on the effects of radioactive phosphorus on the blood of different kinds of native rodents. This experiment is being conducted by the zoology department.
Dr. Pearson has had more than 85 papers published in domestic and scientific journals. He is a member of the executive committee of the division of biology and agriculture of the National Research council.
Dr. Pearson received his bachelor of science degree from Brigham Young university in 1928, and in 1930 obtained his master of science degree from Montana State college. His doctor of philosophy degree was received in biochemistry in 1937 from the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Pearson was professor of animal nutrition at Texas A. and M. from 1937 to 1941, and served as distinguished professor from 1941 to 1947. From 1947 to 1949 he served as dean of the Graduate school and head of the department of biochemistry and nutrition.
Music Groups Will Present 104th Vespers
The 104th all-musical vespers will be presented at 4 p. m. Sunday in Hoch auditorium.
The program will be opened with the 85 piece University Symphony orchestra in a movement from Sibelius' second symphony. The Men's glee club, directed by Gerald Carney, assistant professor of music education, will be heard in two numbers from Handel and Sacco. The Glee club includes 50 male voices.
The Women's Glee club, directed by Miss Irene Peabody, associate professor of voice, will sing two numbers. The A Cappella choir, directed by D. M. Swarthout, dean of the School of Fine Arts, will sing "Ave Maria" with humming accompaniment of solo by Jeanne Aldridge, fine arts senior. The choir will also sing the chorus for double choir, "Now Shall the Grace" by Bach.
No admission will be charged.
The University Symphonic band, directed by Russell L. Wiley, professor of band and orchestra, will conclude the program with "Wotan's Farewell and Magic Fire Music" from the opera "Die Valkyrie."
Chorus Parts Open In Minstrel Show
A benefit ministrel show for the Bert Nash Mental Health clinic will be given Friday and Saturday, May 12 and 13 in the Liberty Memorial High school auditorium.
Donald Swarthout To Give Up Duties Of Dean After 27 Years
Rehearsals for the chorus, under the direction of Charles W. Kassinger, Jr. Feb.'50, are held Thursdays in the high school.
University men are invited to try out for 25 existing chorus vacancies.
The clinic that will benefit from the show is named in honor of the late Bert Nash, who was a professor in educational psychology and director of the University educational clinic.
Bv NORMA HUNSINGER
After 27 years as dean of the School of Fine Arts, Donald M Swarthout has announced that he will retire from his administrative duties at the end of the academic year. Dean Swarthout will continue as a professor of piano, and will direct the A Cappella choir.
The tall, soft-spoken dean is a nationally-known musician and has started most of the traditions which have given the School of Fine Arts its standing and reputation. He also has represented the University as an officer in national music organizations for 26 years.
Dean Swarthout came to K.U. in 1923 from an associate directorship at Millikan conservatory. He was born in Pawpaw, Ill., on Aug. 9, 1884 While still in high school he studied music in Chicago, but felt that he should follow his father's profession of banking. However, when he was graduated, his father sent both him and his brother, Max van Lewen Swarthout, to Leipzig, Germany, to study music at the Royal conservatory.
He returned to the United States, was married, and taught four years, then returned to France for a year's advanced music study. After his second return, he and Max accepted
The dean studied piano under Isador Phillipi in Paris in 1955 and 1960; although he had studied cello both in Leizig and Chicago, and had passed the examinations for entrance to the Royal conservatory as a cello major. He received his degree from the conservatory in piano.
That same year he organized the now 110-voice A Cappella choir. The choir began as a 60-voice group at the First Presbyterian church, and doubled as the University choir. Ten years ago the dean gave up church music directing, and concentrated on the A Cappella choir.
positions as joint directors of music for 17 years in Oxford college, Ohio; Miami university, Florida; and Millikin university, Illinois. It was here that the dean began to specialize in choral directing. A year later he came to K.U.
Dean Swarthout also inaugurated the tradition of Sunday vespers; the 104th in the series will be given Sunday. The annual Christmas tabloids began under his direction, and the observance of Music week has grown through his influence. He also organized the summer music camp for high school students of Kansas.
Since 1923, the faculty of the School of Fine Arts has doubled, in both music and art departments. The enrollment of the school has grown until there is an increasing shortage of practice rooms for music students.
The A Cappella choir has been the dean's favorite duty. He is interested
in descriptive astronomy as a pastime, but now, he says, "I just don't have any spare time for a hobby."
Aside from his extensive duties as administrator of the School of Fine Arts, Dean Swarthout handles the University concert course which brings musicians to the University for a nominal fee. He instituted the chamber music series, also, and still handles the sales of tickets for the concerts.
Through personal contacts and
In 1945, the M.T.N.A. dedicated an association book to Dean Swarthout. Only two other men in 68 years have received a similar honor by the organization.
concert courses, he has established the Music Hall of Fame in the lobby of Hoch auditorium-signed pictures of famous musicians who have given concerts here.
Dean Swarthout has also had time for personal contacts with his students. He holds conferences with between 150 and 200 fine arts students twice a year to talk over problems He is host to the A Cappella choir in his home at least once a year.
Dean Swarthout has been awarded two honorary doctor of philosophy degrees; one from Southwestern college, Winfield and one from Illinois Wesleyan university. He has served as secretary of the Music Teacher's National association for 19 years, and was president of the organization in 1931 and 1932. He was president general of Pi KappaLambda, national music honorary fraternity from 1934 to 1938, and was elected president of the National Association of Schools of Music for two terms, from 1944 to 1949.
ington in 1936. He was a member of the Rachmaninoff Fund regional state committee in 1946.
He is a member of the board of directors of the Institute for the Development of American Music, and was appointed an adjudicator in the field of American vocal music at the National Composers' congress by Roy Harris, composer. In 1934 he served on an honorary committee of the German-American Musical Students' exchange, and was appointed consultant ex-officio to the Educational Policies commission of Wash-
The dean comes from a musical family—his brother went to the University of Southern California as director of music the same year that Dean Swarthout came to the University; Max Swarthout retired in 1949 and is now teaching part time in the Los Angeles conservatory. Their mother has musical talent, too. Dean Swarthout's daughter, Evelyn, a pianist, has given several recitals in Town hall, New York. Mrs. Swarthout also is musical, and Gladys Swarthout, Metropolitan opera star, is his second cousin.
The dean's other daughter, Ruth was graduated from the University School of Fine Arts, with a degree in art. She taught occupational therapy in New York for several years. Both daughters are now married - Evelyn is Mrs. Patrick Hayes of Washington, and Ruth is Mrs. William Rider of Westbury, Long Island.
Dean Swarthout commented that his job as administrator had been an exacting one, but that he had enjoyed every minute of it. "I lay down the job with reluctance," he said, "but I extend my best wishes and support to my successor."