AGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1950
The Editorial Page-
It's Vout, Man
Within the past few years, disc-jockeys and dance orchestras have been flooding ballrooms and the airlines with a strange new thing called be-bop. To the average citizen, it has sounded like a slipping record of "Hold That Tiger" and their criticism of this new form of music has been in the most cases profane. Yet it is evidently making money for it is still being heard from jukeboxes all over the country.
The fact that be-bop or bop, as it is commonly called in the music circles, is being so profusely censured has caused us to use the typewriter in its defense.
First, a short explanation of bop. Introduced in 1941 by its greatest exponent, Dizzy Gillespie, it has rapidly caught on with all musicians and a devout section of the American public. To the layman it sounds as if the musician is playing as many notes on his instrument as possible in the shortest amount of time. Basically it consists of phrases ending with a quarter note followed by a dotted eighth note, giving it a strange rhythm which makes for difficult dancing, yet pleasurable listening. And so, to its defense.
As may be seen with little research, jazz is the only truly American art, an art in which Europeans still have not been able to compete. Though this is true, American sentiment has been against jazz since its very beginning and the word is used in a disdainful tone. Is this the feeling we should have for a type of music which has developed out of our own dynamic history? This same feeling has followed jazz through the decade and is now being applied toward bop, the modern jazz form.
This sentiment can be compared to the small town's feelings toward one of its native sons. "Sure Bill's a good boy, but that fellow from back east is sure a lot smarter." The American inferiority complex is in the arts, in that we believe that we can develop nothing that Europeans cannot surpass.
Let's give jazz and bop a chance to get out of smoke-filled dance halls and on to the concert stages of our country. Understanding increases with familiarity and if jazz needs anything else, it certainly needs and wants to be understood by the American people.
Sociologists believe that we are a strongly ethnocentric group, so instead of looking toward Europe for our music, why not adopt our own artistic child, American jazz.-Pete North
Berlin Episode
A weak-sister action by an American official has thrown another shadow of fear and uncertainty across Berlin. East Berliners, in the Russian zone, are pleased according to Communist propaganda, and West Berliners, in the allied zones, are critical and fearful of the future.
It all started when a minor American official drew up an order that called for American occupation of an old railroad building in which the Russians still maintained a switchboard, but otherwise were not using. The order never got high-level approval, but it activated the West German police into a fury of motion. They took over the building, routed out East Germans, and set up a guard.
The error in the matter was discovered when it was reported that the building belonged to the Russians under an Allied agreement in 1945. Then, the master stroke was played. Americans tried to bluff through their illegal possession, rather than admitting their error.
In retaliation the Russians set up minor blockades on rail and highway traffic, and for a time it appeared that the air lift would have to resume operations. Under this new Russian pressure, the American bluff collapsed and they shamefacedly offered to turn the building back to the Russians. The Russians promptly accepted.
The about face of the American authorities has raised grave doubts in the minds of Western Berliners. A rumor now circulating says that the Americans will pull out of Berlin entirely.
So it seems that a simple, avoidable mistake has resulted in much "loss of face" and ineffectiveness of American policy in strategic Berlin. In addition, rising employment in the Eastern zone and rising unemployment in the Western zone will also cause the Berlin Operation to become even more trying and difficult.
Our European policy had seemed fairly stable and consistent, and was frequently cited to cover the fumbling Asiatic one. This new wobbling, therefore, sends tremors through Washington and the nation. —WFS
'Small Things'
A man convicted of drunkenness was acquitted when the jury learned that immediately after his supposed "drinking bout" he ate a banana split. The judge said no man who drinks would do such a thing, and all the toppers are hard at work practicing on the "gooey stuff."
Two hours of hot debate by Republican senators who are trying to agree on a constitutional amendment to change the system of electing the president and vice-president ended in deadlock, but the boys are on the right track.
Kansas Sunflowers' Exact Origin Is Lost In Antiquity, Says W. C.Stevens, Botanist
Kansas has not always been the sunflower state according to W. C. Stevens, professor emeritus, and chairman of the botany department from 1899 until 1931. He is an authority on the wild flowers of Kansas.
By BILL GRAVES
The exact origin of the Kansas sunflower is not known because it is so old, the professor said. Archeologists have found remains of the sunflower in the bluff-dweller's caves, which are 1,000 years old. The Aztee indians worshipped idols of the flower in their temples at the time the Spaniards arrived in America. The Indians made meal out of the sunflower and mixed it with dried buffalo meat.
Members of the Lewis and Clark $ ^{\textcircled{8}} $
expedition found sunflowers growing along the Missouri river, but the flower was quite scarce in Kansas before the white man arrived here,
—Kansan Photo by Bob Blank DR. W. C. STEVENS
Mr. Stevens said. The sunflower does not grow in sod that hasn't been disrupted, so it was not abundant
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HEARTWAPMING_HUMAN_TENDER!
until the wagon trails and the plow of the white man came along.
Professor Stevens received the Byron Caldwell Smith award for his book, "Wildflowers of Kansas." The award is given for "distinguished, scholarly, and literary books." He gathered 800 pictures for the book between 1933 and 1945 while studying wild flowers in every county in the state. The botanist began the book, his most important work, at the age of 72.
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Two text books concerning botany have also been written by Professor Stevens. His first book was called "Introduction of Botany," and his second book was "Plant Anatomy." He is the author of a series of articles on subjects relating to botany.
Since his retirement from the University in 1937 as professor emeritus, the 89-year-old botanist has kept in close contact with the botany department.
He can often be found strolling about his home at 1121 Louisiana street in a comfortable pair of "sneakers." He looks much younger than his 89 years. Occasional trips to the University greenhouse occupy part of Professor Stevens' time.
He spends much time with his family. He is the father of 5 children and has 10 grand-children and 2 great grand-children.
Professor Stevens' interest in flowers began when he was about 4 years old, before his family moved to Lawrence.
After watching K. U. grow since 1867, Professor Stevens marvels at the expansion of the University "in just one man's lifetime." He can remember when the University consisted of only one building on old College Avenue and a timeless ravages of Quantrill's raid could be seen.
One of the few remaining pioneers in the early development of the University, Professor Stevens has extended the benefits of his learning through his books and his teaching of hundreds of K. U. students. On
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his 87th birthday he said, "I will be doing botanical work as long as I am able to wiggle."
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