From the Magazine Rack
Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1960 University Daily Kansan
Page 3
American Heritage
By Calder M. Pickett Associate Professor of Journalism
Some good historical reading is in store for those who obtain the February American Heritage. It represents a wide variety, from topical subject matter to rather special Americana.
AMERICAN HERITAGE, February, 1960. $3.95.
The cover story of the new Heritage concerns Hawaii, the only United States possession which "was first turned toward America neither by money nor by force of arms, but by an entirely unselfish impulse." The writer describes the lovely islands before the arrival of Captain Cook, and later the missionaries, and the efforts of sailors, sea captains and British consuls to keep the people in their unspoiled—and eminently exploitable—condition. Several pages of lovely paintings by Louis Chorus, a Russian, accompany the article
One of the best articles is a tribute from former Secretary of State Dean Acheson to the late Arthur Vandenberg. This story of the conversion of a rabid isolationist to a position of enlightened internationalism—and leadership of bipartisanship in postwar America—is of particular pertinence in a period when administration leaders have scoffed at the concept of bipartisanship in foreign policy.
Another absorbing article is the first in a Heritage series to be entitled "America and Russia." This is the story of John Reed, who graduated from Harvard with T. S. Eliot, Hamilton Fish and Walter Lippmann, and now is entombed inside the Kremlin wall. But this brilliant young intellectual did not die a convert to communism, for disillusionment had set in by the time of his death. The article contains eloquent portraits of Louise Bryant and Mabel Dodge, two of the women in Reed's life, and Lincoln Steffens, the muckraker who called going into the Soviet Union "going into the future."
Cabell Phillips of the New York Times describes his home town, which stopped the clock and then turned it back to the 18th century—for his home town is Williamsburg, which Rockefeller money and village enterprise turned into an amazing site, full of restored mansions and inns that recall the spirit of the town in the days of William and Mary.
For Arthur Vandenburg was the man who may loom as large in history as Truman and Marshall for the shaping of such important policies as the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. He did it in the face of considerable hostility from his own Republican party; one must remember that from 1945 to 1953 it was Robert Taft, and not Vandenberg, who was "Mr. Republican."
Other articles in the new issue:
"General Eaton and His Improbable Legion," an article by William Harlan Hale about the pay-off man who finally refused to pay tribute to the pirates of North Africa.
"Echec!" an article describing a "mechanical" chess player that was the talk of two continents 135 years ago.
"As I Am Now So You Must Be," a description of the old graveyards of Puritan New England, the only place where "graven images" could be seen in that stern era.
"Soldier in a Longboat," an article about an amphibious regiment from Massachusetts that played a decisive role at the Battle of Trenton.
"How Wilbur Wright Taught Europe to Fly," the story of the celebrated flier who astonished the Paris press with an exhibition in 1908 near Le Mans.
"The Redskins Who Saved the White Man's Hide," the story of Chief Washakie of the eastern Shoshones, still revered in the Rocky Mountain country by both white man and Indian.
"Grant at Shiloh," a chapter from Bruce Catton's forthcoming history, "Grant Moves South."
"How did the hoax begin? How did it happen that the theatres of Europe, England and America got themselves strapped inside the straitjacket of the proscenium or picture-frame or peep-show stage?"
The Boxed-In Stage
"In 'The Open Stage' (Theatre Arts Books) Richard Southern makes a sardonic conjecture. Looking through the catalogue of an exhibition in Venice in 1952 he found a proud boast that he regarded as a cruel delusion: The picture-frame stage did not come out of the world of men of the theatre but out of the world of architects and decorators; and not out of 'the England of Shakespeare nor the Spain of Calderon nor the France of Moliere, Corneille and Racine,' but out of Italy, which at the time was not writing great drama.
From the Newsstand
"It not only boxes a performance in. It opposes the audience to the performance. It sets a psychological attitude of defiance between audience and actors—challenging the actors to conquer the skeptics seated in a long, receding bank of seats out front. As costs of production go up, the use of big theatres becomes more urgent, and big theatres put more people farther from the stage."
"No theatre man controlled its origin. But such is the power of tradition that for three centuries architects have been meekly building theatres with picture-frame stages (except Frank Lloyd Wright's new Dallas theatre and a few others) and dramatists have been writing plays that would fit inside them, and only a few rebels here and there, like William Poel and Tyrone Guthrie, have regarded the picture-frame stage as a principal cause of the staleness of the modern theatre.
(Excerpted from "Open And Shut," by Brooks Atkinson in the Jan. 17, 1960, New York Times.)
Stop Day Meets Apathy
ASC Faces Work Alone
By Raymond Miller
(Editor's note: This column will be appearing regularly on the functioning of the ASC.)
By Raymond Miller
The All Student Council got off to a mild start at its first formal meeting of the semester last night
Potentially the ASC has one of its more constructive semesters ahead of it-if the various representatives take the initiative.
Unfortunately, the 35 or so members seem to be operating in a partial vacuum. External influence was conspicuous by its absence.
One forlorn representative, when asked how many people show up for ASC meetings, explained it this way:
"We usually have about 35 people here. We don't draw much outside interest."
Only Administration Cares
Only Administration Cares
His manner was apologetic. He
dripped dejection. We can't blame
him. It's not too easy to get enthused
when you know you could pass a
motion to throw a hoochy-kooochy
show in Allen Field House and no-
body but the administration would
be interested.
As we said, however, the potential is there. Some comparatively exciting legislation is on the agenda and there are some undercurrents that suggest action.
The idea behind Stop Day is that students need a period to catch their collective breaths prior to finals.
After committee reports and old business were dispatched (with unusual brevity) an interesting little item called "Stop Day" came up under new business.
Students Need 'Break' What with last moment projects,
hour exams, etc., we are inclined to agree that a 24 hour “break” is needed—if for no other reason than to rest and attempt to budget time for “cramming” (which everybody shouldn't do, but does).
What was interesting about the Stop Day committee report was the fact that certain members of the administration evidently gave the idea the old "Hee-Haw" and raised eyebrow bit.
ASC members went to a calendar committee for some ideas about how to go about getting a Stop Day on the calendar.
End of Classes Not Set
They found out one essential fact:
The day finals start is a set date.
The day classes end is not fixed. The committee proposed that classes be stopped one day short.
We understand the calendar committee asked for something a little more solid for a proposal (evidently the idea was too simple). Somewhere along the line the idea that "students wouldn't study" got into the picture. An honorable old cliche.
Let's be more positive about this idea. If Stop Day does nothing else than save one student a nervous breakdown, it is still a sound idea. This last semester we got a break—a weekend separated the end of classes from finals. This semester we won't be so lucky.
Group to Draft Bill
A committee was formed to comply with the calendar committee's request. A formal bill is being drafted.
The deans of the various schools will be consulted, along with student groups, to solicit their ideas on the subject.
We must admit this is a little more mature approach to the matter, and we hope the idea will be accepted in this light next time around. However, we must commend the ASC members who gained the initial information (such as it was). They should be given medals for valor.
Posters Face Confinement
It is a little tiring to see Joe Doak's face and name sprouting from the local shrubbery and other assorted places. (Ever get the idea you were being watched in the rest room?)
A bill was introduced to require all political campaign posters during student elections to be posted on two special bulletin boards. A logical suggestion.
The bill has been forwarded to the committee on committees and we hope it comes back.
Austin Charges Apathy
Austin accused the council of (of all things) apathy. Briefly he said there was a low level of participation by ASC members in regard to discussion and accepting responsibility
We must say the ASC members took it like little soldiers—not a soul whimmered.
Austin had a good thought when he defined the power of the ASC. "Our powers are created by the wav we function." he said.
A call to arms if we ever heard one.
- If you do not think about the future, you cannot have one. —John Galsworthy