Interest Lag Ends Independent Party
Lack of leadership interest was the reason given last night for the death of the Independent Party by Dan E. Turner, Newton senior committee coordinator of the party.
Lawrence Blickhan, Prairie Village senior, the party's president, and Turner yesterday informed the Daily Kansan in a letter that they would "proceed no further in the organization of the Independent Party."
Last night Turner said:
"The people who had said they were going to work (there were about 10) did not want to work. As far as grass root support goes, we had a lot."
Petition Signed By 10 Per Cent
He said the party's petitions for recognition as a political party by the All Student Council had been signed by 10 per cent of the student body.
However, he said without the workers and officers a party could never be successful or effective.
He said:
"It just was not worth it. I am a senior and I really had nothing to gain by it."
The announcement of the formation of the Independent Party was made Dec. 9. The officers of the party said it was founded strictly for independents.
According to Turner, two other organizers of the party, Jack Salmon, Elkhart junior, and Larry G. Ehrlich, Russell junior, resigned shortly after the party's formation.
Salmon was the publicity officer and Ehrlich was the vicepresident.
Earlier this week Turner denied that Blickhan had resigned, but he said Blickhan had mentioned the possibility.
Blickhan could not be reached for comment.
'Ballad of Baby Doe Cast Is Announced
A 35-member cast was named today to stage KU's opera, "The Ballad of Baby Doe," March 8, 10 and 11 in the University Theatre.
The leading roles will be played by Ron Hibbley, Kansas City, Mo; senior; Sharon Tebenkamp, Salisbury, Mo.; sophomore; Marva Lou Powell, Topea senior; and Janet Warner, Belleville, Ill., sophomore.
The opera is the story of a silver king in the old Colorado mining days. Highley will play the part of Tabor, the silver king, and Miss Tebbenkamp will portray his wife, Augusta.
Wagner will play the part of Mums McCourt, Baby Doe's mother.
Miss Powell will play the role of Baby Doe—the sweetheart of the miners whom Tabor loves—and Miss
The opera will be directed by Bill Butler, a young Broadway director who was born in Kansas. Rehearsals will begin when Mr. Butler arrives at KU Feb. 1.
Singers who will compose the "Cronies and Dandles" will be Richard Schall, South Bend, Ind., graduate student; Bruce Gardner, Lawrence senior; Edgar Ditmore, McLouth senior; and Wayne Long, Ponce City, Okla., senior.
"Friends of Augusta" will be portrayed by Mary J. Mayhan, Emporia sophomore; Cecia Garrett, Lawrence senior; Joyce Malicky, Baldwin junior; and Charisia Von Gunten, Lawrence senior.
57th Year, No. 71
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Daily hansan
Finals to Start With Western Civilization
Ruth Rogers, Kansas City, Mo. sophomore, said Watkins Hall women held a review session before the mid-term and added that most had also attended the department's reviews this week.
Many students in organized houses are supplementing the departmental reviews with study sessions of their own. This has been done throughout the semester in some houses, and especially right before the required written midterm test in the western civilization discussion groups.
Miss Rogers said upperclassmen had told her that although the department's review instructors underlined important ideas, students could derive from the talks no indications as to what specific questions would be asked on the examination. She added:
James Seaver, associate professor of history and chairman of the department, said that about half of the students he expects to take the examination were present at the reviews. He added:
Friday, Jan. 15, 1960
Want Specific Questions
"Probably some 150 students will actually take the test this time, out of 198 we have registered. About 48 will get cold feet at the last minute."
About Half Presen
Harried students are flocking to private discussion sessions and departmental reviews in the semi-annual rush to prepare for this semester's Western Civilization examination tomorrow.
The western civilization department sponsored review meetings Tuesday and Wednesday nights at which a total of 14 professors compared and discussed highlights in the development of western thought since the year 1500. About 75 students attended each of the sessions
An intense snow storm that swept across northwest Kansas and southwest Nebraska yesterday had ended, by mid-morning today.
Weather
Clearing was expected in the east this afternoon. Skies already were clear in the west.
Metropolitan Auditions Await Two KU Students
Sharon Tebbenkamp. Salisbury.
Mo., sophomore, and Ron Highly,
Kansas City, Mo., senior, were two
of four winners named at the Kansas
City district auditions Saturday.
Two final winners will be awarded contracts with the opera company and six runners-up will receive scholarships to study at a conservatory of music in New York.
Two KU students will make their bids for Metropolitan Opera contracts Sunday.
Miss Tecbenkamp and Highly have two of the leading roles in KU's opera production, "The Ballad of Baby-Doe," which will be presented March 8, 10, and 11 at the University Theatre.
In the regional contest, Miss Tebencamp and Highly will compete with 10 other singers representing the St. Louis, Mo., Kansas City and Tul a districts.
Miss Tebbencamp and Highly will sing in the regional contest Sunday at the University Playhouse in Kansas City, Mo. The auditions will be telecast at 10:30 a.m. on KCMO Television, Channel 5.
One of the singers will be selected to participate in the final tryouts in New York City.
Sixteen contestants comprised the district auditions, which were sponsored throughout the country by the Metropolitan Opera Company.
Sharon Tebbenkamp to audition for Met.
"I'm scared like all the others signed up for the test, but I feel that talk by the upperclassman has had a lot to do with how afraid I've become. Scared or not, I'm going to cram until the last minute."
A few houses have been holding regularly scheduled review se sions
in attempting to prepare for the examination. Delta Delta Delta Scoriority members have discussed western civilization every Sunday evening, and the Alpha Omicron Pi women talked over required readings in the course on Mondays.
Last January, 125 students took the examination out of 180 who registered. Professor Seaver said no reasons have been decided upon as to why there is an increase of students enrolling for the test.
Wakarusa's Fire Preparations Hit
By Ralph Wilson
Wakarusa Township Trustees have been accused of laxity in the setting up of the new Wakarusa Fire Department.
This is the import of an eight page report by Lawrence City Manager, Harold E. I1orm.
In his report, Mr. Horn also says the Wakarusa department was formed because the township trustees did not want to pay nine-tenths of a mill fire tax for Lawrence fire protection. City taxpayers pay 4.4 mills.
The township department is under criticism after recent fires in which a skating rink and the Paul Badger home burned. Badger's 13-month-old-son lost his life in the home fire.
Was to Organize in 6 Months
Mr. Horn said that in a six-month period from July to December of last year, the Wakarusa township was to organize and train their new department. During this time no effort was made on the part of the township trustees or their fire department to contact the Lawrence Fire Department and discuss their mutual problems, he said.
The city fire department had urged the Wakarusa department to send their men to both the school and the training sessions.
Mr. Horn said no Wakarusa firemen were appointed in time to take advantage of the annual fire school training program, which is held at KU in October, and no one seemed to want to accept an offer to take part in the regular training sessions which are held daily in the Lawrence department.
Chief Offers Help
"On our own initiative, Chief Miller went to the township officials to offer help in working on the many problems he had foreseen. At this time, November 23, 1959, no appointment had been made, no effort to get telephone service, and no equipment had been delivered.
"No effort was made to provide the residents of Wakarusa township with their new fire department's telephone number except by a few newspaper and radio announcements shortly before the first of the year," Mr. Horn said.
To finance the increase in personnel and equipment the city asked for a nine-tenths of a mill levy from Wakahusa and Grant townships. The townships had been paying three tenths of a mill for fire protection.
Grant township accepted the city's offer in the summer of 1958.
In December 1558, Robert Oyler, representing the township board, met with city officials and stated that the township board planned to establish its own fire department.
"Chief Miller and I pointed out in July 1959 the many problems Wakaru-a would face, especially the problems of two departments working side by side. We also pointed to the fact that Lawrence was offering eight full-time, trained men. The
Wakarusa board proposed to do the job with two full time men plus volunteers.
"By late November 1959, since no announcement had been made concerning the hiring of firemen for the new department. Chief Miller had become greatly concerned.
Finds No One There
"In the latter part of December, Chief Albert Smith and his brother were appointed as Wakarusa's two full-time fireman. Chief Miller tried to visit them on three occasions.
"The first two times the chief found no one at the township fire department. On the third visit, he left word with Mrs. Smith that he had been there and would like to talk with Chief Smith and his brother.
"The first meeting with the Wakarusa firemen was at the fire at the skating rink."
Lawrence Radio Used
Horn said that since the Wakarusa truck does not have a radio, it cannot radio for help. So when fires are close to the city boundaries, Chief Miller's car is sent to the scene of the fire so that his car radio may be used if help is needed. This is the reason Chief Miller was at the skating rink fire in January.
The report continues: "Miller arrived at the skating rink fire at 12:30. The fire was obviously out of control, and Chief Miller immediately offered assistance.
"On January 7 at 12 a.m. the first alarm on the Eadger fire was turned in to the Lawrence Fire Department. At the same time, Chief Miller received the call on his home fire telephone. The person calling was told to call the Wakarusa Department at VI 3-2226.
"Eut Chief Smith said he could not make the decision to ask for help. Chief Miller then asked Township Trustee Owen Mitchel to come to the fire. Chief Miller again asked if help was wanted. When Miller asked the third time, the Wakarana Department was out of water. Then, Chief Smith asked for assistance.
Chief Calls Township
Chief Calls Township "Chief Miller then called the township number immediately to determine whether the township de-
(Continued on Page 12.)
Murphy to Talk on Urbanization Topic
"The Role of the University in a Growing Urbanized Society" will be the topic of Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy's speech at a lunch-con seminar on urbanization to be held Sunday in the Kansas Union.
The meeting Saturday through Monday is the second in a series of Inter-University Seminars on Urbanization in the Missouri River Basin. The University of Kansas is serving as coordination center for the program through the Governmental Research Center.