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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, December 6, 1969
Suicides at KU-when isolation grows too big
By ALAN HANSBERRY
Kansan Staff Writer
Two students at the University of Kansas will commit suicide this year.
Two is the number recorded each year at the Kansas Mental Health Clinic. Dr. Sidney Schroeder, director of the clinic, said for every successful suicide, 15 or 20 unsuccessful attempts are made.
Two other attempted suicides had been reported on the same floor.
A girl living in Corbin residence hall walked into a friend's room earlier this month to find her paled friend lying on the floor with both wrists slashed.
William R. Arnold, associate professor of sociology, said he doubled the three attempts were mere coincidence.
"Suicides can be stimulated by other people. Each person provides the other knowledge of suicide itself and of the various techniques." Arnold said.
Suicide attempts are only one
result of a situation Arnold called frustration tolerance. He said when problems become too great to cope with, alternate routes will be sought.
Clinical reports indicate about 20,000 persons each year take their own lives. Dr. Schroeder said about two KU students for every 10,000 enrolled commit suicide. That figure would put KU's rate considerably below the national average.
Charles Neuringer, professor of psychology, once worked on the staff of a suicide prevention clinic in Los Angeles. He applauded various facilities at KU for the low rate.
Neuringer listed residence hall counselors, the mental health clinic, and paschology clinic as three aids in halting suicide-bound students.
Dr. Schroeder doubted any, clinical help can be given to persons considering suicide, however.
"If a person really wants to commit suicide you're not going to stop him," he said.
Nevertheless, Schroeder contends most suicide attempts are meant to be successful. He called such attempts suicide gestures or cries for help.
Dr. Schroeder explained potential suicide victims are hard to discover before the attempt is made.
"They are people who have caused little other trouble. Nobody really notices them. They're isolated individuals," he said.
"There are different reasons, we can help some people get over their problems; and others are people who have chronic problems and many times can't be helped." Schroeder said.
Some attempts result from momentary stress, and others from permanent mental problems.
Arnold emphasized the problem saying, "The person most likely to kill you is yourself."
More suicides take place than murders, he said.
Honor for Wescoe, but not for Lippincott
When the Wescoe Humanities building is completed, Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe will be the ninth of 10 KU chancellors to have a building named after him
Of the 10, only the name of the fourth, Joshua A. Lippincott, is not given to a building. Lippincott, a Pennsylvanian and a minister, was a tall man with flowing beard and by all accounts mild-mannered. He wrote his own letters in long hand.
During the early part of his
1883-39 administration, there were no economic or University crises in Kansas. Later, the cattle market fell and the Populist party rose against the rulling classes. Lippincott had enough and resigned.
The late Fred Ellsworth, for 39 years KU alumni secretary, wrote of Chancellor Lippincott:
"Look at the list of faculty members recruited in his time: Bailey in chemistry, Wilcox in Greek, Blake in physics, Sayre in
Pharmacy, Blackmar in history and sociology and Dunlap in English. Add to these the future academic giants who were graduated and stayed on as teachers—Templin, Stevens, Sterling, and Dvche.
"And the students who gathered in those days! Has any university ever had such an aggregation of future greats at one time in a student body of fewer than 600 as these?
Brazilian actor-playwright to speak here next week
Carlos Roberto Petrovich, Brazilian director, actor, playwright and professor, will visit the University of Kansas International Theatre Center Dec. 8 to 14. At 32, Petrovich is director of the University Brasilia Theatre Department and executive director of the Castro Alves Theatre in Bahia. He is in the United States on a 30-day State Department sponsored program.
Petrovich has chosen KU for the longest stop on his tour. He will attend University Theatre rehearsals, the current production of "A Delicate Balance," and talk with departmental instructors and students.
He will be featured in a "Conversation on the Contemporary Brazilian Theatre" at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 12, in 341 Murphy Hall. University students and faculty are invited to attend.
Petrovich is a graduate of the Federal University of Bahia. For three years he was the coordinator of theatre education, National Institute of Pedagogical
Official Bulletin
"William Allen White, brothers Ed and Will Franklin, who were to become nationally known, Ed as a chemist, Will as a physicist; Fred Funston, the future general; Herbert Hadley, who was to become governor of Missouri and chancellor of Washington University; Vernon Kellogg, who was secretary of the National Research Council; E. E. Slosson, whose life encompassed records as president of the University of Wyoming and editor of two quality national magazines, plus being founder of science for interpreting science developments to all people."
TODAY
KU Moslem Society, 12 p.m. Prayers. Kansas Union.
International Club Dancing Lesson. 6:30 p.m. p21 Robinson.
6:30 p.m. 211 Robinson.
Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship.
German Lecture, 4 p.m. Prof. Paul Beckman of Cologne, Pine Room,
Backstein Union.
Popular Film. 7 & 9.30 p.m. "Gambit" Dyea Euclidian
bit." Dyche Auditorium.
SUA Special Film. 7, 8, and 10 p.m.
International Club and P-to-P Dance. 8-12. American Legion Building, West Side Street and trans- transportation Center-Street P office Frank Hummer or Zouhair Duhaly.
SUA Special Film, 7.8, and 10 p.m.
"Too Many Frequencies," 303 Balley
Folk Dance Club. 7:30 p.m. 173 Robinson.
Military Ball. 8 p.m. Kansas Union Ballroom.
University Concert Course. 8:20 p.m. Bach Aria Group University Concert Course. 8:20 p.m.
Latin American Club Christmas Party. 8:30 p.m. Westminster Center
Freshman Senate Conference. All宾
room, Green Hall. Courtright
Studies, Salvador, Bahia, and has acted in several Brazilian films, as well as directing and acting in stage productions.
He has also written several plays, including "A Historia de Boi Espaco," the 1968 first prize winner at the National Festival of Modern Dance, Sao Paulo.
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Symphony and choruses to perform
The combined choruses and the University Symphony will perform Felix Mendelssohn's "Elijah" at 3:30 p.m. Sunday in Hoch Auditorium.
The performance will be under the direction of James Ralston, director of choral activities.
Solosists will be Beverly Hosking, Lawrence graduate stu
dent, soprano; Bruce Gardner,
Springhill graduate student,
tenor; Judith Hughes, Skokie,
Ill., senior, mezzo-soprano, and
Reinhold Schmidt, bass-baritone.
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