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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
8201 15 x 40
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Thursday, November 21, 1968
Sensitivity class forms
Group grope stirs tactile sense
By FRED PARRIS Kansan Staff Writer
At first, you feel like a damned fool.
Sitting on the floor in the midst of twenty people, crazily slapping your head with both hands, no other reaction seems quite so appropriate.
Later on, though, you begin to relax.
After all, everyone else is behaving in the same way and the occasion is somewhat special. It's a "Trust, Touch and Tenderness" course in sensitivity training, a part of KU's "Free University" program.
Patterned after sessions at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, Calif., "Tenderness" uses physical contact to help individuals become aware of their own bodies—and the bodies of others. David Leonard, a Lawrence senior in English who helps run the course, believes it develops a keen inner perception.
"It allows individuals to become more aware of their senses," he says, "to notice what's going on within them and around them."
The class, free, informal and open to everyone, meets on Thursdays at 8 p.m. Tonight's session, Leonard says, will be held in an apartment "party
"Allow whatever wants to happen. Let your partner know if he's not touching right..
room," south building, ground floor, at 1515 W. 9th.
Leonard claims no special qualifications to teach the course—which is based on exercises in their textbook, "Sense Relaxation" and feels none are needed.
The exercises, or "experiences," as the book calls them, make use of all parts of the body. Some demand self-examination, others require working with a partner, still others involve group cooperation.
One sensitivity experience concerns the beauties of the humble foot.
. . Don't make anything happen or keep anything from happening."
While the experiences are supposedly highly personal, the book often provides detailed instructions on how participants should think and behave.
"Become aware of its softness," the reader exhorts. "Gently pinch-poke the entire bottom of your foot. Scratch it, caress it, close your eyes and . . ."
The following suggestions are found in a chapter entitled "Partner Touching."
So far, the most popular exercises have been the communal cooperative efforts and the "partner" experiences. The latter involves, among other things, tapping and touching the sides, back and buttocks of your unseeing partner.
This sort of activity seems to be popular with local students.
ner" exercises, a rather quaint technique known as "milling" has been used. Theoretically, "milling" means that everyone wanders aimlessly around the room until the word halt is given. Then each individual takes the person nearest him as his partner.
Things don't always work out so well. Some persons have the selfish habit of constantly "milling" towards certain, especially desirable mates. The result is that while a few guys have lots of fun, others keep getting bearded Larry.
If the instruction book is any indication, future sessions should be even more exciting. Partner lifting, exploring, and something called "Intimate Games" are just a few of the "advanced experiences" in store
Volunteer Thanksgiving and Christmas hosts are being sought by the "Home Stay" program of KU's People-to-People organization for about 85 foreign students.
"We need families who would be willing to receive one or more foreign students for any part or all of the Thanksgiving holiday (Nov. 26 to Dec. 1), or the Christmas holiday (Dec. 21 to Jan. 5)," said Elizabeth Ann Barnes, Kenilworth, Ill., junior and chairman of the program.
The foreign students understand they are responsible for their own transportation, Miss
Barnes explained.
KU residence halls are closed during these vacations, and students who cannot return home must make other arrangements.
"Many foreign students have expressed a desire to visit farms and small towns, so we would welcome invitations from there as well as the nearby cities," Miss Barnes said.
The "Home Stay" program at KU has never had enough hosts for the foreign students desiring to participate.
Volunteer hosts should contact People-to-People in the Kansas Union.
'Home Stay' needs hosts