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Daily Hansan
54th Year, No. 65
'Marco Polo Enthralls 450 School Children
Monday, Dec. 17, 1956
The Children's Theatre started its second year with a lavish production of "Marco Polo" before 450 Lawrence schoolchildren Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Green Theater.
The artful presentation of the adventure story of magic and excitement served as a pleasantly contrasting climax to this semester's offerings from the drama department. It was success, for few, if any, of the observers left the premises unentertained.
Indeed, the childish chatter about treasures, slaves and kings that filled Green Hall afterwards was tribute enough from an audience that is often hypercritical. The children's laughter has been a most well deserved reward for director Sally Six, instructor of speech and drama, and her staff and company.
The neat trick of avoiding condecession to the audience was well managed by the talented cast. The audience sensed no insincerity in the promising acting of Charles Marvin, John Wiebe, Carol Hargrove and Anabelle Bayne who alternated in the principal roles of Marco Polo and Donata.
Special favorites of the audience were John Husar, Chicago, Ill., sophomore, as the Kahn who rewards the Polo family, and two villainous characters played by William Teichgraeber, Emporia sophomore and George Edwards, Kansas City, Kan., senior.
Elizabeth Binford, Overland Park sophomore and premiere danseuse of the University Theatre, appeared in her first speaking role as the slave dancer, and stole the hearts of the older boys.
Other students in the cast were Vera Stough, Lawrence junior; Stella Hickell, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore, and Herbert Culp, Overland Park senior. All the actors were well prepared to handle tactfully the shouted advice of the children during the more crucial scenes.
The department is to be congratulated for furnishing the children of the community with such a charming prologue to Christmas. If the enthusiasm of the audience may be used as an index, there is no reason to assume that next semester's "Peter Rabbit" may not do the same for the Easter holidays.
Pianist Featured With Orchestra
Roy Johnson, assistant professor of piano, will play Bartok's "Third Piano Concerto" with the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra Feb. 24.
Prof. Johnson's performance will be part of the regular broadcast by the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Guy Fraser Harrison. The program is carried by the Mutual Broadcasting System.
The Bartok concerto is the last completed work by the Hungarian composer, who died in 1945. It has been performed infrequently in the United States.
Prof. Johnson joined the KU faculty in 1954. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. During 1952-53, he held a Fulbright scholarship in France.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Watson Vacation Hours Announced
Watson Library will be open as follows during the Christmas vacation:
Dec. 19-21 ... 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Dec. 22 ... 8 a.m.-noon.
Dec. 23,24,25 ... Closed
Dec. 26-28 ... 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Dec. 29 ... 8 a.m-noon
Dec. 30, 31, Jan. 1 ... Closed
Jan. 2 ... 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Jan. 3 Resume regular schedule
Students wishing to check out extra copies of reserve books in the undergraduate library and at the education desk, may do so beginning 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Casts Chosen For 2 Operas
Two short operas "Gianni Schicchi" by Giacomo Puccini and "Trouble in Tahiti" by Leon and Bernstein are slated for production in April.
Appearing in "Trouble in Tahiti" will be Beverly Runkle, Pittsburg junior, as the wife and Jack Davison, Bolivar, Mo., junior, as her spouse. A trio composed of Bonnie Dinsmore, Oklahoma City, Okla., junior; J. C. Kliewer, Lawrence graduate student; and Don Farrar, Kansas City, Mo., junior, will act as a musical commentator linking together the short episodes concerning modern married life.
The cast of "Gianni Schicchi" includes Bruce Loganbill, Newton graduate student, in the tite role; Carolyn Craft, Junction City senior; Merrilyn Coleman, Lawrence senior; Farrar, Bruce Voran, Kinsley sophomore; Peggy Wilson, Lawrence special student; Edgar Dittemore, Robinson junior; Joe Lewis, Mission graduate student; Henry Walling, Independence, Kan., senior; Mary Jo Wofter, Coby senior; Paul Hanson, Wamego junior; Karl Garrett, Lawrence freshman.
The two operas will be under the musical direction of Dean Thomas Gorton, of the School of Fine Arts and staged by Jack Brooking, assistant professor of speech and drama and assistant director of the University Theatre.
Debaters Win First Place At Arkansas U.
The University Debate squad's anchor team John Knightly, Hutchinson senior, and Ralph Seger, Topeka junior, came through the Arkansas University Debate Tournament to win first place and the coveted Wachtel Plaque in the senior division at Fayetteville Saturday.
Debating in a field of 30 schools from 12 southern states, Knightly and Seger displayed the splendid form which last year took them to the national debate finals at West Point, N.Y. Saturday they won six of their seven debates on the national debate topic. "Resolved: that U. S. should discontinue direct economic aid to foreign countries."
Don Bowen, Salina sophomore, outpointed his opponents in the junior division and received the tournament's "best speaker" award. Bowen and Leonard Parkinson, Scott City sophomore, won two and lost two of their four debates.
Mr. Gunter was born in Germany. He was associated with the University from 1920 until his retirement in July, 1956.
Lab Assistant Dies At 72
Robert Gunter, 72, laboratory assistant at KU for 34 years, died unexpectedly Sunday at his home in Lawrence from a heart attack.
Mr. Gunter worked as a laboratory assistant with the entomology department making plastic preparations for biological material for the departments of entomology, zoology, botany, geology, and anatomy.
Mr. Guntert is survived by his wife who lives in Lawrence; two sons, W. F. Guntert, also of Lawrence, and Robert H. Guntert of Topeka, and a stepson, Donald Ewing, Washington, D. C.
IRA Action Causes Tension To Mount
DUBLIN — (UP) — The outlawed Irish Republican Army (IRA) has ordered a countrywide mobilization and concentrated 90 per cent of its gunmen on the tense border with northern Ireland, police said today.
Police made weekend swoops on both sides of the border in a crackdown to prevent further violence like that which rocked the northern six countries last week.
Irish Republic and British troops took up positions along the border last night, as the search for several hundred suspects continued throughout the island.
Vespers Depict Holiday Season
From the first moment of caroling by the brass choir and the Campanile to the final, rich "amen" that ended the music and tableaux, a holiday spirit filled Hoch Auditorium at the Christmas Vespers Sunday. Even the sweet solemnity of two small boys who were candle-lighters added meaning to the service.
The A Cappella Choir sang "Masters in This Hall," "The Holly and the Ivy," and "Here 'Mid the Ass and Oxen Mild."
Don Farrar, Kansas City, Mo,
junior, did an excellent job as tenor
soloist with the choir on "Go Tell
It on the Mountain." This song was
followed by a striking tableau.
Songs by the choral ensemble and orchestral numbers by the University Symphony - Orchestra contributed to the effect of the vespers.
Loveliest of all, both musically and traditionally, were the candle-lighted precessional and recessional by the choir.
MARCH OF THE CANDLES — A stately pattern is formed in this time exposure picture of the recessional by the A Cappella choir Sun-
—(Photographic Bureau photo by Harry Wright) day evening ending the 32nd annual Christmas Vespers program.
Regents Vote To Increase Incidental Fees
At the University the increase will be $14, or from $56 to $70 for resident liberal arts students and $34, or from $131 to $165 for non-residents. Fees for graduate students and those in specialized fields will be increased similarly.
The Board of Regents approved an increase in incidental fees at all state schools Friday. The increase is designed to produce an additional $500,000 a year for operation of the schools.
Raymond Nichols, executive secretary to the chancellor said that he has no details on the fee hike but that he expects to receive an official letter soon. The chancellor was unavailable for comment.
The increase will bring fees at K-State to the same level as those at KU. Emporia and Pittsburg State Teachers colleges and Fort Hays State College will now pay $50 for resident students and $98 for non-residents.
The increase will be effective next September.
SI Comment Causes Replies
The stinging comment that "The University of Kansas campus comprises for the most part a singularly unimpressive hedgepodge of local limestone and brick; Sigma Chi's white-porticoed fraternity house is perhaps the structure most pleasant to look upon." made by a sport's writer in the Dec. 17 issue of Sports Illustrated has caused quite a stir among many of the University's graduates and students.
The statement was made by Jeremiah Tax who was on the campus to cover KU's opening basketball game with Northwestern for the magazine.
Concerning the comment Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy said, "Every man is entitled to his own views no matter how warped or pedestrian they may be. The legendary beauty of KU's campus will be present long after inadequate persons are gone."
Architect James R. Cushing of Topeka said, "Sports writers ought to leave architecture out of it. They are not qualified to comment. Kansans are vitally interested in architecture, and there are some good examples of architecture at the University."
Former KU All-American and Otto Schnellbacher added, "He (Tax) probably hasn't been out here to see the campus. It is very beautiful and has a very educational atmosphere, and the Fast is a little jealous they couldn't keep Wilt there."
Clyde Reed, president of the Alumni Assn., said that the "KU campus is the most beautiful in the country with its natural setting between two valleys. I don't think the author had much appreciation of the better things of campus beauty. I've seen quite a few campuses, but not many can compare with KU."
Weather
Much colder today and in east and south portions tonight. Warmer west and north central Tuesday. Partly cloudy today, fair tonight and Tuesday. Low tonight 10 northwest to 20 southwest. High Tuesday lower 30s east to 40 west.