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University Daily Kansan
Friday, Nov. 9, 1956
No 'Life Of Riley' For KU Housemothers; 24-Hour Job
Ask a student how he thinks housemothers spend their time, and you'll probably get answers like, "Oh, they play cards all day," or "They lead the life of Riley."
"Not so at all," protests Miss Emily Taylor, dean of women. "A housemother lives with, guides, and trains young people, and it is a full-time job."
The women have to be combination psychologists, meal planners, businesswomen, and supervisors, yet the job is a coveted one, and the turnover is small.
Active Socially
There are no set qualifications for a housemother. She must simply have enough interest in college students to want to be with them.
Most KU housemothers are women who were active socially in their communities, Mrs. Dorothy Nichols, president of the Housemothers Assn., said.
"We have bankers' wives, officials' wives, and Army and Navy wives," Mrs. Nichols said. "Right now the trend is toward younger women, but being a housemother is a 24-
Housemothers' activities center around the Housemothers Assn. which is not, however, primarily a social organization.
hour job, and that can be confining for a younger person."
"The original purpose was to give a scholarship to an outstanding student," Mrs. Nichols said. "Each year we sponsor a tea and give the proceeds to the Office of Aids and Awards which selects the student."
The award alternates between men and women. This year's recipient is Judith Temple, Cape Girarreau, Mo., junior, who is studying drawing and painting.
At Christmas, the housemothers donate gifts to needy local children. Other activities include book reviews, card parties, held twice a year, and a school of instruction at which problems are discussed.
Is it an advantage to be a housemother?
"Definitely." Mrs. Nichols said. "Women whose families have grown and moved from home can stay young and find new interests with this job."
Wilcox Museum Celebrates It's 60th Anniversary
Wilcox Museum, established in 1886 for classical art and situated on the second floor of Fraser Hall, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
The museum established in connection with the Latin and Greek departments, was founded by Prof. A. M. Wilcox, head of the Greek department for over 40 years.
When opened, the museum was on the north end of the third floor of Fraser Hall. In 1888, the Board of Regents moved it to its present site, which includes rooms 208, 206 and 219.
Contain Many Antiquities
Prof. Wilcox was its first curator. In 1929 M. W Sterlin, professor of art history at the University, the present curator, Miss Mary Grant, took the position in 1944.
"Contain Many Antiquities
"The museum contains casts of Greek and Roman sculpture, photographs, books, and a fair sized collection of genuine antiquities." Miss Grant said.
She said she had no idea what
the value of the museum property is. "Just to replace the casts would cost an enormous amount," she said, 'not to mention the value of the genuine antiquities which couldn't begin to be replaced for the original price now.
"Many of these antiquities were fortunately bought when the Italian government put them on the market to raise money for sufferers from the earthquake disaster at Messina, Sicily, in 1905."
L. R. Lind, professor of Latin and Greek, and Miss Grant have brought a good number of the antiquities from abroad.
Old Casts Still Shown
Many of the large casts, which were property of the museum when it was established, are still on display in Room 208.
The celebrated "Venus of Melos," goddess of love, and the "Borghese Warrior" are among the life-sized casts on display in the main room of the museum.
KU Alums Hit Top On Broadway
(Of The Daily Kansan Staff)
By PAT SWANSON
Success Comes Quickly.
If you have a little grease paint in your veins and have dreamed of becoming another Vivian Leigh or Lawrence Olivier, don't give up your ambitions—the famed lights of Broadway have often spelled out the names of alumni of the University.
In 1944 when De Bose Heyward's and George Gershwini's stage play, "Porgy and Bess," opened, it was Etta Moten Barnett, a KU graduate of 31 and a concert singer, who played the role of Bess.
Ironically, Buddy once tried unsuccessfully for the KU dramatic club.
Buddy Rogers, who hailed from Olathe and graduated with the class of '26, moved to Hollywood after college to become one of the most popular stars of the '20's and '30s. Married to the sweetheart of silent pictures, Mary Pickford, his first big role was in Paramount's "Wings" in which he co-starred with Gary Cooper and Clara Bow.
Having been voted the most popular male star and No. 1 male box office draw, Rogers left Hollywood to form a dance band. Successful in this field, he entered television in 1951 with his own show. "Cavalcade of Bands."
Voted the most promising playwright in 1950 for his Broadway hit, "Come Back Little Sheba," William Inge is also a Javhawker.
Inspired By Williams
After teaching in high school and college and serving as a drama critic for the now-defunct St. Louis Star-Times, Inge took up play writing when he was inspired by Tennessee William's "Glass Menagerie." Inge's first play, "Farther Off From Heaven," was produced in Dallas in 1947 by Margo Jones. Far from a box office hit, it was the first step toward the three later plays which won him fame—"Come Back Little Sheba," "Picnic," and "Bus Stop."
"Pienic," produced in 1953, won four major awards—the Drama Critics' Circle Award, Outer Circle Award, Theater Club Award and the Pulitzer Prize, the most coveted award in American playwriting.
back of Mitch Miller's recording,
"Yellow Rose of Texas," began singing on the Don Anneche show, "Holiday Hotel," after her third day in New York.
After that job and the usual ups and downs, she joined Fred Waring's Pennsvilvanians and toured coast to coast with that group making TV appearances.
Discovered By Warner
Another star of "Porgy an Bess" is the Kansas boy, Lorenzo Fuller, who plays "Sportin' Life." He recently toured Europe, North Africa, South America and the U.S.S.R. with the show.
Latest Recording With Weston
His acting career began in 1937 at the Pasadena - Playhouse, where Warner Brothers discovered him.
Fuller's talents have carried him a long way since he first appeared on Broadway in 1946 in the cast of "St. Louis Woman," and starred the following year in "Finian's Rainbow." The New York Times said his performance in "Kiss Me Kate" stopped the show.
Thus far, Mr. Inge has written of the people he has known, mostly Kansans. Apparently this has paid off. He is the only contemporary playwright to have a perfect box score on Broadway—three hits, no misses.
Recently he has written a ballet which was recorded in Europe and an opera which opened for a spring festival in Paris.
The late Brock Pemberton, a Broadway producer for 30 years who brought us some of the greatest stage hits of all time, graduated from the University of Kansas in 1908. His biggest success came late in life. He produced Broadway's fifth longest run. "Harvey," in 1944.
With somewhat of a pioneering instinct, Pemberton often took an author's first play and departed from conventional forms. Among some of his unforgettable successes are "Kiss the Boys Goodbye," by Clare Booth Luce, "Cuckoos on the Hearth," and "Janie."
At this time Miss Read is under contract to a new company, ABC-Paramount. Her latest record is "A Chance at Love" with Paul Weston's orchestra.
Bernardine Read, class of '50, attributes her success to beginner's luck. The pretty recording artist of "Blackberry Winter," the song on the
Television viewers will recognize the name Frank Willecox, another Kansas alumnus, for he has appeared on countless programs such as the "George Burns and Gracie Allen Show," "Lux Video," "Jack Benny Show," "Red Skelton Show," "Private Secretary," "Waterfront." "Meet Millie," "My Friend Irma," and the "Lone Ranger."
Pemberton learned the ropes of show business by apprenticeship. In 1920 when he became an independent producer, he produced the Pulitzer prize-winning "Miss Lulu Belt."
Between television shows Frank does movie work. Lately he has starred as Major Reno in "Return of Custer," Marshall Duncan in "First Travelling Sales Lady," and in "Never Say Goodbye."
The Kansas-born, one time reporter for William Allen White's Emporia Gazette, introduced such stars as Walter Huston, Miriam Hopkins, Claudette Colbert, and Fredric March.
Spring Holiday At Syracuse
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — (IP) — Syracuse University calendars indicate a return to spring vacation rather than Easter vacation is in the fire. The change will begin in 1957-58 when a week spring vacation is scheduled for the end of March.
Alaska was sold to the U. S. by Russia on Mar. 30, 1867 for $7,200,-000 in gold.