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University Daily Kansan Monday. March 6. 1961
Editorial Review
Rock Chalk'61
Good job, well done; Rock Chalk '81.
The thousands of man- (and woman-) hours spent in preparation for this year's Rock Chalk Revue certainly paid off well last Friday and Saturday night. The show was amazing in its professional-like quality: the pace, the dancing, the choruses (chori?), the sets, the costumes, and even the plots in some ways.
Without going too deep into the press agent's vernacular, the whole thing was undoubtedly one of the best (tremendi?) in the twelve-year history of the student revues. The audience's reception should be a pretty good indication of how good it was—no perfunctory clapping the whole evening and even applause for some of the brilliant sets.
IT'S GREAT TO SIT BACK AND WATCH the seemingly weighty problems of the world and the university reduced to 15 minute parodies where everything comes out all right. There are no problems at all when Memorial Stadium becomes the Roman Coliseum; when Sasnaki U. finally makes it to a bowl game; when Melvin Nobody—finds that everybody's somebody on Oread, and when the ole pickle factory workers get Rapunzel as an arbitrator in their labor disputes.
There are a couple of suggestions to be made, however, that might make the shows even better in the future.
One: Either the acoustics of Hoch are so bad or the majority of each cast flunked Speech I. It was probably the former. Too often it was impossible to hear and understand what was going on. Squinting by matchlight at the program was the only way one could make out what the whole skit was about most of the time. The auditorium can't be changed but perhaps its acoustical quality can be given greater consideration in the years to come.
TWO: THIS THING OF TRYING TO INSURE the success of a skit by getting as much S-E-X into it as possible generally leaves the audience with a poor impression of the whole number. Everyone (well almost everyone), enjoys a little off-color humor if it's clever and sharp. But sex for sex's sake is entertaining only for the immature or provincial mind. It's boring and distasteful for anyone attending a college revue.
BUT THESE ARE MINOR POINTS THAT did not diminish the luster sparkling in Hoch over the weekend. The satirical stabs at the various phases of university life really hit home on occasion. It must have been equally as entertaining as it was embarrassing for the target. Anyhow, it was a smash for the audience.
Frank Morgan
By Richard Byrum UDK Music Critic
Last Friday night the renowned ALBENERI TRIO performed in Swarthout Recital Hall. Contained in the program were compositions by Beethoven, Piston, and Schubert, with the final movement of a Haydn works played as an encore.
IN THESE TIMES when most of the serious music that we hear is performed either in the concert or recital hall, it is not difficult to lose sight of the true spirit in which the works for small ensembles were composed. They were not designed to enthrall large audiences but rather were directed toward simple entertainment at intimate soirees or private terrace parties. Sometimes they were used for nothing more than the amusement of the composer and his small circle of friends.
It was in this style that the trio presented their program Friday night. Each work was executed with technical precision that, when matched with artistic phrasing, showed complete understanding of the music and its purpose.
ber possessed by the virtuoso bug; a factor which strongly influences the final analysis of the artistry of any ensemble. The only point that might be made here is that in the Beethoven work, the pianist overly restrained himself, thus leaving the feeling that he was an accompanist instead of an integral part of the group.
THEIR COORDINATION WAS
exact for at no time was any mem-
For the most part, however, the best efforts of each were poured forth for the benefit of the whole which resulted in a very enjoyable evening of extremely delightful music.
UDK and CRC
Editor:
I am writing to complain about all the publicity that the UDK has been giving to the Civil Rights Council lately. I agree that such a dangerous, irresponsible organization as you describe should not continue in existence. But you have kept it in the public eye through stories and editors. You should instead ignore it. Then perhaps it would go away.
You also suggest that members of the CRC might help other organizations. Here you have made a fundamental error. Such a group of experienced troublemakers should be kept from participation in responsible, active organizations. Ah! Pardon my error. I forget that these people have no experience in producing action. All they do is get disruptive publicity when they point out injustices. Therefore they wouldn't do an active organization any good.
Finally, why does a responsible newspaper like the UDK call attention to such a disruptive force in our midst? If too many people find out what it is doing, and get interested, it is likely to become effective.
Carl White
Lawrence senior
* * *
Ashamed of CRC
I want to express my support for your courageous position on the Civil Rights Council which has brought such a bad name to the University.
How a microscopic group like
this can create so much ill feeling, bad will and negative public relations is beyond me.
...Letters ...
Frankly, I'm ashamed to be connected with a university that permits such goings-on. Remember, when we get out into the world and say we are from KU, people will be thinking: "What is KU? Ah that's the place they have those trouble makers."
I'm a transfer student and I'm here because I want to be proud of my alma mater.
Frank Grammets Garden City junior
Editor:
"Racial inequality, which has been the Council's main concern, is contemptible and odious in this day. 100 years after the war that freed the slave. Discrimination should be abolished. . "
"There is a need for a responsible, sound organization to work for racial justice. Plans are being made at present by the city and the student government for the establishment of just such organizations."
. . .
The following is from the UDK editorial, "CRC Should Stop," Mar.2.
One question: Do you think that even PLANS would be in the making had it not been for the pressure put on by the actions of the CRC in "acquisition and dispersal of information and the judicious use of publicity"?
The answer is obvious and serves to repudiate your contention that the CRC's actions have been ineffective. And the fact that
So long as discrimination of any kind exists, there will be a need for a CRC, regardless of the existence of other groups, active or in the planning stage, which espouse the same ideals.
the UDK played no small part in these efforts should not be overlooked.
With the continued activities of a Civil Rights Council on campus it is hoped the University Daily Kansan will continue its "judicious use of publicity" to further our common cause, the abolition of discrimination-before another 100 years goes by.
Lawrence graduate student
Paul J. Bowlby
Daily Hansan
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1889, became biweekly 1904,
triweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912.
Telephone Viking 3-2700 Extension 711, news room Extension 376, business office
Member Inland Daily Press Association. Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by National Advertising M.Y. News service; United Press International. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $5 a published. Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturday and examination periods. Second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kansas.
NEWS DEPARTMENT
John Peterson ... Managing Editor
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Frank Morgan and
Dan Feiger ... Co-Editorial Editors
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
John Massa     Business Manager
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
"SAY SOMETHING NICE ABOUT DEMOCRATS — I HAPPEN TO KNOW
HE FLINKED 13 KNOWN REPUBLICANS LAST TERM."
Sound and Fury . . .
The Kiss of Death
By Eileen Maddocks Lawrence Sophomore
I am very disappointed that the editors of the UDK have seen fit to condemn the Civil Rights Council. It is very seldom that American college students come out of their general apathy long enough to work constructively towards the betterment of the society in which they live (discounting the aim of their four years spent in college), as the workers on the recent KU Campus Chest drive can testify. And now, when one of these rare, if somewhat idealistic, attempts to correct some social wrongs is made, the editors, apparently impatient for quick, Herculean successes, deal the CRC a potential death blow. However, it is not the editors' attack itself, but their reasoning that led to it, that I wish to dispute.
THE UDK REPORTED the CRC's purpose to be working for "equal rights for all persons, regardless of race, creed, or national origin." This was to be done through the "acquisition and dispersal of information and the judicious use of publicity." The editors stated their approval of this; but then, by withdrawing their support from the CRC, insinuated that its purposes and methods hadn't been followed. I believe that this insinuation was false.
Firstly, I fail to see how openly investigating discrimination in University housing, taverns, eating places, barber shops, and the Lawrence Roller Rink and making public the results does not conform to the acquirement and dispersal of information. Almost all of the publicity the CRC has received has been through the medium of the UDK. If the editors believe that the publicity has not been judicious, perhaps they had better clean their own house first.
SECONDLY, ALTHOUGH THREE months ago the CRC did approve consideration of staging sit-ins and picketing certain establishments, it had nothing to do with the sit-ins that occurred last January, nor have they yet undertaken any of their own. Indeed, unless my memory is wrong, the CRC later decided against such actions.
Now, if the editors did not withdraw their support because of the reasons I have just discredited, their only reasons left are that "nothing was achieved or solved" and the lack of "responsibility." The CRC has certainly not been irresponsible. No rash moves have been made, no bad publicity incurred.
So the editors wanted the CRC to "solve the problem of discrimination in each area it focussed upon!!!" Not even the NCAAP, the Supreme Court, and Congressional civil rights legislation have been able to do that! How, then, can we expect a group committed only to acquiring and dispersing information and using publicity judiciously to be able to succeed where the former failed???
IS IT TRUE THAT nothing has been achieved? Through the CRC's actions I have learned about social conditions that I never imagined existed in Lawrence. I'm sure that others, too, have had their knowledge in this area increased. This was an aim of the CRC. So how can it be said that nothing has been accomplished?
To accomplish more, it was suggested that the CRC should incorporate itself into other organizations which are only in the planning stage. It seems to me that this would slow down progress.
The editors stated that, because of the CRC's activities, a grossly distorted picture of the University has been presented. Yes, the picture has been somewhat distorted. The false picture of the university town of Lawrence, where racial relations couldn't be better, has been distorted.
AND LASTLY, I WANT to plead with the majority of KU students who believe in racial equality to sign that petition and to attend the CRC meetings. If the CRC is forced to disband, it will be because you, and I, have failed it.
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