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University Daily Kansan
Monday, Nov. 18, 1957
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The Race Isn't Over
The reactions of the American people to the latest Russian achievements in the field of satellites and missiles have varied from a joking attitude to an attitude of near hysteria.
But down deep, many people are concerned that their country is behind Russia in the satellite and missile field. Americans just aren't used to seeing their country in second place to anyone in anything.
The concerned people are very critical of the administration's and the military's handling of these programs. These criticisms have come from everyone from top officials to the "man in the street."
Criticisms in turn have created an attitude that if we were now to have war with Russia our chances would be poor.
Is this attitude justified? This country has never lost a war. Not saying that it is impossible, but we have overcome large odds in other instances, and now we are just guessing that we are very far behind the Russians in these fields.
Definitely there is justification for some concern. But there is no justification for a complete lack of faith in the leaders of our country, either administrative or military. They have as great, or a greater, concern for this country's well-being as any citizen.
Let's think before we jump to conclusions that could create mass hysteria. And let's show a little faith in a country that has always been strong and will continue to be so as long as its citizens are solidly behind it.
—Del Haley
. Letters To The Editor . From The Other Side Of The Lights
Editor:
An extraordinary article was published in your paper on Wednesday, November 13, 1957: a "criticism" of the University Theatre's production of "Henry IV," Part I. This "review," signed by Evelyn Hall, expressed an opinion which is so far from my own and, judging from the applause and laughter, from that of the audience as well, that I feel I must speak out against it.
I have been in the theatre for some time and I have been reviewed by some of the most acerbate wits alive, but I have seldom seen a critique which indicated such a lack of critical faculties on the part of the reporter. Moreover, it was written in a journalese which combined all the veiled allusions and character-knifing that I thought had left us with the death of that tasteless senator from Wisconsin. Your reporter's coverage of an event of national importance and one which ought to be a source of pride to all the students in this University, consisted of ten acid-filled paragraphs which made almost no mention of the play itself; its theme; its action; its humor; its peculiar blend of comedy and tragedy. And, most extraordinary of all, it completely ignored the man who is charged with the responsibility for the new theatre; the man who cast, edited, produced and directed the play; the man to whom the lion's share of praise for this tremendous achievement must go—Dr. Lewin Goff.
A most peculiar piece of writing, indeed.
I will present my credentials. I have appeared in five productions of this play. I have directed three productions of it. I have seen it performed at Stratford, the Old Vic, and at the New Theatre in London. I have seen the Evars's production in this country and many others. I am familiar with the play. I had the privilege of studying Shakespeare with Kittredge at Harvard. I love the theatre and I love Shakespeare. It is not lightly that I make this
statement; this production stands with the best of the university productions that have been given or could be given in this country. I am honored to be a part of it.
Certainly there are faults. If we were perfect there would be no need of universities. Certainly some lines are swallowed, some moments evade the young talents of the actors. But it is Shakespeare vital and glorious and it should be seen by everyone who has any interest in the joy and beauty of life at all.
It doesn't matter whether your "critic" likes it or not. That's not the point. We are all free to "like" or "dislike." A baby cries in its mother's arms thereby expressing "dislike." But the baby can be conveniently removed. Your "critic," however, is given the back page of a powerful student paper over which to pour her poison. This can come to no good, whether for journalism or for the theatre at KU.
The first requirement of a successful critic is to love the theatre, to come to it with sympathy and understanding, to come to it wanting to improve what is there, not to destroy it. The second requirement is the development of a set of values and above all, taste, which can be used as the standards for all performances. Your "critic", it seems to me, has met none of these requirements. Does she know the play? Does she realize its problems? Has she seen it before? Does she have standards of comparison? Does she love the theatre? Judging from Miss Hall's tasteless "review", the answers must be "no". Her research is faulty, her conclusions inappropriate. Since when is Falstaff a tragic character, as she states so categorically? By whose definitions of tragedy is this possibly true? Aristotle's? James?" Nietzsche's? And who knows how the first scene should be presented? Shakespeare doesn't tell us since there were no stage directions in the folios. Does your "critic" have
a private line? The scene has often been staged in this way, but even if it had never been before, there is imagination at work here and no one would deny that the best justification of the existence of a University Theatre is experimentation.
Your "reviewer's" other opinions have mainly to do with the performances of the student actors, especially the two in the leading parts. Neither of them succeeds completely, but, for the love of God, applaud the accomplishment if you must envenom the failure.
One final remark. And this is really the crux of the situation; Is it fair that the University Theatre which invests heavily in its productions, works many hours to perfect its plays, offers to the people in Lawrence, Kan., theatre of which many more famous universities could be proud—is it fair that the inexperienced opinion, perhaps even prejudiced, of one student, should inhibit the box office potential and, even more importantly, the will to perform, of a large department of the University?
The egg-heads were driven out of Washington by the know-nothing, smart alce press. Don't let that canker take hold here. Should you not have, as well as your inexperienced student voices, a more mature voice, one which has achieved a set of values, to help criticize your future productions?
The uneducated have always been the first to throw stones. With education comes a little of the humility without which we cannot appreciate great art.
Jerome Kiltv
(Editor's Note: Space permitting, The Kansan is always happy to print letters from readers. The shorter the letter the better chance it has of being printed without editing. Since Mr. Kilty is a newcomer to the campus and perhaps unaware of Kansan policy in this respect, the editors thought it fair to run his complete letter.)
Adams Man Behind Ike
If there was a title of assistant president in our national government, it would go to Sherman Adams.
This quiet New Englander has had a tremendous effect on the Eisenhower administration's policies. Since lke's heart attack forced him to go on a reduced schedule, more and more of the work has fallen on the square shoulders of Mr. Adams.
Mr. Adams decides who shall speak to the President and therefore what business the President shall act on. Only the most important business goes to the President. The next most important, Mr. Adams handles.
In fulfilling this duty, he has made many enemies because he is in position to be attacked. Many of the complaints which would ordinarily be lodged against the president are not directed at like because of his extreme popularity. Mr. Adams, in his blunt, efficient way often offends people. But he has emerged from the heaps of important politicians, heads of cabinets and congressmen as the key to President Eisenhower's team.
As Ike said, "He is the only man
His job of assistant to the President, set up in 1947 by President Truman, was originally designed to be more or less secretarial. But Ike has come to depend upon Mr. Adams as his right hand man. Every congressman and cabinet man except Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, must clear his business with Mr. Adams before he can see the President.
who really understands what I'm trying to do."
Seems ironic after the Confidential purge for printing slime and smut, that you can walk to the nearest newstand, pick up a copy of a magazine that that has been a family magazine for years, and read headlines like these;
Mr. Adams has emerged as the man behind the President, the driving force for the Eisenhower administration.
Dick Brown
"Does Adultery Mar a Happy Home!"
"My Sex Life Was Damaged For Five Years."
Dailu Hansan
UNIVERSITY
University of Kansas student newspaper
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Member Inland Daily Press Association Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by National Advertising Service, 420 Madison Ave., New York. N. Y. service; United Press. Mall subscription rates: $3 a semester or $4.50 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan. every afternoon except Saturdays and Sundays. University holidays, and examination periods. Entered as second-class matter Sept. 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kan. post office under act of March 3, 1879.
NEWS DEPARTMENT
Bob Lyle ... Managing Editor
Marilyn Mermis, Jim Banman, Richard Brown, Ray Wingerson, Assistant Managing Editors; Bob Hartley, City Editor; Patricia Swanson, Lee Lord, Assistant City Editors; Leroy Zimmerman, Telegram Editor; Nancy Harmon, Assistant Team Editor; Edith Fitzgerald, Applegate, Sports Editors; Mary Beth Noyes, Society Editor; Martha Crosier, Assistant Society Editor.
TV Chemistry Labs OK'd
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Harry Carter  Business Manager
Kent Turner  Advertising Manager; Jere Glover, National Advertiser Manager
George Pester, Classified Advertising Manager; Martha Billingsley, Assistant Classified Advertising Manager; Ted Winkler, Circulation Manager; Steve Schmidt, Promotion Manager
AUSTIN, Tex.—(UP)—Both students and instructors have given the experimental use of televised chemistry laboratories a passing grade at the University of Texas. During the past year, students in selected laboratory sections of a general chemistry course viewed demonstrations through TV sets.
L. O. Morgan, who is in charge of the course.
Students in the TV sections progressed faster on experiments requiring manipulations of any sort, according to the report prepared by Drs. W. H. R. Shaw and Pete D. Gunter, faculty members who starred in the TV demonstrations, and Dr.
The students, by and large, preferred the television method of instruction to the regular classrooms.
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"The camera eye is very impersonal and the only way to judge how the lecture is going over with the students is from past teaching experience," Dr. Shaw observed. "And part of the advance preparation involves double-checking for materials required in the experiment, because it is very embarrassing to discover you have forgotten a beaker that you need."
When You're In Doubt, Try It Out—Kansan Classified Section.
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