Wednesday, Aug. 22, 1990
Leisure
Section C
50 years ago
KU alumni remember past ways
Bv Karen Park
Kansan staff writer
Fifty years ago, then-KU student Frank Bangs would go out for a huge Sunday dinner for 45 cents and hang out at the Jayhawk Cafe, 1340 Ohio St., during his free time.
Bangs, who lives in Wichita, has many memories about life in Lawrence in 1940. Like students today, he and his contemporaries, found murky ways to spend leisure time.
A meal at the Blue Mill restaurant, near 23rd and Louisiana streets, and a mid-week dance at the Kansas Union are just a couple of the memories he has from 1940.
"We just had an awful lot of fun," Bangs said.
Robert Gilland, a KU student in 1949 who lives in Hutchinson, also has fond memories of the University. Gilland said students at the university would like like the Dine-a-mite, Wedemans and Bricks.
"There were beer joints all over." Gilliland said.
Bangs said that Kansas was a dry state at the time and that the only beer available was
Mildred Clodferlet, a KU student in 1940 who lives in Lawrence, said she remembered going to the Teeebee, a building in rural Lawrence where students danced, ate and drank beer, and the Southern Pit barbecue restaurant, 19th and Massachusetts streets.
The Union Fountain, where fountain drinks were served, was a popular hangout, said Russell Mosser, also of Lawrence. The fountain was at the Kansas Union.
"That was an old law school tradition." Mosser said.
Bangs recalled other bits of nostalgia.
He said that male students in the law school would sit on the steps at old Green Hall, which now is Lippincott Hall, and whistle at the female students walking by.
"Strong Hall was a great gathering place because we had most of our classes there," he said. Putter Lake and the old Fraser Hall were also popular meeting places. The theatre, also were popular meeting places.
See OLD TIMES, p. 10
Photographs courtesy of University Archives
Aerial buffs have high-tech fun in KU Flving Club
By Debra Simon
Special to the Kansan
Flying at speeds of up to 184 mph in a plane built with their own hands is a goal the newly formed KU Flying club hones to use in September.
The plane the club is building is a Rutan Long-EZ, said John Roper, the club's president. It is made by shaping aluminum into a fibre glass and will seat two people.
One such plane is the Cessna 150, which Roper, who also is a flight instructor, uses when teaching students.
The Long-EZ travels faster than planes of comparable sizes with more burgessen. Roper said.
The club was formed in February and has about 30 members, he said. Some know how to fly; some are learning; and some are just interested in aviation. Members need not be aware of the background or a pilot's license.
Although the Cessna 150 has more horsepower than the Long-EzR, Zoper said, the Cessna reaches speeds of 45 mph, about half that of the Long-EzR.
"We will accept anybody," Roper said.
The group also plans field trips to nearby Air Force bases. During one
To be able to keep the plane straight and level and lock on targets while simulating flying, he said, a person needs to have previous flight training using certain types of home computer flight programs also is helpful.
such visit they will simulate flying an F-16 fighter.
When a person gets into the F-16 simulator and closes the canopy, all is dark except for the lighted instrument screen. Roper said.
The simulator is fun but difficult to use,be said.
The club hopes to refurbish an old Cessna 150 flight simulator of its own.
he said. Since this is a model of the plane Roper uses to teach people to fly, using it would be like having a flight lesson.
To encourage students to learn to fly, the School of Engineering offers an hour of credit to students who receive their pilot's licenses, said Ms. Sergi, who has been a space engineering. However, lessons are not given by the University.
The cost of getting a private pilot's license is about $1,600. Roper said. This covers the required 40 hours of training and experience with materials like books and manne-
Roper has about 10 students. Most
Financial aid is not available from the University for flight lessons, but some private groups can help with expenses. Rooper said.
students take about six months to fulfill the requirements for attaining a private pilot's license, he said. The plane can be spread out during that time.
Roper is the campus representative for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which offers loans of up to $2,500. Unlike student loans, the program begins immediately with payment at least 3 percent of the balance.
A private pilot's license requires
that a person spend 40 hours flying. It also restricts the pilot from flying for hire. Roper said.
A medical examination is required before a person receives a pilot's license. Pilots are allowed to wear aviation vision must be correctible to 20/20.
"Flying is a way to take you away. It's a different world up there," Roper said.
Another goal of the club is to reduce the cost of renting a plane for such things as weekend trips. The hourly cost of renting a two-seat plane is at least $30. A plane with four seats costs at least $50, Roper said.