SPORTS: This year's college football bowl matchups, finalized yesterday, have some teams upset, Page 7.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
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VOL. 102, NO. 73
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
MONDAY DECEMBER 7.1992
(USPS 650-640)
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NEWS: 864-4810
KU student is Rhodes Scholar
Lawrence woman ends University's 10-year drought
By Delin Cormeny Kansan staff writer
Pam McBleew's parents have more than one reason to be happy about their daughter winning the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship.
"They don't have to pay for graduate school," the Lawrence senior said, while laughing.
McElwey found out this weekend that she became the first KU woman and the first KU student in 10 years to win a Rhodes Scholarship, which will
"I'm not the best student to pass through in the past 10 years," she said. "It was just the right time."
But McElwee considered luck to be an element.
"It's just incredible," she said. "I'm incredibly excited."
pay for a two-year stint at Oxford University in England.
She is one of 32 recipients chosen from among 100 national semi-finalists, which were chosen from among countless regional and state finalists.
"You've got to have a very clear sense of what you want to study," she said, "My interest is in developing countries and biology."
The 21-year-old said she will graduate from KU in December with a bachelor's degree in political science and
She said her goal was to work for a United Nations agency or an international development agency, possibly in Kenya, as an environmentalist.
McEllen has finished her course work forher degrees and is aresearch assistant to Vice President-elect Al Gore's environmental policy adviser in Washington.
environmental studies. At Oxford, she plans to complete a one-year master's degree program in forestry.
She said that although she was pleased about winning the scholarship, she was also a bit nervous about
"I need to find something to do for another year," she said, because the scholarship will pay for two years of study. "I may study geography or biology. I'll just have to wait and see."
living up to the title of Rhodes Scholar.
"Obviously, I always put pressure on myself to do well," she said. "And now I have to prove that I deserve this scholarship, so it's going to be hard."
Margery McElwee teaches chemistry, math and physics at Eudora High School, and Carl McElwee is a professor of geophysics at KU.
McElwee's mother, Margery McElwee, said Pam was simply continuing a family tradition by studying science. Both parents are scientists.
"I'm overwhelmed she won," Margery McElwee said. "I'm still in a state of shock."
The Rhodes Scholarships are awarded annually in honor of Cecil Rhodes, a South African statesman.
Holidays are not always relaxing
By Vicki Bode
Special to the Kansan
Christmas day conures up thoughts of decorations, candy and time to be spent with family and friends. But for some Lawrence residents it is just another day on the job.
Though many Lawrence residents will be unwrapping presents at home on Christmas day, those who spend time at work instead of with their families often are forgotten. Many of those people serve the public, such as police officers, firefighters, hospital workers and even toll collectors.
One toll collector remembered being pleasantly surprised by the Christmas spirit of a commuter.
"One Christmas day a couple came through and handed me a box," said Howard McKenzie, a toll collector for the Kansas Turnpike. "Inside it were four Jawhay muss."
working with women, the said.
For many people, working on Christmas is more difficult on families than on themselves. Knowing this, the Lawrence fire department attempts to make the separation a little easier to bear.
"That friendly gesture sure made the day a little nicer for me," he said. "I think people are more friendly when they drive through on Christmas day."
McKenzie, 63, has worked as a toll collector since 1976 and has had to work more than half of those Christmas days, he said. It has meant being away from his wife and three children on Christmas day.
"I'd prefer not to work, but there isn't anything I can do about it," said Jim King, a Lawrence firefighter.
He said that firefighters who work on Christmas are allowed to spend two hours with their families if they live within 20 minutes of the station.
"My wife isn't very happy about it, but she is a very understanding woman." he said.
"We carry a radio with us, so we are on call," King said.
"It's like living a long distance away from your family," he said. "It is disappointing not to be with your family on Christmas, but
King has learned to accept working on holidays as part of his job protecting the city.
sometimes it just can't be helped."
The department uses a rotating system each year so that employees always will not get stuck working Christmas.
Firefighters who have to work on Christmas day cook a meal together, and their families are allowed to stop by the station. Lawrence police also try to accommodate
lawrence poince also try to accommodate their Christmas workers.
"The police department is really flexible about Christmas," said Michael Brown, Lawrence police officer. "The department will try to put you on patrol in your family's district so you can stop and see them on your breaks."
"I don't know why," he said. "I guess because when big families get together problems can easily arise," he said. "That makes you kind of depressed to see that on Christmas when everyone is supposed to be in a good mood."
He said that Christmas may be busier for those working because there were fewer officers on duty. Fifteen police officers work on an average day, but on Christmas there are usually only 10. However, the officers said they still approached their duties as if it was any other working day.
"We would like to be a little more lax, but we just can't," Brown said. "We have no choice but to arrest people, although we would just as soon not have to do that on Christmas. But in the case of a DUI, you have to."
He said there tended to be more reports of domestic problems on the holidays.
"A lot more elderly people die at Christmas," she said. "Sometimes families drop them off at the hospital during the holidays, and they get very depressed."
At Lawrence Memorial Hospital, employees see the downside of Christmas day.
Marienne Midtleton, emergency room secretary, said that it could be depressing work.
But she said working with good people who were in the same situation made it easier and less depressing to work on Christmas. "I think it makes a big difference working in a hospital," she said. "You know you're doing something important here."
This Year Send Yourself A Present
PIZZA SHUTTLE HOT ON THE SPOT! "NO COUPON SPECIALS"
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Happy Holidays And Good Luck On Finals!
while playing Santa
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Daron J. Bennett / KANSAN
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