'What did you do in the war, Daddy?' The older generation recalls events of Pearl Harbor Day and remembers a quarter-century back to 'their war'
By DAN AUSTIN
For most of us,it was "daddy's" war.
And 25 years ago today, it's a safe bet that "daddy and mommy" were probably playing a game of bridge or finishing that Sunday dinner when they first heard news that daddy's war—World War II—had begun with a bang in a place called Pearl Harbor.
When news that Japanese carrier-based planes had brought violent death to the 2,300 Americans at Pearl flashed across this country, people—especially draft-age males—reacted quickly.
AND 25 YEARS later, many of the daddies remember that "day of infamy" vividly.
Another newsman, Stuart Awbrey, now editor of the Hutchinson News, has Dec. 7, 1941 well etched in his memory.
SIX MONTHS LATER, the young reporter was wearing a Coast Guard uniform aboard the U.S.S. Wakefield.
"I was sitting down to a fried chicken dinner in my home in Fort Worth, Texas, when I heard the news on the radio," recalls Warren K. Agee, now dean of the school of journalism.
Agee, then a reporter for the Fort Worth StarTelegram, rushed out to interview a Navy friend who had just returned home on leave from Pearl Harbor.
"I was lying down listening to the New York Philharmonic playing Tschaikowsky," he remembers, "and when I heard the news, I went directly to the
"I particularly remember that Sunday because I've written two or three columns about it since," Awbrey adds.
(Hutchinson News-Herald) office and helped put out an extra.
THE KANSAS EDITOR spent his war years as an Army infantry lieutenant in Europe.
For 2nd Lieutenant William Brinkerhoff—now Colonel of KU Army ROTC—the events of Dec. 7 were, at first, a field exercise.
"I was squirming in mud up to my ears in a defense exercise in California," says Col. Brinkerhoff of that Sunday.
When the radio announced the bombing of Pearl, the Colonel and his friends all thought it was a field exercise—"to make it more believable."
BACK AT KU, the 20-year-old president of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, James Surface, heard of Pearl from a cab driver.
"There was shock, and a curious and misplaced overconfidence," remembers the KU Provost, "we thought we could blow them out of the water in two weeks."
To American women, who had to do their fighting on the home front, Pearl Harbor meant tearful goodbyes to husbands and brothers.
"I was spending a quiet Sunday at home when it happened," says Mrs. Edna Stewart, Kappa Sigma fraternity housemother. "It was so horrible that it was unbelievable."
MRS. STEWART remembers the war days in terms of women meeting to make clothing for GI's overseas.
For one man, whose business is of things other than war, the Pearl attack caused disbelief.
"I thought that the Japanese must have gone crazy to do anything like that," says the Rev. Brendon Downey, pastor of the Catholic student parish, who was a theological student that day.
"I guess I thought we could go over and crush them in a few weeks," says Fr. Downey, "I was old enough to know better but I didn't."
FR. DOWNEY SPENT the rest of the war in theology school.
Although for some, the days between Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima were just an interlude in well-planned lives, for others, the events preceding Dec. 7 meant drastic change.
"I was a waiter in New York when I heard it on the radio," recalls Harry Shaffer, professor of economics.
"I joined the army and worked with intelligence," he adds. "I got out before the war was over and went to school under the G.I.Bill."
SO DADDY'S WAR has been over and daddy won't forget it.
Others, who weren't there. will.
"I was talking to a student the other day about the war," remembered Provost Surface, "and he smiled and looked at me and asked, 'Which war?'
"I guess it was the war of our generation."
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
77th Year, No. 53
Serving KU for 77 of its 101 Years
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
'Army of thieves'
Wednesday. December 7, 1966
Shoplifting on the rise
By JACKI CAMPBELL
There is "an army of college students who are petty thieves." The National Observer recently divulged.
The shoplifting trade-considering offenses both in and out of a collegiate communityhas increased 83 per cent in the last five years.
"We appreciate, want and need the college trade, but . . . ," Gene Vancil, manager of the Tempo department store, was speaking about the tremendous amount of shoplifting Tempo has been experiencing.
Formerly, accused shoplifters from KU were referred to the deans' offices for disciplinary action. They were usually placed on probation or fined, sometimes both and a letter was sent to their parents.
"We're GETTING just a little nasty in our treatment of shop-lifters now." Vancil said.
Their punishment is determined solely by the courts. The unive.sity has nothing to do with it. The fact remains, however, that the conviction does go "on the student's permanent record and nothing can get it off." Vancil said.
Now, however, the call goes directly to the police station and the accused is transformed into a defendant via city court action.
"THEY WILL NOT take action at the university now," he added, "and that is why we are following this procedure.
"We're doing them a favor, really."
Most of Tempo's offenders are teenagers or housewives.
NIP AND TUCK Shoplifting could be this easy and so could detection.
"People will take almost anything. One person even tried to steal a small TV set once. Lots of people go to a dressing room to try on clothes. Then they remove the price tags and try to get past the chequer unnoticed. They rarely do, by the way."
"We train our clerks to watch out for them. They are instructed as to what to look for.
"Whenever we catch them it's always 'their first time.' In all the years I've been here," Vancil said, "I've never caught a repeater. We're really good at catching first timers, I guess."
HE HAS CAUGHT 25 to 30 shoplifters from KU since school began this year. The total yearly losses attributed to shoplifting at Tempo averages in the thousands of dollars, he added.
While the townpeople may have changed their approach to the problem, the Kansas Union still follows the old procedure. The shoplifters they catch are disciplined through the university.
Last year the bookstore lost something practically every day. Accounting for the major store expense above the payroll, most of their shoplifters were acting on impulse, James H. Stoner, bookstore manager, judged.
While most of the bookstore shoplifters are men, those at Tempo are usually women.
Shoplifting is on the increase— but so are the methods of detection and the stiffening of punishment.
BEAMING BEST-DRESSED
Joyce Tinkler, Gypsum sophomore, beamed with happiness last night after being named KU's best dressed co-ed. She is a member of the Alpha Phi social sorority.
Alpha Phi wins best dressed girl
Joyce Tinkler, Gypsum sophomore representing Alpha Phi, is KU's best dressed girl.
The 5' 7 blue-eyed blonde was chosen last night from among ten finalists in an open fashion show in the Kansas Union Ballroom. She will represent KU in "Glamour" Magazine's Ten Best Dressed College Girls Contest in March.
Finalists modeled sport, school
THE FASHION show "College Collage" was sponsored by the Associated Women Students (AWS) Fashion Board and featured music by "Carol Williams and the Players."
and party outfits during the hour-long presentation.
Miss Tinkler wore red wool hiphugger slacks with a matching mod print blouse, a camel and grey wool-knit tunic dress and a black satin cage cocktail gown.
Wardrobe planning, modeling ability, personal appearance, appropriateness of clothes, personality and photogeny were criteria in the judges' selection.
Miss Tinkler, a secondary education major who hopes to teach English and speech, described her philosophy of dress.
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