The pill and how to get it
By BARBARA PHILLIPS and ERIC MORGENTHALER
Although birth control pills are hard to get in Lawrence, they are definitely obtainable in the area, even for unmarried college women under the age of 21.
One KU woman interviewed said, "I was 20 when I got the pills, and the doctor just handed them to me. He told me to come back when I was 21, and he would give me a prescription.
"HE SAID TO BE CAREFUL, because if my parents found out, we could both get into a lot of trouble. This was at the KU Medical Center," she said.
The doctor did not ask whether it was for pre-marital purposes or anything else, but he did stress the dangers of promiscuity, she said.
"He told me that one girl for whom he had prescribed pills had come in one day all black and blue. She got the pills because she was going with this one guy so steadily and hadn't even thought about him telling anyone else.
"HE TOLD A GUY HE WORKED with that his girl was taking pills, and so the other guy took her out. When she wouldn't go to bed with him, he beat her un," the coed related.
She found out about the doctor when she talked to him earlier in connection with another problem. "He told me then that he gave pills to unmarried girls," she said.
"He told me he did it quite often. He said, 'Everyone up here knows that I do it, but they just ignore the facts.'" the woman said.
ANOTHER WOMAN GOT HER FIRST pills in the same manner as the other KU coed, but she went back to the Med Center for a prescription at the age of 21.
"The nurse asked me if it was a pre-marital examination, and I said it was. When the doctor asked me about it, I said that it was, in a way, but that I wasn't going to be married until next summer," the woman said.
She told the doctor she had gotten pills earlier from another doctor at the Med Center, and when she said he would not give her a prescription, the second doctor laughed and said, "He's usually not so squeamish."
For the prescription, the second doctor gave
the coed a thorough examination including a pelvic exam, rectal exam, and a smear test for cancer. He gave her a prescription which was enough for a year's supply.
A THIRD COED GOT PILLS from a family doctor in Kansas City, and although she was given a thorough examination, was not asked whether it was a pre-marital examination or not.
None of these three were given any restrictions on the amount of time for which they should take the birth control pills, and only one suffered from any of the side effects.
"I gained some weight at first, and then I got my prescription changed. I haven't gained any more since then," she said.
Another of the coeds took the pills for only two weeks and the other has not noticed any side effects.
ALTHOUGH SOME KU WOMEN had heard of Lawrence doctors giving out pills to unmarried women, none knew of specific instances. One said, "I sounded a couple of doctors out, and the replies were not too encouraging."
Women who were taking the pill for medical reasons had no problems getting the pills locally, although in most cases they had to submit to a thorough examination. Many who have such problems get prescriptions from family doctors at home and then get them filled here. If a codd gets a prescription for the birth control pills at Watkins Hospital for medical reasons, they are issued for a short time only.
Other KU women who were engaged and about to be married said they had no problems getting the pills. "The doctor was very helpful and gave me other contraceptive information as well as information on the pill," one said.
ANOTHER SAID, "THEY didn't ask me for proof that I was going to be married soon. I sort of thought that they would."
Emily Taylor, dean of women, said she did not know how much the pill is used. Many girls take it for other things, such as menstrual irregularities. "I have always considered it a medical matter and it would be foolish to make any other kind of issue out of it," Dean Taylor added.
(Monday—the last of the series—the Pill on other curpuses.)
The people say...
To the editor:
A conversation between a library guard and a candy machine service man brought to my attention the fact that on Thursday, Nov. 17, a rat was seen, but not
caught, in the lounge area available to the Watson Library staff.
There are no beverage or candy machines in the library for the use of students,presumably to protect the books from rats and mice.
Since the library staff apparently is not adequately policing its candy machines, it would seem advisable that all such machines be removed from the library building.
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
**'WHY OFCOURSE I'D BE HAPPY TO ALLOW YOU TO TAKE'H final
YOU DIPNIT SHOW UP FOR—I'L BE GIVING IT AGAIN NEXT TERM!''**
Lawrence graduate student
Carolyn Nelson
Official Bulletin
Foreign Students: Sign up this week
on our tour to auto assembly
plant in Kansas City.
sign will have reserved bus seats.
at up to People-to-People office;
Union Bank.
Popular Film 7 & 9:30 p.m. "The
Lake of Adrian Messenger," Dyche
and Dylan
Direct Exchange & Dankatipendium
Scholarship admissions days in
226
University of Kentucky
Friday, Friday
Baha'i Fireside Discussion, 8 p.m.
1535 New Hampshire.
University Concert Course, 8-20
University Chamber Orchestra,
University Thate.
AWS High School Leadership Day.
Football. 1:30 p.m. Missouri at Columbia.
Popular Film, 7 & 9:30 p.m. "The Laws of Adrian Messenger." Dyche
Bee. (51) 842-672-8000.
International Club. 8 p.m. "African Night." All-African comic presents "The Literary Society." Kansas Union.
Duplicate Bridge, 2 p.m. Jayhawk Room, Kansas Union.
SUNDAY
University Symphony, 3:39 p.m.
University Theatre
Lutheran Students Association, 5:30 p.m. Alceve "C" Union, Miss Ada embassade of Germany will discuss experiences at an Escucolien Institute.
2
Daily Kansan editorial page Friday, November 18. 1968
RGeary
"Well, c'mon gang! I said 'Onward to Missouri.'"
In the name of progress
By NANCY PAINTER
Prairie Acre is dwindling, but does anyone care?
A gift from the Class of 1932 is being mutilated, but are prectes being raised? No!
When the master plan for new construction on the KU campus was announced in early 1962, nothing much was said. However, in late March, 1965, when the details for the new Fraser Hall were released, protests, like blood pressures, rose.
IMMEDIATELY, old Fraser Hall was termed the victim of progress and considerable architectural controversy arose. More than 3,000 students signed a petition for a rejection of plans for new Fraser Hall. Why? Because the announced plans tended to "further the trend of de-beautification already manifested in such buildings as new Blake Hall."
The All Student Council, through a resolution, requested the Board of Regent officers to reconsider the current plans and revise them to better fit KU's image.
But, Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe replied with, "The plans for new Fraser Ha'll provide a remarkable combination of the traditional and the functional."
THE CLASS OF 1832 dedicated Prairie Acre "to preserve Nature's sweet fashion of making her garden."
A prevailing myth is that the spot, located south of Blake Annexes, is to this day a virgin plot of land; never been cultivated by man.
However, the prairie grass is the only thing still natural about the acre. The field was intruded upon when utility lines were laid beneath its surface decades ago.
And, within the last year, progress tampered with the field again. In order to make a more pleasing and safer walk from Sunnyside Drive to Blake Hall or Watkins Hospital, the old stone wall encircling Prairie Acre was pushed inward six feet.
WHAT IF tomorrow's progress wanted to demolish Memorial Stadium for a newer, more modern one? Would students rise in anger or concern?
Would protests arise if the Campanile was demolished because it too was in the way of progress; perhaps a safer, more pleasant walk from Parking Zone X to Strong Hall?
Progress is man's modern invention. Is it a beautiful thing that holds no limitations?
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
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The Daily Kansan, student in newspaper at The University of Kansas, is representative of National Advertising Service, 18 East 50 St., New York, N.Y. 16223 Mail subscribed to the newspaper. A postage paid at Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays. University holidays and examination periods. Notations, goods, services and employment advertised in the University Daily Kansan are offered to all students without regard to color, creed or national origin.
The opinions expressed in the editorial column are those of the students whose names are signed to them. Guest editorial views are not necessarily the editor's. Any opinions expressed in the Daily Kansan are not necessarily those of The Universal $j$ of Kansas Administration or the State Board of Regents.
NEWS AND RUSINESS STAFF
Assistant Managing Editors Judy Faust, Joan McCabe,
Barbara Phillins, Steve Russell