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Home-Made Violas Second In String Beauty' Contest
"The word 'competition' sounds so harsh and knife-like; actually it was more of a 'beauty' contest—the beauty of tone and workmanship," Prof. Blaas said.
"But that's more creative than putting a dime in the juke box now days, isn't it?" asked Karel Blaas, University of Kansas associate professor of string instruments.
THIS WAS THE first time that Prof. Blaas has entered the annual Competition, held this year on the Arizona State University campus at Tempe. The man who won first in the viola category is a full-time violin and viola hobbyist from Cleveland.
"My wife said I took much better
In the beginning they carved their own fiddles for square dance music.
Karel Blaas
Prof. Blaas was talking about the Violin and Guitar Makers Association of Arizona. Earlier this month he placed second at the Arizona convention with his two violas judged on tone, workmanship and varnish
Psych Department Plans '64-'65 Colloquium Series
A series of 13 lectures and discussions led by distinguished authorities has been scheduled by the KU department of psychology for its 1964-65 Colloquium Series.
The public programs will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Strong Hall auditorium. An informal reception will precede each colloquium at 3:30 p.m. The schedule:
Nov. 9, Richard Held, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, authority on perception in man and animals; Dec. 9, Murray Sidman, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, specialis on learning, motivation and contro of aversive behavior; Dec. 16, Charles N. Cofer, Pennsylvania State University, authority on verbal behavior, editor-elect of Psychological Review; Jan. 13, John Flavell, University of Rochester, developmenta psychology; Feb. 25 (tentative) Thomas S. Szasz, Upstate Medica Center, State University of New York, Syracuse, authority on lav and psychiatry; Mar. 3, Edwin S Shneidman, Suicide Prevention Center, Los Angeles; Mar. 5, Sidney Bijou, University of Washington child psychologist and editor of the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.
Other lecturers for whom dates are to be announced are: Julian
Hochberg, Cornell University, authority on perception, attention and motivation; Albert Bandura, Stanford University, clinical and social psychologist; Roger Barker, University of Kansas, child psychologist and winner of 1963 American Psychology Association distinguished scientific contribution award; Beatrice Wright, University of Kansas, expert on psychological aspects of physical disability; Howard Rosenfeld, University of Kansas, social psychologist; and Frances Degen Horowitz, University of Kansas, developmental psychologist and chairman, department of family life.
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1964 University Daily Kansan
Mrs. Harry G. Wiles, wife of the Democratic candidate for governor, and daughters, Jane and Mary Lou, will be guests at a coffee at 7:30 tomorrow in the Kansas Room of the Kansas Union.
Demo Candidate's Wife To Be Guest at Coffee
Mrs. Mytta Budke, Democratic vice chairman, and the officers of the Democratic Women's Club will be the hostesses. Persons interested are welcome to attend the tea, and meet Mrs. Wiles and her daughters.
Miss Jane Wiles is a graduate student and is a counselor at Carruth-Olearly hall.
care of my violas than I did of her on the trip there," he said. "She was actually lucky, most of the men brought their instruments in place of their wives. You might say I took my wife in addition to my violas."
Mrs. Blaas, however, is an integral part of her husband's hobby. She does most of the varnishing of his violins and violas, which is one of the vital variables in the finish, and tone of the instrument.
"IVE DECIDED TO take a more scientific approach to the art, without destroying any of the more creative and romantic aspects. I've discovered I have colleagues on the Hill who are interested in helping me."
Prof. Blaas was speaking of such persons as Fowler Shops instructor Grant Snyder, who is sharpening the necessary tools, and Dr. Edward E. Smissman and Dr. Jacob Kleinberg, professors of pharmacy and chemistry, who are obtaining varnish compounds for Prof. Blaas' experimentation. He has also had lengthy correspondence with Mrs. Carleen Hutchins, a former physics teacher at Mount Clair, N.J., who has gained national recognition with her scientific efforts to measure and control gradation of thickness in string instruments.
"THE SCROLL AT the uppermost end of the neck is the maker's trademark and the decorative element. The tone is actually the artistic and musical factor.
"The old masters carved for beauty of wood, not of balance." Prof. Blaas said, pointing out the unbalanced curve of a 17th century Italian viola which was left to the University Endowment Association by a benefactor quite a few years ago.
"Right now there is no answer to how much wood to take out of the block," Prof. Blaas explained. "It all depends on the original texture of the wood, and for that you must develop a feel.
"This is new, but one of the prize winners at the October competition has a 'fossil' violin. It sounded pretty good until you found out how the wood became 'fossil'. Curly maple from Germany is submerged in a tank of liquid and ground veal bones with meat still on them. After three months the bacterial reaction has set it, and the wood is 'fossiled.'"
In comparison with the old, an advertisement in the Arizona Association of Violin and Guitar Makers magazine offers fossil wood from Gunnils. Sweden.
PROF, BLAAS HAS made about a dozen violins and violas, averaging three every two years. He has made more violas since there are fewer of them around.
The Classical Film Series presents
Vivre Sa Vie (1962 France)
An excellent character study by Jean-Luc Godard, one of France's most controversial and brilliant directors.
Wednesday—7:00 p.m.
Admission 60c
FRASER THEATER
The Alley Room Is Being Modernized
Plan your informal parties now in the Alley Room of the
ELDRIDGE HOTEL
(P.S. Progress is here,but we aren't closed!)
VI 3-0281
701 Mass.
When You're In Doubt, Try It Out—Kansan Classifieds
DOWNTOWN 835 MASS.
Light looks! Bright looks! It's Wardrobe Magic in separates for daytime, playtime, datetime.
Arnel $ crepe blouse, $8
Two-piece wool jumper, $18