Friday, July 8, 1966 Summer Session Kansan
Page 7
That turtle may beam Beatles
Bu Vicki Asbury
Bruce Curfman, undergraduate NSF research worker, has been transforming ordinary turtles into walking radio stations.
Warking under the guidance of Henry S. Fitch, professor of zoology, and Hampton Shirer, professor of comparative biochemistry and physiology, Curfman is attempting to explore the relatively new field of biotelemetry also known as ecotelemetry.
The central idea of the project is to plant a transmitting device on the animal that sends out signals which are picked up within a range of one-fourth mile on a master control.
"EACH ANIMAL'S transmitter sends out a different wave frequency which is recorded every 15 minutes pinpointing the animal's location at the time.
"So without keeping the animal under captivity, we can determine his amount of movement from place to place, the places he normally visits and, by knowing the weather conditions of his locality, we can determine the effect of the climatic conditions on his amount of activity," explained Curfman.
"RUBBER CEMENT is used as the gluing agent in this case because of the turtle's aquatic environment." Curfman stated.
The transformation is made by gluing a tiny oscillating current transmitter to the turtle's shell along with a long piece of wire which acts as an antenna.
Other animals besides the turtle are or have been under biotelemetric observation. Two of these are the opossum and the snake. Asked about attaching the transmitter to these animals, Curfman said:
"When working with opossums we attach the transmitter to a harness or collar, which is then fastened to the animal. With snakes we usually force the transmitter down their throats and then feed them a morsel of food to help keep it down. Sometimes the transmitters remain in their bodies for weeks before being ejected.
News Bureau a key KU spot
Tucked away in the corner of Strong basement, the KU News Bureau goes on about its daily duties of gathering news and information on the events and people of the University.
Through almost half of the University's history, a news bureau of some type has been performing this function. Today's bureau boasts a larger staff and more specified responsibilities than in the past.
But, with all improvements, Tom Yoe, director of the News Bureau, keeps looking toward the future.
During his 20 years with the bureau, Yoe has noticed changes in the newspapers' desires and standards. He finds the newspapers more critical and aware of good news judgment. The news bureau must constantly adjust its sights toward these changes he says.
Press conferences also are set up at times through the News Bureau. Although it does not try to cover every campus event, the bureau will try to help reporters
"We try to clear the way for them," Yoe said. He cited the coverage of "Carry Nation," Douglas Moore's opera which premiered at KU in April. We tried to arrange things so there would be a minimum of interruption and so the writers would not fall into blind alleys," he explained.
THE NEWS BUREAU'S main job is putting packages of information on the faculty, staff and students into the hands of media likely to use them. The primary recipients are the newspapers, but some work is done with radio and television stations.
SOME OTHER university news bureaus put out a daily paper. But, KU's bureau does not see the need for this with a daily campus newspaper and coverage in the local daily paper.
Someone from the bureau staff attends almost all University events. During the Inter-Century Seminar for example, a staff member attended each scheduled event. Those which were particularly well covered were not written up by the news bureau. In other cases, the bureau made notes on the event available to reporters.
Advance texts of speeches sometimes are made available
through the bureau office. "A great many of the speeches around here are too specialized," Yoe said. In such cases, the bureau covers and reports the event, because few reporters are likely to attend.
LARGER KANSAS newspapers which cover the entire state receive all material produced by the bureau. Smaller papers receive the news pertaining to their community. The bureau relies on the wire services to inform the smaller papers of events of more general interest.
In the early part of the century, when the University wanted something in the newspapers, it would call the department of journalism for help.
W. A. Dill, former writer for the AP, came in 1920 to form the first official news bureau. "He had a yen for journalism teaching and was employed by the University as a member of the journalism faculty." Yoe said.
IN ADDITION to his responsibilities as a news bureau chief, he taught a full load in the journalism school. His only help was a student who helped write sports publicity.
When Deane Malott became chancellor in 1940, the first fulltime director was hired. K. W. Davidson began to form a bureau which is comparable to the bureau of today.
R. Edwin Browne, now director of the University radio station, handled the job from 1945 until 1946, when Yoe became director.
"At the time I arrived and for several years afterward, the News Bureau consisted of myself and one full-time office worker, plus some student help." Yoe said.
AFTER WORLD WAR II sports publicity became a department of its own, under the direction of the late Don Pierce. But the News Bureau continued to handle technical jobs such as duplicating and mailing until last year.
At the time, the bureau had responsibility for a number of student recruitment publications and campus guides. "A lot of things were not done very well." Yoe explained.
"There are a lot more publications now than before; they are much better than they used to be." Yoe said. In those days there was no attempt at overall planning and coordination of University events as there is now, he explained.
TODAY A FULL-TIME University Relations staff takes care of many of these jobs. The News Bureau is now one branch of University relations.
The News Bureau seems to grow a little bit at a time. One of the first steps was the hiring of a half-time graduate assistant.
During the Korean War, this was not a satisfactory arrangement. Half-time employees could only take 10 credit hours, but 12 hours were required to avoid the draft.
About the time that Yoe became faculty adviser to the Jayhawker, a full-time assistant, an information writer and an office manager were hired.
STAFF ORGANIZATION remains the same today. Students also are hired on a part-time basis.
Some trade publications also receive News Bureau releases. "The Kansas Teacher," for example, receives all News Bureau material.
The staff also prepares the weekly brochure entitled "This Week at KU" which lists all events and exhibits of the week.
Although the bureau staff does not take pictures, they have the use of a photographer from the Photo Bureau, also a branch of University Relations.
MANY PEOPLE call every year to get information on a wide variety of subjects. Recently a man in South America wrote for all information on the Inter-Century Seminar.
Mothers often write for information for their children for social science projects and term papers.
Until recently, classes of grade
Salute given to Headstart
WASHINGTON —(UPI)—Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson yesterday saluted the year-old Headstart program for its success in "already producing higher IQ's and medical corrections" in thousands of impoverished pre-schoolers.
Mrs. Johnson received a first year report on the program she founded from Sargent Shriver, director of the Office of Economic Opportunity which administers it.
Shriver told the First Lady that last summer's six-week cultural and educational experience made participating children "better prepared with greater self-confidence and greater intellectual capacity" than other children entering kindergarten in the fall without the benefit of Headstart.
"Educational news to gain space has to find a higher standard," he explained "Instead of shooting shot guns, we have to aim with rifles and improve our marksmanship."
"Today great issues make more often than great names," Yoe said.
"There is no question that the public enthusiasm for Headstart continues to grow," Shriver said. "We are overwhelmed by organizations and individuals wanting to know what they can do to help."
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school children in Philadelphia wrote every year for pictures of the school emblem, the Jayhawk.
This summer's program, which begins now, will enroll 580,000 children in 2,600 communities—an increase of 20,000 children and 100 communities over last year,
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