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Summer Session Kansan Friday, July 8, 1960
Western writers stressed
Jay Milner, Texas writer and teacher, focused on the westward movement of writers in an after-dinner speech which highlighted four days of activities at the 16th KU Writers' Conference.
Held in the Kansas Room of the Kansas Union, it was the 12th such dinner. Achievements announced during the dinner of some conferees in the last year were:
"FIVE ARTISTS OF THE OLD West," a juvenile book by Mrs. Clide Hollman, Kansas City, Mo., has been added to the Kansas State Reading Circle List.
A juvenile book completed by Dorothy Frances, Marshalltown, Iowa, will be published in August.
"The Night the Coyotes Sang," a book by Mrs. Marie Mitchell, Kansas City, Mo., published in April, is selling well in trade and school editions.
Fourth place prize in the annual Writers' Digest short-short story contest has just been announced for Eugene Bales, Route 1, Lawrence.
CHAPTERS OF A PSYCHOLOGICAL mystery nearing completion were submitted for conferee criticism by Alica Winter, author of a juvenile best seller in this area. "Velvet Bubble."
Milner, free-lance writer and author of two novels, predicted that "one hinterland of the United States—the Southwest—is about to show a literary renaissance which this country has not seen since the deep South was held to be a center of literature."
While the Southwest is not exhibiting a new school of writing or confining itself to one form of writing or displaying a sophistication. Milner declared, it is offering a new tone in writing.
"THE SOPHISTICATED writer can write good, even great books, but he will never write the great American novel. Too much sophistication causes the writer to lose that edge of what he's doing," he said.
Though writing involves long periods of isolation. Milner cautioned that the "writer's isolation must be maintained as he lives among his contemporaries."
Milher explained that this isolation factor has had a lot to do with the westward trend in writing.
"The writer is finding that he cannot write from the heart alone
and that he must go where the action is—be among the folks.
"THE ACTION NOW is moving West—where folks are still so square they haven't lost hope and enthusiasm." Milner said.
Following Milher's speech Thursday night, the conferees and guests were entertained at a gathering in the home of Dean and Mrs. Warren K. Agee.
In conference activities Thursday, workshop panels were held in the following writing fields: non-fiction, juvenile, mysteries and magazine articles.
Helen P. Hostetter, author of articles and textbooks and formerly a journalism teacher at Kansas State University, spoke Friday in the final session of the fourday conference.
USING "WRITING ON HOME Problems," as her topic, Mrs. Hostetter explained some techniques of feature writing.
Features have a tremendous market, she declared, adding that if they are well written and meet a need the editor will probably buy it.
"Ideas for such writing are right around us." Mrs. Hostetter
said, adding that material is found in small as well as large communities.
Basic to effective feature writing, the speaker continued, are original reading for background, market study, planned interviewing, and specific aim at intended readers.
Leaders included: Jay Miner, novelist of Ft. Worth; Holly Wilson, juvenile writer of Big Rapids, Mich.; Helen Rowe Henze, poet from Kansas City, Mo.; Herbert Breen, writer of mystery novels and editor from New York; Helen Hostetter, professor emeritus of home economics journalism at Kansas State University; and Lucille Kohler, non-fiction writer of Lawrence, Kans.
ALL OF THE FICTION TECHI-
niques—good dialogue, anecdotes,
characterization and others—can
be carried over directly into feature
writing. Mrs. Hostetter told
assembled writers.
Sixty persons attended the four-day writers' conference, 40 of them enrolled for the entire period and coming from Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Texas and Florida.
Topeka civil defense boss blasts critics on tornado
LINCOLN, Neb.—(UPI)—The director of the Topeka civil defense system said here that critics of his operation during the recent devastating tornado did not state all the facts.
"I don't mind investigation of the operations but I do mind castigation without investigation." Jones told the Lincoln-Lancaster County Civil Defense awards banquet here.
THE TOPKEA tornado caused an estimated $100 million worth of damage, destroyed 571 homes, left over 2,000 residents homeless and killed 16 persons. Jones said.
However, he added, the city's civil defense alert system averted an even greater tragedy. He said early warning sirens permitted about 70 percent of the city to brace for the tornado.
"You should have 100 percent coverage but it didn't work out that way." Jones said.
"IF I HAD it to live through again, I would plan to include
more training in our programs.
All the dollars spent on training,
sirens, and other equipment paid off in human lives.
"But for those who continue to criticize the civil defense set up in Topeka, I quote a national civil defense official, who, hearing of the squabble, said: 'Quit complaining and get to work. What if it had been the bomb?' "
Scripps-Howard group gives KU girl award
CINCINNATI—(UPD)—Trustees of the Scripps-Howard Foundation have announced a series of awards and grants to newspapers, television stations, schools of journalism, and journalism students.
By Connie Myers
A question of current importance: "How does summer school compare to the regular school year." The answers of 10 summer school students run the gamut.
Shelley Kathleen Bray of Battlesville, Okla., a student at KU, was one of eighteen students receiving general foundation scholarship grants.
David Young, Denver senior:
"I like summer school better than the regular school year. There is a high percentage of serious students in the summer. They are mostly grad students and upper classmen trying desperately to graduate. That makes for a better study atmosphere, I guess. I like the co-ed dorms, too. It's nice to see girls around sometimes. I mean you get less depressed and give the books an extra effort."
DARYL WILLEY, Wichita senior: "I think I like the regular school year better. There aren't enough people up here now. It makes everything seem kind of desolate. I know there's enough to occupy my time, but I just can't seem to find it."
Alvin Dewey, Garden City sophomore: "I like the relaxed feeling on campus and in the classroom. The pressure isn't so great, but the incentive is still there."
Summer—school year: that is the question
Don Hunter, Abilene senior:
"Strangely enough, I don't find summer school as easy as most people have told it it would be. Everything is so concentrated, and the relaxed atmosphere certainly isn't conducive to study. I have as many outside activities as I do during the year. Everything moves so fast. I'll be glad when fall comes."
Keith Kinyon, Greensburg senior; "I like summer school, but I would rather not have all the high school kids on campus. They detract from the college atmosphere that you find during the regular school year."
NANCY MANION, Salina junior: "I like summer school. I have much more time to study, and I don't believe that the courses are so hard. Classes are smaller, and I feel more obligated to attend. It's easier to know the teachers, and I think that's a real benefit."
Carolyn Payne, Salina sophmore: "I'm in art. The summer art classes are much longer than during the fall. I go almost all day, everyday. But the quiet feeling during summer school is great for art. Despite the long hours, I think I like summer school better than the regular year."
A. J. Duff, Ulysses junior:
"Summer school is really keeping me busy. I have some things to finish from last year. Those and the Western Civ Comp. and a 40-hour-per-week job provide plenty to do. I'm waiting for the fall so I can relax. Summer school is a good thing if you can keep up with the pace."
Dave Dickensheets, Wellington junior: "Summer school isn't so bad, but the outside activities seem to take up most of my time. With rush and organizing the activities for the KU-Y next year, I have few spare moments. The atmosphere is great. No one seems to rush, but mose everyone seems to be serious about what they are doing. I miss the athletic events and things like that. As for college atmosphere, you can't beat the fall."
Proton 3 is in orbit
MOSCOW — (UPI) — Proton 3, Russia's heaviest scientific satellite, is whirling in orbit, gathering scientific data for a new Soviet-manned space flight through deadly radiation belts around the earth.
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