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Photo by Bruce Patterson
A student newspaper serving KU
While Spring Fling merrymakers raced bods and ducks on one side of Potter Lake Saturday, another group held a be-in, complete with homemade vegetable soup and balloons. Saturday marked the last of the week's "Delight Days," celebrated nationwide by the Yippies (Youth International Party).
VEGETABLE SOUP AND CELEBRATION
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
78th Year, No.122
Monday, April 29, 1968
Noted critic says public ignorance of social ills is fault of the press
A noted press critic told about 500 persons Sunday night the news organizations of America must use methods of "getting involved" that were considered unobjective a few years ago.
Ben Bagdikian, an independent Washington, D.C., critic who runs a business in California, said the journalist will grow in importance each year and must learn to interpret social values with an "introspective eye."
Bagdikian spoke in the opening session of the "Mass Media in a Free Society" seminar in the Kansas Union Ballroom.
Bagdikian cited the need for a stronger and "serious local press."
"The issue is not how much money a man makes in journalism." Bagdikian said, "it is what kind of journalism he produces."
He charged increasing ignorance among the American people of social ills is a sign the press has not solved satisfactorily its identity crisis.
William Allen White of Emporia, to him, presented the ideal smalltown editor who was not afraid of the backtalk that inevitably would flow from riled townspeople.
"A news medium without constructive social purpose might as well be dead," he said. "The problem today is not that this tension between profit and public service exists, but that so much of corporate journalism pretends that it does not."
The seminar is a part of the celebration honoring White's 100th birthyear anniversary.
He praised White for being valiant and for using the editorial page as an instrument of civic improvement while setting out to establish the newspaper as an effective force in local action.
The situation in large cities today is growing increasingly worse, Bagdikian said. A massive gap in communication between the citizenry and the administrators of these metropolises has developed.
With this lack of communication, it is no wonder that the "system" by which the nation operates is under attack.
"The system so often attacked is not usually wicked; it is sluggish," Bagdikian said. "It must serve too many people in too many ways."
The remedy, he suggests, lies in two things:
- The society ought to know what its people need and want.
- If the people are not getting what they want and need, the system ought to have a quick way to detect it.
He said the press has an obvious role in this sssytem—it must express local needs and detect breakdowns in the social system.
Kites fly at Potter Lake
Dolph C. Simons Jr., editor of the Lawrence Journal-World, moderated the discussion of four critic-commentators that followed Bagdikian's speech.
Student be-in is a 'success'
...
By Joanna Wiebe Kansan Staff Reporter
They sat on the shores of Potter Lake and strummed guitars, flew kites, ate homemade vegetable soup from tin cans and watched the Greek Week and Spring Fling people toss each other into the muddy water.
The U.S. Weather Bureau predicts generally fair and slightly warmer weather tonight and Tuesday. The low tonight should be near 45, the high Tuesday 70-75. Precipitation probabilities are less than five per cent through Tuesday.
The students were being-in at a Saturday afternoon be-in, and, according to John Sanford, Barrlesville, Okla., sophomore, one of the be-in organizers, it was a success. It was well attended and the soup was good, he said.
WEATHER
A "souper wizard" in a tall pointed blue hat and his flowerprint-dressed assistant stirred up the soup in a big tin pot using squash, wild garlic, carrots, cauliflower, and other vegetables brought by those at the be-in.
The event, attended by about 60 persons sporting bells, beards and buttons, was the "consummation" of a week-long "Delight Days," a celebration of spring. This "Freak Week" is a national activity of the Yippies—the Youth International Party—and each day had a special name, color, object of nature, and activity.
The campus policemen were the bewildered object of a good part of the Freak Week activities. Long-haired hippies showered them with everything from spirea
blossoms and dandelions to red candy and balloons.
"I can't see any harm in it," said one officer, trying to decide what to do with a red balloon.
"These hippies seem peaceful and lovable—love, that's what it's all about," said another.
"They can do what they want to do, and if the boys want to take the flowers, it's an individual matter," commented E. P. Moomau, chief of the campus police.
"Be delighted and delightful," urged an advertising leaflet for "Delight Days," and the rest of the week's activities carried out this exhortation. Tender Tuesday featured a burning of bad memories in front of the Rock Chalk, and a non-violent water fight took place on Warm Wednesday.
"I handed out red candy to two of the cops, and they just looked a little queerly at me and took it," said Sanford.
The bad-memory-burning was for everyone with a past checkered with catastrophes and small grievances.
"If you've got a girlfriend you don't like, any old tests you flunked, old dear John letters, or bad issues of the University Daily Kansan, we'll burn them for you," said Sanford in anticipation of the burning.
A Gentle Thursday communion service in the woods behind Strong Hall was attended by six persons, who ate bread and drank grape juice together with Tom Rehorn of the Wesley Foundation.
"The week was exactly what we expected. If anything happened during the week, we considered it was a success," said Sanford.
On the panel of commentators were:
Sam Blackman, general news editor for the Associated Press; Hodding Carter, editor of the Delta Democrat and Times of Greenville, Miss.; Houstoun Waring, retired editor of the Littleton, Colo., Independent, and Norman Isaacs, executive editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal and Times.
Blackman disagreed with Bagdikian on the failure of the local press to examine relevant issues. He said the local press is looking with concern and constructive news at pollution, poverty, degeneration of women, youth and the churches in society.
"We are doing much more than he suggests, but we definitely are not doing the greatest job," Blackman added.
Commenting on the need for stronger technical writers, Blackman said the major news agencies must employ the people they can get to write competently about science, medicine, religion and urban problems.
Carter, who represents an editor among few Southerners in
support of civil rights, did not agree with Bagdikian when he criticized newsmen for seeking social position. He believes this to be part of human dignity and necessary for newsmen.
The southern editor said he has been subjected to much ridicule because of his somewhat liberal stand on civil rights. But he believes the trend among Mississippians is changing.
"Recently I was honored as being one of three men who contributed most to the state last year," he said. "A few years ago, I would not have been allowed on the University of Mississippi campus."
Waring concentrated on the
Waring concentrated on the See Critic, page 12
Group sends demands to chancellor
A letter demanding 50 per cent student representation on all faculty and administrative committees dealing with student affairs, has been sent by mail to Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe and was supposed to arrive this morning.
The letter, signed "Voice," was written by "representatives of a concerned group of students." Jack Harrington, Summit, N.J., graduate student and one of the group, said.
It was written in response to remarks made by acting Provost Francis Heller during an 'open forum last Wednesday.
The text of the letter is as follows:
"During the past few years we as students have attempted to create a meaningful dialogue between the students, faculty and administration of the University of Kansas. In the course of these efforts it has become clear that the framework of this University precludes the effective democratic control of students over those decisions that directly affect their lives at the University.
"This situation finally became apparent during the open forum Wednesday, when Acting Provost Francis Heller, speaking for the University, made the following assertions:
- "The University does not exist for the students.
- "Students are essentially transients; that is, their commitment is of a passing nature and
See Student, page 7
Greek Relays, ducks cap weekend
By Kathy Hall Kansan Staff Reporter
Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and Sigma Chi fraternity are the 1968 Greek Week Champions.
The winners of the overall participation trophies were announced after the Greek Week Sing Saturday evening in Hoch Auditorium, ending the weeklong events.
Kappa Alpha Theta and Sigma Chi also took honors in the Greek Sing with renditions of "Rain Song" and "Witness."
In the single women's category, Sigma Kappa received first place singing "Gia' l Sole Dal Grange" and "Two Brothers."
Beta Theta Pi won the single men's event with "What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor" and "Ride the Chariot."
The East/West football game Friday afternoon in the intramural field was won by East 21-0.
Saturday events included a 220- yard chariot race along the cinder track. Delta Upsilon placed first with a 26.5 second timing barely edging Sigma Phi Epsilon's time of 26.7 seconds.
Greek Relays were held in Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon after members of Lambda Chi Alpha completed a marathon run from Topeka to Lawrence. A torch carried during the marathon was used to light a flame which burned during the meet.
Overall winners of the Greek Relays were 1. Phi Delta Theta, 2.' Sigma Alpha Epsilon, 3. Delta Upson in the fraternity division, 1. Delta Gamma, 2. Gamma
See Greek, page 12
By Jane Abildgaard Kansan Staff Reporter
Spring Fling's duck race wasn't so ducky this year. The winning duck, which is supposed to swim across the finish line under its own power, had to be towed across the finish line string.
The duck was named the winner although he hadn't crossed the line under his own steam because "we just wanted to end the race," according to Dick Hubbard, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore and chairman of the games committee of Spring Fling.
Pyramid building contest. 2nd
Winners of the other games, by floor pairings are;
The duck belonged to Sellards Scholarship Hall.
Tug of war, 6th floor Joseph R Pearson (JRP) Hall-3rd floor Oliver Hall.
floor Templin Hall-2nd floor Gertrude Sellards Pearson (GSP).
Marathon race, 9th floor Ellsworth Hall-Watkins Scholarship Hall.
Bod race, 7th floor Ellsworth Hall-5th floor Oliver.
Pie-eating contest, 7th floor Templin-Miller Scholarship Hall Sellards.
The names of the winners of the egg toss are not available.
Lewis Hall won the contest for the best float in Friday's Spring Fling parade.
Winning the award for small hall participation was 10th floor Oliver; for large hall participation, Templin.
The winning floor pairing, which was awarded a keg of beer, was 2nd floor Corbin Hall and 1st and 4th floors JRP.