Wednesday, March 27, 1968
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
9
WHO WERE YOU ANYWAY?
Scott Ferris, a graduate student in anthropology, examines a skull taken from a graveyard near Sioux City, Iowa, trying to learn its age and heredity.
researcher studies bones
KU
By Mike Shurtz Kansan Staff Reporter
If there were no bones about it, Scott Ferris, graduate researcher and teaching assistant in the KU anthropology department, would be in trouble. Ferris is about to embark on a research project which will find him analyzing human bones from a burial ground in Sioux City, Iowa.
A mystery hangs over this burial ground because there are no records of it anywhere. Thus it is hoped that by analyzing the bones an answer to the mystery will be discovered.
His primary concern is to establish the race of these long-dead people. By studying the bones, Ferris will be able to determine this plus the peoples' age and sex, any diseases that they might have had plus their stature and build. There also are other things which can be learned from bones alone.
These 15 burials, a mixture of males, females and children, were discovered in 1958 by a road crew building a highway in Sioux City. The crew informed the Sioux City Public Museum, Charles DeBusk, head of the museum and an archeologist, helped to excavate the area before the highway was leaid.
The bones were found alongside Catholic medallions and a metallic fringe which is sometimes used on priests' robes. Apparently one of those buried was facing opposite to the rest, suggesting they all might be Catholic, since 'this was an earlier burial procedure tor priests. Wood, nails and handles of coffins also have been salvaged.
The bones and artifacts have been kept at the Iowa State University and also the Sioux City Museum. In 1965 DeBusk sent the bones to William Bass, KU professor of physical anthropology, for further study. A problem in the research has been the fact that many bones have been lost since their discovery.
The bones were first thought to be those of Indians, but investigation has shown this to be doubtful. DeBusk has theorized they probably were from halfbreed (Mongoloid and Caucasoid) Catholics. It is likely these people
The U.S. Navy increased its use of napalm from 2,181 tons in 1963 to 54,620 in 1966.
HARRAH'S LAKE TAHOE, NEVADA
One of Nevada's largest casino-restaurant operations is again offering summer employment to college students.
live and work at beautiful Lake Tahoe--the west's recreational wonderland.
all types of casino and restaurant positions available. must be 21 years old-present draft cards or birth certificate good appearance and grooming required.
Informational orientation Sunday March 31st at 4:00 p.m. Kansas Union Pine Room. Appointments and details available in Room 206, Strong Hall
lived in the 1850s near Traversier's Trading Post. The trading post was near what is now Sioux City.
Almost all this speculation has been derived through analysis of historical documents. Ferris, by using the bones, hopes to dig deeper into the mystery.
His work will be facilitated by the use of a human identification laboratory at KU—one of the few in the nation.
COSA-
Continued from page 1 any kind was reached at the meeting, until the chancellor has had a chance to act on the recommendation.
It was indicated that the recommendation would probably be given to the chancellor in the next few days.
AWS passed the motion to
abolish sophomore closing hours on their second vote on the motion March 5. The motion was defeated on the first ballot by one vote.
One COSA member acknowledged Tuesday that Kay Harris, Wichita sophomore and AWS president, presented the sophomore closing proposal to COSA.
ROBLEE.
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