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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, February 22, 1968
Wide area telephone service proposed
By Ron Yates Kansan Staff Reporter
KU's two direct telephone lines to Topeka and Kansas City are rapidly reaching the point of acute overwork.
Right now, people wanting to use the lines must put their names on a waiting list, often as much as 20 names long, before the KU operator can place their calls.
Bell Telephone officials said this problem could be partially remedied with the installation of a wide area telephone service line (WATS) for KU. The WATS system would allow an unlimited number of long distance calls within a specified area for a flat monthly rate.
"The main idea behind WATS is to get more long distance calling for less money," Ken Palmer, communications representative for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., said. "Our accounting department is programing a computer now to see if the system will save KU money.
"The company will go back through 1967 and check KU's previous long distance bills and break them down to see where KU calls most often in the United
--said when a priority call comes, whoever is on the line is told he must end his call.
WEATHER
The U.S. Weather Bureau predicts warmer temperatures today and Friday with a chance of scattered snow. The low tonight should be in the lower 20s with a 10 per cent chance of precipitation Friday.
--said when a priority call comes, whoever is on the line is told he must end his call.
States," Palmer said. "After we have done this, we will know what kind of system KU needs."
Ray Nichols, vice-chancellor of finance, said a statewide WATS system would prove economical for KU if the departments in the University would share the costs of the system.
Because KU's present tie-line system to Topeka and Kansas City is in such heavy demand, KU has adopted the military "bump" system in order to give administrators such as Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe, deans of the various schools and department heads priority on the lines.
"People having priority don't realize how busy the lines are because their calls go through immediately; they don't have to wait on a line," Mrs. Capitola Fletcher, KU operator, said. She
Kansas State University has had a WATS system since January and pays $2,440 a month for its four lines. Each line costs $610 a month.
KU operators said they now place about 100 calls daily to Topeka and about the same number to Kansas City using the present tie-line system.
The telephone company divides the United States into six WATS bands for each state in the union in addition to the statewide band.
The maximum WATS lines allowable by the telephone company is seven.
The statewide band is the system K-State has and is, according to the tephone company, the one KU is most interested is.
If KU decides to subscribe to a band now, they would also have WATS access to Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma under the flat rate—coincidentally this takes in all of the Big Eight schools. Band six includes all of the continental United States.
According to Palmer, before the WATS system was installed in the state office buildings in Topeka, state employees were making about 8,000 long distance calls each month. After the WATS system was installed, the number of long distance calls jumped up to 30,000 a month—but the cost remained the same.
Palmer explained that with the new WATS lines state employees found telephoning more economical and efficient than writing letters.
Kansas Senate approves oath bill
TOPEKA—A bill that would require all state employees to sign a loyalty oath pledging support for the U.S. and Kansas constitutions was approved Wednesday by the Kansas Senate and sent to the House.
University professors and others employed by the University, including students, would be among those required to sign the oath.
Sen. Keith Sebelius, R-Norton, introduced the bill in the Senate Feb. 6. If passed by the House, the bill would require all state employees to sign by Jan. 1, 1969. State employees who refused to sign the oath would not be paid by the state.
were not a member of any organization that did.
If the loyalty oath is approved
The text of the oath that is set out in the Kansas Statutes:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State of Kansas, and faithfully discharge the duties of ... , so help me God."
by both chambers, it would mark the revival of an oath similar to the one that was struck down last September by a U.S. District court.
The court ruled invalid a Kansas law that had been on the books since 1949. It required state employees to sign an oath that they did not advocate the overthrow of the government and
If you are a fact finder interested in Kansas, there is a new source of answers to your questions.
"Good evening. We have your housemother and we're holding her for ransom!"
'Ransom' used for Heart Fund
This was the message phoned to KU fraternities and sororites Wednesday night. The kidnappers, members of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, did not have criminal motives, however.
Regional Studies releases abstract
The "Kansas Statistical Abstract, 1967," just published by the KU Center for Regional Studies, contains facts and figures on population growth and density, education, agriculture and just about anything else that would interest someone needing information about Kansas.
Both Palmer and the KU operators agree that the major problem in any WATS system is control.
"The fraternity has traditionally helped in the Heart Fund Drive and this year we decided to raise money for the drive in a little different way," said Jim Nichols, Sig Ep public relations chairman.
The fraternity members, as well as Corbin, Gertrude Sellars Pearson and Oliver Halls, participated in the Heart Fund Drive Tuesday and Wednesday. The Sig Eps decided not to solicit door-to-door in the usual fund-raising technique.
"Too many people use WATS to make personal calls," Palmer said. When this happens, the lines are tied up and business calls have to wait.
While the Sig Eps were busy kidnapping other housemothers, the Phi Kappa Tau's did some thievery of their own—the kid-napped Mrs. Marjorie Peters, the Sig Emp housemother. The Phi Tau's demanded a contribution to
Copies of the abstract are available at the center, 210 Summerfield, for $2 each.
A 10-meeting course on fundamentals of electronic data processing will be offered starting Feb. 26 by the University of Kansas Extension Center in Kansas City. The meetings will be 7-9 p.m. Mondays in Wahl Hall East, at the KU Medical Center.
the Heart Fund "just to make the Sig Eps gave, too."
Right now, KU uses two operators during an eight hour shift. Palmer said if a WATS system is installed at KU an additional operator would probably not be required.
Data course offered
The kidnappers visited 24 KU Greek-letter organizations whose housemothers' cooperation had been promised in advance by the Sig Eps. The "captives" were taken to the fraternity's chapter house, 1645 Tennessee St., where refreshments were served while the group awaited their rescuers —members of their fraternities or sororities who brought the "ransom"—a contribution to the Heart Fund.
If KU installs a WATS system, a few slight modifications to the KU switchboard must be made.
The Sig Eps added their loot,
$220, to the money collected by
Oliver Hall.
The best reductions of the season will be available at our shop Friday evening, February 23, from 8:00 until midnight. Refreshments will be available for those who browse thru the bargains and the newest in spring ideas.
IT'S MIDNIGHT MADNESS AT