Focus on self changes
We are all, first as young adults and secondly as Campers, concerned with a common interest—ourselves. From this interest stems the greatest change that Camp life motivates. This is the switch in focus from ourselves to other people.
In connection with this arises the situation called the "invasion of privacy." Suddenly, we are plunged into a world with many others sharing an interest which previously made us singular. Not only this, but the adjustment to a totally new social involvement, where people must not merely be liked, but lived with. For the first time, many of us must cope with the compromises that are necessary in order to live successfully with other people. The financial responsibility, too, is something that faces all of the Campers as a sharp contrast to the insouciance of home life. There is the heady excitement of being away from home, and yet discerning the need for self-discipline.
But there is the other side of the coin. It is the learning experience that formulates our six-week stay. There is the awe of hearing the professionals speak not the words of books, but of
'Reds' dig in
As I was making my last trip around the neighborhood before leaving for Camp, Rory Bushwitz, the father of one of my acquaintances, pulled me aside. Mr. Bushwitz is a retired Army sergeant and has often astounded me with his hard-line viewpoints.
"Come here,young man," he said to me.
"Yes, sir." I replied. I always called him "sir" or else he would wait until I did.
"There's only one thing I want to warn you about before you go down to KU. That's about the Communist chiggers."
"What are chiggers, sir?" I had visions of some new leftist group.
"Chiggers are insidious little Communist bugs which plan to overthrow our American society,"he told me.
"How could little bugs do that, sir?"
"You have to understand their tactics, son. They crawl around in the grass waiting for somebody to sit down. As soon as you do, they crawl all over you. You can't feel them or see them, because they are so small. You don't know they've got you till they bite. Once they bite you, you're gone. Soon you are covered with big scars. What's worse, they are even colored red. They plan their takeover when everybody is in a hospital recovering. Oh, they're treacherous."
"Listen, boy, you should be prepared to die before you lie down in the Kansas grass. If you do, you'll be covered with red."
"Better dead than red, sir." I agreed.
"Better dead than red, sir," I agreed.
— Read Flynn
— Brad Flynn
experience. It is actually applying the things that we have learned and followed so closely, and molding interest into utility. It is every day, every minute, associating our concerns with others who share our enthusiasms. And it is slowly realizing, as we meet many people seemingly foreign to our way of life, that our beliefs, attitudes, and problems are also of others, and that in many ways these people are all much alike.
For 1,700 young people, the emphasis was removed from self, and modified into their combined concentration. Now the Camp throbs with the intensity of youth discovering so much and having so little time. Yes, it is the sweet urgency of maturity. Of meeting, discussing, and employing ourselves—enjoying the other things, the finer things, than self.
Cindy Helms
Where to go
Rules exist of which the Camp neglects to inform the prospective Camper. These "nit-picking" regulations cause one to fight deformed drawers and hide away in dark rooms to find peace of mind.
The room inspection chart includes the small, unimportant items and avoids the significant. According to the chart, the important thing is whether or not one drawer or a closet door is cracked. It is irrelevant that half an hour is spent sweeping and dusting all the unseen corners of the room.
In addition, the housemother checks to see that you are not in your room from 8 to 10 a.m. If you break this rule and remain in your room to study, you must do so in total darkness. All lights must be off and the blinds tightly closed.
The Campers paid for the use of the room and no where does any fine print state times that these rooms could be occupied or the light regulations.
Maybe the unfortunate students who have no morning classes would be less upset if there were a solution to the problem this free time imposes. Where are they to go? Where can they finish their homework?
The floor lobbies are filled with classes, as is the main lobby. Campers are banned from the recreation room in the basement. Some suggested the stairwells at the end of each hall, but the smell is so choking that one can remain on the stairs only a few minutes.
Sun bathing was another possibility. However, even on warm days, 8 a.m. is a little early to venture out into the sun and on rainy days the idea is hopeless.
The remaining solution is for the Campers to ride up and down the elevators for two hours until a more suitable place is found.
Jill Pierce
'Nicholas and Alexandra'
Fate unveils life parallel
The son of Robert K. Massie is a hemophiliac. The Tsarevich Alexis, heir to the Russian throne at the beginning of this century, was also a hemophiliac. It was this connection that brought Robert K. Massie to write "Nicholas and Alexandra," although he declares that it was fate who brought the strange connection to light. Perhaps it was.
With the connection, the book has become filled with understanding, a dimension not often
Massie's personal attitude is shown in his work—mainly through his tone and choice of words. The subject is treated with reserve and subtle humor, the sum of which is Massie's style of writing. Eloquent passages are not a part of "Nicholas and Alex-andra," but appropriate use of
found. It is not merely a book telling about the Romanofs and their tragic life, but rather a story of warmth and love and of history, as it was made.
Paperbacks
Massie did a great deal of work in researching his books and the bibliography reflects this work. Undoubtedly, this was done at great expense and with a good deal of trouble. He read all of the personal diaries and other accounts that survived the Bolshevik Revolution. With these and other works, he was able to construct a vivid picture of the life of the royal family and of the Russian people.
17 X INFINITY, edited by Groff Conklin (Dell, 75 cents)—A collection of science fiction: Asimov, Bradbury and even Forster and Kipling. There are 17 stories altogether, ranging from writings of the past to the most contemporary stories of space.
STOP-TIME, by Frank Conroy (Dell, 95 cents)—A good contemporary depiction of a young man growing up in America, but not
quotes throughout the text provide interesting conversation and also new facts.
2 KAMPER Jly. 11 1969
The former newsman explained in great detail the relationships of the family members with one another, the struggle of the Russian people, Russian affairs within the nation and with the rest of the world, and general descriptions of life. All of these are entirely necessary for the reader to understand about Alexis and his condition, as it was the concern for Alexis' life that led to the dynasty's fall.
the America of the gentle past. His America is the city, with all its problems and conflicts. The work is obviously autobiographical, and its descriptions are honest and candid.
THE BAT, by Mary Roberts Rinehart (Dell, 60 cents)—One of the earliest of the Rinehart thrillers, a detective tale that takes place in a spooky mansion, treating a clever criminal who has terrorized a community but who is finally run down by a tough old spinster—a common type in the Rinehart books. Old-fashioned and kind of fun.
The greatest compliment that I can say about Massie is that he is so interested in his work that he captivates his readers. He has defended both the honor and the memory of the Romanofs to the highest degree.
—Terry Algren
Rev Olution stirs campus
Edward Olution, known to his fellow Campers as Rev, was a typical student at Camp. He trudged miles to classes, screamed and sang in his wing hallway at night, crawled weakly out of bed in the morning and made cracks about the dorm food.
One day while Rev and a few friends were reciting the usual string of after-dinner jokes, his counselor broke in on the sniggering.
"All right, boys; I'm supposed to tell all of you this," bellowed the counselor. "No man may decorate his ID badge unless his name is readable afterwards, the artwork is acceptable, and the blue printing at the top is not covered."
Later that night, Rev suddenly wondered why the printing had to be blue. Why not make the letters red, or yellow, or even—here his imagination began to carry him away—green?
It was then that the turning point came for Rev Olution. He decided Camp education was inadequate because of the ID badge's printing. Educational standards had to be changed so that the printing would be green. He had become a student militant.
That evening he gathered his friends into a grubby laundry room with his faithful girl friend. Ann Archy, taking the minutes
"I'm fed up with that blue printing!" he growled ominously. "Yeah!" screamed his gang.
"We'll do anything, even attack the campus, though risking our lives to bring relevance to those badges!" he yelled.
So the next day they gathered on a dormitory window ledge, arms linked together, singing the latest protest song.
The Camp administration panicked at seeing the spectacle of five students huddled together, croaking a song that was rumored to be Communist inspired.
They called the police. Rev, Ann and the other three activists were hauled off to jail. Nobody bothered to ask anybody what they were protesting about.
"Are we going to stand for such treatment?" demanded an angry young man unexpectedly in a dormitory cafeteria a few minutes later. He stood on top of a table, smearing Jello underfoot, yelling to all the Campers in the area. "Can this Camp be allowed to crush dissent so easily? I would hope not! This is war!"
Once again, the Camp administration was thrown into a panic. A moment before all the directors, assistant directors, subdirectors, vice-directors, assistant sub-directors, dormitory supervisors, assistant supervisors, housemothers and counselors retreated from the buildings, someone managed to place calls to the National Guard, the Governor and the President of the United States.
The Campers' demonstration was put down brutally by the National Guard clubbing away; the Governor appointed a committee to see if the whole thing had been Communist inspired and the President issued a statement saying, "This incident is of grave concern to all of us in Washington, and we will not let the unexcusable riot pass without actions." He then flew to Florida for the weekend.
"How are we ever going to get the color of the ID badge printing changed now?" Rev asked forlornly, shuffling his feet in the ashes.
In the meantime, Rev, Ann and company were released from the small Lawrence jail to make room for over a thousand Campers who had been arrested by the National Guard. Rev's gang returned to Daisy Hill only to find it a smoking ruin.
"Well," suggested Ann doubtfully, "we could write a petition, and all five of us could sign it. The administration can't very well ignore a petition signed by every Camper still actively attending the Camp."
Ann's suggestion was followed up, and the petition was presented to H. I. Sayikawa, who had been appointed as acting Camp director.
Sayikawa was delighted. He never could understand all the singing and shouting and marching. But this was a petition! This he could understand! There was no chance of a petition being Communist inspired.
A day later, he signed a bill changing the color of the printing from blue to green, with Rev, Ann and the other three rebels standing in the ashes nearby.
Moral: When changing something, try the peaceful method. It works . . . at least if you're trying to change the color of blue printing.
— Dave Danielson
THE KAMPER
KANSAN
Kamper News Office - 112 Flint Hall
UN 4-3646
Camp Office - 214 Murphy Hall
UN 4-3755
The Kemper Kansan, camp newspaper at the Midwestern Music and Art Center, is on Friday. It is written by the members of the Journalism Division of the Camp.
The opinions expressed in the editorial columns are those of the editorial staff. We cannot endorse or criticize any editorial staff. Any opinions expressed in the Kamper Kansan are not necessarily those of the Midwestern Music and Art Camp or the University of Kansas. The opinions expressed by the Kamper Kansan are offered to students without regard to color, creed, or national origin.
Executive Staff
Executive Stan
Editor in Chief David Willingham
News Editor Cheryl George
Editorial Editor Cindy Helms
Feature Editor Sue Walker
Sports Editor Terry Algren
Photo Editor Don Hood
Reporters: Joel Biorling, Agnes Fields, Cindy Hines, Melissa Lewis, Carol
Jennon Kline, Emily Vonderchhimis, Lincoln Johnson,
Wendy Elliott, Jeanie Peplinski, Steve Williams, Lorraine Rainer
Larry Grewach
Adviser James W Murray
Assistant Advisers Dorothy Bowles, Jackie Raymond, Robert Stevens
Photo Advisers Gary Mason, Bill Seymour