Local poet has an exciting childhood
Capote influences KU student
Photo by Ron Bishop
Al Dewey contemplates his next poem
He's reluctant to tell you, but Al Dewey III, Garden City senior, has a childhood that almost matches "Dragnet" in its excitement. For Alvin Dewey Jr., Dewey's father was the Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent that broke open the Clutter murder case, made nationally known by Truman Capote's book, "In Cold Blood."
While his father was busy chasing down clues leading to boot prints and a particular sailor's way of tying knots, Dewey was asking Capote and Harper Lee, author of "To Kill a Mockingbird," all kinds of questions and studying just how they got the story down in novel form.
Dewey was interested in writing, because the excitement of investigating crimes was old hat to him. Besides, his talent lay in writing.
When he came to KU,he considered journalism, but ended up in English, minoring in political science. This year revealed he chose the right area when he took third place in the Story College Creative Awards contest.
"Winning this was a real impetus for me," Dewey said. Then seeing his poem "Unincorporated" published in the March edition of "Story: The Yearbook of Discovery/1969" by the Four
Al Dewey, Garden City junior, takes the nonchalant approach to life. He thinks socializing over a can of beer and a cigarette gives him a storehouse of human incidences necessary to write modern poetry.
Winds Press goaded him to write poetry as regularly as possible.
"Even after three years of concentrating on poetry, I am not very prolific," Dewey said. In the past his poems have been short—about one specific incidence. "I rarely write
anything that rhymes," he said
"because free verse seems to
capture the gist of the way we
live—it's more socially oriented."
Dewey thinks to become really good and fast with his writing, he has to build an "observational diary" for himself. He's the kind of guy
Spring Fling dampened
Dave Gardner, Overland Park sophomore, shouted through the megaphone at Potter Lake Saturday afternoon at two kinds of Spring Fling ducks.
One kind were soft, fuzzy yellow ducklings that were to run the duck race, but the other kind were simply resident hall students who were having too much fun to come in out of the rain.
KU students win in Braille Rallve
KANSAS CITY - Two KU sophomores took first place in the two classes of the sixth annual Braille Rallye yesterday, sponsored by the Jayhawk sportscar club and the Kansas School for the Blind in Kansas City.
In this game a set of instructions are given at the starting point to the blind navigators who are junior high and high school students. The object is to get to the end of the route staying right at the given speed with the minimum of penalty points.
The route started at the School of the Blind, circled around the Wyandotte County State Lake and ended at the Agricultural Hall of Fame north of Bonner Springs.
1st-Gary Vinyard, Lawrence sophomore, and Barbara Phinney scored 195 in a Triumph TR-3; 2nd-Ken Gates, Kansas City, and Leonard Amerin scored 205 in a Triumph. 3rd-Mark Crew, Mission, and Kathy Dawson scored 230 in a Volvo 144; 4th-Steve Rees, Independence, Mo., and Randy Becker scored 249 in a TR-3; 5th-Don Gerber, Atchison sophomore, and Vicki Sczetanik scored 291 in a Volkswagen.
Winners were:
1st-Buck Entriken, Lawrence sophomore; and Vicki Roberts scored 165 in a Pontiac: 2nd-Lelia Moore, Olathe, and Judy Davis scored 169 in a Pontiac: 3rd-Linda Guda, Topeka, and Charles Long, scored 242 in a MG-B.
Large print class
Apr. 28
1969 KANSAN 7
After an hour of games, it was impossible to tell the guys who had been thrown into the lake from the students who were caught without umbrellas.
Because of the rain, the 200 students who did assemble managed to wade through a tug-of-war, an orange pass, an egg toss, one game of human croquette and a pyramid race.
Marilyn Marshall, Kansas City, Mo., freshman, was crowned '69 Spring Fling Queen Friday night.
"Our Spring Fling dance wasn't a financial success, but it wasn't exactly a bust either," said Dick Hubbard, Kansas City, Mo., junior.
The finale of the Spring Fling
events came yesterday at the Association of University Resident Halls (AURH) recognition banquet. Its main purpose was to recognize members of the resident halls who have contributed to the success of extracurricular events during the 1968-69 school year.
that sits in Strong Hall and takes an extra-long coke break just to watch people "interact."
"This is to become aware of group sensitivity." Dewey said.
Men selected from the Naval ROTC and women selected from Watkins Scholarship Hall combined to form the Midshipmen Choir, providing entertainment for the banquet.
Butch Lockard, Raytown Mo., junior and AURH president, announced the 32 new members of the National Residence Hall Honorary.
STUDENT- WRITTEN ONE-ACTS up-tight night: theatre now
He contributes a lot of his improvement to one of KU's visiting lecturers and poets, Edward Dorn. "He helped me to take an incident and put it in its most vividly described environment," Dewey said. And this is accomplished by expanding the situation—increasing one's perception almost to the point of imagination.
EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE
APRIL 2,9.30. MAY 1,4-10
8:20 PM. CURTAIN
CALL UN4-3982
Dewey forecasts that poetry will see arebith. He likes the idea and wishes he could foster the practice of getting better-known poets to teach in universities full-time.
He says that there are little techniques of the mechanical production of poetry that are necessary to visualize the mood of the poem. That is why he insists on writing his rough drafts not at the typewriter, but on a legal pad with a pencil. "This way I can watch the
flow—actually see how it is spaced."
Some of the other publications that Dewey poetry has appeared in are "Smokey Hill Review," a college publication in Hays, Kan., and a KU anthology, the "Secretly Obscene Choke-cherry Monstrosity."
Asked what he'll do in the future, Dewey is uncertain because of the draft, "but regardless of the circumstances, I will be writing on the side, and that's for sure."
Metal Sculpture Supplies Tires and Batteries Credit Cards Accepted If Over 21. East End of 9th St. VI 3-0956
Perfect symbol of the love you share
Being with each other, doing things together . . . knowing that your affection is growing into precious and enduring love. Happily, all these cherished moments will be forever symbolized by your diamond engagement ring. If the name, Keepsake, is in the ring and on the tag, you are assured of fine quality and lasting satisfaction. The engagement diamond is flawless, of superb color, and precise modern cut. Your Keepsake Jeweler will assist you in making your selection . . . He's in the yellow pages under "Jewelers." Rings from $100 to $10,000. Illustrations enlarged to show detail. Trade-mark reg. A. H. Pond Co., Inc., Est. 1892.
REGISTERED
Keepsake
DIAMOND RINGS
HOW TO PLAN YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND WEDDING Please send new 20-page booklet, "How To Plan Your Engagement and Wedding" and new 12-page full color folder, both for only 25c. Also, send special offer of beautiful 44-page Bride's Book. 9.49
KEEPSAKE DIAMOND RINGS, BOX 90, SYRACUSE, N. Y. 13201
Ray Christian
"THE COLLEGE JEWELER"
809 Mass. "Special College Terms" VI 3-5432