Coach Dick Harp Resigns
61st Year, No. 112
Lawrence, Kansas
Thursday, March 26, 1964
Vox, UP Meetings Liven Quiet Campus Campaign
A quiet campus campaign became noticeably more obvious as Vox Populi and University Party held their last formal meetings before the elections.
Vox's presidential candidate Marshall Crowther, Lawrence second-year law students, said Vox approaching the campaign with the idea that the students are intelligent and desire a responsible campaign for responsible student government.
"When the elections are over the cowboy hats and buttons are put away, but the University is left with people to fill student body and student council offices," Crowther said.
"I feel that students are concerned about how these offices will be filled, and they want an opportunity to see and hear the candidates, to ask questions and to have them answered, to gauge the performance, rather than to watch a gimmick, fun, big laugh approach to student government."
Crowther held up a UP button which said "We Try Harder" and said the students could see who is "trying harder to run a responsible campaign."
UP general secretary, Charles Whitman, Shawnee Mission senior, replied later that "the point of the buttons and stetsons is to remind students of the platform on which University Party runs, and the qualifications of the candidates which we support."
(See related story page four.)
"We feel that our candidates and platform speaks for itself," Whitman said.
Student body president, Reuben McCornack. Abilene senior, officially endorsed Crowther and Jim Clina. Rockford, Ill., junior, for the offices of student body president and vice-president.
McCormack charged that UP's candidate, Bob Stewart, Bartlesville, Okla. junior, was seeking the "title of the office and not the responsibilities."
"It is quite obvious and general knowledge that Bob has been seeking this office for a long time but his work on the ASC has not indicated that he is an effective leader."
"Marshall is considered a leader among the students who have seen him exercise the responsibility entrusted to him on the council, and in achieving things of significance for the student body," McCornack said.
McCormack said that Kaye Whitaker, Wichita junior and UP's candidate for vice-president, had not performed on the council so as to inspire confidence in her ability to act as student body vice-president. He said Cline had introduced important legislation and achieved much on the council.
Edwards Pleads Guilty to Charge
John Sanford Edwards, 33, of 121 W. 14th St., yesterday pleaded guilty to a charge of first-degree manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting of Pedro Escobar, 36, on Feb. 22.
District Court Judge Frank Gray will pass sentence at 11 a.m. April 3.
Edwards, a former assistant instructor in the KU department of Spanish was originally charged with first degree murder. Ralph King, county attorney, said the charge was reduced to first-degree manslaughter because the evidence brought out at the preliminary hearing did not warrant the charge of first-degree murder.
According to witnesses, Escobar was a guest at a party given by John H. Wolf, also an assistant instructor in the department of Spanish. Edwards, who had complained about the noise of the party over the telephone a few minutes before the shooting, knocked on the door of Wolf's apartment with a 357 caliber Magnum pistol.
Escobar, also an assistant instructor in the KU department of Spanish, was dancing near the door. Witnesses said he opened the door and was shot in the chest.
Edwards was also having a small party in an apartment adjoining Wolf's.
"You can't separate the offices and the responsibilities they entail. This must be the criteria, and because of their interest and past performance Crowther and Cline are the best candidates to represent KU." McCormack said.
At the UP meeting, Stewart reminded the general assembly that next week will be one of the "most crucial weeks in KU's political history."
Calling for an "energetic, positive and clean campaign," he said that "none of us are going to stoop to the level of working or talking in poor taste or poor faith."
UP's general secretary Charles Whitman said that the voting public knew UP's platform, and it was an "excellent one."
"There is no need to make derogatory remarks about the opposition." Whitman said.
Whitman said that Vox was trying to make an issue out of UP's vicepresidential candidate, Kaye Whitaker's sex, and said that capabilities are what counts.
Anette Luyben, UP party worker, said the attack was "unjustified, prejudiced and biased."
"Some of the best council members have been women and Dean Heller's wife was vice-president of the student body when she was in school here." Miss Lyuben said.
Contacted on the proposed statement by Vox, Tom Bornholdt, Topeka senior and Vox president, said Vox was not making an issue that the candidate was a woman.
"The fact she is a woman will not hamper her but Cline is more effective and qualified as to the duties of the office," Bornholdt said.
Both party leaders explained their position on the freshman women's debates, and did agree on a time to schedule them.
Weather
A return to spring weather is predicted by the weather bureau for tonight and tomorrow. Skies will remain fair tonight and tomorrow, with a low temperature tonight of about 15 degrees. Tomorrow's high reading will be in the middle 40's.
College Bowl Finals Set For Today
Beneath the glare of stage lights, the two contending teams from Stephenson Hall and Tempin Hall will test their skill at rapid recall before the eye of the television camera today in the final College Bowl match.
Last night both teams were confident of their ability to win.
Dale Brownwell, Kansas City senior, a Stephenson team member, described his team's pre-contest preparation in this way: "We aren't doing anything."
"Tomorrow," Brownawell said, "we may get together and see how fast we can hit the 'reaction table'" (an electronic device that signals the moderator a team believes it has the answer).
Erownawell believed a set of warm-up questions before the show for the rehearsal of the camera crew would put the Stephenson team in fighting form. The outcome? "You
George Barisak, Kansas City, Mo. senior and captain of the Templin hall team said his team was not preparing either.
always need the right questions.' Brownwell said.
Barisas said, "It has been our experience that pre-game preparation serves no purpose. A good night's sleep is best."
Three out of Stephenson's four team members are veteran College Bowl contenders. Barisas said that their experience has enabled them to judge the weaknesses of their team and caused each team member to work toward self-preparation.
The Stephenson team, which will retire the College Bowl if it wins this, its third contest, has been preparing since last fall. Judy Bodenhausen, Topea senior and College Bowl questions chairman, said.
Regarding a protest that was filed with the College Bowl committee by the Joseph R. Pearson Hall team during the semi-finals, Miss Bodenhausen said the protest was overruled.
Bodenhausen said, "Since this contest is going to be taped for television, we have tried to make the questions a little snazzier."
The JRP team said a toss-up question should have been deferred to them when the opposing team missed it. The moderator, in not doing so, "was acting in his best judgment," Miss Bodenhausen said. Because of this and because there was no precedent covering the situation, Miss Bodenhausen said JRP's protest was overruled.
The moderator for the television version of College Bowl is Francis Heller, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Miss Bodenhausen said.
"Snazzing up" the questions was done by writing "human interest" into the introductory parts, and by trying to state the questions in a way that would be entertaining, Miss Bodenausen said.
No Successor Yet; Harp Favors Owens
By Roy Miller (Assistant Managing Editor)
Dick Harp announced his resignation today as head basketball coach at the University of Kansas.
The resignation becomes effective July 1, and no successor has been named.
"I have determined that it is time for me to retire from coaching." Harp said in a prepared statement. "My association with the University of Kansas has been a wonderful experience.
"YET, IT SEEMS that careful consideration of all factors dictates that I resign," he stated. "My plans for the future are not definite at the moment."
Harp, 44, has been KU's head coach the last eight years.
Harp indicated as early as late January he was contemplating whether to make the 1963-64 season his last as KU basketball coach.
Charles H. Oldfather, professor of law and chairman of the athletic board, said, "Like many other people, I know that Dick has his own reasons for resigning and I would wish him luck in any type of endeavor he would take."
WHEN REACHED in his office this morning, Coach Harp said he hoped Ted Owens, his assistant coach, would be named as his successor. This particular time is a good time to resign," Harp said as he worked on his income tax. "I think we have an opportunity to make a big move forward in the future.
"I am hopeful that this will be under Ted's guidance, but I wouldn't want to put the bee on him, so to speak.
"I have every confidence in him and the future of Kansas basketball," he continued. "And, this coupled with my personal considerations, dictate that it is a good time to do it." (resign.)
Dick Harp
"We have the chance of an immediate fine future in basketball, I am sure that all of the boys would like to work to make their future under Ted's guidance and I hope that he will be appointed."
OWENS, WHO WAS interviewed in the lobby of Allen Field House answered questions deliberately with his arms folded and a student directory in one hand. The present assistant coach paced in a small circle as he answered questions.
"This didn't come to me as a complete surprise," Owens said, "because I'd known that he hadn't planned to coach for a long time."
"But I hadn't known exactly when he planned to quit."
"Of course." Owens continued, "I definitely want the job. We'll work awfully hard to get the program back on a comparative basis as far as the championship is concerned.
"I CERTAINLY don't want to leave KU at the time it appears we're making the big breakthrough.
"I love to coach basketball," Owens said, "and this is the best possible place to coach."
Commenting on Harp's resignation, A. C. (Dutch) Lonborg, KU athletic director, said:
"This comes as no surprise since we realize Dick has been contemplating this move for some time. I personally want to express my thanks to him for his contribution to our athletic program and wish him well in whatever future he endeavors to follow."
Harp has been connected with KU basketball 21 years as either player or coach. He joined the coaching staff as assistant to Dr. F.C. (Phog) Allen in 1949 after serving two years as head coach at William Jewell College, Liberty, Mo.
HE SERVED as assistant coach until 1957 when he succeeded Allen who had reached retirement age.
For 10 years of head coaching, Harp's teams have won 136 games and lost 105. His record at KU is 116-82.
Harp is only the fourth coach in 74 years of KU basketball. Dr. James Naismith, the founder of the sport, was the first coach.
Other coaches were W. O. Hamilton and Howard Engleman, the latter only serving for a half a year.
IT WAS NOT immediately known who would succeed Harp. There were reports earlier that Ralph Miller, coach of Wichita's Missouri Valley champions, would come to KU.
This report was denied by Miller, Henry Bubb, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents, said there would be no "pirating" of coaches between the state's schools.
Harp's assistant coach, Ted Owens, has been here four years. Owens joined the KU staff after coaching three years at Cameron State Junior College, Lawton, Okla.
Owens' teams reached the semifinals of the National Junior College Tournament an unprecedented three consecutive years.