Kansan Camp News
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Vol.1, No.1
July 26,1963
MONDAY NIGHT MEETING—C. Herbert Duncan, a Midwestern Music and Art Camp supervisor, outlines overall camp plans for the fifth week of camp to an attentive audience of campers. About 1,100 high school and junior high school students from 41 states and one foreign country were enrolled in music, art, ballet, speech, drama, engineering, science and mathematics, and journalism divisions during the six-week session.
Duncan's Family Grows; Work, Duties Keep Pace
By Clint Richards
You think you have problems? How would you like to be responsible for the dorm life of approximately 900 campers?
Herbert C. Duncan, with the assistance of George Neaderhiser, Mrs. Frank Spurrier and Mrs. Ralph Park, had the job of seeing that Lewis Hall and Templin Hall ran smoothly and efficiently.
DUNCAN was in charge of the students when they were not in class. This included housing, discipline, food service, recreation, and health problems. He helped any camper who was in need of help.
This was Duncan's eleventh year at camp. The first year, he was a percussion instructor, the next six, assistant camp supervisor, and the last four, he has been camp supervisor.
He did his undergraduate work at Central College, Fayette, Mo., and his graduate work at the University of Kansas.
DUNCAN EXPRESSED enthusiasm for the advantages of the camp.
"This camp, by far, is the greatest opportunity students have to advance themselves in specialized training. The training that advanced students receive in specific areas is wonderful.
Neaderhiser was the assistant supervisor, and as such was in charge of Templin Hall. He also assisted Duncan and led section rehearsals for the concert band.
"I HAVE direct charge of discipline, and it is really the hardest part of my job," Neaderhiser said. "No one likes to be punished, but it is sometimes necessary."
He received his bachelor's and master's degree at Emporia State College, and has done work on a doctorate at both the University of Southern California and KU.
MRS. FRANK SPURRIER was housemother for Lewis Hall during the Midwestern Music and Art Camp.
Mrs. Spurrier said she liked her position, because she thinks she understands problems in regard to young people. Mrs. Spurrier cited some of her experiences with the girls, and commented on the discussions she has had with campers on the values of life and the respect they should seek through the way they conduct themselves.
Mrs. Spurrier studied both at KU and at Emporia.
MRS. RALPH PARK was the associate director of Lewis Hall. She planned meals, did the buying, hired help, did book work, and also counseled the girls when they came to her with problems.
Although we may not have liked the discipline imposed upon us at times, these people deserve a word of thanks for a job well done.
Amphitheater Is Wiley's Next Hope for Midwestern Camp
By Kathleen Vaughan
After building a twenty-six-year dream into a present-day reality, Midwestern Music and Art Camp director Russell L. Wiley is still dreaming about additions to the camp.
An amphitheater, to be located on the western slope of Potter Lake, is Wiley's present dream.
THE SHELL of the proposed amphitheater would extend over the lake creating the effect of a floating theater.
"The natural hillside is just right for this project," said Wiley.
Plans for this structure, designed by University of Kansas architects.
are on the desk of Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe at present. However, the money to finance the $200,000 to $300,000 project would be contributed by private donors.
WILEY COMMENTED, "Sometimes these things come about very slowly."
Looking back through the years one can see that things have gone slowly for the camp. Before the first camp was organized with an "impressive" enrollment of 17, Wiley had hoped for a traveling band that would go from national park to national park playing concerts.
This idea proved to be impractical however, and Wiley realized that "The parents' fear of their children
traveling would have been the biggest problem."
INSTEAD, when he joined the KU faculty in 1934. Wiley began planning his camp around the fine campus setting and administration he found.
The first band had to gather "anyone who could toot a horn" to add to the camp enrollment, and produced a 35-piece organization.
"What the band lacked in ability they made up in enthusiasm," remembered Wiley.
For living quarters the camp leased fraternity and sorority houses, and, in order to economize, set up a private food service.
Camp Division Awards Announced
Awards were presented at the Midwestern Music and Art Camp during the weekly camp meeting Monday, July 22.
In the art division, the winners of the album cover designing contest were Paul Smith, first; Keith Jones, second; and Chester Niziol, third. Outstanding are campers were Donna Vernal and Scott McBride, first; and Helen Cantrell and Walter Hatke, second.
THEATER awards were presented by director Jed Davis and were awarded to Douglas Baloombe, outstanding boy; and Irene Ballinger, outstanding girl.
Speech awards included John Oven, for work done in lab, and Donna Wolf, for oral interpretation. Debate awards were presented at the end of the week.
Journalism awards were presented to Kathy Vaughan, meritorious achievement in journalism; Clint Richards, editing achievement; Norma Perry, feature writing achievement; Barbara Easterwood, newswriting achievement; Joyce Grist, reporting achievement; Kent Mairs, advertising achievement; Dan Austin and Tim Richardson, photographic achievement; Robert Stevens and Jacquie Glaser, journalistic achievement; and Tim Richardson, Deanell Reece, and Robert Kroeker, commendable effort in radio and television.
IN THE SCIENCE division, the awards were presented to Mona Baumgartel, first place: Charles Dison, John La Shell, Mike Ayer, Jim Schreiber, and Jim Forstner. Mark Creamer was named outstanding volley ball player.
Music awards went to Larry Salmon and Jane Sexton, for outstanding girl and boy musician. Runners-up were Jim Gorton, Mike Lattimer, Aubrey Tucker, and Charles Lawson. The girls were Jennifer Nilsson, Diana Perry, Ann Thompson, and Jean Barnes.
Gerald M. Carney, associate director of the music camp, presented Russell Wiley, camp director an award also. His award consisted of jayhawk decals, one large jayhawk and four small ones.
"This was no small task, and like most all other phases of the camp, we had to learn the hard way." Wiley recalled.
BY THE OPENING of World War II the camp had grown, with an addition of a small orchestra in 1936 and the presence of guest conductors. Then the war closed it and when the camp reopened two years later, it opened to a new era filled with rising costs, higher incomes, and what was generally called post-war prosperity.
However, the future was not so bright. The war had taken many music teachers and when it ended many of them left the teaching field for better paying jobs. The camp had to close again.
When the camp opened it boasted a new choral division. Although only 15 students signed up to specialize in voice, members of the instrumental divisions joined to form a choir of 80 boys and girls.
The art division, now the second largest division, was formed in 1949 and "fell flat on its face" with only a handful of students.
"This taught me that the way to build more divisions was through the heads of the departments who knew the people in their own fields," added Wiley.