Page 8
University Daily Kansan Wednesday, April 24, 1963
HRC Working to Define Function
(Third of a Series)
Bv Jackie Helstrom
If a Negro is refused service because of the color of his skin, what can he do about it?
He can either ignore the insult, or he can complain to a private civil rights organization and initiate a protest march.
BUT THERE is a third possibility. A new area is opening in the civil rights movement. This is the official civil rights committees of governing bodies.
In these organizations, the Negro has a place to take a discrimination complaint.
It is the Human Rights Committee (HRC) of the All Student Council that has taken over this role at KU. It has tried to become an effective intervening body between the students and the administration in civil rights matters on campus.
Many people consider this type of organization merely a lid to keep the pot of civil rights controversy from boiling over. But the suppression of demonstrations by the HRC and similar groups may possibly gain the confidence of the people who want to see something done in civil rights, but want to avoid personal involvement in an active demonstration.
THE HRC IS NOW in its second year and is still exploring the possibilities of its range of function. However, the basic scope of its activities are outlined in a preliminary report submitted to the ASC.
These are, in the area of campus problems, to conduct a scientific survey of the opinion of KU students
in several facets of human rights to hold periodic meetings to allow the open discussion of all problems, and the policies of the committee, to meet with representatives of KU organizations interested in human rights problems, and to examine the organizational structure of KU student activities.
Something has been accomplished in each of these areas. For the scientific survey of opinion, Arthur Douville, Prairie Village freshman who is a member of the committee, has been working with Ray P. Cuzzort, associate professor of sociology, to prepare a questionnaire that will determine civil rights feelings. It is to be sent to a random selection of 200 students. The results of this questionnaire are to provide an accurate expression of the general feeling of the campus on civil rights questions.
The committee has also been active in sponsoring meetings. They have held three this year.
The first was a general organizational meeting at which the HRC invited expression of opinion on what the purposes and responsibilities of the committee should be.
LATER IN THE YEAR a meeting was held with all interested fraternity presidents to discuss the general issues involved in the declaration of human rights the HRC is planning to submit to the ASC.
The third meeting was a panel discussion by three men involved in civil rights work, who talked to students about two civil rights bills that were before the Kansas Legislature
Art Exhibit to Present Works by Albert Bloch
An exhibition of Albert Bloch's works, many of which have never been shown before, will be presented on April 30 at the Museum of Art.
The lecture will be given at 8 p.m., April 30 in Fraser Theater. A reception at the museum will follow.
The 32-piece showing will be introduced by Ernst Scheyer, a professor at Wayne State University, who will speak on "Albert Bloch, An American Blaue Reiter."
THE RECEPTION will mark the opening of the exhibition of Bloch's drawings, watercolors, and prints.
Bloch taught at KU from 1923 until his retirement in 1955. During that time, he became head of the Department of Painting and Drawing. Bloch died in December of 1961.
He was born in St. Louis, Mo., in 1882. After studying at the Washington University School of Fine Arts, he worked for several newspapers in St. Louis and New York, drawing illustrations and caricatures of political figures.
IN 1908, BLOCH went to Munich, where he stayed for almost 12 years. Many of the foreign artists attracted to Munich lived in a suburb called "Schwabing," and were nicknamed "Schlawiners" by Munich residents
Although Bloch knew many artists in this group and was somewhat influenced by their work, he never shared their Bohemian life to any extent, nor did he support the more extreme theories of their art. Nevertheless, Franz Narc and Wassily Kandinsky selected Bloch as a participant for both of the revolutionary Blau Reiter (Blue Rider) exhibitions which they organized.
THE BLUE RIDER originated with German Expressionism.
German Expressionism was a manifestation of subjective feeling toward objective reality and the world of the imagination. With bold, vigorous brushwork, emphatic lines,
MEXICAN FOODS Willie's 10-40 Cafe 1310 W. 6th VL 3-9757
and bright color the German painters produced canvases, concisely organized and particularly expressive of intense human feeling.
Bloch showed six paintings in the first Blue Rider Exhibition, opening in December, 1911, and several watercolors and drawing in the second exhibition, March 1913.
at the time.
Another important European exhibition which Bloch participated in during this period was the International Exhibit of the "Sonderbund" in Cologne in 1912, and exhibit which inspired the 1913 Armory Show in New York.
After his return to the United States, Bloch gave exhibitions in Chicago and St. Louis and was included in the "American Art Today" exhibition at the New York World Fair in 1939.
The problem of meeting with representatives of other civil rights organizations has been solved by appointing Marsha Dutton, Colby senior, as a representative from the Civil Rights Council. She regularly attends the meetings of both groups.
BLOCH'S EXHIBITION which is opening here includes works as early as 1906 and as recent at 1558. That offers a comprehensive survey of Bloch's development in the watercolor and drawing media.
Mrs. Bloch has been instrumental in helping the Museum of Art prepare for this showing.
Another exhibition is soon to open in New York.
AN ORGANIZATIONAL QUESTionnaire has also been sent out to determine the structure of KU student activities. A questionnaire was sent to every organization on campus asking the extent of minority group participation in the organization.
In the area of off-campus problems the HRC is cooperating with the Human Relations Commission of the City of Lawrence on any question that involves KU students.
GRAVITT'S FAST LAUNDRY SERVICE
Saves You Time and Trouble
The major area of their cooperation has been in trying to solve the problem of discrimination in the Lawrence taverns. The HRC, the CRC, and the Lawrence Commission have all been working to try to get
Bring your laundry in during the week for extra fast and efficient service.
Negro students served, and a substantial improvement in the situation has been achieved.
913 N.H.
Thompson said that it was the lack of a defined program that has thwarted all effort to bring Martin Luther King to the KU campus. King says he will not come unless his visit is part of a planned program.
VI 3-6844
This spring the HRC is also going to help the Lawrence Commission conduct an employment survey in Lawrence.
The last goal the HRC is trying to achieve is to develop a report of "The State of Human Rights at the University of Kansas" including a "Declaration of Human Rights of the Associated Students of the University of Kansas."
PATRONIZE YOUR ADVERTISERS
NEXT YEAR. THOMPSON would also like to see the HRC add to their activities the responsibility of doing something to observe World Brotherhood Week.
THE STATE OF HUMAN rights report will be compiled from the results of the questionnaire.
definite," said Frank Thompson, Iola junior and chairman of the HRC.
"Such a declaration can define the goals that we ought to strive for and make our future programs more
A declaration of human rights will be submitted to the ASC along with the statement on the state of human rights at KU for which the HRC will ask official approval.
"I think the previous work of the private civil rights groups has eliminated a good share of the illegal discrimination in Lawrence," Thompson said. "The area that we must now be concerned with is the elimination of prejudice.
"Prejudice will not be eliminated by sit-ins and demonstrations. People get scared and defensive, not more liberal and willing to change their attitudes." Thompson said.
TAKE A BREAK AND
STOP IN AT
THRIFT AND SWIFT DRIVE IN
SANDY'S
ACROSS FROM HILLCREST
real stopper
Mennen Spray delivers 3 times the anti-perspirant power of any other leading men's deodorant. The fine spray mist gets through to the skin where perspiration starts. Deodorizes. Effectively. And works all day. Is it any wonder more men use Mennen Spray in the handy squeeze bottle than any other deodorant?