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SINCE 1889
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MERCURY
MONDAY, JAN. 21, 1986, VOL. 96, NO. 78 (USPS 650-640)
Mild Details page 3.
Poor crops to increase coffee price
By Grant W. Butler
Staff writer
The caffee laden brew that many KU students rely on to help them get through late night study sessions, mid-terms and finals may cost them as much as $1 a pound more this semester.
The increase in coffee prices is the result of bad weather in Colombia last year, and the Nov. 13 eruption of the Nevada del Ruiz volcano in the heart of Colombia's western coffee growing region, said Lance Davis, assistant manager of Food Barn, 1900 W. 23rd St.
The volcano's eruption melted the ice caps on its slopes, causing a torrent of water and mud in which 20,000 people died and a large portion of Colombia's coffee crop was destroyed.
Davis said the price increase began at the first of the year and he expected coffee prices to continue to increase.
"From what I've heard, it's going to keep up like a skyrocket," Davis said. "It's already gone up between 50 cents and a dollar a pound."
Some students said shelling out a few extra bucks wouldn't break them of their caffeine habit, however
Bill McDevitt, Salina senior, said: "I don't think that an increase will affect my consumption because it's still cheaper than a lot of other things to drink. And it's definitely cheaper than No-Doz."
When word about the price increase got out, Davis said, he noticed people were starting to stock up on coffee.
"We've had some cases of boarding," he said. "You can tell people are starting to stock up because they think prices are going to Keep going up. They may just be picking up an extra can or two to save some money in the long run."
Mike Moon, assistant manager of Rusty's Food Center, 2300 Louisiana St., said that he first knew about the price increase three weeks ago, but that the actual price increased occurred last week.
Moon said there was a sale on coffee at Rusty's about two weeks ago and he noticed an increase in coffee purchases over the normal rate for a sale.
Bob Weigel, manager of Dillon's Grocery Store, 1740 Massachusetts St., said most Lawrence grocery stores had already raised their coffee prices. He said he expected the prices at his store to go up in the next week.
Even though prices would be significantly higher, Weigel said that he didn't think there would be any decrease in the number of sales.
"Your regular coffee drinkers are still going to buy it," he said. "It's kind of a habit people have."
The price of decaffeinated and instant brands of coffee will also increase, Weigel said, but they will probably be the last brands to go up.
Moon said decaffeinated and instant coffees generally cost more than a regular grind because the process of making those types of coffee was more expensive. But he said the price increase per pound for those types of coffee would be at the same rate as regular blends.
Holiday has extra meaning for local civil rights leaders
By Brian Kaberline Staff writer
The efforts of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., in the civil rights movement are well-known, but King's efforts have special significance to three former members of a Lawrence civil rights group.
See related story p.8.
"I was very much impressed with Martin Luther King because he stood for the equality of all citizens, which I believe in with all my heart, and because he sought to bring it forth peacefully." Harry Shaffer, professor of economics and East European studies, said yesterday.
Shaffer, along with Roy Laird, professor of political science and East European studies, and Charles Oldfather, a local attorney and former professor of law, remember their struggle in the late 1950s and early 1960s for civil rights through a local group called the Lawrence League for the Practice of Democracy.
Shaffer said Lawrence was a model of the inequality in the country, and it was nearly impossible for blacks to find a job in town—with the exception of that of a laitor.
The LLPD was a group of concerned residents who fought the prevailing discrimination in Lawrence at the time, Shaffer said.
But what all three men most remember is the picketing on July 4, 1960, at a swimming pool called The Jayhawk Plunge.
Although the pool was privately
owned, it was open to anyone with the price of admission — unless he happened to be black. Shaffer said.
The LLPDs official role in the event was to supervise the student protest group which actually did the picketing, Laird said. Nevertheless, he, Shaffer and Oldfather were active on the nicket line.
Though they had come to the University of Kansas and the LLPD from different backgrounds, all three shared a mutual desire for a peaceful settlement of the civil rights issue.
Shaffer came to the University in 1956 after resigning his position at the University of Alabama over the expulsion of black student Authorine Lucy, Lucy, who was admitted to the university after a U.S. Supreme court order, was expelled by the Alabama Board of Regents, without
See SHAFFER, p. 5, col. 1
Nettie Wisner, 97, former high school science teacher, is looking forward to seeing Halley's comet this year. Wisner said she saw the comet in 1910 when she was 22 years old.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Today
Tammy Stude/KANSAN
(Today's events sponsored by the University office of minority affairs.) 11:30 a.m.: March from Chi Omega fountain to Smith Hall
**Noon:** "Living the Dream" program. Speech by Chancellor Gene A. Budig, reading of King's "I Have a Dream" speech by the Rev. Leo Barbee, Lawrence, and music by Denise Myers, assistant professor of voice, and Black Student Union Gospel Chair. 100 Smith.
2 p. 108. "The Assassin Years: Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929-1968." *Fire and fire* on denismore. *Derwent Press*. York.
1929-1968." Film and discussion. Jayhawk Room, Kansas Union.
3:30 p.m.: "I Have a Dream." Film and discussion. Jayhawk Room, Kansas Union.
(Weekend events sponsored by the Black Student Union. Tickets are $5.00 a person and include all events.)
Fridav
7:30 p.m.: John Gaston, Wichita State University, will speak on black unity. Alderson Auditorium.
Saturdav
8 p.m.: Mr. Ebony/Ms. Essence pageant, Kansas Union Ballroom.
Sunday
3 p.m.: Gospel Extravaganza. Kansas Union Ballroom.
Comet looked like jewel in year 1910
By Margie Chambers Special to the Kansan
The year was 1910.
Although many stores are selling sophisticated telescopes to people to view the arrival of Halley's comet, Nettie Wismer, 97, clearly remembers watching from a horse-drawn wagon as the comet — looking like a jeweled veil — spread across the sky.
Wismer, of the Presbyterian Manor nursing home. 1421 Kasold Drive, was a 22-year-old country schoolteacher when she saw Halley's comet in Osborne County, Kan.
"We had gone to visit some
Monday Morning
friends,” Wisner said recently. “You know in those days we didn't have automobiles. They had to hitch the team to a big wagon because there were quite a few of us. On the way home, we were sitting in the back of the wagon facing west and there it was up in the skv.”
Wismer leaned back in her rocking chair, her hazel eyes focusing in the distance.
"It had a head," she said. "That was the first thing I saw. And then the whole vision appeared. The tail came down like a big fan all the way from the head to the horizon. The head was bright but the tail was shiny.
"It was so beautiful. I don't have the words to describe to you what it looked like. It looked like a jeweled veil."
The reappearance of the comet 75 years later has caused an army of professional and amateur astronomists to search the skies for a fleeting glimpse.
Halley's comet will be visible until late January and then again between Feb. 24 and April 5, one hour before sunrise, said Bruce Twarog, KU professor of physical astronomy. The last time the comet will appear this time around is April 17, two hours after sunset.
But for Wismer, this is the second chance to see the comet — this time at ease that its appearance will not bring the end of the world.
"A lot of people were so afraid that it was the end of the earth." Wismer said. "They sold whatever they had and would go out into the mountains to be on ton when the last day came."
Wismer said people were told the earth would go through the tail of the comet and possibly be burned up.
"I was a little fearful when they said we were going-through the tail, but they gave us the date when it would happen and I talked it over with my father," Wismer remembered.
"He said, 'The Bible tells us that we need not be afraid,' and so I sort of pushed that out of my mind. He also said, 'Not even the angels in heaven know the date the earth would disappear', so I had a lot of confidence in my father and kept watching for the comet."
Pearl Newcomer, 89, originally from Macon, Mo., but now a resident of the Regency Health Care Center, 1800 W 27th St., also recalls the fear of Hallow's comet.
"The world was going to end," she said. "My mother described it to me as a new star. Everybody goes out to look at something new."
Newcomer said she was 14 years old when she saw Halley's comet.
"I wasn't too old," she said. "I was big enough to be excited. But I was excited because I didn't know what was going on or what it was about."
Newcomer talked of the comet as she sat in her bedroom surrounded by the antique furniture she had brought from her Macon home.
"we lived out in the country in Missouri," she said. "But it was a big issue. Everybody called everybody else. That was why everybody was excited."
Newcomer said she remembered distinctly seeing the comet.
"It was various colors, rainbowlooked," she said. "It came quickly. It was a flash. You could see it coming from one horizon to the other."
Budig to begin column in Nebraska newspaper
By Lori Poison
Staff writer
In his latest literary effort, Chancellor Gene A. Budig began this week writing a periodic column for a Nebraska daily newspaper.
Budig, a Nebraska native, said Friday that he planned to submit four to six columns a year to the Omaha World-Herald. His first article is scheduled to appear in the newspaper sometime this week.
Since becoming chancellor in 1981, Budig said, he has written articles and editorial comments for the Kansas City Times, the Kansas City Star, the Topeka Capital Journal, the Wichita Eagle-Beacon and the Lawrence Journal-World.
"These articles have given me a unique opportunity to express to the public my interest in higher education." Budig said.
Howe said Budig's first article summarized some of Budig's conversations with presidents and chancellors of other universities. The
In 1962 he was a reporter for the
While he was attending the University of Nebraska, Budig worked for two newspapers.
Woodson Howe, vice president and editor of the World-Herald, said Friday that seeing one of Budig's previous articles had prompted him to ask the chancellor to write for the World-Herald.
Budig said one of the reasons he wanted to write for the World-Herald was that Nebraska was his home state.
brought up the possibility of him writing for us in a conversation on another subject. I guess I sort of initiated it."
"I saw a piece that he had done in the Kansas City Star." Howe said. "I
"I retain a high interest in journalism. I was active in the news field for seven years and I carry a full professorship in journalism."
— Chancellor Gene A. Budlg
article will appear on the page opposite the editorial page in the World-Herald, which has a circulation of about 285,000.
"In that 285,000 circulation there are a lot of Kansas subscribers," Howe said. "There are also a lot of students from Nebraska who go to school at KU."
Howe said he and Budig had not discussed yet whether Budig would be paid for his columns.
Lincoln Journal and later operated the out-state Nebraska bureau for the Lincoln Journal, the Lincoln Star and the Sunday Journal-Star until 1964. Budig is also a member of Sigma Delta Chi, the Society of Professional Journalists.
"I retain a high interest in journalism," Budig said. "I was active in the news field for seven years and I carry a full professorship in journalism."
KU wants money from extra fees
Chancellor Gene A. Budio
KU enrollment this semester rose by 671 students from last year, forcing the Board of Regents and KU administrators to fight for fees raised by the unexpected increase, Robin Eversole, director of University Relations, said yesterday.
By a Kansan reporter
The Regents and administrators will work with state legislators to request that $804,722 in fees collected during fall and spring enrollment be released to KU.
The enrollment increase generated funds that had not been estimated for the University's appropriation from the state's general fund, said Keith Nitcher, director of business affairs.
"We have to get permission to ammend our budget," Nitcher said. "We need our budget made bigger."
Nitcher said Gov. John Carlin's proposed budget released earlier this month did not include the added financing for KU.
A legislative committee will visit KU later this month to assess the University's financial needs, he said. The University probably won't know the results until the end of March.
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