Thursday, March 24, 1988 / University Daily Kansan
Observer focuses on prairie people
Barnstormin' Charlie Blosser of Concordia stands before his 1928 Lincoln Page biplane. This photograph is one of the 120 in Lyle Alan White's book, "The Pioneer Spirit: A Prairie Portrait."
Kansan staff writer
Rv Kevin Dilmore
In 1980, Lyle Alan White took up his camera and notepad and began what would become a six-year journey through Kansas and Nebraska. Creating the resulting document, for him, was more like giving birth to a child than writing a book.
The book, called "The Pioneer Spirit: A Prairie Fortrait," is a collection of 120 photographs and 65 writings that White called a tribute to the good aspects and spirit of the heartland.
"There is a great cliche that the prairie is known as just a vast, productive land, or as fly-over country," White said. "The beauty and secret of the land is the people."
White will be on campus today to talk about his work in "Adventures Off the Beaten Path: Words and Photography of the Backroads of the Central Plains," a colloquium scheduled for 3:30 p.m. in 317 Lindley Hill. He will also be signing copies of "The Pioneer Spirit" from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Oread Book Shop on the fourth
White's visit is sponsored by the department of geography.
floor of the Kansas Union.
Tom Schneider, a teaching assistant in geography who is in charge of colloquiums, said he decided White would make a good speaker after seeing White's photo and story on an eight-man football team in Tipton.
Although a book of photographs may seem an unlikely topic for a geography collouquium, Schneider said White's work was more appropriate than one might think.
"The focus of his book is a central theme in cultural geography," Schmeidler said. "It shows the feeling people have for the place they live and their roots."
White said the book was the result of many trips around the region, which he took in his spare time while working full-time with the National Gypsum Company in Wichita. The slow process of compilation surprised many people, he said, because they assumed he was employed as a photographer.
but concern for future economic security is not unrealistic, said Dwight Kiel, assistant professor of political science at the University of Kansas.
"I do this as my passion, not my vocation," he said. "An illustrator for Hallmark Cards doesn't paint
on the weekends."
But White said the time he spent on his project was not so much behind the camera as in getting to know his subjects.
"Knowing the people gives photographs revealing character, instead of just capturing an image," White said.
The report indicates that today's students are more conservative, both in their politics and in the fields of study they choose.
"The Pioneer Spirit" began in 1864 as a travelling exhibit with the Mid-American Arts Alliance, which toured many states in the Midwest. It originally featured 70 photos with 45 writings, but more of both were added as time went on.
White said he had planned to publish the exhibit as a book independently. He researched the possibilities with a grant from the Kansas Cultural Trust, but the project came to life when Koch Industries in Wichita pre-purchased enough copies of "The Pioneer Spirit" to give him the capital he needed.
Materialism overtakes civil rights, poll shows
"The people at Koch said it would make a great gift book that says something about the positive aspects of the heartland," he said.
By Elaine Woodford
Kausan staff writer
Kiel said he had noticed two different trends on college campuses.
BMWs and starting salaries above $30,000 seem to be more important to college students in the 1980s than their more radical counterparts of the 1960s, according to information in a recent Gallup poll.
statistics show that 80 percent of college students are more concerned with material success than issues such as environmental conservation or civil rights, the same issues that 20 years ago caused students nationwide to demonstrate.
"One, students are more concerned about job security, but the economy isn't as stable as it was in the 1960s," he said. "Two,
students are disillusioned with liberalis and conservatives."
Students are in a transition period, Kiel said.
said,
"They are more skeptical of Republicans and Democrats," he said.
Kiel said campuses were more active in the 1960s because of the Vietnam War and the fact that student activism had a marked impact on critical policy issues, such as civil rights and women's rights.
right to talk
But today, Kiel said, local demonstrations don’t have the same impact as interest group lobbying.
Students aren't the only conservatives, said Walt Niedner, Overland Park senior. Society as a whole has changed.
Niedner said that although college was once seen as a place to make changes in society, it now was seen as a way to obtain the things that parents have, such as BMWs and high-paying jobs.
"I think part of the conservative trend is that there is a cynical attitude," he said.
City to dedicate week to fighting hunger
By Jeff Suggs
Kansan staff writer
A week of events in Lawrence is planned next month to make people in the area more aware of hunger.
Steve Brown, president of the organization,
said that along with increasing awareness
locally, the event would try to raise money to
fight hunger at home and around the world.
KU Students Against Hunger is sponsoring KU War on Hunger week, April 4-9.
Brown said the event was unique because so few universities dedicated an entire week to fighting hunger.
to tightening range.
"It's something that's never been done in the city," Brown said. "It's going to be a pretty major event."
Brown said that Chancellor Gene A. Budig, Mayor Mike Amyx and Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Richard Berkley had endorsed the event.
"It sounded like a reasonable thing for the city to be involved with," Amyx said.
Brown said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass, Tom Markhawk, D-Iowa, and Sens. John Danforth and Kit Bond, R-Mo., also had offered their support.
Activities for the event will start at noon April 4 with a balloon launch on the lawn in
KU Students Against Hunger is sponsoring KU War on Hunger Week, April 4-9, to raise money to fight hunger.
KU
front of Stauffer-Flint hall.
If Balloons will be sold for $1 each at the event, co-sponsored by Delta Sigma Pi, the business fraternity.
Brown said he hoped to sell 500 balloons for the launch. He said all the money raised by the sale of balloons would go to fight hunger in Lawrence.
Comedian-activist Dick Gregory will speak on black issues and fighting hunger at 7 p.m. April 5 in the Kansas Union Ballroom. His appearance is co-sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
A teacher in-service briefing for Lawrence area teachers and University faculty will be held at 7 p.m. April 6 in 300 Strong Hall.
speaking at the in-service will be Karen Herman, who was chairman of Major Berkley's task force on hunger when Berkley was a member of President Reagan's task force on hunger. Brown said the purpose of the in-service briefing was to show instructors how
to teach about hunger.
A panel discussion on hunger and the needy in Lawrence will be held at 7 p.m. April 7 in the Mayflower Room of the Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont.
At the Bottlejne, 737 New Hampshire St., a benefit concert will be held April 8, featuring bands including the Mahoots, the Homestead Greys and Common Ground. Admission to the show will be $4, or $3 with a can of food.
Brown said that on April 9, the last day of the event, people would be sponsored to go about beautifying Lawrence. Brown said he hoped 200 people would participate in the cleanup. Half of the money raised will stay in Lawrence. he said.
Brown said information tables would be placed on and off campus. He said canned food dispensers would be placed in grocery stores throughout Lawrence.
Leslie Samuelrul, director of the National Student Campaign Against Hunger, said festivities such as the one to be held at KU were starting to become a trend at other universities. She said KU Students Against Hunger should be commended for its efforts
"It sounds fantastic," Samuelrich said. "This way you can reach out to a lot of people on campus."
Weak dollar could mean higher foreign enrollment at KU
Kansan staff writer
By David Sodamann
The dollar has taken a fall in international money markets, and that could mean a higher foreign student head count at the University.
"Foreign students ought to be able to more afford to come to the U.S.", said Jim Stinson, assistant director of foreign student admissions.
Stinson said that if the dollar's value held at current levels, KU would likely see an increase in foreign student enrollment in the spring or fall semester of 1989.
These new foreign students prob-
only will come from Europe or the Far East, Stinson said, where exchange rates are apt to be most favorable for students.
Clark Coan, director of foreign student services, said value changes in U.S. and foreign currency had not had any great effect on KU so far. The number of foreign students enrolled has remained steady at 1,700 to 1,800 in recent semesters.
However, Coan said, other monetary factors have taken their toll. Economic conditions in some countries have caused fewer of their students to come to KU. Venezuela and Nigeria are at the top of the list
of countries with declining numbers of KU students.
Today, only 20 Venezuelans attend KU, down from a peak of 160 during the mid-1970s. Coan said that the Venezuelan government offered a oil-financed scholarship program then. Also, there are only 12 Nigerians here. When Bonny Light, which is Nigerian crude oil, was selling for nearly a dollar a gallon, there were 55 here.
Stinson said inflation rates in some countries also were holding many prospective students back. In Israel and many of the Latin American
nations, annual inflation rates are running as high as 300 percent. Consequently, students from these countries need more and more money to enroll.
Economically, Japan is doing well, and 96 Japanese students are enrolled here.
"There's no indication that's going to change. It will probably go up," Coan said.
"It's too early to see what effect that will have," Coan said. "It's possible that could cause quite an increase in enrollment."
Malaysia has more students enrolled at KU than any other country. There are 178 Malaysians here this semester. But the home economy is going through great stress and
The government of Taiwan is now permitting undergraduate students who have completed high school and obligatory military service to leave the island to study abroad.
strain now. Coan said.
There are now 138 Taiwanese students enrolled at KU.
On the mainland, the People's Republic of China is showing reluctance to let students study outside the country.
"Indications are the Chinese government may make it more difficult for students to study abroad," Coan said.
Coan said the reason was partly economic. China is trying to keep money in the country, he said.
Stinson saw politics behind the policy. He said that 75 percent of the students who left Shanghai to study abroad hadn't returned. He suspected that the government was going to be more careful about who it allowed to leave.
BUY 1 SET OF STRINGS OR 1 PAIR OF STICKS
The People's Republic of China has 132 students at KU this semester.
&
Recieve 2nd one Hayes House of Music
1/2 price 944 Mass.
842-5183
MEN'S SPRING FORMAL RUSH
APRIL 15-17 REGISTER IN THE I.F.C. OFFICE BY APRIL 12 ROOM 105, BURGE UNION THERE WILL BE A $10.00 REGISTRATION FEE
842-1212 PIZZA SHUTTLE 842-1212 "NO COUPON SPECIALS"
Prime Time Special
3-Pizzas
1-Topping
4-Cokes
`$10.00
Everyday
Two-Fers
2-Pizzas
2-Toppings
2-Cokes
$8.00
TOPPINGS
PEPPERONI
ITALIAN SAUSAGE
GROUND BEEF
HAM
ANCHOWIES
PINEA PLUCE
EXTRA CHEESE
MUSHROOMS
ONIONS
GREEN PEPPERS
BLACK OLIVES
GREEN OLIVES
SLICED TOMATOES
JALAPENOS
HOURS
HOURS
Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-3 a.m.
Sunday. 11 a.m.-1 a.m.
Special Offer
10-Pizzas
1-Topping
$25.00
WE DELIVER DURING
LUNCH!