The DAILY NEBRASKAN
Daily 'Capital City9 review
Daily writer finds Lincoln
incidents in 'Capital City'
I By Elizabeth Clark.
A. 11 those people who make any
pretension to culture with a capital
C have now waded through the
pages of Marl Sandoz's latest opus,
Capital City," and the postmortem
ha begun along Miss Sandoz
"Blue Ridge" and down at the
university in the Polish flats."
Everybody is now picking out the
people they recognize, or think
they recognize, and chuckling
heartily over Miss Sandoz more
itrolic phrases which describe
these people.
Unmistakable was the well-
described grey stone house with
fxi-jaa hripUo nn one aide. For the
further edification of those much
in doubt, the house is located at
the corner of Sixteenth ana k.
Doe Sandoz write of Sandoz?
Open query to Miss Sandoz
wa hv nnv chance, the hounded
and ' persecuted author, Abigail
Allerton, wnose nome town was
unable to appreciate her talent,
Miss Sandoz of Lincoln?
Of course the Moorish domed
club house on "Boulder Heights,"
fraudulently, and bought
again, must have belonged to some
other town than Lincoln, ror wno
can remember such a thing about
this fair city? The book opens
with the coronation of the emperor
and empress of that mythical
state "Kanewa" which of course,
bears no resemblance to that well
known panaroma of the Middle
west, the Ak-Sar-Ben ball.
Omaha and Lincoln?
And the two major cities of the
state of Kanewa, Franklin and
Crandapolis might be possible con
strued by unfriendly eyes to mean
the two metropoli of Nebraska.
And last but not least, everyone
recognized the tall-spired white
capital which looms high above
the city is of course the capital
of Kansas. '
The 'Messiah' backstage . . . King of campus businesses
Known as Jack of all trades
and King of campus business
is Les Johnson
You will hear
them today
. . .
miimimmmsmsm m J
1 mi in mini lln ii ii ' ' '
Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star.
Above Is a flash picture of a section of the University Singers who provide music for the "Mes
siah" production to be presented in the coliseum this afternoon.
Today's 'Messiah' as it was yesterday
s
l ;t i . x.- ' .
W
V -
Lincoln Journal and Star
MARI SANDOZ.
. . . Parasites living off
students and capital
Rut aside from these beautifully
described things so commonly
known people, incidents ana places,
Mis Sandoz has told an interest-
4nnr nnri nlausible storv well and in
4 some places beautifully. She has
told the story of a parasitic city
livine- off "students and the
rAnital" and trivinrr little in return
. In nlaces. the storv smncks faintly
reminiscent of the tales of Sinclair
. Lewis, concerning the greatest
scare story In years, "It Can't
Happen Here." ana me nun in
which the characters of John
Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath"
move, is found again in the secon
dary plot of "Herb's Addition."
Methodist students will
review campus activities
Deputations' leader for Wesley
Foundation, John Norall, hns chos
en 28 Methodist students on the
campus to speak in their home
rhm rhes ilurinir the Christmas va
cation. Thc9C students will Rive
their home churches an Idea of the
activities and accomplishments of
the Wesley Foundation on thi3
campus.
The croup, hnnorod Thursday night at a
rfiiimT nt tho foundation, Inclmlra Iorr.
thy Calhralth. Mnry Rookey, Charlotte
Van Vlock, Mnrle I.arnitM. tMar 'p ' -r
Zelma Waldo, Cecil Richmond, LaKoy
HMver. RhU'U Behobcrt. Dale lll'SKina.
Iron Schultx, Bob Oroen f liarm an
Bloom, Kdna Putorhm, Klh.-r Mao lal
hoiin, Porln He Lon, Khirlov Hnham.
iim Hall. Mnrjorlf Mull, Mnxlne Cloplne,
Lucille Marker, Hnml.l Wrown. Maxlne
Thomas. Kenneth Klenger, Jerry Uuiilap,
John Norall, and Lucille Sodorholm,
By Bob Aldrich
It is 2 p. m., Saturday after
noon, Dec. 16. The coliseum is the
goal of a large number of stu
dents, teachers, and others who
flock their way across the campus.
Some of the students carry mu
sical instruments under their
arms, others sheet music . . .
Tr la the final rehearsal of "The
Messiah," annual musical event
which marks the Christmas season
on the campus.
Urchins, athletes, musicians.
Inside, the coliseum is noisy
with activity. The basketball team
is practising. Urchins are running
under tne legs or me piayers, try
ing to throw baskets. The stage
is set for "The Messiah" and Mr.
Arthur Westbrook, school of music
head and director of the produc
tion Is rushiner about in a calm but
Impatient manner, pointing at
chairs to be moved here and sing
ers to stand there.
Tune-up time.
Don Lentz is coaxlne- his mu
sicians to tune up. It's chilly in the
building and the trombones don't
sound quite right.
On the stage, soloists is ate moi
man, Dale Ganz, Louise Staplcton,
Martha McGee, Jack Donovan,
Glenn Clark sit patiently waiting
for their cues. W. G. Tempel su
nrvlsM the arrangement of the
University singers. Mrs. Altinus
Tullis herds a group or latecomers
toward the ag college chorus sec
tion. .
Music versus athletics.
Frank Cunkle Dlavs the oreran
and the rehearsal is under wav.
The basketball game is still in
progress. Mr. westbrooK iooks
around at the players as though
to wither them with a glance.
Music versus atnietics a ciasn is
Inevitable!
Westbrook summons Messrs.
Lentz and Tempel who step down
stage and ask the basket-throwers
will they please go away as they
are annoying the Muse, not to
mention Mr. Westbrook.
Handel's round
The basketball players leave, re
luctantly. Beyond a flimsy curtain
another team plays just as noisily.
But now the chorus has begun
and is slowly drowning them out.
And it's Handel's round.
A violin player arrives late, tries
to slip in unnoticed but the other
orchestra members laugh at him.
Somebody shushes them.
Another player drops a sheet of
music. He dives after it like a
hobo would a nickle on the side
walk. You can't notice the ab
sence of that music which his horn
may make, but the director can.
Perturbed, Lentz frowns. A few
moments later, the muscian, with
the music back before him. elves
the music a normal tone. We
couldn't tell the difference but it
was evident in Mr; Lentz' ex
pression. Is everything ready
Mr. Westbrook directs, waving
his arm violently, tapping with
his foot. Mr. Lentz looks worried.
Mr. Tempel furrows his brow in
thought. Tomorrow the program
will be presented. Is everything
in order?
The chorus, white-robed and
ready, provide an -excellent study
a few minutes later when in uni
son, mouths open and close as
though they were controlled by the
director's hands. The singers know
their part. All they have left to do
is to iron out a few rough spots
and sharpen up what flats may
occur.
One gigantic Instrument
Over at the side of the stage,
a left-over urchin sits with knees
crossed and mouth agape. He prob
ably wonders how so many voices
and so many Instruments can be
juggled and manipulated until they
become one gigantic instrument.
We wonder a bit ourselves.
Mr Westbrook throws up his
hands in horror. His well trained
ear detects a flattened note where
none grew before. It sounds all
right to us but we're used to Artie
Shaw.
Try, try again.
We try it once more again Mr.
Westbrook appeals to the singers
to have more respect for tone
quality. He speaks in such a low
voice you can't hear him offstage.
The basketball players hang
around, watching proceedings. Two
or three janitors peer thru the side
curtains. The chorus swells to a
mighty volume. For a few
moments there is perfect timing.
It is like one Instrument rather
than many voices.
Neck wringing
Once more it stops. Westbrook
speaks to the tenors. We can't see
him from our perch but we can
ee him moviner his hands as tho
to indicate that all tenors should
hav their neeka wrune
The basketball players, seeing
urh a look of intent on the direc
tor's face decide that it was well
that athletics gave in at least
temoorarilv for music. Evidently,
they decide to give in completely
lor tney neaa ior snower rooms
Foster
(Continued From Page 1.)
desk. "These men are my heroes."
(They are five of his Instructors at
Harvard.) "This gentleman, Dean
James Burr Ames, was so busy
seeing students that he never found
time to write the book on law he'd
always wanted to write. But I
think it was better thnt way. He
left his talents to the world thru
the minds of his students rather
than In a book."
Comments on gripe session.
"Take your gripe session I've
been reading about. Well, that's a
fine thing- providing it's construc
tive and doesn't degenerate Into
petty complaining. We have very
few gripes In law college because
the student can go right Into the
dean's office or to his professor
with nnv Question."
... a ...
In his enthusiasm for the subject
of the student mind and its possi
bilities, Dean Foster strode tho
floor of his' office, then plumped
himself down In a chair. Peering
thru his glasses he resembled one
of the Vanity Fair cartoons of
Judges which adorn the walls of
the Bar association clubroom.
"I think bull sessions are fine
things. Discussion that's the
thing. The trouble with students
is they're not taking advantage of
, their intellectual surroundings. I
discovered the value of small-group
discussion at Harvard."
"One of my old chums, now a
professor at Johns Hopkins visited
me recently. I hadn't seen him in
20 years but he still recalled our
bull sessions. Occasionally, when
I made a statement, he would say,
'Henry, you'vechanged your mind
about that.' That shows how well
you remember these Informal
talks."
"I love publicity"
An Interruption as photogra
pher's arrive to take his picture. . .
"No. I don't mind at all. I love
nnhliritv."
He Btrucirles with the window
shade. "It takes an engineer to
work this. And it's a terrible thing
for a lawyer to nave to De an en
rrineer "
There Is a flavor of the old
school about Foster's personality.
Tho he has kept consistently
Ahren.it of the times, he obviously
clings to the older, more funda
mental wavs of dolnrr things. He
is a hard worker and expects his
students to worn nara, too.
His snirlt is bubbllmr. youthful.
H Invea a cood loke. even if it la
nn Henrv Hubbard Foster. His
mind is endlessly keen, quick to
seize upon the Importance of any
subject and to discard tne wortn
lesa. His agile brain is always ten
jumps ahead of his students. He
is a good lawyer, a good dean, but,
better yet, a good teacher.
Life and a soul.
Music and singlrg swell until
all are blended into jeautirui tones
that seem to e-o ud to the steel
girders in the top of the coliseum
only to return perhaps a bit quieter
but still blended Into one unit. The
music that Handel set down on
paper as a lifeless thing is given
a soul by singers and musicians.
A a we tintoe out clumn. clump.
clump we hear the chorus at full
volume. Even Handel couldn t com
plain. They're in the groove.
Kosmet opens
skit1 contest
Klub offers $40 to
writer of spring show
Working your way throught
college ? ,
So is Leslie Johnson. He neipa
his brother, too.
His most important source of
income is his "store" which is lo
cated in a room of his fraternity
house. At Les's Place you can buy
anything from ruDDer Danos 10
cheese sandwiches, the latter
which carries an unconditional
guarantee for quality and satisfac
tion. His special tne "Big iea
Hammer" includes a nam sana
wich, grilled cheese sandwich, and
jelly sandwich all for the sum of
20 cents.
Pants press deluxe.
Also in his room is located a
pressing plant where you can have
your pants pressed while you wait
in them. Les said that he could
have used an assistant the night
of the Military Ball. He pressed
14. nnirs of tux pants from 7:30
to 9:00 that night. In conjunction
with his pressing plant ne nas re
cently established a tailor shop.
His price for sewing is dependent
entirely on the size of the rip.
Needle In a trousers.
Business, he says, isn't so good
since the last time he forgot the
needle In the seat of a customers
pants. The individual sat down In
class with disastrous results.
Another lucrative field in which
"Big Les" is engaged is date get
ting. His patrons are awe to pro
cure blind dates in the various
sorority houses for 15 cents and
up, depending on the house and
the desirability of the girl. Since
school started Les has got dates
for approximately $u companion-
less men, including two ior tne
Military Ball. Satisfaction is fully
guaranteed or your money ia re
funded.
Hey taxi I
Included in his many services is
his taxi service that can be called .
anytime, anywhere for a price.
His largest volume of business is
from Lincoln to Omaha. He aver
ages at least 3 trips a week there.
The cost is very nominal, only 50
cents which includes curb service
to your door. The reason for his
low bus ticket Is that he runs hla
car on a combined mixture of trac
tor fuel, gasoline, and distillate.
Need a mechanic
A rood mechanic and ingrenlous
fixer, the bizad sophomore has also
t-.ablisned quite a reputation as
an auto repairman, jeweler and
radio mechanic. Last week he
found a broken down delapidated
alarm clock and combined it wnn
the miscellaneous parts from an
other. The result was a recondi
tioned clock which he now rents
out to the call boy for ten cents
a week. Combined with his radio
repair shop he also has an agency
ior radio sales, his radios are
from $4.00 up, including plenty o
wire for an aerial.
Insurance business Is nil
Johnson also sells life insurance.
He can insure vour life with anv
insurance company from the Mid-
West to Security Mutual. He says
that "college kids don't figure on
dying or something, I guess, be
cause i naven i soia any insurance
here on the campus as yet."
Another lucrative field that h
has entered Is the wholesaling of
tnemes ana term papers, rnemes
range in price from 35 cents to 50
cents depending on their length.
aii me papers nave oeen graaea
An award of i40 will be given
by Kosmet Klub to the writer of
the best a'.tit for the annual spring
miiHirnl comedv with the dead
line for entiles to be set some
time nfter Phristmas vacation. Rov
Proffitt, club president, announced
vesterduv.
. . .......
The Kiuu has acneauiea tnis
year's production for the week of
Anril K to 13
Beside the first prize of $40,
nrlditinnal nwards of S10 each will
be given the author of the second
best manuscript and the composer
of the best song. The Klub retains
all rights to both manuscripts ana
the hest snntr.
Requirements for ft winning
manuscript, set up by the Klub,
are that it run for approximately
two and one-half hours In two or
three acts, have continuity, ease
of production, humor and plot.
Parts written must be suitable
fnr nn nil-male east with brawnv
collegians taking the feminine
roles.
The eomnetltion la onen to any
one connected in any way with
the university. Already several en
tries are being planned according
A - A.
to rromn
as
judges available the English de
oartment.
4
Miaeellaneoiifl ions thnr rr
forms are: sewing buttons on, for
five cents: shoe shining. thre
cents; painting, repairing clocks
ana iocks; ana making paddle
boarda. The latter he bpIU nt a
local bookstore for a contracted
price.
Along with making a living for
himself and his brother Bier Les is
active in a number of extra.
currlcular activities. He is a Corn
Cob Pledge. Alnha Phi Omppa
Scabbard and Blade, University
church rhoir. and Pershing Ulflpa'
ls says ' l attribute my success
to mv name. Ric Ia " Prom it h
made his motto, "Big Les Is always
Epworth Leaque presents
peace play tonight
"ThA Winrlrwur " a iuim nlml
, & j
written for radio nresentation hv
Marcus L. Bach, will be given at
tne j&pwortn League service or tne
First Methodist church, 2723 No
50th, tonight.
Charlotte Van Vleck. Bill Peter
son, Bob Axtell, Lloyd Mills, sji
Gilbert Heuftle are tne actors.