The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, June 27, 1967, Page Page 2, Image 2

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    Tuesday, June 27, 1957
Poge 2
Summer Nebraskan
President
Community Efforts to Organize Symphonies
Prove Nebraska Is Not a Cultural Desert
J
f.
r
i
By Diane Lindquist
The following was
written for a Univer
sity of Nebraska
School of Journalism
depth reporting class.
On a Sunday atternoon
in the spring and in the
late fall 45 musicians take
their places, tune their
instruments and fidget in
their chairs as the audi
ence gathers at the North
Platte High School auditor
ium to hear the Sandhills
Symphony perform.
These presentation! are
made possible through do
nations from local patrons,
a grant from the Record
ing Industries "Music Per
formance" Trust Fund and
a spreading demand for
culture on the prairie.
Can it be true that such
concerts exist in a state lo
cated in what has been
called the "American cul
tural desert"? The truth is
that this is only one of six
communities in Nebraska
that have symphony orches
tras. Omaha and Lincoln
have had symphonies for
more than 40 years. Be
sides being the more es
tablished symphonies in
the state, they are the only
professional symphonies in
the sense that the members
are paid.
The Hastings Dime Sym
phony was started during
the depression. The name
developed because the ad
mission price was a dime,
and it stuck, probably be
cause the cost has re
mained at a dime.
The McCook, the Sand
hills and the North Platte
Valley symphonies have
been created in the last
15 years, largely because
the communities demanded
cultural entertainment
Dormat Source
Nebraska author Mari
Sandoz gave reason to be
lieve that for years the
cultural interest now being
recognized was lying dor
mant waiting for someone
to untap the source and let
the music swell forth.
"Evidently something of
the old interest in music
has lasted," she wrote la a
letter noting the creation of
the Sandhill Symphony.
"There was a season, right
after settlement, when ev
ery community with an E
flat cornet man had a band.
I recall, also, that in the
1920's there was at least
one member of the Lincoln
Symphony from out at
North Platte, commuting.
However, the real crystali
zation now must be due to
your special interest and
peculiar talent with these
people."
The interest and talent to
which Mari Sandoz was re
fering was that of Dr. Lou
is C. Trzcinski, professor of
music at the University of
Nebraska. He is the man
who has urged Nebraska's
businessmen, rsachen, ssd
housewives to dig out their
instrument!, dust them off
and create the sounds they
bad nearly forgotten.
Trzcinski has found that
Nebraska communities are
Two University Faculty
Take Part in Home Ec
Two staff members at the
University of Nebras
ka School of Home Eco
nomics have a part in the
program at the American
Home Economics Associa
tion convention June 26-30.
Dr. Shirley Kreutz, pro
fessor of home economics
education, will present
some beliefs and definitions
about the development of a
structure for curriculum
content during one cf the
subject matter sec ties
meetings.
Dr. Hazel Anthony, chair
man of the borne econom
ics education department,
will report on the activities
of the Associated Organiza
tions for Teacher Education
at the 58th annual conven
tion in Dallas.
Nebraskans Attend
About 60 Nebraska borne
economists are attending
the convention. Serving as
Nebraska member del
egates to the meeting are
Dr. Dorothy Larsry, chair
man of the NU Department
of Family Economics and
Management and chairman
of delegates; Dr. Virginia
Trotter, associate dean of
NU College cf Agriculture
and Home Economics; Hel
en Gil, assistant director
of ths Omaha and Council
Bluffs Dairy council; Doro
thea Holstein, associ
thirsting for orchestras,
which have been neglected
for so long. All it takes is
a little push and some local
pride.
Community Effort
"It's amazing," he said.
"I think people are more
interested because it is in
their own communities.".
"Many people don't rea
lize the potential here in
the terms of talent. It's
amazing how much poten
tial there really is."
As a consequence of the
Univeriity of Nebras
ka String Plan, Trzcinski
helped train players in the
McCook symphony. Several
North Platte musicians
were playing in that sym
phony and they wondered
why they couldn't have
their own orchestra.
In November of 1961 they
asked Trzcinski to help or
ganize the Sandhills Sym
phony "There were ev
en a few who thought this
was a bunch of guitar
players and fiddlers," said
conductor Lawrence H. Ro
meiser and on Sunday
afternoon, April 30, they
gave their first perform
ance. This year Trzcinski help
ed organize the North Plt
t e Valley Symphony ia
Scottsbluff.
The idea is to help rath
er than to govern," Trzcin
ski said. "If they do It, then
it's that much more impor
tant to them. The symphon
ies depend alot on the local
leadership and on their re
sourcefulness." No Boundaries
Even though the symph
onies depend largely upon
the human and financial re
sources of one particular
community, membership is
not restricted in terms of
geography. The lonely,
devoted commutor driving
between North Platte and
Lincoln may no longer
have to travel across the
state to perform with a
symphony, but die distance
some symphony members
travel is still impressive.
Every other Sunday when
the Sandhills Symphony re
hearses, first violinist V.R.
Eychner drives 140 miles
from Grand Island. He and
his daughter, Mrs. Robert
Deutschman, from North
Platte, play side-by-side.
A flute player and form
er North Platte elementary
teacher drives from Sterl
ing, Colo, because ihe likes
the group so much. There
are also members from
Cozad, Stapieton, Arnold
and other surrounding com
munities. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bud
denberg, who farm south of
Gothenburg, often bring
their seven children with
them to the rehearsals. He
plays the trumpet, she
plays the tympanl and now
their oldest son has joined
the symphony as a trum
pet player.
While the symphonies are
devoted to the production
of harmonious strains their
situation may become
strained at times in the
areas of an adequate num
ate State 4-H Gub leader
and Margaret Killian,
president of the Nebraska
Home Economics Associa
tion and presidential dele
gate. Alternate delegates are
Ardith Von Housen, home
economics teacher ia the
Holdrege public schools;
Agnes Arthaud, assistant
state director of the agri
cultural extension service
and Lorraine Brandt, pre
fessor cf family economics
and management at NU.
Speakers at the conven
tion project the theme
"Focus on Interaction"
through professional sec
tions and subject matter
groups.
Interaction Viewed
Dr. Elizabeth Crandall,
AHEA vice president, will
present an overview of in
teraction, and Dr. Helen
LeBaron, dean of the Col
lege of Home Economics at
Iowa State University, will
tell delegates about profes
sional interaction. Another
featured speaker is Dr. Ber
nlce Milburn Moore of the
Hogg Foundation for Men
tal Health at the Univer
sity cf Texas who will give
clues to interaction among
fenerations a factor in
uture family patterns.
About 29 student heme
economists from the Uni- ;
ber of players, audience
attraction and finances.
Need Players
"We need to be working
to develop more active
players," Trzcinski said.
"Right now there just
aren't enough around."
Omaha and Lincoln, 75
member symphonies, have
fewer problems attracting
enough members. In ' fact,
membership has to be re
stricted and the musicians
are chosen through audi
tions. "Here many more people
are applying," Trzcinski
said. "Lincoln and Omaha
are more prolific in terms
of talent."
Furthermore, the school
systems have had orches
tral training for years and
both cities have youth
symphonies. This year a
second youth symphony, for
elementary students, was
started in Lincoln.
"We feel the Lincoln
Youth Symphony is more
or lees a feeder," Gene
Stoll, conductor of the Lin
coln Youth Symphonies,
said. "Most students play
three to four years and have
had quite a few years of
experience if they become
members of the L i n c o 1 n
symphony."
In the Lincoln symphony
college students are offered
an apprenticeship. If they
are exceptional they are al
lowed to play two years
with the orchestra and
then become regular mem
bers and get paid.
Students Help
Students, both college
and high school, have help
ed solve the problem of ad
equate membership in the
out-state orchestras. An obo
ist or a bassoonist is some
times difficult to find in
these communities so a high
school or college student
who fills the need or shows
particular talent is used.
The Nebraska String
Plan, a program designed
to upgrade the teaching of
string musical instruments
in many of the state high
schools, has also increased
the quantity and quality of
student musicians in the
out-state symphonies.
The problem, then, of
participation seems on the
way to being resolved.
Symphonies now can get
enough players to come,
but what of the audience?
Are there enough people
who are interested in t h 1 s
type of music to make a
community symphony
worthwhile?
Again, in Omaha and
Lincoln, the problem Is less
severe because of the larg
er and more varied popu
lations. In the other communities,
where an admission price
may discourage a mildly
curious audience, the per
formances are free. The
support of the local patrons
help generate enthusiasm,
and, of course, there are
some who have a strong,
sincere interest in the sym
phony, and encourage oth
ers to develop a similar in
terest Once the curious skeptic
Members
Convention
verslty of Nebraska, Oma
ha University, Peru State
College, Wayne State Col
lege and Kearney State Col
lege are also attending the
meeting.
Students attend all t h e
section and professional
meetings as well as having
a special professional meet
ing for college chapters.
There is also a special col
lege mixer planned for
them.
The 25,000 member AHEA
is a national professional
organization of home econ
omists. It includes college
graduates trained in the
areas of home and family
life and working in re
search, health, welfait, ex
tension, business, institu
tional management and education.
Boat Rental
at
Holmes Lake Marina
We rent Sailboats, Canoes,
Waterbikes and Fishing Boats.
Open 9 o.m.'ll p.rrf. daily
5tk t Normal Blvd.
Phono 434-2791 or 488-9856
is lured to the auditorium
to witness a performance,
the symphony is determined
not to lose him and sever
al methods are used to
hook him.
"We try each time to
bring in a guest artist or a
group," Sandhills Sym
phony conductor Romelser
said.
"We do choose a variety
of music something that
the larger symphonies
would do to start off, and
we end up with progressive
ly lighter music."
The Sandhills Symphony
has steadily increased its
audience since its beginn
ing. Getting the people to
come is not enough, Trzcin
ski said. They must be able
to understand in order to
appreciate.
"We need to fill our halls
with an audience that un
derstands and appreciates
good music not just the
folk songs, even though
they are often good, too.
But, yet, to hear something
1 n depth, this requires a
better understanding of the
tools involved in such a
work."
He suggests that informa
tion programs would pro
vide an opportunity to dis
cuss the elements of a
piece of music so the aver
age listener would know
what to listen for. People
have been doing this, but
not enough, he said.
Yet, more and more peo
ple are coming to the sym
phony concerts so this prob
lem, too, is partly resolved.
The problem that remains
and looms the largest, is
money.
Money Needed
It is needed for the mu
sic, the equipment, guest
artists and the rental of
places to hold practices and
performances. Although
Speaking
In French
Required
M a i s o n Francaise, a
French house, will be open
for one month from July 5
to Aug. 5 for students who
have completed three years
of high school French or
passed French 13 at the
university, announced Miss
Lenore Buford, French in
structor. All participating students
will be required to sign a
pledge to speak only French
during the month and may
gain permission to speak
English from the house di
rector only in case of emer
gency, Miss Buford said.
The students may earn
college credit by participat
ing in two daily classes of
two hours each. The morn
ing class consists of gram
mer review, phonetics and
composition and the after
noon class will cover civi
lization and literature, in
the main short stories re
flecting the milieu of var
ious periods.
The social aspect of the
month will include a series
of French feature films
every Friday night, song
fests and informal discus
sion groups, all with stress
upon frequant conversation,
Miss Buford said.
"All students will matri
culate as dormitory stu
dents, living in the Nebras
ka Center for Continuing
Education. Residence is
manditory and necessary if
out objectives are to be
achieved," she mentioned.
In addition to three years
of French, each student is
required to have a passable
accent and an adaptable
personality.
The department will ac
cept applications until July
1, Miss Buford said. Others
who are interested in see
ing the films are welcome
to attend providing they
speak only French during
their stay.
"We eventually hope to
have a house for each lan
guage during the year. This
is the first time it has been
tried at the university,"
Miss Buford commented.
they would perhaps like
to, all the symphonies can
not afford to pay the mem
bers. Even in the Lincoln and
Omaha symphonies, which
charge admission prices,
the wages are low.
"It is more a contribution
as far as time is con
cerned," Trzcinski said.
About 60 of the 75 musi
cians are connected with
some field ' of music and
are members of the Musi
cians Association.
"They play for about half
of what they normally get
paid just to have a sym
phony . . . ," Gene Stoll,
president of the L i n c o 1 n
Musicians Association,
said. "We feel the mem
bers of the symphony are
donating their time. If they
didn't do it, we wouldn't
have it."
The Musicians Associa
tions give members, who
are usually in a numerical
minority, permission to per
form in the out-state sym
phonies without a wage.
The North Platte local
has granted the Sandhills
Symphony a unique situa
tion which, along with do
nations by ten local busi
nesses, covers its expenses.
A trust fund has been
formed at the national lev
el of the association from a
few cents paid on every re
cord made by association
members. Called the "Mu
sic Performance" Trust
Fund, it is alloted on the
basis of previous use and
given to every local to be
used to promote live music.
The money enables groups
to get paid for performing
at state hospitals, veterans
hospitals, and Children's
and nursing homes.
Agreement Made
The Sandhills Symphony
Five Colombians
Visit, Study Midwest
Five Colombian agricul
tural officials will visit the
University of Nebraska and
; five other midwestern uni
versities in June and July
to study research, teaching
and extension programs in
agriculture.
Those in the group are
members of the National
University of Colombia fac
ulties at Bogota or Pal
mira, according to Dr. A.
C. Breckenridge, vice
chancellor and director of
international programs at
the University. The tour is
being conducted under au
spices of the University and
the Kellogg Foundation.
Sheldon Sliow
Nebraskans Art
An art exhibition, ar
ranged by the Nebraska
Centennial Commission and
the Nebraska Arts Council,
is currently on display at
Sheldon Art Gallery.
"Nebraska Art Today
A Centennial Exhibition"
opened last week and will
continue through July 30.
It Is sponsored by the Lan
caster County Centennial
Arts and Cultural Commit
tee. About 50 pieces of art are
on display all by Nebras
ka artists, either resident
or non-resident. A variety
of media, styles and sub
jects have been used in the
printings.
. Many familiar names ap
pear in the catalog, and
Nebraskans as well as out-of-staters
and all summer
school students should find
a visit an exciting experi
ence. Sale!
20 Off Thousands
ef Paperbacks
HEROIC EOOXSTCRZ
ztt N. it
Romano's
PIzxo and
Sandwiches
Free Delivery
On campus
Noon Delivery:
11 a.m. to
1:30 p.m.
226 No. 10th
Phone
432-5961
made an agreement with
the national and local or
ganizations to use the trust
fund allotment to pay the
union and non-union mem
bers, who, in turn, hand
over a portion of the mon
ey to the symphony.
The trust fund allocation
for the North Platte local
is between $1100 and $1400
each year, according to
Hadley Barrett, secretary,
treasurer. Seventy-five per
cent of the local's interests
are in the symphony, he
said. Five to six hundred
dollars per year is the union
portion which is divided be
tween 14 and 18 members
who play in the symphony.
Couldn't other symphon
ies make a similar arrange
ment if this has taken away
the worry of financing the
Sandhills Symphony?
It is highly probable that
a similar situation could
be arranged for the other
non-professional symphonies
in the state, was the an
swer of the secretary-treasurers
of the two other out
state locals.
They would have to ap
ply to the national office
for authorization, Harold
G. Oldham, secretary-treasurer
of the Grand Island
local, said. This is true of
any symphony desiring a
portion of the trust fund
allocation. Permission also
has to be granted by the
local organizations.
"We're not even scratch
ing the surface on that al
lotment," secretary-treasurer
of the Alliance local,
Edwin V. Davis, said.
"We'd be glad to use it for
something. The more you
use; the more you get al
lowed for."
The group includes Dr.
Alejandio Sandino, vice
rector of the National Uni
versity; Dr. Santiago Fon
seca, dean of tire College of
Agronomy at Bogota.
Dr. Alvaro Gutierrez,
dean of the College of Vet
erinary Medicine of Bogo
ta; Dr. Rafael Bravo, dean
of the National University
at Palmira; and Dr. Rod
rigo Duarte, director desig
nate at Bogota.
After spending several
days at the University's
College of Agriculture and
iiome Economics the group
will tour the Mead Agricul
tural Field Laboratory and
the Saunders County Exten
sion Office at aWhoo, June
26.
The group also will tour
the Scotts Bluff Experiment
Station at Mitchell. Other
universities included in the
tour are Iowa State, Univer
sity of Wisconsin, Michigan
State University, the Kel
logg Foundation at Battle
Creek, Mich.; University of
Missouri, Colorado State
University.
They will return to Co
lombia Aug. 1.
The home of
Big Red
(eselixei
Campus Service
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DIAL 477-4491
216 So. 11th
IrsnArtfir
urt.t uaIah Snviipr. iiniversitv of Nebraska's asso-
ciate dean of studeut affairs, has been elected na
tional president of Mortar Boards, the women's honor
society. The election took place at Lafayette, Ind.,
where Mortar Boards held their annual four day con
vention at Purdue University. Miss Snyder, who was
among the featured speakers at the convention, is
the past first vice president of the group.
Campus Safety Stressed
According to J. V. Edsall,
director of planning and
construction at the Univer
sity of Wisconsin, one way
to end a minor safety haz
ard is to make it a major
one for a major hazard
"will often be the scene of
fewer accidents."
Edsall spoke at the Mon
day session of the three
day National Conference
on Campus Safety at the
Nebraska Center. He noted
the need for closer coopera
tion and communication be
tween the safety officers
and the architects design
ing new campus buildings.
Many of the safety prob
lems that occur after a
building is constructed
could be eliminated if safe
ty officers participated
more in the preblueprint
stage by offering recom
mendations on features to
be Included or struck from
a slated project, he said.
Also speaking to the dele
gates Monday was National
Safety Council president
Howard Pyle. He discussed
safety as a science con
cerned with the movement
of people.
Pyle said that the Safety
Council was organized by
Industry 54 years ago when
about 80 per cent of all ac
cidents were industrial: to
day it is 14 per cent.
From $150 V
ft thb lovely gem fs an Interesting departure
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pius tr grace and glitter cf a irarqidse-cut
JSaitntlM lUghtlf tnlvtti
1129 "0
eieieTiets twiLiea
Strving Lincoln Sine 1905
.-! 111
tit
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s .
Vj
A recent survey of 108
colleges and universities
revealed that only 27 had
safety directors and they
did not offer safety courses,
while 18 had safety courses
but no safety director.
Pyle said only one of the
schools surveyed offered a
degree in safety and it was
in the area of fire preven
tion. However, Pyle noted that
there is a growing national
awareness of the safety
probleiu and said this
awareness is being ex
pressed. He specifically cited the
automobile, noting that new
requirements are being in
stalled, such as the collap
sible steering wheel.
Pyle added that the total
number of traffic fatalities
in the nation dropped 2 pel
cent for the first five
months of 1967, compared
with the same period cf
1966 and said the death
rate per miles traveled has
decreased by 6 per cent for
the same period.
Wanted: Girl to live in
with young woman and
daughter. Free room and
board in exchange for
some babysitting. Phone
466-6913.
v
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