TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1969
SUMMER NEBRASKAN
PAGE 3
Nebraska's "mass birthday party" brings
problems, profits to Lincoln barkeepers
by John Fryar
NU School of Journalism
Nebraskans witnessed a mass
birthday party as thousands of the
state's young adults reached the age
of majority March 13.
The bill lowering the drinking and
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Id opens for summer
Lights. Camera. Action.
A crew from Nebraska's educational
television network will be on hand
In videotape the summer opening
Thursday evening at the Hungry Id,
a coffeehouse located at fi4fl No. 16Ui
Street.
The videotapes of the poetry reading
and folk singing will be used wl h a
college freshman English course that
the KTV station is prewiring.
During the rest of the summer
the orange-and-brown Hungry Id sign
v il' be hung and. the red carpet will
he ailed out every Tuesday and Fri
day evenings from 8:30 to 12 p.m.
The purpose of the coffeehouse is
Democratic Coalition
not to make a profit but to provide
a place for students to come and do
their thing whether that is strum
ming the guitar, singing folk songs,
performing drama, playing chess or
cards, or just talking.
The coffeehouse is built as a
theater-in-the-round. Wooden t e 1 e
phone cable drums are used as tables
and throwing your peanut shells on the
floor is encouraged it adds to the
decor.
The Hungry Id is a popular place
during the regular school year and
student enthusiasm was a factor in
keeping it open during the summer
sessions.
continued from page 3
pop'iing up here and there."
He defended party regularity,' saying
"wiihout it, you would have political chaos. Of
course I wouldn't endorse somebody like George
Wa lace if he ran in the state, but we have
id ways had respons tie candidates lue and I
haven't had any trouh'e backing them."
The Coalition thus far is too young to have
any effect on the party. The extent of its In
tluc ice is yet to be seen.
Campbell's main trouble will be in keeping
Cor '.it ion members within the party should the
B7i nominees turn out to he conventional
Democrats.
"1 can see situations where our members
.vould work against regular Democrats in
u.neral elections." he said, "although that
wouldn't be with Coalition backing."
A ilx iiil viu;
But for the first time, the Nebraska
Democratic Party lias an Identifiable liberal'
wing. The Coalition Is gambling that the surge
Varied by McCarthy. Kennedy and MeGovern
in ISHitl will continue through iy7i. and that
Nebraska can be a part of It.
As Exon pointed out, Nebraska's famous
bedrock Republicanism does not preclude pro
ducing a liberal Democratic senator from .this
slate.
"South Dakota and Malta are even more
Republican than Nebraska," Exon said. "And
vet thev produced Sens. George MeGovern and
kdmund Muskle, 'so I don't see why we
wouldn't."
If they do, chances are that the Coalition
Aill have had a hand in it.
when,
you are
out of beer,
you are
out of beer!
contractual age to 20 contained the
emergency clause. So when Gov.
Norbert Tiemann signed it,
"birthday" celebrations began. Most
of the celebrating in the Lincoln
taverns .diminished after the first few
weeks, but some problems remain.
THESE PROBLEMS include the il
legalities associated with drinking,
particularly intoxication and minors
attempting to purchase alcohol.
According to administrator Peter G.
Wirtz, the University Office of Student
Affairs has been busy with drinking
Incidents since March. Incidents in
volving minors in possession has risen
considerably, Wirtz said, and he saw
no leveling off of the problem in the
Immediate future.
"We're kind of glad summer school
is approaching," Wirtz said. The 19-year-olds
"have gotten a little more
courageous."
The business of lending identifica
tion cards has increased, Wirtz noted. .
Many more of the U n i v e r s i t y ' s
younger students are attempting to
drink illegally in Lincoln taverns. And
many more are being caught at it.
LIEUT. PAIL V. JACOBSON. a
vice officer with the Lincoln Police
Department, said that not only are
I.D.'s being loaned, many are being
forged and in a "sloppy" fashion.
"The biggest single problem right
now is the forging of I.D.'s." Jacobson
said. Youths in the 17-to-19 age group
are doing a "bad job" of changing
or duplicating draft cards and driver's
licenses. .
The detective noted that many of
these youths have overlooked the fact
that retailers are making a special
effort to check and verify identifica
tion. For instance, he said that
laminated driver's licenses "ring a
bell" for the bartender and provide
immediate cause for suspicion.
Jacobson commended local tavern
owners for cooperating with police in
holding minors who attempt to drink.
He said that beat officers and State
Liquor Commission agents have been
given special instructions to assist
owners in checking identification.
THE TAVERNS stand to lose more
than the minors if the law is not
enforced by employes. Hearings
before the liquor commission for sales
to minors can mean a period of being
closed down by the law enforcement
officials.
However, Jacobson noted that the
bad quality of the false I.D.'s was
making enforcement easier.
"Before the new law, the 20-year-old
was a little more sophisticated and
clever about drinking as a minor than
his new counterparts," he said.
In some instances, minors have us
ed Identification with physical
descriptions that did not even
resemble them. Some under-six-foot
minors tried to pose as being over-six-foot.
"A person may grow after he
receives his driver's license, but he
doesn't usually shrink," Jacobson
chuckled.
HE PERSONALLY would have
favored a measure lowering the
drinking age along with a change to
3.2 beer. Because of the lower alcohol
content, most persons ore able to
drink this beer all evening without
becoming intoxicated, he suid.
During the first few weeks after
the law was passed, the 20-year-olds
themselves caused problems.
Jacobson added. They became intox
icated because they did not realize
the amounts of liquor they were
drinking. This particular problem is
leveling off, according to Jacobson
and many of the tavern employes.
The initial boom at the bars is dying
also. But business does remain at a
greater volume than before the law
change, particularly in taverns cater
ing to college drinkers.
One tavern owner recently had to
close his establishment for three days
because a minor was caught drinking
there. The owner said he had been
in business for 19 years and this was
the first trouble he had ever had.
"IT WAS SIMPLY a case of false
I.D.'s. How were we to know?" the
owner said. "But the policeman must
have scared the kid, because he didn't
pull the fake card on him."
William W. Lyons, a University
student and waiter at another tavern,
commented on the difficulty o f
determining a customer's age by
sight.
"The 21-year-olds were voung-look-ing,
but these 20-year-olds look even
younger. You've got to be mighty
careful." he said.
Some of the taverns have en
countered problems in addition to
minors attempting to purchase liquor.
Bartender William R. Mott said that
there has been an increase in the
number of fights and more thefts of
glasses and pitchers.
MOST, HOWEVER, agree with the
opinion of Mrs. Mary Goldstein, a
barmaid. She believes that the 20-year-olds
are well behaved now and
that business has returned to
normality since the novelty of tlv law
has worn off.
"Most of these young kids use good
manners. If they become rowdy they
do not remain here very long," Mrs.
Goldstein said.
Favorite bars of the college students
may have gained a more steady in
crease of business.
Mott said that the tavern in which
he worked no longer needed to have
combos to attract customers. Lyons
noted that the Friday Afternoon Club
with combos at his tavern was "a
lot easier to handle." The 20-year-olds
no longer have to sneak in.
MANY TAVERNS noticed only
negligible increases in their sales.
Jacobson compared the early crowds
to similar crowds that had flooded
the bars when Lincoln initiated liquor
by-the-drink.
The reaction of the 20-year-olds has
been overwhelmingly favorable to the
change in majority age. Steven J.
Henke, 20. pointed out that the law
merely legalized a practice that had
been illegally performed by 20-year-olds
for years.
"It was quite intelligent for the
legislators to recognize the maturity
of our age group." Henke said.
Pound Hall student assistant
Georgia Glass underlined another
aspect to the minors drinking pro
blem. "Just about the only students not
covered by the lower age are
freshmen and some sophomores. As
with every other activity, there will
always be the temptation to join their
upperclass friends in the bars." she
said.
THERE HAS BEEN no appreciable
increase or decrease in on-campus
drinking because of the law. Wirtz
said, adding that the administration
was considering educational programs
to decrease the incidence of student
violations.
"I'm not sure, however, that there
is anything we can do to change mat
ters." Wirtz said. "There is a unique
problem with college students in that
they assume a right to imbibe alcohol
despite any law or authority."
-
Ring is found
A man's gold ring with
stone setting was found last
week on the playing field be
hind the Women's Physical
Education Building. On the
ring are the words "Severn
School 1968." Inquiries can
be made at room 2.12 in the
Women's P.E. building.
SUMMER
NEBRASKAN
Editor JmimH Ackarntae
Butimu Managtr Mlk. Raell
Information tor publication may bo
brought to ilt Nabratka Hall or callod In
to 471-3041. TtIO SUMMSR NEBRASKAN
publlihad tight tlmti during
It Dubllthod tight tlmti
summtr tasslon l.va tltnos
and thrt In tho ttcond.
in
tht
tht tint
Book exhibit is at Selleck for teachers
What will Johnny be reading this
fall?
Teachers and others who are In
terested In teaching within a public
school system will be able to find
out by going to the textbookmen's ex
hibit at Selleek Quadrangle
On display are hundreds of text
books, paperbacks, film strips, maps,
charts and other teaching aides.
At the exhibit which began Monday,
bookmen representing more than 30
publishing companies are showing ,
their wares. The exhibit continues to
day and Wednesday from noon to 3
p.m.
The bookmen may be able to help
olve problems with currlcular
materials. Orders to be shipped will
be taken and gift materials are
available to persons evaluating a
particular area.
The annual event is sponsored bv
the Nebraska Professional Bookmen
of America.
"HUNGRY?"
EAT AT THE UNION
Lunch 11:00-1:30
Dinner 5:00-6:30
Crib hours
7:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. '
Monday Saturday
2:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M.
Sunday
Colonial Dining Room
Waiter service
11:45 to 1:30
Monday Friday
Cafeteria
dame as Colonial Dining Room
Anything irom soup and sandwish to
full-course hot meals,
you'll find it at the Union
Student Union Food Service
Josh White, Jr.
v.
IN CONCERT
L
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18
8:00 P.M.
NEBRASKA. UNION BALLROOM
FREE ADMISSION
i.hlLi not alio rno too
WtODIN RINO 7S
MAN ton
!iuii .ii uiim .ipWlfel u-n
VINTUDA tlOO
ALSO (II. TO I.TI
A diamond riti$
to treasure forever
f jich Kotpsnke engagement ring is m.islor
'lieca of styling ind design, rtlleclmg the lull
brilliance end beauty of the Deris- -"iter
diamond
& j j v .arc -
OIAMONO "IH - VV V X 1
I os orr warren r
1 WAvW-
I " z
Wi()bfcr..i
Tueiday, June 17, 2:30, 7:30, 9:30, Sh.ldan Gallery,
Adults $1 00 Children $.50
PROGRAM 2
THE KINETIC AR
Day Date Jims Flacs Ticket Info.
4'.
Mot brilliant, new short film Imports from this
unique three port International festival of creative
and provocative clnsma achievements from 9
nations..,.
niitmong thm
French 8lud.nl Revolt "Mrle Mil 1HI." Julie Chrlili end
Michl Cln. In "Tnlfhl l.l'l All Make Lev In London."
Coll.g. Graphite Irom Ct.choilovekle Wild Japanese Deda
Comady.
STILLTO COME...
PROGRAM T-r,er O-XYPATETIME
Tut.-ov, June 24, 2:30, 7:30, 9:30
Linde eier end tlnyi. die
mondmt.K. 16. i
Lind star end
mondi in t4K.
lour da-ue.ts
Linde Star
ring
from Zale's
puts
you in a
select
circle.
tSis is
whei
y5u come
."Hi ,u n i it (
Llndt elar, two diemonde
tal'K. HM
s. ,., J
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Convenient Term
when you'iS
tfirough
playing games.