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Friday, August 2, 1935
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Vol. 84 No. 172
Weather: Mostly cloudy today with partial clearing this after
noon. Slightly warmer and breezy with a high of 78 (25C). Partly
cloudy tonight with a slight chance of nighttime thunderstorms
and a low of 67 (19C). Expect warmer conditions forthe weekend.
Partly cloudy skies will prevail with a 30 percent chance of
precipitation. Highs near 88 (31C), lows near 68 (20C).
Barb BrandaThe Nebraskan
Stun guns raise
controversy...Page 2
Divers fight weather
in JO meet. ..Page 6
iverbo
is add to Brownville his
tpry
By Lise Olsen
Senior Reporter
"Cruising down the river, on a
Sunday afternoon, with one you
love, the sun above, waiting for
the moon, " "Cruising Down
the River (On a Sunday After
noon). "
When this sentimental, somewhat
sappy song was published, boat traffic
on the Missouri and other rivers was
still thriving.
Steamboats like the Meriwether
Lewis cruised the Missouri near Brown
ville, Nebraska, 90 miles southeast of
Lincoln.
There were few river bridges. At
Brownville, boats ferried people across
the river.
One early ferry, "Ada, Queen of the
West," was sunk while carrying a load
of wild horses; the horses ran to one
side of the boat and toppled it.
Today, the Meriwether Lewis is a
State Historical Society museum in
Brownville State Park.
Barge traffic has been slowed by
agriculture and the depression. Now
only one or two tubgoats are sighted
each week!,
The only remnants of the last ferry to
operate at Brownville are her wheel,
and her name: "The Spirit of Brown
ville." .
The wheel is in the boat memorabi
lia collection of Randel and Jane Smith.
The Smith's also own and operate the
old ferry's namesake the new "Spirit of
Brownville" and her sister ship "The
Brownville Belle," also named for an
old ferryboat.
The Smith's riverboats are the only
two on the Missouri, except for those in
Kansas City, Jane said.
Randel, who also founded the Brown
ville Village Theatre, said he'd hoped
starting a passenger riverboat ride
would enhance Brownville's reputation
as a historical town.
When the Smiths built the 150
passenger "Spirit of 1981," they moved
the "Brownville Belle" to Bellevue.
"The Spirit" was designed by .artist
Paul Merton and constructed to re
semble the early paddleboats. The
paddles are mostly for show, Randel
said. The boat is really powered by
stainless steel propellers under the
boat. The propellers are operated by
the boat's 230-horse power engine. The
boat travels five miles per hour up
stream and 12 miles per hour down
stream. It gets about .5 miles to the
gallon, "four gallons to the mile," Ran
del said.
Six-hundred to 1,000 passengers riue
the "Brownville Spirit," each week.
Once aboard, they typically listen to
the piano player, eat on vinyl-covered
tables, dance or just watch the river. In
Bellevue, from Memorial Day to Labor
Day, the "Belle" carries 1,500-2,000
customers each weekend. The boats
are available for charter cruises in
April and October.
Groups can charter the boats in
April and October for a minimum of
$300-1,000. About 20 UNL groups char
ter the boats each season, Jane said.
In the 15 years the Smiths have been
piloting their boats, they've never had a
"man overboard," or a serious accident.
Jaae, Randel and their 19-year-old
son Jamie have approved pilots licenses
issued by the Coast Guard, Jane said.
Continued on Page 7
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Mark DavisThe Nebraskan
A smiling passenger looks over the side of the "Spirit of Brown ville."
Hectic activity fills actors9 summer
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Mark DavisThe Nebraskan
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By Lise Olsen
Senior Reporter
Almost every day since May 31, 15
actors and technicians, mostly from
Nebraska Wesleyan University have
been building sets, rehearsing,
learning lines and sweating 20 hours
a day.
Constant activity and very little
sleep is a way of life at Brownville
Village Theatre, company members
said in a Wednesday evening inter
view after their performance, "June
Groom."
1985 marks the 19th season of
repertory theater in Brownville, 90
miles southeast of Lincoln.
Brownville Village Theatre is the
oldest repertory theater in Nebraska,
Director Henry H. Blanke said.
When Blanke arrived in Brown
ville for his first season, the 1 50-seat
theater building, an old Christian
church, was a shell. The basement
was muddy and bugs and birds lived
inside.
"I wasn't encouraged," Blanke
said.
This year the company is present
ing four plays in repertory (rota
tion) June 29 through August 18.
Top: From left, "Marty Lafarge
(Dan Season) confronts cast
members Annette L. Blanke,
and Kristin L. Dolberg in an
on-stage struggle.
Bottom: From left, Sid Strong
shows her disgust as Frank
Watson and Kevin Phillips
look on in the Brownville Vil
lage Theatre production of
"June Groom."
This year's plays are "Hobson's
Choice" (Aug. 4, 11, 17) "Everybody
Loves Opal" (Aug. 3, 10, 18) "The
Odd Couple" (Aug. 8, 10, 15, 18) and
"June Groom" (Aug. 3, 4, 9, 11, 16,
17).
Most of the plays were rehearsed
and blocked in a week, cast member,
Tracy Armagost said. During that
same week the company prepares
props, constructs scenery and makes
costumes.
"You do in one week what we'd do
at W'esleyan in six weeks," cast
member Linda Mall said.
Blanke selects the Brownville com
pany in March. Then he selects
plays that he thinks fit the cast
members acting and technical abil
ities, Blanke said. In the 19 years
Blanke has directed there have been
83 different plays and 877 perfor
mances at Brownville.
The actor technicians in the com
pany are paid $500 for a season of
work, with $100 bonuses for return
ing members.
The real rewards are the expe
rience and the audience's apprecia
tion, cast members said.
Joe Moser, another company mem
ber, said he's enjoyed the fast-paced
theater at Brownville. But he'll also
be happy to go home when summer's
over.
"(I'll) cherish things like being
able to take a nap...watching TV for
more than ten minutes, and go out
with friends to paint the town red
white and blue," he said.
