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         The SM West Epic Vol IV No 13  December 17, 1965               

Fine Arts Dept. Will Present Annual Christmas Assembly:  Tableaux provided by the senior art class and Christmas music provided by the music department will combine to provide an interesting Christmas assembly Dec. 21.      Mr. James Wheat and the senior art class, along with the Girls’ Choir, A Cappella Choir, and Orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Bill Oldham, will provide the entertainment in the spirit assembly.      The tableaux will help bring across the Christmas theme.  Traditional scenes as well as more present day scenes will be presented.  Mr. Wheat explained that he hoped the program would be “interesting to look at as well as make people think about the meaning of the season.”      There will be no curtain drawn at the beginning of the program.  Instead, the tableaux already will be on the stage when the choirs enter.      The art class planned the tableaux last week.  The costumes will also be provided by the art class.      “I hope the program will be enjoyable and pleasant,” summed up Mr. Wheat.

Seven Vikings Seek To Win KU Award: Mike Blasberg, Steve Bredehoeft, Debby Danielson, Harriet Dunn, Susie Kangas, Patti Spencer, and John Ericson, who are all National Merit Semifinalists, competed for Kansas University Watkins and Summerfield scholarships during a three-day testing session which was held Dec. 5,6,and 7 at KU.      Eighty-seven boys from the state of Kansas competed for the Summerfield scholarships; 34 girls competed for Watkins scholarships.  For the first  time the selection was made from National Merit Semi-finalist lists; in previous years seniors were nominated by their high school principals and counselors.      The participating students were tested on the mornings of Dec. 6 and 7 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.      Most of the tests were psychological.  Vocabulary and math tests were also given, along with a vocational test.      Conferences with deans and professors were held the afternoon of Dec. 6.      Twenty boys will be selected as Summerfield scholarship winners, and 12 girls will win Watkins scholarships.  The students will be notified of their status in February.      Steve Bredehoeft said, “The psychological exams were ‘way out.’ An example of questions that were asked is, ‘Do you prefer to go to a masquerade party or a big fire?’  The days were really fun.  KU gave us the ‘red carpet’ treatment, especially in the meals they served us.”      The students who do not win a scholarship will be named University of Kansas Honor Scholars.      While in Lawrence, the boys stayed  in the Hotel Elridge and the girls stayed in KU women’s dorms.

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Clubs or committees may requisition the use of the library display windows for a period of two weeks.  Students should see Mr. John Kiesow, librarian.                                              ______________________________________________________________________________________

Viking 2% Mars SM West’s Image   by Susan Huber:  Cherry bombs, broken Christmas tree ornaments, sagging streamers, trampled campaign posters, ripped banners, vandalized restrooms, mutilated desks and books shame Shawnee Mission.      It is beyond the belief of 98% of the Vikings that a sane individual could perform even such petty acts of vandalism as these.  The 2%, vandals, don’t claim West as their school and their school doesn’t wish to claim them either.  Yet, the good guys, the 98%, don’t care enough to report those responsible for the malicious deeds to school authorities.      The same amount of energy which kicked in a restroom tile could have kicked a field goal.  The brain which devised the cherry bomb caper might have created a dynamic Pep club skit.  The art work and carving on desks, chairs, and cafeteria tables could score in arts and crafts classes.  Lunch hour fights are worthy of wrestling intra-murals.      If committing senseless acts of destruction makes one feel good or if one enjoys notoriety, perhaps it’s time for self-examination.  “Am I really all right and is the world completely wrong?”      At Christmas and New Years, we have a good opportunity to resolve, re-examine, revamp, and renew.  West is our school, our possession.  Before ripping, tearing, kicking, or smashing, remember that we gain from West our education, our income, our future.

Steve Webb, Associates Plan 1966 SAGA Annually   by Susan Huber: “If last year’s SAGA was rated above excellent, SAGA ’66 will be better than best,” stated Steve Webb, SAGA editor, enthusiastically.      Much of the SAGA was planned this summer, when the art staff plotted the layout of the book, where the pictures are to go, and their sizes.  The pictures and copy are then entered, with great precision and care, into the dummy book which has empty spaces for all the photographs to be taken during the school year.  Everything is included except the senior picture section which is designed by this year’s junior staff.      Now the art staff is really sketching division pages to be entered between the yearbook sections and the cover.  “This year’s cover is really different from anything we’ve ever had before.  I think it’s neat,” said Linda Cooper, artist.      These days are pretty hectic for Patti Spencer, production manager, and her staff.  With her assistants she arranges the times and places for all the photos.  They also map out what the picture is to look like, what the people are to be doing in it.      Working closely with the production staff are the photographers, headed by Mark Davis.  These vital people are rarely seen without cameras slung around their necks.  “We’re liable to enter any class room at anytime to take pictures of what really happens at West,” mentioned Mark.      Steve Bredehoeft, Sports editor, and Terry Schreier are in sole command of the athletic section.  Conferences with coaches, on the field, tracks, court interviews are orders of the day for Steve and Terry.      Michele Harmon, treasurer, labored long and hard, during the recent Double O SAGA campaign, making agents count their money three times.      It’s the rush season for Susie Kangas and her business staff as they sell the advertising for the annual.  “If you divide the total cost of printing by the number of books sold, you’ll find that students get the book below cost.  Money from ads lets us do this,” said Susie.      The library staff, under Mary Nelson, toils all year on the copy and captions for the book.      Vital additions to the staff are Nancy Stevens and Kathi Black, typists.  “You  might say that we are on 24 hour call,” groaned Nancy.      The highly trained staff serves a year of apprenticeship as juniors.  Then the senior staff positions, with the approval of Mr. Brown.  “We do the legwork for the seniors,” explained a production staff member.      “I don’t have much to do this year,” said Editor Webb, “except crop pictures and make top level decisions.  Kathy helps me a lot.”  Kathy is Kathy Remund, associate editor and Jill-of-all-trades.      “With a lot of hard work, tempered with a lot of fun, the 1966 SAGA will have a new and “better than best” look.  It will be interesting even to people who don’t attend west,” reported Steve.

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Teachers will be taking inventories in class next week.  It is requested tha all stolen articles be returned.                                                                                                                                                   ______________________________________________________________________________________

Sweepstakes Trophy To Eight Debaters:  With twenty wins out of twenty-two rounds and the first place trophy victory, eight West debaters took Sweepstakes honors at the Salina tournament last weekend.  Mike Penzner and Jay Thomas captured the first place trophy.      Eight debaters took Sweepstakes and first place trophy honors at the Manhattan tournament Dec. 3,4.      Jerry Kopke and Jay Thomas won the first place trophy.  Sweepstakes honors for the best over-all team record were won by Jerry Kopke, Jay Thomas, Mark Lubow, Gary Faler, Doug Beck, Chuck Burwell and Scott Burchan.  The Sweepstakes trophy had been erroneously awarded to the SM East team, but the mistake in calculation was quickly discovered and the trophy given to SM West.      At the Parsons tournament Dec. 3, 4 Kathy Canning and James Jacobs won a fourth place trophy.

Dancers Drop, Crack In ‘Shade’ Tryouts:  The cracking of knees and the snapping of fingers could be heard throughout the auditorium Dec. 8 at the dance auditions for “110 in the Shade,” West’s 1966 musical.      The auditions were held by Mr. Bill Oldham, with the assistance of Rick Atwell, who is head of choreography for the musical.  Rick Atwell showed the girls the basic steps with which to try out.  He also led warm-up exercises.      Forty girls tried out for dancing parts in the musical.  Eight of the 40 girls who tried out will be selected to perform March 10, 11, and 12 in the spring musical,      Tryouts were performed in groups of 10, which were later split into groups of five.  Judging was done on the basis of gracefulness and the ability to execute dance steps.      The girls tried out to the music of “The Jazzman,” played by Mr. Bill Oldham, director, on the piano.      To try out, the girls executed graceful chases, that is, three small steps in repetition.  They were required also to execute ”drops” to the right and left knees.      Hand movements in accordance with the music were emphasized and learned.      Four boys will be selected to dance in the musical at a later date.

Bonnie Mausolf Aids Director:  Bonnie Mausolf will receive excellent dramatic and musical experience as Mr. Oldham’s student assistant for this year’s musical, “110 In The Shade.”      The position is a voluntary one and is by appointment of Mr. Bill Oldham.      It differs from the position of student director of a strictly dramatic production in that Bonnie will no afford too much “dramatic” directing experience.      Mr. Coplin’s student directors are given many directing responsibilities, and generally need extensive previous experience.

Thespians Initiate 18 Into Troupe 2413:  Thespian Troup 2413 initiated eighteen members into the organization last night in the Little Theatre.      Gary Barnes, Mike Blasberg, Larry Chipley, Mike Coleman, John Ericson, Molly Glover, Rick Jensen, Eric Johnson, Paul Jorgensen, Mickey Khoury, Barb Koulas, Linda Ledford, Steve Millin, John Pearse, Fred Potter, Chris Rhodes, Liz Taylor and Trudy Zimmerman have earned the 10 points needed to gain Thespian recognition.

______________________________________________________________________________________Tomorrow, West will enter one four-speaker team in the Sunflower Novice tournament at Wyandotte High school.  Tournaments for West and North novice debaters will be held at West tomorrow.                                                                                                                                                ________________________________________________________________________________________

Zero Hour Gets Half-Credit Work by Gay Sharon:  Due to an over abundance of students in the arts and craft classes this year, Zero hour was created.      Beginning school at 7:15 has its disadvantages but fringe benefits also accompany this early class, according to its members.      Seeing these students, one often wonders if they are actually awake or sleeping with their eyes barely parted.  All agree, “Rising before the sun even begins to rise is usually quite difficult.”      They also agree that classwork for the first few hours is more than a simple effort.   Nevertheless, to the Zero hour students, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.      Being dismissed at 1 p.m. (except Mondays at 1:30) leaves the greater part of the day free.  Some students use this extra time to catch up on the sleep they missed by getting up so early.  Others use it for “messing around,” but most of these students have a job or finish up the afternoon by studying.      Next year, as Shawnee Mission South will be built, there will be no need for the Zero hour.  However, students included in the program this year generally consider themselves very lucky.

Elect New Staff:  Elections for second semester EPIC staff will be held today.  Results will be announced Monday in Room 12.  Letters of application are posted there now.  The staff is actually appointed by the staff advisor, Mr. Henry Aiman, after the voting is tabulated.

Tanksmen Last in SM Meet:  Last Friday the Viking tankmen met the North Indians and the East Lancers in the Shawnee Mission triangular swim Meet.      Bob Hines led the Vikings in scoring with two firsts.  Bob is now third in the nation in Jr. Olympic standing in swimming.      First place went to the East Lancers with 84 points while the North Indians finished with 58 and the Vikings last with 36.  Although several swimmers bettered their times, East and North slipped by.

North Scalps Vikes; D. Jackson Sinks 32:  The North Indians whooped past West last Friday by a decisive 74-60 score on the Vikings’ home court.  The Indians scored a quick twenty points in seven minutes in the first half.      Doug Jackson’s second 32 point night was of no avail as the Indians’ Phil James pumped in 22 points and Gary Dickerson and Mark Mathews contributed 18 and 14.      Late in the first quarter the Indians scalped the West scoring column to the tune of 20-0.  Holding the Vikes scoreless for over seven minutes the Indians took a 32-11 lead.  The Vikings led by Jackson rallied with 14 points to make the halftime score 32-25.      The loss to the Indians leaves the Vikings with a 0-1 league record and a 1-1 overall.  This weekend the Viking five takes on Topeka High and SM East for two conference games and the pre-Newton Tournament game with Sumner next Wednesday night.      During the Christmas Vacation, the Viking B-ballers will travel to Newton, Kansas for the Newton Tournament.  This will be the fourth year that west has participated in this tournament.      Viking B-ballers as of this edition hold an 0-1 league record and a 1-1 over-all record with two league games this weekend.

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