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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1950)
Kenton Got There Via Hard Way The only college Stan Kenton ever attended was the School of Hard Knocks. The only story that could be written about him would have to come right from Horatio Alger. Between them, the lean, gray thatched orchestra leader has managed to struggle to the top where today he stands as the out standing figure in the field of modern music. It’s been a long, hard climb for the man who had new ideas about the way music should be played. Today, the biggest name in the business, he is looked upon by all to set the pace, and he spreads his fanatical new concepts wherever he goes. Yet, it was less than a decade ago that he was knocking around Southern California, playing in every beer joint along the way trying to make ends meet. Story Told But the Kenton story goes back even farther than that. His early childhood was spent shifting around from place to place with his parents. Born in 1912 in Wichita, Kansas, he moved to Colorado and then, at the age of five, to California. Most of the time he spent ar guing with his mother, who was trying to make him study music. A piano teacher, she wanted to carry on her work. But it wasn’t until he was 14 after various tries at the saxophone, trumpet, and even banjo—that he finally settled at the piano. And so, when most kids were worrying about getting up nerve enough to ask the girl next door out for a date, Stan was worrying about whether he’d ever be able to play as well as his idol, Earl “Father” Hines. Awkward and 18, Stan gradu ated from Bell High in Los Angeles in 1930. He was sure of only one thing—music was to be his whole life. He was a bit unhappy because his folks could not afford to send him to college, but during the fol lowing four years he was to pick up experience that would stand him in good stead later on. Ivories Get Workout While the country was trying to snap out of the depression, Stan was banging the ivories in one hangout after another, living on a day to day basis. It was doubly bad then, too, because he had just gotten married, and that meant more expenses. Finally, things took a turn for the better. He did some radio and movie work and then landed a job as assistant music director at Earl Carroll’s theater restaurant. By then—1941—Stan had some definite ideas about music. He wanted to have a band of his own. Long, feverish nights of writing arrangements, countless auditions and a good sales talk resulted in a job at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, Calif. In four months Kenton’s reputa tion had taken the country by storm. There was a lot of hard going ahead during the war years, but somehow the guy with the new ideas weathered it all. When Look Magazine predicted the Kenton troupe would be the Band of the Year in 1946, Stan responded by winning every popularity poll and raking in large profits when most STAN KENTON organizations were hit by bad business. The furious pace at which Stan drove himself finally caught up with him in April of 1947. He suf fered a nervous breakdown while the band was playing at the Uni versity of Alabama. He took a short rest and during the time began to think about or ganizing a second venture in mo dern music. In September, 1947, he launched his “Presentation in Progressive Jazz’’ in Balboa where six years before he had stood before his first band. His new show hit high spots all the way across the country, including Eugene. Then Kenton made one of the most important decisions in the band’s history. He noticed that people seemed to be more anxious to crowd around the bandstand and listen to his music rather than dance to it. So he decided to leave the ballroom for the concert stage. Tours Only Three Months However, this, too, had its dis advantages. Concert tours require only three months out of the year. Either the band would have to dis band or perform three months and get paid for the balance of the year. The latter course was im practical, so the former was cho sen. This was in December, 1948. Kenton contemplated entering other fields—even psychiatry, in which he has been very much in terested. However, a long vaca tion to South America gave him a new outlook on life, and he decided to return to music. Gathering together Singing Star June Christy and a forty piece or chestra, Stan formed a new show called “Innovations in Modern Mu sic for 1950.” Kenton will present this newest concert at 8 p.m. in McArthur Court on Monday. Student tickets, costing 80 cents, tax included, are now on sale at the Co-op and McArthur Court. Reserve seat prices are $1.80 and general admission $1.20. Religious Activities (Continued from pac/e one) Lyon at Westminster House. Faculty members will entertain Dr. Gilkey at a luncheon Monday noon at the Faculty Club. All members of the faculty are invited. Mrs. Gilkey’s schedule will in clude personal conferences with women students and a luncheon meeting with the YWCA Cabinet Tuesday. Firesides have been scheduled in campus living organizations for Tuesday evening at 5:30 and 10:30 p. m. Local clergyman and youth leaders will conduct discussions based on religious questions and problems raised by students. An infomal student poll is being util ized for orientation of the speakers giving them an idea of what topics are currently of interest on the campus. Fireside chairmen Mary Stadel man and Herb Nill request stud ents to have additional questions ready to contribute to the discus sions. Some court witnesses have the same record credited to Shake speare never tell the same story twice. Prepsters Meet at U.O. (Continued from page onej Kuzmanich, literature; and Glenn Morgan and Dave Oestrich, trans portation. Program for the conference in cludes : Thursday, February 23: registra tion, 6-12 p.m.; meetings of league officers, discussion leaders, secre taries, committee chairmen, and faculty advisers, 8 p.m. Friday, February 24: registra tion, 7:45-8:30 a.m.; breakfast, 7-8 a.m. opening session, 8:30-10:15 a.m.; committee meetings, 10:30 12:30 p.m.; luncheon and business meetings, 12:30-2 p.m.; committee meetings, 2:15-4 p.m.; special meet ings and free time 4-5:30 p.m; ban quet, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; dance, 8:30 11:30 p.m. Saturday, February 25: break fast, 7-8 a.m.; foreign student pan el, 8:30-9:30 a.m.; committees, 9:35-10 a.m.; general session, elec tion of officers, 10-10:40 a.m.; final session, 10:40-12:30 p.m. Motor cars of the future will be equipped with wings, predicts an engineer. As if they didn t fly fast enough now. daily EMERALD The ORF.CON DAU.V EMERAI.D. published daily during the college year except Sat uniats, Sundars. holidays and final examination periods by the Associated Stnueins. University ot Oregon. Subscription rates: $2.00 a term, $4.00 for two terms and $5.00 a year Entered as sccotul class matter at the postoffice Eugene, Oregon. ul do not claim to represent the Opinions expressed in editorials are those of the writer, anti do not claim opinions of the ASUO ot of the University, initialed editorials are written by associate editors Unsigned editorials are written hv the editor. . , Opinions expressed in an editorial page by-lined column are those of the columnist, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editor or his associates._ Oon A. Smith, Editor Joan Mimnaugh, Business Manage* Barbara Heywood, Helen Sherman, Associate Editors. Glenn Gillespie. Managing Editor Don Thompson, Advertising Manager News Editors: Anne linenlman, Ken Metzler. Assistant News Editor: Mary Ann Delsman. Assistant Managing Editors: Hal Coleman, Tom King. Hill Stanfield, Stan Turnbull. Emerald Photographer: time Rose. Women’s Editor: June Fitzgibbons. Spc• ts Editors: John Barton, Sam Fidnian. • hu t N»cht Krfttw Ixtrna L'iimui Copy Editor: Marjory Bush. Desl: Editors: Mariorv Bush, Bf»b Funk. Ciietchen Liromiahl, Lorna Larson, Larr> Mciscr. California, Arizona Dispute Legal Boundary Line; Law Suit May Result LOS ANGELES— (UP)—Atty General Fred N. Howser said Wed nesday that California may be forced to sue Arizona in the Uni ted States Supreme Court to de termine the disputed boundary line between the two states. The statement was contained in a legal opinion issued by Howser at the request of State Senator Ralph E. Swing of San Bernardino County. Swing said he requested the opinion because of the acute situ ation growing out of the arrest of California hunters by Arizona game wardens. He pointed out that a number of California hunters were arrested Dec. 23 during the duck hunting season and warned that the fishing season may bring a reccurrence of the arrests. Howser pointed out that he has authority to bring suit against Arizona, and said the states could settle the dispute peaceably through a boundary compact ap proved by Congress. “We shouldn’t shut the door on an amicable settlement,” the at torney general said, “but I feel Arizona should indicate her atti tude reasonably soon.” If Arizona fails to cooperate, Howser said, “a suit in the United States Supreme Court may become necessary in order to protect the interests of California and her citizens. YOUR NAME YOUR PRODUCT IN THIS SPACE WILL REACH AN EAGER STUDENT MARKET n Daily EMERALD