Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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ON SHORT NOTICE — Residents to move into Smith House at the beginning of the fall semester only to find a note announcing its closing. Photo by Rob Clark, Jr. MOVING OUT — Packing up some final items, Joe Walker, senior in engineering, completes the move from Smith House after its announced closing. The fate of the house was later changed after much pressure from supporters of the house. — Photo by Rob Clark, Jr.

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Administration kills and resurrects Smith Cooperative House was given life again. The closing of the cooperative Smith House became a controversy from the first day of school. On Sept. 27, the KSU Foundation Executive Committee, meeting with University President Duane Acker, brought an end to the struggle for life as the decision was made to reopen the house during the 1983-84 academic term. The house was founded in 1959 when L. Irene Putnam donated the land and house to the K-State Endowment Association to be used as a scholarship house named for her brother. The house was remodeled in 1977 and converted from a scholarship house to a cooperative house. The 29 male residents of the Smith House had received during the summer them of the Smith closing last fall. The letter expressed regrets and offered several to contract holders. When they arrived at school after making different living arrangements, the only sign of what had occurred was a note hanging on the wall at the Smith House. It read, House meeting at 8 p.m.. Smith isn ' t dead, just transplanted. The decision had been made to close Smith House for the year and to recommend to KSU Foundation, owner of the building, that it be sold and proceeds used for Reasons for the actions were said to be that in a time of tight budgetary constraints, the most financial benefit for the most students would be provided by selling the house and using proceeds for scholarships. Smith House residents and alumni residents stood up against the actions of officials, leaving the Foundation caught in the middle. Jim Stewart, senior in animal science and agromomy and director of Smith Cooperative House for the 1983-84 year, made a plea to Student Senate requesting its support. The Smith residents saw their alternatives as continuing to operate the house as it has in the past, or working out an arrangement through which some independent group might lease the property and operate the house as a cooperative. Stewart ' s presentation gave the views of the Smith residents that the was acting unfairly. Student Senator Mark Terril, senior in finance, a bill that gave the Smith residents Senate ' s support. The administration had acted legally right, Terril said. But we still didn ' t like it. The Smith support Bill was passed by Senate with two obstensions. I ' m not sure what we did did any good at all...but I felt like it did, Terril said. Terril said that the support in general was a statement that, Yes, we want Smith and think that there is a place for scholarship houses on this campus. The next step was to get the approval of the Foundation Executive Committee. The committee responded to the pleas of Smith alumni and students to continue to provide an alternative living option for qualified students, Art Loub, executive vice president of the Foundation, said. It is the consensus of the that a properly and efficiently operated scholarship house is an undeniable asset to the The administration responded to the actions of the Foundation. I am impressed by the dedication and the sincerity of the Smith group and their dedication to the scholarship house concept, President Acker said in the Collegian announcing the planned reopening of the house. The settled agreement will reopen the house in the fall of 1984 and returns Smith House to its original concept of encouraging academic achievement. Overall, the Smith House controversy became an of how students, who believe in something enough to take action and prove their concern, can make a By Edee Dalke it was killed. Th en it SMITH HOUSE — Originally donated to the KSU Endowment Association as a scholarship house, it has been used as a cooperative house since 1977. The house has been a source of controversy as K-State administration tried to close the house. — Photo by Rob Clark, Jr.

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Comedian Cham Ferguson unique humor to bring laughter to K-State Cham Ferguson possesses talent. He can juggle, sing, do some rope tricks, and even perform some magic. But above all, Ferguson is funny. I really got my start in Ferguson, senior in speech, said. I tried to do some comedy in high school, but really didn ' t get started the Complex. The Complex is the Improvisational Theatre, a comedy group composed of K-State students. The group performed a variety of acts, ranging from skits to improvisation. Improvisation is my favorite, Fergu son said. It ' s so fresh. The audience is for you, and that ' s the real magic. The audience wants you to do well, so they also radiate a lot of energy. One of Ferguson ' s biggest thrills was when he was the opening act for comedian Steve Landesberg, who in McCain Auditorium. That was great, but I like more of a group thing. Through sports and theatre, I ' ve grown up with more of a group sense. I like working with people, and the people in the Complex are my closest People really liked us, and we all learned a lot, Ferguson said. Unlike some other there is a serious side to Ferguson. You ' ve got to be serious before you know what to laugh at. People are not to admit the things that they observe are funny. By laughing at it, you accept it and understand it. Not everybody does that, Ferguson said. Maybe that ' s why you have a group like ours. It ' s almost like a service — helping to laugh at themselves. Although the Complex does not center its comedy on one subject, the group do a lot with nuclear war, pollution and of course, politics. If there weren ' t as many politicians, there wouldn ' t be as many comedians, Ferguson said. When James Watt resigned, there was a whole lot of material that comedians lost. Ferguson has been active in theater and has been since the sixth grade, and started competitive speech in the eighth grade. He competed OPENING ACT — Reaching to make a point, Cham Ferguson, junior in speech, performs his routine as the warm-up act for Steve Landesburg, a McCain series performer. Ferguson was selected to open the evening ' s as part of a contest to find an opening act. — Photo by Rob Clark Jr. in forensics for eight sea sons, and has gone to national the last two years, where last year he placed fourth in the nation in communication analysis. Besides being active in speech and theater, Ferguson takes an interest in hunting and fishing, and he belongs to the Audibon Society. I ' m also a member of Junkers of America, a club my friends and I started in junior high. We collected junk and did a lot of recycling. We did a lot of charity and service work, but with everyone to school, we don ' t get a chance to do that much any more, Ferguson said. Ferguson would like to make a future out of comedy. The competition is really stiff, Ferguson said, and I ' d like to finish school first. What I ' d really like to do is take the Complex and travel. I would like to do that as long as it would last, he said. By Matt McMillen 20 comedian