Pittsburg State University - Kanza Yearbook (Pittsburg, KS)

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Bu22 Palmer Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium was renovated in 1979. The Auditorium is the site ol many activities spon- sored through Pittsburg State University. The building was originally the Mirza Temple. Many performances sponsored through PSU are held at Memorial Auditorium. This puppet show was just one of many performances sponsored by the Perform- ing Arts and Lecture Series. Buzz Palmer 16 Memorial Auditorium

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continued from page 10 Lowe's Skateway had a huge skate as its float, with a stuffed gorilla in the driver's seat and two other employees manning the skate . Louise McFarland who works for Skateway said that she felt tall sitting in the oversized skate, and that it was fun to have peo- ple looking up to her all the time. Also in attendance was a lo- cal rock band. Stationed on top of a flat-bed truck, the Heaters consisted of Dawson Branden, Guy Walcott, and John Gobetz, who turned out to be the son of Dr. Robert Go- betz from PSU's Dept, of Com- munication. The band played country music, rock-and-roll, and original compositions, right from 10th Street to First Street. They also threw beads to the crowd. They're from the Mardi Gras at New Or- leans! Branden said. The ROTC and Company A of the 891st Engineer Battal- lion, also had a non-competing float made up of an open army trailer, complete with M- 15 and M-50 machine guns and a canon. Mark Woodrum, Battallion Executive Office of the ROTC, and PSU senior, explained about the use of the artillery during the parade and the Homecoming football game. We're going to shoot the machine guns along the pa- rade and my job is to keep the children from getting too close to the trailer. During the foot- ball game, we will fire the can- on at the opening ceremony - 16 shots - and at every touch- down, Woodrum said. KPL Gas Service had a small pick-up which featured the Safety Watch which pro- vides emergency service to the Pittsburg community. Safe- ty Watch's mascot is McGruff, the Crime Watchdog, which sat on the back of the pick-up and waved to the crowd. Besides the floats and other vehicles, there were also many students dressed up as various fairytale characters and walked in the parade. There were the card soldiers from Alice in Wonderland , Cin- derella in rags with her wicked step-mother and step-sisters, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Alladin, and many oth- ers. The crowd that came for the parade were mostly pleased with the line-up. Florence Sharp of Pittsburg, was tap- ping her feet to the band mu- sic. I think it is terrific! I came with my boyfriend, she said pointing to an elderly man, and added, We never miss this. We're here every year! I think the floats are great this year - very imaginative, very beautiful, Susan Powell of Pittsburg said, while cra- dling her grandson. Powell is the wife of Dean Powell from PSU's Dept, of Printing. Meanwhile, the little boy was crying, frightened by one of the colorful but strange- looking clowns who were sell- ing balloons and giving out candy during the parade. The senior citizens of Pitts- burg were not to be left out of the festivities. One of their items featured Harp Choir No. 646. The choir sang while sit- ting in a long horse-drawn cart. The last item of the parade had both the young and the old from riding schools and farms, clip-clopping down the street on their horses of various sizes and breeds. You know why they put horses last? Wodrum from the ROTC asked. That's be- cause they leave droppings everywhere! he laughed. And as the parade came to a close, people could be seen smiling and laughing, and say- ing how much they enjoyed this year's Homecoming Pa- rade, Yap Miow Lin. Members o the Alpha Gamma Del- ta Sorority Lisa Grosdidier. Si. Paul sophomore and Julie Beachner, St. Paul sophomore make there way down the parade route portraying Tweedte Dee and TweedJe Dum from the fairy tale Alice in Wonderland. Mi be Meek. Lousiburg sophomore holds the ball high in celebration of his touchdown reception againsl Fort Hays State in the 1986 Homecoming game. Homecoming 15

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1 Cooperation benefits PSU and Memorial Auditorium Pittsburg State University doesn't have a large auditorium to hold large per- formances, The newly remodeled Pitts- burg Memorial Auditorium worked with the University to hold several perfor- mances at the auditorium. There is no PSU facility which accomodates big events and concerts, but the universi- ty does have the cooperative effort with Pittsburg's Memori- al Auditorium, Since November 1984, the auditorium has been provid- ing a place for PSU to have events. According to audito- rium manager Cliff Rippetoe, the relationship has been fruit- ful for both. We know their system and they understand ours. We both cooperate very well. Ev- ery time PSU wants to have an event here, we don't have to have a meeting to discuss building policies. They're re- gulars. Rippetoe said he has a good working relationship with all departments of the university which use Memorial. I am a theater buff and know all of the people there. 1 really hit it off with Larry Mc- Coy (Student Activities Pro- gram Director) the first time I met him. I also get along with Gene Vollen (music depart- ment chairman) very well. That all really helps us ' Rippetoe said. The university is charged a standard discount rate of $500 per production, play, SAC event or lecture and $250 is taken off of that fee through payment in kind. Students and other coordinators of PSU events volunteer their time as support staff for the production and the $3.50 they make an hour is automatically trans- ferred to the $250. Rippetoe said this is a way to encourage PSU to use the auditorium. This gives us a stock of vol- unteers who we trust and know to help us with future events, even events which are not sponsored by PSU, Rippetoe said. He said Memorial was unique in that it was the only facility in this area which pro- motes payment in kind in ex- change for discount rates. We have a sincere interest in PSU. We give 110 percent to the events. We're not going to say 'ii can't be done' be- cause this promotes stagnation and that results in the death of policies, though, he said. Rippetoe said one type of event Memorial is not geared for is a rock concert because food, drink and smoking are all prohibited in the main audi- torium. Rock concerts, he said, promotes all three. Rippetoe said he does not like to hear there is nothing to do here . It's amazing what kinds of events the college and other civic organizations can bring to Pittsburg. We are an indi- rect benefit to the community both culturally and financially. The more interesting things there are to do, the more stu- dents will want to come here and promote the economy. We are part of that circle. We just add to the flow of things ' Rippetoe said. - Trish Hollen- beck. Memorial A uditorium 17