INDIAN COUNTRY
William E. Unrau, distinguished professor emeritus of history at Wichita State and a leading scholar of American Indian-white relations during the 19th century, has crafted an “essential read” for those interested in understanding the history of federal Indian policies and the fate of eastern tribes removed to present-day Kansas. Published by the University Press of Kansas, his book, The Rise and Fall of Indian Country, 1825-1855, follows such earlier works as Mixed-Bloods and Tribal Dissolution (1989) and White Man’s Wicked Water: The Alcohol Trade and Prohibition in Indian Country (1996). Unrau explains that the concept of “Indian Country” was set by Congress in 1834 to assure eastern tribes of a permanent home in the West, including Kansas. Though the tribes were promised these lands “forever,” in case after case, forever turned out to be tragically short.
IWFL TREASURE
Wichita’s Museum of World Treasures, founded by retired physician Jon Kardatzke ’57, unveiled a new treasure this fall: the Independent Women’s Football League Women’s Football Hall of Fame, inspired by photos taken during 2006 season play and featuring a bas-relief by artist Bruno Lucchesi. The relief is of three female players — a running back and two blockers.
NEVER MIND THE FENCES
“Never Mind the Fences,” a documentary about Wichita’s independent music scene, premiered Aug. 2 in the city’s Murdock Theater. Filmmakers Adriana Hemans and Ben Huff (who presented the film as his graduate thesis at the California Institute of the Arts) spotlighted a broad range of members of Wichita’s music community, many of whom are WSU students or alumni. Among the Shockers represented: music critic Jedd Beaudoin '01; former KMUW-FM deejay Jill Miller '01; and musicians Jeffrey Eaton, Jeff Vedricksen, Marcus Stoesz, Spike Hemans, Georgia Sutton, Dan Davis, Maria McCabe, Michael Carmody, Weston Townsley and others. The film is available on DVD at Wichita’s Rewound Sounds, a record store owned by Christopher Trenary fs ’05.
NEW GAME PLAN
Former Shocker player and men’s basketball coach Randy Smithson ’82/89 has found his way into a new field of work. He is co-host of “The Game Plan,” 6 to 9 a.m., weekdays on KGSO, 1410-AM, Wichita’s only full-time sports station. While he’s certainly no stranger to campus, it was a new vantage point for him when he attended incoming Shocker coach Gregg Marshall’s introductory news conference in April.
Wordcrafting Woodcraft
Woodcraft Magazine, Parkersburg, W.V., has a new editor-in-chief: James V. Harrold ’80, who is not only an experienced journalist and writer, but a woodworker as well. After completing his master’s degree in creative writing at Wichita State, Harrold joined Meredith Corp., where he worked on a series of step-by-step Better Homes & Gardens books. In 1984, he became the editor of two newsstand publications, Home Plan Ideas and Do-It-Yourself. Beginning in 1987, he served as managing editor of Weekend Woodworking Projects, which he took from 30,000 subscribers to some 210,000, before moving in 1990 to Wood Magazine.
What a Game!
Floyd Snitz ’37, who nowadays divides his time between residences in Ohio and Arizona, was sports editor at the Sunflower when he was working toward a bachelor’s degree in general studies. “I had my own column when the University of Wichita played Army,” he relates. “ We scored first, but lost.” The final score of the football game played on Oct. 77, 1935, was 44-76. “All this was only 70-plus years ago,” Snitz says. He adds, “My brother, Leon, attended Fairmount College for two years. He is 101 years old and active.” Leon lives in Peoria, Ariz.
