Edison 's Stay In Kentucky Marked By Perils
By C1IRISTA FINLEY
Thomas A. Edison, born Feb. 11, 1847, lived In Louisville during his youth and twice escaped death there.
Americans today commemorate the birthday of their
world-famoinventor. However, the electric light bulb
and numerous other Edison electrical contributions almost died with
while he was in Kentucky.
Edison worked In Louisville as a telegraph operator
at the close of the Civil War. His stay in the city, perhaps fortunately, was very short.
Louisville, like many other cities throughout the
country, was jn a ttate of turmoil and fear because of the
us

war.
One night while Edison was working, one of the
operators who worked with him came into the office
drunk. 11c piled up the operators' tables and tore the

sltchboard from the wall, smashing all the batteries.
Then he left.
However, another drunken operator, not satisfied with
this exhibition, shot several times into the fire crate.
Edison was hit twice by the bullets exploding In the fire.
If this incident wasn't enough to scare Edison away
from Kentucky, he almost was buried here a second time.
About 3 o'clock one morning, Edison was walking
home. Earlier in the day, he had a few books bound at
the telegraph office. While walking through the darkened streets of Louisville, a policeman shouted for him
to stop.
The policeman thought that the package Edison had
was a stolen item. But Edison couldn't hear the policeman shouting. He had been slightly deaf since child

'

hood when someone boxed him on the ears in a fight.
Edison Just kept on walking.
The policeman, thinking the man to be a thief, began
opening fire on Edison. Luckily, he wasn't hit.
The patrolman ran up to Edison and demanded t
know the contents of the bundle. Obligingly, Edisod
opened up the bundle and showed him the innocent

contents.

Recovering from this surprise, the undoubtedly embarrassed policeman remarked to Edison how lucky he
was that he hadn t been killed. The policeman, apparently, was not a very good shot.
During the time he worked in Louisville, Edison had
yet to make his important contributions (phonograph,
electric light, motion pictures, microphone and others).

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LEXINGTON, KY., WEDNESDAY, FEK. II, 1939

No. 62

I

SC Vetoes SuKy's
ft

V&

3m

Bid For Full Vote

C

f

Student Congress Monday night
voted down SuKy's petition for full
voting membership in SC.
The petition to admit the student
pep association was presented to
SC President
Pete Perlman by
SuKy President Sue Davenport.
The motion to admit SuKy
a majority of votes in favor
of admittance, but fell short of the
three-fourtvote needed to allow
a new seat to be added.
Debate for the measure was based on the argument that 'K" Club
has a seat in SC.
It was pointed out that a provision was made to seat a representative from the football houses as
a "representative from a residence
unit. Such a representative may be
selected in any manner and the
football houses' representative was
selected by the "K" Club.
Fred Strache, SC vice president,
represented UK at a meeting of
the Southern Universities Student
Government Associations at Auburn last Saturday.
Strache pointed out that the association is already organized and
has a constitution. Unlike the National Student's Association, it is a
making organization.
Because of this, it seems to meet
the requirements of a group SC
would like to become affiliated
with, and it does not have some
of the features objected to in the
re-reiv- ed

4

Rhythm and Blues Singer

hs

Fats Dcminc. rhythm and blues singer, who has recorded hit versions of "Blueberry Hill," "I'm in Love Again" and current favorites
"Coquette" and "Lotta' Loin'" will appear in a concert in Memorial Coliseum Feb. 20. The concert is sponsored by the Student Union
Board.

Politicians Slated
To Speak At UK
All
candidates
fcUDcrnatrnal
will hae a chance to speak to
UK students and laculty according
by Student
to plans
Congress Mcnday.
'
Jim Sterdley, chairman of the

J

A

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

if.

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kie

H

come to the campus in April.
VVaterfield was asked to attend

meeting next Monday and its effects on the proposed Southeastern
Conference of Student Government
Associatoins which would be founded by the UK Student Congress.
Bids for the voluntary student
insurance program were sent out
by SC and will have to be returned by Feb. 20.
A committee to investigate the
use of student parking fees by the

SC looting Membership
The voting membership of Student Congress consists of 16 residence
governing bodies having one or more full
units and policy-makin- g
votes each, and 20 fraternities and 10 sororities each having one-fifof
a vote.
The total number of votes which may be cast is 32. The Greek
letter organizations therefore have a total of six full votes.
A breakdown of individual membership and the number of votes of
each organization is as follows:
th

2
Men's Residence Council
(women's dorms) ....2
House Presidents' Council
1
Cooperstown

Shawneetown
Football houses

1

YMCA
YWCA

the March 5 rally but declined because of other speaking- engagements.
Steedley said it was hoped that
the Democratic candidates could
working on
EC committee
the
gubernatorial rallies, said attempts be presented at one meeting and
are being made to get the candi- all the Republican candidates at
dates of both parties to come to mother.
These plans were shelved w:hen
the campus and present their platWaterfield was unable to attend
forms.
Two Democratic candidates are the rally and all but one of the N.S.A.
Strache said he would give a
scheduled tc appear March 5. They Republican candidates withdrew
more comprehensive report of the
are Bert T. Ccmbs, Piestonsburg, from the election.
The program is sponsored by the
and Hubert Carpenter. Louisville.
Steedley said attempts are being Student Congress and the Political
made to get Democratic candidates Science Club.
A suggestion was made at the
Harry lee Waterlield. and RepubContinued On Page 3
lican candidate, John Robsion, to
non-poli-

Dean of Men's Office was set up.
The executive committee of SC
will conduct the . investigation.
Pete Perlman will head the committee and Bob Wainscott will
serve as
SC representative from Arts and
Sciences did not return to school
this semester and arrangements
were made to choose a successor to
the seat.

1

1

1

,
Student Union Board
College of Arts and Sciences
College of Engineering
College of Agriculture and Home Ec

cy

..1
3
3
Z

College
College
College
College

of Commerce
of Education
of Law
of Pharmacy
Graduate School
Each social fraternity and sorority

.....2
2
1

1

2

15

vote

Forces Unite,
Waterfield Group Has Rally
As Combs-Wya- tt

Wisconsin Psychologist
To Speak

loday, Jiursday

parative and Physiological PsychA. Wisconsin psychology professor, Who last year reported that ology, will deliver three lectures
'
infants' desire to be held in their at UK.
-

mothers arms overshadows even
hunger, win speak here today and
tomorrow on his research.
Dr. Harry F. Harlow, University
of Wisconsin, whose report to the
American Psychological Association
was widely discussed last year,
based his ftatements on observation of monkeys.
Among his experiments was one
involving a oft cloth "mother"
and another with a wire "mother"
which could provide food. Harlow
said the infant monkeys chose the
cloth version.
Dr. Harlcw, a former editor of
one of the major psychological
Joftrnals, the Journal of Com

He will speak on "The Development of Learning and Perception
by the Infant Monkey," at 3 p. m.
in the Funkhouser Buildin?, on
"The Nature of Love," at. 8 p. m.
in Education Building auditorium,
and will conduct a general seminar
session tomorrow at 3 p.m. in the
Funkhouser Building.
Dr. Harlow, author of over a
hundred articles in his areas of
research, has been recognized for
his work in the fields of learning,
motivation, and physiological psychology. This spring he will serve
as national lecturer for the Society
of Sigma Chi.

Combs-Wya- tt
campus
While
forces were uniting here last week,
opposing student supporters- - of
Harry Lee Waterfield were holding
a rally in Louisville.
sponsored by the
The rally,
Young Collegians for Waterfield,
drew 950 students, including about
250 from UK, from 29 Kentucky
colleges.

Waterfield told students at the
rally they were making history by
being the first group to participate
in a governor's race since Kentucky's voting age was lowered from
to 18.
He also sppke of great opportunities in Kentucky if everyone works

21

for better education and roads and
for improving the state's agricultural and industrial economy. He
the need for
then mentioned
"broadening our economic base" by

attracting new industries.
University students are
among the top collegiate aides in
Waterfield's campaign. They are
Jerry Ringo, state chairman, and
of the
Diane Vittitow,
Young Collegians for Waterfield.
is Carroll
The other
Hubbard of Georgetown College.
Waterfield's UK chairman is Jay
Spurrier. "
UK students attending Saturday's rally went to Louisville in
seven chartered buses. A University
combo, the
played at
the luncheon in conjunction with
the rally.
Miss Vittitow fyesterday said
heads of the campus Waterfield
organization would meet tomorrow night with Ed Roberts, county
chairman. The meeting will bring
together local, county and Univer
Two

an

Hi-Five-

sity groups to discuss campaign
organization.

SuKy Elects
21 Members
SuKy, UK pep club, elected '21
new members on a trial basis at a
dinner meeting Monday.
Those elected were Nancy Woodcock, Hope Espie, Sandra Morgan,
William Pierce, Ellen Sanford,
Joseph Bishop. Gloria Paulo. Suzy
Eisenberg, Jimmy Durrett. Gene
Germain, Tom Harrington. Myra
Tobin. Alex Major, Roger Minton,
Barrie Konicon. Marjorie Hadden,
Marietta Booth, Sue Meredith,
Joanne Stiles, Sherry Morris and
Allen Pardon.

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