THE MICHIGAN DAILY BRASS POUNDING': Hand Telegraphy Dying Out' What's Upin theDorms By JACK BARENSE The once prospering occupation of "brass pounding" is in its dy- ing phases; according to one of Ann Arbor's few remaining vet- erans of manual telegraphy. E. D. Whitesell, manager of the Ann Arbor Western Union, decid- ed back in 1903 to become a tele- graph operator. He said that in those days one of the best ways to see the still young West 'was to become a "brass pounder." * * * "A QUALIFIED operator could get a job nearly anywhere and I wanted to see the country," White- sell said. However by 1906 he had only travelled from his home state, Indiana, to Michigan where he has stayed ever since. In 1920 labor and time saving teletype machines began replac- ing the manual operators until today there are few of them left. Some, said Whitesell, have been absorbed in other phases of the telegraph business while others .have died, retired or learned new skills. There are even some former. "brass pounders" who are now on the University faculty, he said. * * * 1 * * * * (Editor's Note: Contributors to What's Up in the Dorms should contact DolorestPalanker at The Daily or 105 Betsy Barbour.) Thursday Mosher Hall present- ed its first faculty dinner followed by a coffee hour in the living room which provided an opportunity for Mosher residents to meet members of the faculty. Representatives of the various departments were invited as well as Mrs. Elsie R. Fuller, assistant to the Dean of Women, and Mrs. Mary J. Hoag, Mosher-Jordan die- tician, who were the guests of. Mrs. Frederick C. Klein, Mosher house director. GUESTS INCLUDED the fol- lowing: Dr. Irving M. Copilowish, phi- losophy; Murray J. Franklin, eco- nomics; Dr. Roger W. Heyns, psy- chology; Dr. Frank J. Huntley, English; Dr. Kenneth L. Jones, botany; Dr. Andrei A. Lobanov- Rostovsky, history; Dr. Howard Y. McClusky, education; Dr. Norman E. Nelson, English. The list continues with Dr. George A. Peek, political sci- ence, and Mrs. Peek; Dr. Wil- liam B. Willcox, history, and Mrs. Willcox; Dr. Morris Green- hut, English; Dr. Edward B. Ham, French; Dr. Hazel M. Losh, astronomy; James B. Wal- lace, music literature; and Phebe G. Williams, zoology. Special hostesses for each of the faculty guests were: Martha Adams, Marilyn Blancett, Pat Doyle, Gilda Fried, Norma Ga- vette, Marilyn Keck, Nancy Kling and Georgia Pantoleon. Other hostesses were Pat Pats- loff, Mickey Sager, Mary Lou Stegner, Harriet Stern, Doris Too- hey, Edith Weiss and Jerrie Wolfe. * * * A FOUR-PAGE newspaper which aims to "entertain, inform and foster spirit and friendship among the women residing in their home away from home' has just been published in the New Wom- en's Dorm. Better Chow WASHINGTON - The Navy's' wartime "C" rations are being re- placed with more palatable and varied rations, "C-4". The staff of "The Question Mark," a tentative name for the paper, conducted a name contest which closed Tuesday. The per- son suggesting the prize-winning name, to be announced shortly, will write the second "Guest Col- umn" of the newspaper. Contest judges are Mrs. Ele-I nore Fraser and Mrs. Dorothy MacMullen, house directors; Flor- ence Rosenberg, assistant director; of graduate affairs; Dorothy Kline, editor; and Lora Paschkes, managing editor. OTHER MEMBERS of the staff are Tulane Itkoff, news editor; Ann Mayhugh, feature editor; Joan Mitchell, sports editor; Jean Klerman, art editor; Barbara Zamet, columnist; Marilyn Kap- lan and Donna Hendelman, typ- ists; Allison Bliss, business man- ager; and Barbara Beckley, Judy Levine, Lea Eisner and Lila Fer- rance, reporters. The first issue of "The Question Mark" featured articles by the house directors and a column by Daily Associate Sports Editor Bud Weidenthal. Fadiman To Lecture Tomorrow "Our Writers, Our Country and Our Planets" will be the topic of the final lecture of the Oratorical Series when Clifton Fadiman winds up the season at 8:30 p.m.' tomorrow in Hill Auditorium. Fadiman is perhaps most widely known for his sparkling comment as master of ceremonies of the popular radio program, "Informa- tion Please," a post he has held since 1938. * * * A NATIVE NEW YORKER and graduate of Columbia University, Fadiman has been a steady con- tributor to magazines and news- papers for almost a quarter of a century. After two years with Simon and Schuster he became its ed- itor. Following that initial start, he was engaged by the New Yorker as book reviewer. Tickets to the lecture are on sale at Hill Auditorium box of- fice. Contraband in Laundry Cases Warned Against The Post Office issued a second warning against contraband written material in laundry cases yesterday and reported finding three violations in the past two days. "Laundry cases with hand- written material or typewritten material have seen sent on to their destinations at first class rates," officials announced. * * * TWO CASES discovered Mon- day will arrive with 10 or 11 dollars postage due, they said, and one yesterday was charged eight dollars. It was emphasized that books and printed matter are legal but that letters, even if opened, are still first class matter. "Everyone is asked at the win- dow if their cases contain contra- band. but they always reply in the negative. We try to open every case." * * * MISS MARY PURTELL, super- intendent of the campus branch, said she notified house mothers but with poor results. "Anyone enclosing written ma- terial is liable to a fine up to $100 for illegal use of the mails," she said. Other contraband items which the Post Office has found include liquor, for which there is a $300 fine, and matches. ... 9 II, i I 1 - ~~ - ---- - - .------ "MORSE CODE operators today can only find limited regular em-' ployment with a few railroads," the veteran operator said. "News- papers all have automatic news service machines and in the West- ern Union the skill is only used for line testing or when the tele- type machines are overloaded. "At University sport events," Whitesell related, "we still use between 10 and 30 operators to sendhthe newsbydirect wires/ to the sport desks of various newspapers.1 "Gone are the Gays of the GREGG COLLEGE A School of Business-Preferred by College Men and Women 4 MONTH INTENSIVE COURSE SECRETARIAL TRAINING FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS AND GRADUATES A thorough intensive course-starting June, October, February. Bul- letin A on request SPECIAL COUNSELOR for G.I. TRAINING Regular Day and EveningSchools Throughout the Year. Catalog Director, Paul M. Pair, M.A. THE GREGG COLLEGE 37 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago 3, Illinois ELECTION Daily-Barth SCIENCE TOPS NOSTALGIA-"Brass pounding" of telegraphers' keys is a dying art, E. D. Whitesell, manager of the Ann Arbor Western Union observes as he vainly attempts to match dit-dots with an employee using a modern typewriter sender. * * * * HAN DOUTS low TICKETS 'boomers' " said Whitesell with a' touch of nostalgia in his tone. "The 'boomers' were the expert operators who would usually never stay on one job more than a few months," he explained. They were unreliable and usually heavy drinkers but they could always be assured employment just because they were so good." * * * ACCORDING to Whitesell, a{ person who can use a typewriterf can, with three months training, send messages faster than the pest of the old Morse code senders. Receiving too, once required stren- uous training, has been reduced to a matter of reading the messages as the automatic tele- type machine types it. The most impressive event in Whitesell's "brass pounding" ex- perience was in 1912 when the Titanic was sunk. He was work- ing in the Pontiac telegraph of- fice at the time. A large number of people with relatives aboard had crowded the office as the survivor lists came over the wire. "The only thing comparable to the scene," Whitesell said, "was during the last war when we re- ceived War Department casualty telegrams." Campus Calendar Astronomy Department-Lecture by Sir Harold Spencer Jones, as- tronomer at Royal Greenwich Ob- servatory, England, on "Is There Life on Other Worlds?"; 8 p.m., Rackham Lecture Hall. Spring Concert - University Symphony Orchestra; 8 p.m., Hill Auditorium. Open to the public. Education Department-Lecture by Mary Ellen Lewis, former Mich- igan Education Association Presi- dent, on "The Relation of the Beginning Teacher to Professional Organizations"; 7 p.m., Univer- sity High School Auditorium. Speech Department - "Red Feather on the Air" series; 10:45 a.m., Station WPAG. Oriental Art Week-Final lec- ture by Prof. Alexander Soper, Bryn Mawr, on "Buddha inthe Cave," 4:15 p.m., Kellogg Audi- torium. Union Opera-Meeting, cast and committee members; 7 p.m., Rm. 3G, Union. ORIGINAL LAYOUTS OR DESIGN YOUR OWN u .I $1 SLACK SALE 200 Pair of SLACKS 100% Wool, Coverts, Flannels Tweeds. Buy one Pair at the Regular price GET SECOND PAIR FOR ONLY 1 Alterations at Cost S119 South Main Street "Where the Good Clothes Come From" Lit Edward's Letter Shop hographers Mi eographers 711 North Universityj i' p ~ -- _ now : STATIONERY CLEARA CE ..e r box 59c 2 boxes.. $1.00 THE CRAFT PR E5 (Across from Nickels Arcade) 330 Maynard Phone 8805 II (4%i tatwe/ reii6ed Aatit' NOW! Look smart when you join that EASTER PARADE on y APRIL 17th You'll find your "Sunday Best"