"Lance" Fine Arts- Friday, Sept. 9, 1977- 8
Fiddlin' away
Backside banter-
"Whiskey Before Breakfast," " Sally Gooden ," "White Water Jig ," and the " Jessie Polka" filled the Omaha Civic Auditorium as fiddlers from across North America gathered for some " good old foot-stomping country music ." The Omaha Open North America Fiddlers Championship staged the " Richest Fiddlers contest in the United States ." Vic Gutman , a promoter for the arts and the betterment of downtown Omaha, acted as coordinator of the event . Laurier Birginal was the contest chairman . Birginal was awarded the " Fiddler of the Year" award , a traveling trophy given to the fiddler who has done the most to promote fiddling. Birg inal has been playing fiddle for 65 years. Ms . Jan Kuel , guidance counselor , participated in the contest. " I've been playing the fiddle for about one year. My first big contest was at the International Old Time Fiddlers Contest in Weiser, Idaho. I was scared to death , I had only been playing for a month. I came in last, but it made me decide that I really liked it and wanted to get better." Kuel added, "They (the contest organizers) wanted everyone to fiddle . All ages and abilities were involved. That's the neat thing, there was no generation gap. People were just there to make music and have a good t ime." Mr. Frazier Moss, one of the favorites in the Old Time Fiddlers division , has been playing for 57 years. " I started by garden seeding ," explained Moss. " I sold garden seeds until I sold enough to buy a violin. It ended up to be a toy , but I played on it anyway. " Moss added, " I don't like to copy anybody's style, I just play like myself. I like people to like what I do." Another fiddler, Mr. John Mithum , has an unusual fiddle that he made out of an Armour Ham can . " One day th is lady was going to throw the can out and I stopped her. I thought maybe I could make a Minow dipper out of it. I decided to put a neck on it though and it turned out to be a real good fiddle . It has a nice tone too." Fiddlers competed in five different categories. They were : seniors (65 years and older) , juniors (under 18 years) , ladies and back-ups, (for musicians accompanying competing fiddlers) . Cash awards went to the top ten winners in each division . Trophies were also awarded for the top five. Altogether $10,000 was awarded in prize money and trophies. "The contest was a success as far as musicians go," explained Birginal , " it failed as far as attendance was concerned ." An estimated 5,000 people attended the fiddlers contest as opposed to the expected 12,000. At this point it is a questionable as to whether another contest of this nature will be held next year. "We got a sponsor to put up the money we needed , but who'd want to do it next year knowing that they 'd probably lose money."
A few rules Decisions, decisions: Choosing the photographer or choosing the final proof, which is the hardest? Lori Schack does some final looking over before it's too late.
Bob Gllssmann Good Morn ing . If you have ever sat down and read a co the newspaper, be it a humor column, or col umn , or ed itor ial column , you migl found you never learned the basic rul regulations for reading a column . You know that Erma Bombeck is suppi humor you , James J. Kilpatrick is supp1 inform you and Ann Landers is suppc answer you , but what else are you supp1 gain from read ing these columns? How are you supposed to read them? I When? Why?
Senior portraiture: What's a bad deal? Senior yearbook pictures are due by Friday, Sept. 24. Now is the time to choose a studio. Portrait studios are not all alike, and picking the right one isn't easy . Quality and price are the main considerations. A senior should get the price lists of the studios in which he has interest. Reading every word of the price lists is important. Some are tricky and contain hidden prices. It is even advisable to visit the portrait galleries. Most photographers will welcome a visit to their studio. Students generally are influenced by personal taste in photography. Many want individual attention and high quality. Others go for the low prices. Some of west Omaha's photographers include: Merrill Goff, Merrill Goff Studios; Roger Haggerman, Images by Roger's; Mike Howard , a part time photographer; Donald Jack, Donald Jack Photography; David Lee, David Lee Photography; Mervin Reese, Mervin Reese Photography; and James Soucie, James Soucie Photography. A commerc ially located photographer has higher prices by necessity . He has rent to pay and must hire more employees. These components are reflected in his prices. On the other hand, a photographer who operates out of his home saves money. His customers, therefore, save money too. High quality and economy of prices are offered by most home photographers. David Lee, a professional photographer who
operates from a home stud io , said , " I can make revisions and improvements on my home that I would hesitate to make on a rented fac ility." Lee and Mervin Reese are both experienced photographers. Lee has a home studio at 309 N. 132nd Street , and Reese is located in Countryside Village at 87th and Pacific. For an average senior order of one eight by ten , four five by sevens, and 36 wallet-sized portraits, Reese charges $88. Lee's price is only $72, a 27 percent difference. The initial price of such an order at Reese's is only $63. There is a minimum sitting fee of $25 which must be included. Lee charges no sitting fee. A siijing fee is an extra charge that sen iors should be on the look-out for. Some galleries add th is cost onto the regu lar o rder price. The Mervin Reese studio has sitting fees up to $45, depending on the number of previews taken. On the same order (including the sitting fee , if any) , Renee' of Brandeis charges $75; Merrill Goff, $53; Mike Howard , $63; Donald Jack, $114; Kilpatricks, $124; Lisle Ramsey, $78; James Soucie, $57; and Zercher Photo, $47. WerthmanConstable would not reveal their price listing . Home studios operated by professional photographers generally offer better prices and good quality. Seniors should watch for high sitting fees . Following the crowd is not necessarily recommended . Shop around and compare prices and qual ity in order to make a wise choice for your sen ior portrait -- it's a once in a lifetime decision .
Is consumerism getting the best of you? Want to know where the best bargains are in town? Turn to page 8 of the "Lance" for answers to these distressing problems. Beginning this Issue the "Lance" will feature consumerism articles, critical reviews of the fine arts, and for a laugh, Bob Gllssmann's humor column, in every eight page edition.
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Reader service Well , I can 't answer for the others, but I you how, when , where and why I'd like read my column . You may take suggestions, all or none of them , a whatever you want with them . I'm only them as a service to you . How: First read the entire article, begin end (or end to beg inn ing , whichever you 1 Th en turn to another page of the pap read an article . Later, come back to the c and try to figure it out. Repeat th is proce: you either f inish all of the articles or unde my column , wh ichever comes first. Where: If you can find a billboard lnterestate 80 advertising educational te le stop, wa lk up to the sign and cl imb up tt ladder until you get to the scaffold. The o nto th e platform and face east. Then re co lumn . Or sit on your mother's lap and have hE the column to you (when was the last t in read anyth ing from your mother's lap'i whatever you do, don 't si t in a cha ir and 1 You'll turn into cottage cheese.
Revolutionary breakthrough Day: Throughout the history of high newspapers there has never been a co lum like th is. Since June 11, 1777, when stud the Publi c Latin School of Phi ladelph decid ed to publish what would be the fi rst newspaper, "Th e Student's Gazette," school journalism has been impatiently v for that one breakthrough , revolutionary c that would change the fate of every red-bl Am erican who comes in contact w ith it. So, if yo u want to become soc ial ly enr spi ri tually motivated and morally perverte col umn is the on ly outlet of info rr pertain ing to these three areas. Next: "Backside Banter" ?
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