Bowling Green State University ScholarWorks@BGSU BG News (Student Newspaper) University Publications 10-9-1968 The BG News October 9, 1968 Bowling Green State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news Recommended Citation Bowling Green State University, "The BG News October 9, 1968" (1968). BG News (Student Newspaper). 2242. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news/2242 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in BG News (Student Newspaper) by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@BGSU. Delt fire—was it arson? by JIM MARINO Talk to the Delts, though, even Police Reporter now, and they'll tell you It was "According to areas of the most lous," Dr. James Bond, vice presi- But somehow It just doesn't arson—plain and simple. But the heat damage and destruction to dent of student affairs said shortly seem possible It could all have Arson continues to be suspected "why" of It remains a mystery. the house, the fire had to have after the blaze In February. Dean been an accident, the Delts say. as the only probable cause of the "Who was in the main lounge started In the northwestern most Taylor renrtll Just talk to them about It worst blaze in Bowling Green Un- at such an early hour?" the men portion of the main lounge, from iversity history—the Feb. 25 fire ask. where It spread all through the at the Delta Tau Delta fraternity "No one admits to smoking at lower portion of the house." be house, which injured 22 persons 4:30 a.m. Sunday. If it was started said. and caused an estimated $125,000 by a cigarette, It must have been Security men, too, have echoed one placed there." property damage. However It's Chief Rutter's idea for anyone doubtful arson can ever be proven. Cpl. Cook has gone around to having addional Information on the A preliminary investigation of each of the University dormitories blaze to step forward before the the scene was conducted by Bow- with a host of pictures of the proper authorities. ling Green fire Chief Howard Delt fire and a speech on fire Rutter, who mentions his suspicion prevention and safety. of the cause, a cigarette, in his He says In his talk the cause Administrators involved in mak- report to the office of the State of the Delta fire Is "unknown," ing reports to news media about Fire Marshall in Columbus. so to be on the safe side, a number the fire refused to comment about Yet, according to Chief Rutter, of safety reminders are run th- the possibilities of arson. arson would be an extremely dif- rough, Including the proper use "The Idea of someone burning ficult Dolnt to prove In court pre- of a fire extinguisher. out the Delts purposely Is ridicu- sently. The scene was disturbed shortly after the fire was exting- uished. Wallace Taylor, Dean of Men at that time allowed Delts to return to their burned-out rooms to claim needed personal poss- essions. "Any fire chief wants to see the area of a fire secured as soon after the thing is put out as possible," Rutter said. "It's TheBG the only way to insure a thorough Investigation. "By 40 kids walking through the place so soon after the incident, possible evidences of w'.iat actually may have started the fire could have been lost forever," he said. "Gas-sniffers" sophistic- News ated arson-probing machines used Serving a growing to test for the presence of an inflammable liquid, were used at university since 1920 MYSTERY FIRE'S ORIGIN ■- The northwestern portion of the the scene, according to Univer- front lounge of the Delta Tau Delta house is pointed out by Cpl. sity Security Cpl. Glenn Cook. Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio The results: negative. Glenn Cook of campus security. Cpl. Cook was a University "About the only way this case Wednesday, October 9, 1968 Volume 53, No. 9 investigator into the fire, and this year spoke throughout campus can be solved now is through on fire safety procedures. (Photo by Larry Nighswander) someone voluntarily approaching BG exercises free speech us with Information," said Chief Rutter. "We launched a prelim- inary investigation immediately Soloist gives after the fire, but we could de- finitely give the matter additional 300 gather for open forum 18th concert consideration in light of any new Bass-baritone Warren S. Allen evidence. By JUDY EICHER "The Bearded Lady," as other children's story, was read by will give a concert at 8:15 p.m., The Delta Tau Delta house- Managing Editor students acted out the lines. Louise Conn, Student Council chap- tonight in the recital auditorium mother, Mrs. Helen Bowen, said George C. Wallace figured in lain. The story told of a stuffed of the Bowling Green State Uni- this week she had never seriously A clear sky merged with yes- a second skit as "BORE," The rabbit who grew more and more versity Hall of Music. considered the possibllty of arson terday's sunny afternoon drawing Brotherhood of Radical Enlight- ragged as time wore on from Highlighting the evening's per- being Involved In the fire until: approximately 300 students to the enment, sent him to an untimely the affections of a tiny child. formance are "Legende de la "I overheard a campus police- inner campus for the first open end. The moral — "It doesn't matter Sauge" from Massenet's "Le man talking with the building con- forum of the year. Dr. Fred Eckman, professor of how you look, as long as you are Jongleur de Notre-Dame,""Three tractor working on the house this Student ringed the area before English, took the microphone next real to someone." And, It takes a Songs on Poems by Michelangelo" summer. The officer said he Williams Hall, lying under trees and called for "a little respect. while to be real. by Wolf and "Six Songs on Poems had Just returned from arson In- looking at the sky, standing In the Notice the suit I'm wearing," he Dr. William O. Relchart, pro- by Thomas Hardy" by Fliusl. vestigation school, and there was background or simply sitting and said amid laughs. fessor of political science, took The concert marks Mr. Allen's no doubt In his mind that the fire absorbing others' ideas. He stated that he doesn't write the microphone next and promptly eighteenth performance at the Uni- was anything but deliberately Sponsored by Student Council, about war, because "If one's Imag- brought his apologies to students versity since 1946. In addition, he set." the theme of the forum was free ination c^uld throw up, that's what "for the way my generation has has given approximately 30 pub- "After reading Howard's report, speech. Those who attended could mine do \" when the subject of acted toward you. lic concerts Including "Oedipus the thought crossed my mind that both listen and take the micro- writing w.\ poetry comes up. "Youth Is the force that shakes Rex" with the Harvard Glee Club, arson could have been Involved," phone to air their own Ideas. Dr. Eckman read the poetry of Ideas loose. Youth makes us ad- "St. John Passion" by Bach In said Eugene Jewel, chief of the They heard the earth viewed others, concluding with these lines address ourselves toourproblems Washington, D.C. and Redemption" arson bureau of the State Fire by someone from another planet And we should Invite youth to be by Gounod In Birmingham Ala. Marshall's Office, Columbus. from Robinson Jeffers: "There Is as the place where "there was the trap that catches noblest more critical," said Dr. Relch- An associate professor of mus- "Howard Is a very capable and more good than ever seen before, spirits, that caught — they say — art. ic at Bowling Green, Mr. Allen professional fire chief, and handled accomplishing unendurable evil," God, when he walked on earth." Concluding his comments on the belings to the National Associ- the Investigation without bringing as Steve Llpson read a poem by Tom Shelly read his poems next, theme of the forum. Dr. Relchart ation of Teachers of Singing, Am- in this department's arson Richard Laddermore. said that "we want to preserve erican Association of University people," Jewel said. He would calling them a conglomeration of Chris Blerl then narrated the "all my experiences." freedom of speech so that man can Professors and the Ohio Music not discuss the details of Chief poem by Lawrence Ferllnghetti, right wrongs." Teachers Association. Rutter's report over the phone. "The Velveteen Rabbit," a "You'll have to get that from him yourself," he said. Chief Rutter told the News the report he made contains no new information not already explained in news m^dla after the fire. The report, he said, is a matter of public record. Men at the Delt house have heard recently that Insurance investigat- ors have labelled the fire arson. "That's news to me," said chief Rutter. "I've had 15 or 20 in- surance men visit me to see copies of my report, and none of them have refused to honor any claims made by the Delts. Besides, they have no real experience or grounds upon which to base the arson sus- picion," he said. What's inside Black view of Wallace . pg. 2 Women's government . pg.