Books Room holdsrare treasures books still By SUE FITZGERALD The Rare Books Room even has some clay tablets Mann said that the acquisition of new Collegian Staff Writer datingbackto 2400 B.C. pleases him. %.;harles Mann makes it his to know books; "I don't tire of books' and what I do," he said. "I get business Mann that arare book isany book that because of as but moreimportant, he makes it his pleasure. said the same excitement now when I find a book I did and special "special interest, cost of production, limited production when I As curator of the University's rare books rare." Hevalued the started." the orage, has become lookedupon as collections, Mann enjoys talking about more than at half a million Mann travels to Europe every eighteen months in volumes Room University's rare book collection Room. He said 45,000 housed in the Rare Books located dollars. search of new books for the Rare Books on third floor of Pattee. that England, Italy and New York City are his favorite Walking into the Rare Books Room, an immediate enthusiasth for is not new. He said that hunting spots. heavy Chinese Mann's books sense of uniqueness is apparent. Dark,' he first got interested in books as a little boy when he. Close contact with dealers also keeps Mann in tune furniture, made of teakwood and inlaid with marble, made frequent trips to theSalvation Army store and the with the latest finds in the book world. occupies the entranceway. libraryin his hometown ofAltoona. Mann's enthusiasm for books is also carried over to Moving further into the room, long glass bookcases his dealingswith people. filled with strange-looking volumes line the walls. quickly negated the idea of the Rare Books Rare Books Mann Display cases artistically display one ofthe Room being a museum, and stressed that the room is Room's many collections. • making open to anyone. Mann tf.lks fondly of the books in this room, coming in. "We welcome people coming in," he said. "We op- them each seem a personal of "We welcome people part himself. form, pose censorship in any form, and to deny the use of a "There's a sense that I reach the personality of the We oppose censorship in any book is censorship." people in the books," lie said. the use of a book is • and to deny :.: an ! Mann is more than willing to donate his time to , The _ Books Room contains excellent collection of books on science fiction, utopia, American censorship." • visitors in the Rare Book Room. and English literature, aerospace and German culture, "Since the University's Rare Books Room is not according to Mann. The room specializes in three under the same kind of pressure as those in New York American writers: John Updike, Conrad Richter and and Philadelphia," he said, "We are able to give more JohnO'Hara. • This interest for books led him to earn a master in individual attention to those coming in." Mann's eyes were lit with pride as he spoke about the English from the University in 1954. As a further invitation to anyone interested or Just - most unique feature of the Rare Book room. Housed plain curious, Mann said that the front door is always within its confines is the John O'Hara study, containing While working on his master, Mann held a job at oren. "In manyrare books rooms, you must ring to get all the originalfurnishing and memorabilia. Pattee acquiring rare books. In 1957 he became the in," he said. Man explains that when O'Hara, master of the short curator of theRare Books Room. With 45,000 books to choose from, is it possible to pick story, and a native of Pottsville, died in 1970, his wife along the line that I was as a favorite? Smiling, Mann took a 1478 pigskin-bound "I realized somewhere from the and donated the study to Penn State. interested in books as I was teaching English," Bible with illuminated letters shelf, named that his choice. re pleasures The Rare Books Room also contains the original Mann said. manuscript for Joseph Priestly's autobiography, a "The book is going to be 500 years old in 1978," he Army store in Altoona first turned Charles Book bargains at the Salvation ' Divine Alphabet printed in 1466, and one page of the So in 1961, Mann earned a master of library science said. "I'm planning a party for its 500th birthday." interest to old literary works. As curator of the Rare Books Room, Mann's Gutenberg Bible, printed in 1455. degreefiom Rutgers University. Now that's some party. ' Mann still pursues his first love.

A weekly look at the life in the University community dtai:l;Collegian living Friday, September 10, 1976-5

Battle of the bands

Hamming up Members of the Stanford Band, along with their version of - pom-pom girls—the "Dollies"—entertain dorm residents as atraditional part oftheir visit to Penn State. Stanford: individualized insanity By BERNADETTE MANSI seems to bean appetitefor insanity tieing. They receive the music from the and CATHY BARNETT One hundred band members and five band Monday night and must arrange Collegian StaffWriters dancing girls, known as the "Dollies" their routines for rehearsal Thursday If insanity is your style, 'chances are strutted their stuff for the dorm night, Carla Murray, one of the dancers you'll forego those refreshments 'residents Wednesday night. The ser- said. "We have to make up the band's Saturday until after the halftime antics enade, Blumberg said, is a tradition at lack of uniformity," she said. of the Stanford University Marching Stanford. The Band, he said, likes to get Penn State's studentsmay be confused Band. students excited about the game. "We as to whom to cheer for at the game The band, better known as the arehams enoughto enjoy the applause," when they see the band's unusual hats, Incomparable Leland Stanford Junior he said. . compliments ofthe Penn State Diner. University MarchingBand, named after Carrie Teagle, one of the "Dollies" The band first donned the hats last the University's founder, prides itself on said "The band looks forward to coming year, Blumberg said, when their hats its zany reputation. to Penn State all year becausethey know didn't arrive in time for the trip east. Speaking from the Sand Shak Ea-st, they are goingto have fun." While-eating at the diner, a student got the luxurious accommodations com- The informal attitude carries over to the idea to wear hats for the game, he monly referred to as the HUB ballroom, the band's practice sessions, which said. They were so popular last year - band manager Kent Blumberg.said, consume about six hours a week. they decided to wear them again this "The nonchalant, superinformal band is Blumberg said Monday is spent on year, hesaid. very popular with the students." music practice, Wednesday and Friday Not only have Penn State's students Most of the Band's popularity stems nights on marching, and Saturday is received the Stanford band so well, but from their improvisations used on the spent "fooling around." the band's fame back home has paid field. Unlike other marching bands, who In fact, this week's halftime routine their way here. The trip to Penn State is rigidly march onto the field, Stanford's will be discussed tonight over a case of paid for by a student volunteer fund, stage as "Of Blumberg said. ..fN'"C• band casually strolls onto their beer, Blumberg said. He added, ff ' • ' -0 ,- • 1.,1 ifawaiting cues from the audience. course, all those discussing the plf ans So if you are lucky enough to have a If'. One pecularity of the band's 169 piece will be over twenty-one." ticket to the Stanford game, don't lose tot° by Barry Wyshlnskl band is the absence of music majors. The "Dollies," in 'contrastto the band, your seat for the halftime enter- of the members .§pedds five a day prac- tainment. your horn -In their usual unconventional style, the Incomparable Leland The only prerequisite about hours Blow Stanford Junior Varsity Marching Band rehearses in the "Band Shak East," otherwise known as the HUB ballroom. 'Blue Band.- talented teamwork By SALLY HEFFENTREYER In fact, more than half of the band and you've got a week and a half to get a Collegian Staff Writer members are not music education show perfected, the hours we practice Half-time at Beaver Stadium: fight majors, Deihl said. don't seem like much," Steve Bell (9th, your way to a 45-minute wait at the "There is a fantastic mixture of music education) said. "In fact, a lot of restroom, hunt for the friend you were `.students from all different areas of in- times we could use more." "supposed to meet at the gate before the terest," he said. "We have people from The Blue Band prides itself on game, or stay in your seatso no one will pre-med to agriculture marching with producing a quality field presentation, take it. us." Bell said. The unit works more seriously Whatever you do at half-time on a Sight reading music is the major and longer than bands such as Stanford, football Saturday, you're bound to seeor concern of the director in musical which rolled into town this week for the hearthe Penn State Blue Band. Justwho auditions for the Blue Band. "The main season's first gridiron clash. are the people - behind the thing I look for," Deihl said; "is for the "The Stanford band attracts a lot of ,conglomeration of clarinets, trombones student to be able •to struggle through a people when it's here," Jim O'Leary r and drums? What makes them pump the piece ofmusic the first time he sees it." said, "because what they do is different air from thier lungs and put blisters on "We don't have much time to fool crazy." their feet to entertain the Saturday around once the season starts, sothey've "They carry off their style well. But rowdies? got to be able to pick up the music the Blue Band also does what it does "Students join the marching band for quickly," he said. very well," hesaid. any number of reasons," Blue Band Deihl directs the Blue Band, with help On Saturday afternoons the Blue Band Director Ned Deihl said. "They enjoy from an assistant director, a graduate puts all its ability to the test in front of k.; the spirit and comradery involved, and assistant, and directors for the flag unit countless football fans some sober, mostof them simply loveto perform." and majorettes. some slightly under the influence. The "Most of the kids are in the Blue Band About 175 students make up the entire swift drum cadence and run onto the . MEM 1:4 ' marching 4`i* 4, just for fun," Joe O'Leary (11th, pre- unit, including band mem- field are Blue Band trademarks. ;41.: ~ t. med.), right guide' in the band, said. bers, majorettes and color guard, Deihl Once on the field, the band's goal is to Ell Since not even music majors are said. Every Monday, Tuesday evening, entertain, and to entertainwell. Photo by Julie Cipolla required to be members of the marching Wednesday and Friday they assembleto "A style like Stanford's could wear Forward march band, everyone is in it purely because drill until the field show comes outright. thin aftef a few weeks because there In direct contrast to Stanford's informality, the Blue Band 4. they like it, he said. "When you've got nearly 175 people isn't much behind it," O'Leary said. prides itself on precise drills and discipline.