For an elderly woman just above 5 feet tall, Carol Channing can certainly command an audience. From the moment the Broadway actress descended the University Theatre steps on Thursday to the moment she finished speaking, she had media, students and faculty listening to every word and note.

Channing came to Sacramento State as part of her tour across the California State University system to gain support for more arts in public education “from Kindergarten to the last year of college.”

During her two-day stay at Sac State, the 87-year-old spoke with media and taught a master class on Thursday with about 100 students, explaining the importance of art. Friday evening, her performance in “A Salute to the Arts,” featuring students from the Music and Theatre and Dance Departments, sold out.

“There is no art (currently) in public schools,” she said. “But they can help students with academics.”

The arts help expand students’ minds, making even the most boring subjects, like math, interesting, she said.

“I grew up with the arts. The museums were free to us back then,” she said. “Suddenly, the whole world looks like a work of art.”

Channing told students how her father used to “bring up the sun” by reciting William Shakespeare every morning. When she was old enough, she used to help him, raising her arms with the sunrise. Nowadays, she helps her cousin raise the sun up with every “Aurora” they say.

“I thought everyone’s parents recited Shakespeare,” she said innocently. “I didn’t know any differently.”

She warmed the students’ hearts by telling stories of a little Armenian boy, Harry Kullijian, a boy from middle school who “was gorgeous.” She said she and Kullijian had separated for 70 years, married others and had children. Then, in 2005, the two widowed people found each other again and married.

“He was the Holy Land to me,” she said, looking at Kullijian in the second row. “He’s Biblical, like Moses on Mt. Sinai.”

Channing also talked about the physical and social benefits of the arts.

“I had ovarian cancer while performing ‘Hello, Dolly,’ ” she said, but instead of relaxing, she continued the performances.

“You give a little piece of your soul and the audience gives a little appreciation back,” she said. “(The arts) will heal you. Then the cancer began to get smaller.”

She said people have to embrace their individuality, because each person brings a little bit of his or her own culture to the arts.

“We are fighting for culture, for civilization,” Channing said. “(The United States) is a huge melting pot, and we’re all mongrel pups.”

Throughout her speech to students, she said: “We must have been created by a great force of love.

“No doctor can create humans or dogs. . . . We’re all inconsistent. Otherwise, we’re not breathing or living.”

President Alexander Gonzalez told the group of students Sac State was going to match a $10,000 donation from Channing and Kullijian to a scholarship for the Theatre Department.

“You don’t know how lucky you are that she’s here to spend some time with us,” Gonzalez said.

Channing, in addition to her tour, is currently working with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to get more arts programs into public schools across the state.

Her next tour stop will be Chico State on Sunday. Jamie Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]