oo | TERSITY OF KANSAS

Department of Physical Education , March 16, 1958

TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE:

Mey I present for your consideration a matter very vital to the physical
welfare and health of our students at the miversity of Kansas.

The tract of land south of Mt. Oread, known as the Intramural Field, was
purchased by the Athletic Association, a non-corporate body, in 1923 for a consider~
ation of $12,000. This land was held in escrow by the K. U. Endownent Associa
and later deeded back to the Athletic Association (University of Kensas Physical
Education Corporation), a corporation now in existence.

Last year when the University of Kensas Physical Education Corporation ;
got inte financial straits, the Board of Regents agreed to purchase the land for the
sum of $12,000, the emount that wes paid by the Athletic Association in cash in 19254
The deed is now in the name of the State.

The Athletic Association has never used this land for ac tive
Rather, it was purchased for the intramurals in the beginning, and has always
used by student organizations as suche The University has, however, from time to
time, cut large tracts of sod from this acreage to be used in sodding various portions
- of the campus proper. This refers to the time when there was grading and filling
around the Administration Building and on the slopes around new buildings, such as

purposee
been

The thought that I am trying to project is that this tract of land has not
ted by the University as a University possession with the exception of the

n something could be obtained from the tract. Inasmuch as intramurals are a
students in play are spommpred by the department, it seems reasonable and thinkable
that it would be in keeping with logical practice to have the University at least
remove ‘distinct hazard that this wmgraded field presents to the life and limb
of the students playing on ite

‘It seems to me that USEP labor, under the direction of Mre Bayles, has
done much constructive work on the campus, Since this tract is now directly a part
of the University it would be a very much desired thing if we could have the field
graded so as to make it safe for the students to play theree The slope of the field
from the north to the south is so acute that there is apt to be extreme injury to
football fields run from the north to the southe I was present at some of the games

, more serious injuries than there aree

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The weight of a 170 pound man is multiplied many times in the momentum he
ym hill, ; is by a stretch of the imagination to think
of a 170 pound man striking a man of 140 pounds umider these conditions. -
No money has ever, been spent on this field. The topography is as it was
when the land was purchased in 1925.