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Tenants Organize
81st Year, No. 6 The University of Kansas—Lawrence, Kansas Friday, September 4, 1970
See page 7
Kansan Staff Photo by STEVE FRITZ
A Dejected Ebert Talks to Reporters
... says only action brings improvement
Foreign Student Injured In Plunge From Tower
A KU student was critically injured Thursday when he fell from a 30-foot tower in Shawnee.
Mehrdod Meskoub, 20, Gorgan, Iran, sophomore, was seen climbing a tower at the Kansas City Power and Light Company at 12606 W. 51st St. in Shawnee.
Mrs. Mary F. Fangman, a Shawnee bus driver, said she saw him climbing the eight foot fence, topped with three rows of barbed wire, that surrounds the tower. He then started climbing the tower and had almost reached the top when, Mrs. Fangman said, she heard a loud noise. Meskob fell into high voltage wire which was carrying 161,000 volts of electricity, she said.
Mrs. Fangman said that she ran to help him, but that he was already on his feet and walking toward the fence. She said she shouted to him to lie down until help came.
She said Meskoub was able to talk and said, "I was only doing my thing. I was going to see God."
He pleaded to have the electricity turned off in his right thigh, Mrs. Fangman said.
Meskoub was seen three days ago by Charles Sauer, dean of foreign students. Shawnee police were not able to find Meskoub's car in Kansas City, and it is believed that he might have gone into Shawnee by a Santa Fe freight train which ran within four miles of where the accident occurred.
Meskoub is in critical condition at the University of Kansas Medical Center with second and third degree burns over 40 per cent of his body, most of them on his right side.
The police suspected Meskoub was high on drugs, although no drugs or identification were found on him.
Student Leaders, Docking Discuss Campus Issues
Student leaders of Kansas colleges and universities met Thursday night with Gov. Robert B. Docking to exchange ideas, but some of them expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome.
Docking had called the meeting "a time for all persons attending to place in proper perspective the recent events of our campuses and to determine the course of the school year."
Yet the participants disagreed on whether the meeting was to be an information swap or a session to discuss some of the critical problems facing Kansas campuses.
"We can meet and meet and meet, but nothing will happen unless something is done," Bill Ebert, Topeka junior and KU student body president said. He said the most important results would come from any follow-ups to the meeting.
Pat Bosco, student body president at Kansas State University, said, "We've got the tense student, but he's still thinking constructively."
"I DID GET the impression that the governor and his staff are planning some more meetings," Ebert said. But he said he did not know if any specific follow-up "action" were included in the plans.
Bosco said that he had worked closely with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, and that there had always been
Docking called the meeting "very informative." He said that although he had not noticed any real "communication gap" before, the discussion did clear up some of his questions and give him a greater understanding of the problems facing Kansas schools.
When asked about the general "mood" among KU students this fall, Ebert labeled it, "tense." He said he thought the events of last spring and the summer months had shocked many students out of their complacency about campus problems and issues.
open channels of communication with the administration.
STUDENTS AT K-State are just as concerned about national and international affairs as they are about campus matters Bosco said, but they are maintaining a constructive approach to problems by working within the system. Bosco said he thought the K-State student body has wide support in the Manhattan community.
Asked about the reported probationary status of KU Chancellor E. Laurence Chalmers Jr. with the Board of Regents, Docking answered he did not understand that Chalmers was on probation. Docking said that he agreed with some of
Chalmers' decisions, but added, "I am not the Chancellor at KU and I do not believe any elected public official should be involved in the University administration."
JIM NICHOLS, KU senior class president and Hiawatha senior, said that many KU students considered the regents' ground rules for the academic year "out of touch" with reality on the KU campus.
Ebert said he was dissatisfied with the way the Board of Regents handled the Gary Jackson ammunition purchase case. Ebert said the Board's action to remove Jackson from his KU post was a political move"
See Issues page 12
Race Incidents Hit Lawrence High
Groups of white youths scuffled with blacks Thursday morning at Lawrence High School, one day after five black and four white students were suspended for fighting in the halls. One minor injury was reported.
William Medley, Lawrence High principal, said that about 50 white students gathered in the administration office Thursday morning, demanding the reinstatement of one of the four suspended white students
The white students were demanding that one white be reinstated because, they said, he was not involved in the fight. Medley told the students that reinstatement was impossible until the investigation was completed.
Wednesday's incident, which brought the nine suspensions, was still under investigation. The suspensions for fighting were school policy, Medley said.
When the whites left the of-
Senate Panel Hears BSU Request
With less than $40,000 dollars to allocate under present budget conditions, and a $52,000 request from the Black Student Union, the Student Senate Financing and Auditing Committee held open hearings on requests Wednesday in the Governor's Room at the Kansas Union.
Presiding at the meeting were co-chairman R. L. "Puff"
Bailey, Atchison, senior and John Mize, Salina, junior.
The BSU request includes future funding of the "Afro" House, a black community culture center and a black "cultural week" designed to bring black artists and political leaders to the Lawrence community. John Spearman, Lawrence junior, made the plea for the BSU, stating these projects
would "expose the community to the ideas prevalent in other black communities such as Watts and Harlem."
Because of an incident last summer when it was alleged that BSU money was used to purchase ammunition, the BSU representatives were asked if the BSU condoned violence. Spearman said, "No, but you must remember that at this
time the people in the community were really scared. We had children shot at and vigilanties driving up and down the street in front of Afro House. The ammunition was for defense."
Asked how their programs were designed to promote racial harmony, Spearman said that the programs seek to en-
See Request page 12
fice, they were met by a small group of black students, Medley said. Pushing and shoving ensued, but faculty and staff members dispersed the groups and sent them to classes, he said.
At about 11 a.m. a disturbance was reported in a girl's restroom. The girls dispersed when a police officer sprayed mace in the room. This was done, Medley said, because there was no policewoman available to handle the incident.
One injury was reported in the restroom incident. Elaine Austin, 17, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Austin, was treated and released at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. She complained of eye irritation and a sore shoulder and arm.
About two hours later, Medley issued a proclamation that all students should either attend classes for the remainder or leave school immediately. Those who chose to leave were told to return at 3:30 p.m. Friday with a parent or guardian.
"The purpose of the meeting with the parents is to bring dissidents together to discuss the problems," said Medley. "This is the one place in the community where all factions must meet."
There was a minor confrontation between students who left school after the Medley's announcement. Police standing nearby intervened and the crowd was dispersed.
School was scheduled to open Friday morning and Medley has asked police to stand by.