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UNIVERSITY DAILY, KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
JANUARY 16, 1946
'Patron Saint' Gave K. U.Dorms, Scholarships, Hospital
By MARY TURKINGTON (Daily Kansan Staff Writer)
Twenty-five thousand acres of southwestern Kansas farm lands are buying medicine this year for 4,000 students at the University of Kansas, paying the room rent for 84 college women, the tuition for approximately 10 college students, and part of the upkeep on the student hospital and nurses' home, two residence halls, and the
home of the University executive. This handsome gift alone might make Mrs. Elizabeth Watkins the "Patron Saint of the University of Kansas."
The 25,000 acres are a part of the estate of the late Elizabeth Miller Watkins. The University of Kansas and its students receive the income from this land. Mrs. Watkins has donated thousands of dollars in benefit funds and building improvements to the University of Kansas and the city of Lawrence.
Previous to her marriage to J. B. Watkins, Elizabeth Miller lived a simple life. She came to Kansas from Ohio when she was 10 years old, with her parents, Dr. and Mrs. V. G. Miller. She attended the Lawrence schools and then the University of Kansas when Fraser hall was the only building on the campus.
Elizabeth Miller did not care for school and left the university to work as secretary in an office. Tiring of the humdrum of her business occupation, she decided she wanted to be an artist and went to New York to study.
Lawrence community.
Always a practical business woman., she found there were too many artists already much better than she who were starving in New York, so she turned again to her business career.
She began working for the Watkins Land and Mortgage company, and soon was assistant secretary of the company. She worked for Mr. Watkins in his New York officer for three years. They were married in 1909.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Watkins returned to Lawrence and built their home on a 6-acre tract of land at the east edge of the University of Kansas campus. Mrs. Watkins called it the "Outlook" because it rests on the brow of Mt. Oread, and the entire Wakarusa river valley floor spreads out below.
A rapid succession of carefully planned contributions followed. Watkins hall was her first gift to the University in 1926. It cost $75,000. This residence scholarship hall each year houses 42 women who need financial aid in order to continue their formal education. Mrs. Watkins made only one reservation which allowed her to personally appoint one girl to the hall each year for any reason she chose. Many young women received this personal appointment and were able to go ahead with their schooling when it would not have been possible otherwise.
Mrs. Watkins was credited with helping him in most of his business affairs. Friends say he never made an important business decision without first talking it over with her.
As the Watkins had no children they often discussed the disposition of their property. No definite plans had been made before Mr. Watkins died Mrs. Watkins decided to give the bulk of their fortune to the University of Kansas and to the
Her husband was one of the figures in developing Kansas lands and at the time of his death in February, 1919, he owned two Kansas land corporations, more than 200 Kansas farms, and had extensive land holding in Louisiana and Texas. He also had organized two banks, one of them in Lawrence.
About the time Watkins hall was completed the city of Lawrence was unsuccessfully attempting to float a loan for a city hospital. Mrs. Watkins came to the rescue and donated a 52-bed, modern, fully equipped hospital to the city.
A case of influenza prompted Mrs. Watkins to build the Watkins Memorial hospital for the students of the University of Kansas in 1931. A niece of Mrs. Watkins was attending the University and became ill with the flu. She was taken to the old student hospital which was nothing more than a 3-story frame house that had been "converted" into hospital quarters.
Mrs. Watkins went to visit with her niece one afternoon. When she found the minimum amount of equipment, unsanitary conditions and general handicaps that hindered the student health program there, she decided to built a student hospital for the University.
The project cost $154,396 and is one of the most thoroughly planned, best equipped, and practically designed student hospitals in the United States. Dr. Ralph I. Canute-son was made director of the University health program and he still is serving in that capacity. An average of 35,000 dispensary calls have been made each year since the hospital was opened in December, 1931.
Her other major building project for the University was her personal residence to be used as the chancellor's home after her death. She died in June, 1939. Chancellor Malott came to the University in July
Frank Miller, Kansas City banker and a brother of Mrs. Watkins, left her $50,000 to be used "as she saw fit." She immediately had an $89,000 residence hall erected and named it in honor of Mr. Miller. It is a companion to Watkins hall and houses 42 women. Only those whose scholastic records and financial needs warrant their staying there, receive these residence scholarships.
of that year and was the first chancellor to occupy this home.
Mrs. Watkins made another contribution to the city when she gave them her husband's bank building to be used as the city hall. This building still is serving Lawrence.
-Kansas City Star
Bulletin Published On Atomic Age
A bulletin describing the purposes and organization of the Atomic Age association will be published this week for association members and interested students and faculty members, Jean Gardiner, chairman, announced today.
The bulletin also will contain a summary of the conclusions of the Atomic Age conference held in Denver, Colo., in December, she said.
Members heard a discussion by Emerson Schwenk, regional secretary of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, on the importance of individual conscience at a meeting Friday night in the Pine room of the Union.
Final organization plans were postponed until a later meeting, Mrs. Gardner said.
Call K.U. 25 with your news.
Political Science Fraternity Initiates Four Students
L. P. Cookingham, city manager of Kansas City, Mo., will be made an honorary member. Dr. Ethan Allen, director of the bureau of government research, was made an active member of the organization.
The DAILY KANSAN
Four students—Sarah Marks, Orville Roberts, Jean Stodard, College seniors, and Lester Kappelman, graduate student—will be initiated into Pi Sigma Alpha, honorary political science fraternity, in the English room of the Union, at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
because at K.U., all faiths, all races stand equal
To Have Waffle Supper
Stands for TOLERANCE
A waffle supper for the Home Economics club will be given at 5:15 p.m. tomorrow in Fraser hall by the Foods III class, Eleanor Brown, president, announced today.
A charter was granted to the city of Lawrence by the territorial legislature February 11, 1858.
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The Daily Kansan daily reports the significant, the deeply important items in the world's happenings to present a complete picture of the world today.
Lost Anything Lately? Here's What We've Found
(Besides
Lost anything lately?
that hangover, we mean.)
If you have, and it's valuable, chances are you might find it through the lost-and-found department of the Daily Kansan business office. Articles turned in there are kept in a fireproof safe until the owner calls for them, or until—once a year—we run a little story like this, asking you to check on whether we have something of yours.
For instance, there is in our safe right now a collection of "found" articles for which no one has put in any claim. There are two fountain pens, a couple of automatic pencils, four pairs of glasses, an identification bracelet, and a sterling silver novelty bracelet.
There's also a silver and gold 1940 class ring, three pledge pins, a chemistry text, various types of keys, and "one good, smelly pipe," as the bookkeeper said.
If they belong to you, they're yours for the asking—and proper identification, naturally.
Button, Button, Who's Got Thayer Art Museum Has 'Em
Several button collections are on display at Thayer Art museum, Mrs. Mary Warner, curator, announced today.
Story buttons depict such characters as Robinson Crusoe, Don Quixote, St. George and the dragon, Molly Pitcher, and Tom Sawyer.
What's More Fun Than See Page 8
Washington. (UP)—U.S. airlines are planning fleets of huge super airliners that will operate between major cities on trolley car schedules and won't require advance reservations.
Other types of buttons represented in the exhibit are cut steels, calico, jeweled, porcelains, portrait, military, jets and glass, and inlays.
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2 K. U. Buses
Between Campus and Downtown
BUS LEAVES CAMPUS
5-15-25-35-45-55 minutes past hour.
BUS LEAVES DOWNTOWN
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The Rapid Transit Co.
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