Monday, August 16, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 13
Kansas history needs rewording
The Keeper of the Plains in downtown Wichita marks the joining of the Little Arkansas and Arkansas rivers. The historical marker also serves as the site for an annual gathering where Native Americans can meet and perform traditional ceremonial dances. Photo by Chad Cummings/KANSAN
Historical society to rewrite, alter offensive signs
By Lesley Simmons reporter@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Kansas highways are devoid of about 35 historical markers while the Kansas State Historical Society refurbishes them after complaints from community members about the portrayal of the history of their areas.
The Kansas State Historical Society displays more than 125 historical markers across the state, said Kristen Howland, public information officer for the society. The markers are signs that explain the historical significance of an area to travelers.
After receiving complaints from across the state about some markers, the society decided to review the accuracy and language of each one. Howland said the society had been interested in updating the signs since the start of the decade and that funds were made available this year by the Department of Transportation.
Since 1994, a committee of legislators, members of the society, community members and employees of the Kansas Department of Transportation have examined all 125 markers.
Some of the 35 signs only will be refurbished, but others will have wording changes.
Staff members at the society have been working on the new texts for the past two years.
The "Lawrence and the Old Trail" marker located at a service area on Interstate 70 eight miles east of Lawrence is one of the markers that will be replaced by November.
One section of the old marker described the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails as "beset by Indians.
choiera and starvation. Over them traveled explorers, traders, missionaries, soldiers, forty-niners and emigrants, the pioneers who brought civilization to the western half of the United States."
On the new marker, that section will say that the Oregon-California and Santa Fe Trails were traveled in the 1800s by "explorers, missionaries, soldiers, emigrants in search of land, and forty-niners in search of gold" following "trails established centuries earlier by Native Americans. Tribes living in this area during the 1800s included the Delaware, Kaw, Kickapoo, Shawnee, and Wyandot."
One marker in Lecompton
already has been replaced as a result of lobbying by community members. The old marker identified the city as a former slavery capital. The new one identifies the city as the former capital of the Kansas Territory, but still mentions that Lecompton was pro-slavery.
Howland said the new marker had been up for more than six months.
Steve Jansen, director of the Watkins Community Museum in Lawrence, said some members of his church in Topeka had been unhappy with the Lecompton sign. They thought the sign boasted of the city's pro-slavery past, he said.
Jansen said he understood the motivation to change the sign but wanted it to remain historically accurate.
"If we never grapple with the past, we will never come to terms with the present." Jansen said.
The Department of Transportation is cooperating with the society to install the markers.
Rick Ross, chief landscape architect at the department, said that his office had received photos of the new markers in progress at the foundry.
Howland said that all the new markers would be installed across the state by November.
Greeks to continue recruitment process
Edited by Mike Loader
By Katie Hollar
reporter@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Ballou, Topeka freshman, is one of 860 KU women who will participate in sorority recruitment this week.
Hannah Ballou admits she's a lit
t nerve.
"I'm kind of scared, but I think I'm going to have a good time," she said. "KU is such a big place, I would like to be part of a smaller, more familiar group."
This year's sorority recruitment began Aug. 14 with check-in and orientation. Parties began yesterday, and the process will continue through Saturday. This year, for the first time, formal fraternity recruitment will be in October instead of August.
Sorority life has been a tradition at the University of Kansas since the first chapter, Pi Beta Phi, was chartered in 1873. Recruitment has been an annual event since the 1910s.
"Last year we voted to move it to October so that men who did not have a chance to join in the summer now have an opportunity to do so," said Brian Cooper, Interfraternity Council vice president for recruitment.
Prospective sorority members will attend a series of parties this week, narrowing their choices each day. Yesterday the women visited all 13 sorority chapters, and during the next two days they will visit nine. On Saturday, the week's efforts will end in the placement of members into chapters.
Erin Carlson, Panhellenic VicePresident for Public Relations, said that while 860 women will participate in recruitment, about 650 will join chapters. Carlson explained that this difference was due to participants withdrawing from the process
"If you continue to go back every day, you will be placed in a chapter," she said.
RECRUITMENT BY THE NUMBERS
Chapter Houses: 13
Recruitment Counselors: 52
Recruitment Teams: 26
Parties: 30
Prospective Members: 860
Available Slots: 650
"We feel it's really an appropriate name change," Carlson said. "Rush is kind of an archaic name in many ways."
Several changes have been made to the selection routine. First of all, the name change went from the traditional rush to recruitment.
Moreover, the selection method has been modified to empower the prospective members. Instead of the chapters choosing the women, this year the women rank their favorites as well.
"That's the big difference this year," said Taylor Gill, Panhellenic Vice-President for Recruitment. "The ranking is a more user-friendly system."
Carlson said these changes reflected a trend around the nation's universities.
"A lot of stronger greek communities are going to a recruitment system," she said.
There is one less chapter on KU's campus this year. Over the summer, Alpha Xi Delta decided to close its doors. As a result, the Panhellenic Association raised the pledge-class quota to allow more women an opportunity to join.
"We went from 14 to 13, so we wanted to make sure every woman has a chance," Carlson said.
Gill offered advice for participants like Ballou.
"Keep an open mind, have fun and have a good attitude," she said.
Edited by Brad Hallier
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