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Summer Session Kansan
Friday, June 25, 1965
Sunflower Village The Old and New From KU's View
Rv Jacke Thaver
By Jacke Tinyer
(Photos by Dan Austin)
Go 13 miles east of Lawrence on Highway 10. On the left side of the road is Sunflower Village; on the right side is a solid half-mile of busrebushes—and the Sunflower Ordnance Works.
Interest doesn't focus on the Village these days, but rather on the Ordnance Works. S.O.W. is one of five sites under consideration from Kansas for a $280 million, 200 billion electron-volt nuclear accelerator. The Atomic Energy Commission project would be the world's largest center for research in high-energy physics, would employ 2,000 scientists and technicians. KU is Sunflower's big talking point for the bid.
Over 1,000 visiting scientists from all over the world would use the center each year.
KU's nuclear reactor and engineering school could give the Sunflower site an edge in the bidding for this area.
Dr. David Beard, chairman of KU's physics department, has been one of the major backers for getting the project located near KU.
Another proponent for its cause has been William Argersinger jr. dean of faculties.
An 11-member committee of the National Academy of Sciences will make the final recommendation to the AEC. The site must have the following criteria: (1) an availability of sufficient land, (2) land with a sound geologic base, (3) land with highly accessible highways, rail transportation and close proximity to a major commercial jet airport, (4) optimum distance in flying time from the airport for high-energy physicists using the machine, (5) ample power and water at competitive cost, (6) proximity to a university, scholars, a "good working climate," (7) cultural and recreational facilities to attract large numbers of scientists, (8) a variance of not more than 100 feet from maximum to minimum sea level.
Thirty-nine have entered the bidding, and five bids were submitted from the Greater Kansas City area alone.
It's chances for being selected as the site for the atom-smasher are slim. Still, S.O.W. may be reactivated soon by the federal government to produce triple-base powder and propellant.
During World War II, the ordnance plant was the largest powder producer in the world. Over 15,000
people were employed in its peak years.
The Village was built for the plant workers. After the war, it was opened to ex-GI's who attended KU. In 1945-46, over 1200 KU students lived in the Village.
The University leased 28 Sunflower barracks for dormitory space in 1946. Capable of housing 1400, only 970 spaces were used for single men. The existence of the barracks allowed for an additional enrollment of 1500 students in the fall semester of 1946.
The west Village, for married students, consisted of symmetrical rows of pre-fabricated or cinder-block houses, closely crowded together. Paper and trash littered the area because no individual or group was responsible for keeping the Village clean. There were two-three-and-four unit houses, but no one knew where the divisions really came.
The "luxury" four-unit homes had two bedrooms, each 10' x 10', a connecting hall, and a combination dining-living-kitchen area. Each had a bath with all the conveniences but a tub.
Every morning the Sunflower housewife placed an ice order with her milk order outside the door: there were no refrigerators, only iceboxes. Coal, gas, lights and water were furnished with the low rental fees. This fee was 25 per cent of the combined family income, with a maximum of $37.50 for three-units.
In addition to a coal heating stove and icebox, the units contained a cooking stove, a four-chair dinette set, two occasional chairs, two chests of drawers, a set of twin beds for each bedroom, and built-in kitchen cabinets.
Despite cramped quarters and continual squabbles with the bus company over fare increases, the Village had its advantages. They had a theater, bowling alley, drug store, study hall, an extension of Watson library, playground, first aid station from Watkins Hospital, a university lecture series, its own voting precinct, grocery store, service station, barber shop, tavern, laundry and dry cleaning shop, photographer, shoe repair shop, two dairies and bakeries, an elementary school and kindergarten.
The Village also had a dentist, doctor, visiting nurse, school teachers and a telegraph office. There were no private phones, but several pay phones.
MAIN STREET—Sunflower is no metropolis, but has the necessities.
SWIMMING POOL—It's for tenants and permitted guests only, but helps in the heat.
THE KIDS—There are lots of them in Sunflower,but they're well-behaved.
With all the other conveniences of old Sunflower, they even had Daily Kansan delivery. The Kansan ran a regular column of news from Sunflower, called "Sun Spots," written by an ex-GI who was then a journalism major. In addition, the UDK ran numerous articles on the aforementioned battles with the bus company.
When the rates were raised in 1948 from 30c to 45c for a round trip to Lawrence and back, Sunflower residents marched on the state capitol building in Topeka to protest the pay raise. They lost the battle, and took to full-time hitch-hiking and various car pool arrangements.
The University was so much a part of the program at Sunflower that fine arts students even gave Christmas programs for the Sunflower children. Mrs. Gertrude Pearson regulary gave programs for the children, too.
Police from the ordinance plant and the Johnson County sheriff had jurisdiction in those days. In case of fire, the ordnance works' fire department covered the emergency.
In the early 1950's, the barracks in the east Village were bought by Louis Enlsley, a Lawton, Okla., native who had been dealing in government surplus since 1917. He tore the barracks down, but kept his eve on the west Village, which was not yet for sale.
It finally went on the market in 1961. For 10 years, only five families-32 people—had lived in the Village, including its present postmaster, Charles Norris. Today the population is 1,533,with 313 families, and constantly growing.
The Village is operated and licensed as a hotel and motel, although, in fact, its housing is permanent for many families.
The big appeal at Sunflower is low rent. The first six-months Ensley owned the Village, a contract was offered that guaranteed no rent increases for 10 years. Until June of this year, the guarantee was for five years. There is no longer a guarantee. Rents range from $40 a month for a one-bedroom unit, to $75 for five bedrooms, and lights, gas, water and garbage pick-up are included.
For those families who don't own their own furniture, Ensley provides furniture which can be rented out. Title to the furniture is granted after four years of rental payments.
About 20 families are employed with the ordnance works; 95 per cent commute to Kansas City for jobs. Charles Myrick, assistant manager of the Village, says that one family moves in and one moves out, on an average, every day of the year. It has a 2200 total capacity and is now 72 per cent rented. Myrick said.
The Village is not incorporated, but is the private property of Ensley. He makes the rules and enforces them with a deputy sheriff, commissioned from Olathe but whose salary is paid by Ensley.
There are no formal city laws, only those rules made by Ensley. The deputy sheriff also enforces county laws. Ensley's major power over his tenants rests in the provisions of the rental contract, however.
The two cardinal rules of the Village are that its residents must be Caucasian, and they must be congenial with their neighbors—no noisy pets or unruly children. The juvenile delinquency rate at Sunflower is virtually nil.
Ensley established the Village because it was "something new," and everyone told him he couldn't do it.
All businesses must have a personal franchise from Ensley to be established. The Village has a grocery store, barber shop, laundromat, dairy bar, post office, school and slot car track.
Ensley has established a private recreation club for all tenants, with bingo and prizes every Thursday night, a swimming pool and a city maintenance shop. The pool was a result of the only method of popular voice in Village government: the suggestion box in the dairy bar.
There is a PTA, a visiting health unit, four visiting doctors and dentists, three baseball teams and a Boy Scout troop. The Boy Scouts have been planting the solid mile of rose bushes on the other side of the road, and clearing a park in the east Village.
In 1962, Ensley set aside 55 units for retired persons. All but five of the units are now filled. However, 60 per cent of Village residents are still under 40.
Sunflower Village, Kas., has a fascination of its own. In its 25-year history, it has served many different purposes. All of them have been unique in their time.