6A
Thursday, December 5, 1996
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Pepper spray is hot weapon
For Scott McMillian, Lawrence senior, a little spray can loaded with hot peppers may have meant the difference between life and death.
By Neal Shulenburger Kansan staff writer
About a year ago, McMillian was walking home alone from a party late at night when three men approached him.
The three closed in on McMillian, and one tried to punch him.
"I was tired, so I decided to walk back early from the party," he said. "When I came to about 18th and Iowa, three tall white guys walking home from a party tried to jump me."
"I ducked, and I grabbed my spray," he said. "I must have unloaded the entire can into the area. I wasn't aiming. I think I must have got some on myself because my nose was stinging a bit, but they ran off and didn't come back."
a blast to the eyes, nose or throat causes an intense stinging that lasts for about three minutes.
Pepper spray has been used by park rangers to protect themselves from bears and by police to subdue suspects.
Pepper spray is legal for public use in most states. According to Kansas statute, people may carry and use the substance as long as they do not intend to use it unlawfully.
Recently, New York and California legalized the sale of the spray to citizens, and the Honolulu city council is debating the issue.
Pepper spray is available at several hunting and sporting goods stores in Lawrence. Lawrence Pawn and Shooters Supply, 718 New Hampshire St., sells the spray.
"Most of the people who buy it here are young ladies," said Jack Jacobs, owner of the store. "I think they prefer that rather than a firearm. It's a cheap way to defend yourself."
"There would be a lot fewer people killed if more people were to put down their guns and knives and pick up a spray can."
However, KU police Sgt. Chris Keary said that pepper spray, like any other weapon, has drawbacks.
Scott McMillian Lawrence senior
"Like any other self-defense item, if it falls into the other person's hands, they can use it on you," Keary said. "You need to know how to use it and be willing to use it when the time comes. This is not an item which anyone can just pick up and use well automatically."
Despite the drawbacks, McMillian said that he preferred pepper spray to any other weapon.
Keary also warned that the can needed to be inspected often to make sure that it was working properly.
"It isn't going to do a thing if the hole where the spray comes out is clogged." Keary said.
"There would be a lot fewer people killed if more people were to put down their guns and knives and pick up a spray can," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Estate gives money to school, center
Kansan staff report
A Lawrence businessman left $69,600 for eye research at the University of Kansas Medical Center and scholarships for business students at the University.
John Hunkeler, chairman of the department, thanked Holliday's wife. Angela, for the donation.
The A. Owen Holliday estate provided $34,800 to establish the A. Owen Holliday Eye Research and Care Fund at the Kansas University Endowment Association for the center's department of ophthalmology. Holliday died in 1994.
gift," he said. "This will be used for vital developments in retina research."
"On behalf of the department, I wanted to express our deep appreciation for this generous
The estate also donated $34,800 to establish the A. Owen Holliday Scholarship fund for KU business students.
Tom Sarowski, dean of business, said the scholarship would be a great benefit for the business program.
"Scholarships play an important role in recruiting and retaining the top-notch students that are so vital to the success of the School of Business," he said. "We are profoundly grateful for the generous support of A. Owen Holliday and the Holliday family."
Holliday ran a blueprint business in Wichita for many years before retiring and moving to Lawrence in 1964. He is survived by his wife, Angela Holliday of Lawrence.
Holliday was born March 8, 1908, in Oxford, Kan. He attended Washburn University for two years before moving to Wichita and started the A. Owen Holliday Company. The firm sold blueprint and other reproduction equipment and supplies. It eventually developed sensitized reproduction papers called Holliday Whiteprint Papers.
In the 1970s, his eyesight began to fail, and he was treated by the ophthalmology department at the Med Center.
Guides fill tours with facts
By Megan Jordan
Kansan staff writer
Back when Hoch Auditorium housed the KU basketball team, seating was so limited that students had to buy tickets for either the first half or second half of each game. So when the buzzer signaled the end of the first half, the entire auditorium was ushered out and new fans took their place.
That is Ryan Colburn's favorite fact about the University of Kansas, and it is one he always shares when giving campus tours as a part of KU Student Ambassadors. The Prairie Village senior is the student coordinator for this group affectionately termed "those walking-backward people."
"Most of what students say on tours is what's interesting to them and what they love about the University," he said.
This is the first year that students can apply to be an ambassador at any time during the school year. In past years, applications only were accepted at the end of spring semester.
"Once they express interest, I want to talk to them right away," said Scott Dold, assistant director of admissions and ambassadors adviser. "Telling them they have to wait until April can be a real turn-off for volunteers."
KU Student Ambassadors is a group of volunteers who lead campus tours for prospective students, middle-schoolers, Girl Scouts and the occasional Russian army officer.
Colburn said there were two main characteristics the program looked for in future ambassadors: effective communication skills and a love of the University.
heart,"he said.
"It's hard learning to talk from your
Dold said that 70 students were involved in the program and that roughly 20 tours were given each week.
The demand for tours varies throughout the year. When the University sponsors "Senior Days" in the fall, as many as 400 students may want a tour in one day.
October and November are the busiest times of the year, Dold said. Numbers pick up again in March and April.
Colburn has given more than 300 tours. He makes a habit of singing the Rock Chalk Chant and Alma Mater to his groups. During his time as an ambassador, he has managed to escape major mishap. That doesn't mean he's perfect, however.
"I've tripped walking up the stairs in front of 30 or 40 people," he said. "That's pretty embarrassing."
Search for KU libraries conservator put on hold
By Kimberly Crabtree Kansan staff writer
The KU Libraries have shelved a search for a new conservator.
After what some personnel called an unsuccessful search, the committee responsible for filling the job has put the search on hold and is pondering a new search.
Jana Krentz, head of the department of Spain, Portugal and Latin America and member of the search committee; said the group originally had narrowed its search to two finalists, who were interviewed.
"Right now, we're just kind of scratching our heads," she said.
But Sandra Gilland, assistant to the dean of libraries for personnel, said the committee did offer the job to one candidate, who turned it down and accepted another job elsewhere.
"We just didn't feel any of the candidates were qualified." she said.
The committee began a nationwide search for candidates in September, after a summer preservation task force report indicated the need for strengthened preservation efforts.
According to an advertisement for the job, the conservator's responsibilities would include overseeing all conservation treatments for library materials, collecting and analyzing statistics for items used in the conservation lab and assisting the preservation librarian with staff training and education on new treatments.
Library personnel had hoped to hire a conservator by mid-September.
Gilliland said library personnel were considering altering the job description and taking another look at the salary, but she didn't know when the new search would begin. The advertisement listed the conservator's annual pay at $26,376.
Krentz didn't know whether the same committee would conduct the search. But she said there was an interest in re-advertising the job.
"We do need a conservator here," she said.