University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, November 2, 1988
5
Building marks 100th year
Steve Jansen, director of Watkins Community Museum, 1047 Massachusetts St., displays old photos of the bank building as part of an open house celebrating its 100th anniversary. The structure cost $100,000 to build and would cost about $4 million to replace
By M. Meredith Relph Kansan staff writer
On Nov. 1, 1888, there were 10,000 people living in Lawrence, just more than 500 students were enrolled at the University of Kana- and J.B. Watkins opened what was the largest building in the city.
Yesterday marked the centennial of Watkins Memorial Bank Building, 1047 Massachusetts St., which has housed many businesses during the century, and is the Elizabetht. M. Watkins Community Museum.
The Watkins building downtown was described as "a veritable marble hall" when it was opened 100 years ago. Museum director Steve Janssen said preservation of the beauty of the building was an important part in establishing the Watkins interest in Lawrence and the University.
"I.B. Watkins was the first to try to make Kansas attractive, to try to rid it of the reputation as the great American desert," Jansen said. "He chose the location at 11th and Mass, as an indication of how optimistic he was that Lawrence would grow."
Jack Newcomb, Lawrence resident and museum volunteer, compiled a history of the Watkins building and of the Watkins farm.
"I fell in love with the building, so I started looking at the history of it — the letters Watkins wrote and then got to getting it built," Newcomb said.
Jansen said that when Watkins opened a farmers' loan mortgage company in the building, Massachusetts Street was not the core of Lawrence's business district, as it is today.
"The University was a quarter-mile from town then," Jansen said. "If it hadn't been for the students, KU would be down town today."
The Watkins built their home, the residence of the KU chancellor on the edge of campus.
When J.B. Watkins died in 1921, his estate was left to his wife.
Elizabeth Watkins became the executor of the estate in 1924 and donated the money for the construction of Miller and Watkins halls and Watkins Hospital, which then was located in Twente Hall. She also donated the money for Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
The Watkins building downtown was given to the city of Lawrence, and was used as City Hall from 1929 until 1970. While the building was used as a governmental office, some of the original features were amended to make the building more modern.
"They lowered some of the ceilings and covered much of the floor," Jansen said. "Then in 1969, the city manager said it was unworthy of renovation, so the city moved out."
"When they covered all of that up, it helped preserve it," Newcomb said. "Only a few repairs bad to be made to the ceiling."
Newcomb said attempts by the city to modernize the building actually helped retain some of the
original features, such as the ornately patterned plaster ceilings and the mosaic floors.
Jansen said that $500,000 was raised between 1970 and 1985 to help keep the Watkins building as a museum.
"Our initial desire was to save the building, but then we saw it would be suitable for a museum," the architect said, in buildings need to have a function.
He said that care had been taken to preserve the character of the interior, and that the exhibits were all freestanding so as not to interfere with the original plan of the building.
Candidate for Socialist party campaigns for political action
By Mark E. McCormick Kansan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
James Warren, the Socialist Workers party candidate for president, would rather have people change the world than do it himself.
"I want people to think socially and act politically." Warren said to about 50 people last night at the Kansas Union.
During the speech, which lasted almost two hours, Warren attacked the presidential candidates for their lack of attention to working class issues, and presented his three point Action Plan that is the basis for his campaign.
"They don't care about you; they are trying to make themselves presentable to the rich bankers and capitalists," Warren said of Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis and Vice President George Bush.
Leaders like Jesse Jackson, former democratic presidential candidate, add to the problem of oppression of the working class by not properly addressing problems like drug abuse, he said.
"Jesse Jackson blames the victims," Warren said. "He tells them, 'Clean yourself up' and offers them
Sandra J. Watts/KANSAN
Sandra J. WattisKANSW
James Warren, Social Workers
Party candidate for the presidency,
addresses about 50 people in the Walnut Room at the Kansas Union.
no alternative on how to change their lives."
Warren said drug users and small-
time pushers were the victims and big business, which brings in the drugs, was the criminal.
drugs, was the criminal. "We should treat victims like victims, not criminals, and these people are victims," he said.
Point one of Warren's Action Plan calls for universal recognition that most people live in a depression and are being exploited by the rich.
People who can, should fight to defend the oppressed like they are defending themselves, Warren said in point two. As part of point three, he urged the shortening of the work hours for 40 to 30 hours with no pay deduction.
People should enter the political battle and fight for their rights instead of waiting for charismatic leaders to rescue them, Warren said.
"There are no heroes," he said, Alvino Carrillo, of Kansas City, Kan., said he'd lost faith in the American system and was a Warren supporter because he believed in Warren's thinking.
"My experiences in life have shown me that America is racist, and I had no illusions that this was a democracy." Carrillo said.
Supremacists declining, speaker says
Carrillo said people and not political parties would make changes in this country.
By James Farquhar
Kansan staff writer
Seeds of resentment often find fertile ground in the minds of those who feel threatened.
In the early 1980s, right-wing white supremacist organizations took advantage of economically tough times in the Midwest to recruit farmers into their hate groups, said Leonard Zeskind, national research director for the Center for Democratic Renewal in Kansas City, Mo.
Supremacists have suggested the reasons for economic crises in agriculture stem from others who have control over the economic market.
"They (white supremacists) have figured out they weren't going to win without violence," Zeskind said. So they have promoted division between whites of European descent, Jews and blacks.
And worse, they have found a new following among younger communities in this country. The average age of supremacy organization members is declining, he said. Zerkliak spoke last night for about an hour in the Big
Zeskind spoke last night for about an hour in the Big
Eight Room at the Kansas Union. Then he fielded questions from about 60 people for another 45 minutes.
KU Hillein sponsored Zeskind's presentation, which was the first in a three-part discussion series examining issues raised by Elie Wiesel's Oct. 17 visit to the University of Kansas.
The remaining two forums will be Nov. 15 and 29.
The remaining two forums will be Nov. 15, 15.
Zeskid said the image of house of Klaus Klan marches might have faded from the collective psyche of the country, but organized radical right-wing politics did not.
sound 10100. named Popist party, originally of the late 1890s,
nominated Duke David for the 1898 presidential elections.
Duke, he said, was an imperial wizard of the Ku Klux
Klan in the 1790s.
Kiah in the 1980s. Right-wing supremacists have recently employed more insidious tactics of gaining support in rural communities, Zeskind said.
communities, besides our "Many times they will portray themselves as representing farmers when there's a threat of a farm foreclosure," he said.
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