Restore The Side
Co-op Board Should Represent Constituents
And Restore a Sound, Wortlmhile Tradition
It took the signatures of 2400 members
of the Co-op Bookstore before the Univer
sity Co-op Board agreed to grant Vic Sabin
a hearing. Tonight the Board will listen to
the plea of the bearded crusader who seeks
restoration of the Wilcox building, which
houses College Side Inn, a traditional stu
dent gathering place. Unless the Board
takes action to reconsider, the student
owned building is doomed to destruction in
order to make way for a new sterile con
crete bookcase. Vic Sabin’s campaign to
save the historic neo-Elizabethian structure,
an integral part of student life at the Uni
versity since 1923, has served to point up
two important facts.
Sabin’s crusade has brought forth a ser
ious question. Namely, does the Co-op
Board really represent its constituents? We
fully recognize that the Board is the stu
dents’ technical expert who makes decisions
on the basis of full research and study. Yet
in regard to the College Side Inn question,
the Board has shown utter contempt for
the views of 2400 members. Sabin’s peti
tions represent a sizeable number of Co-op
Store members, yet the Board has refused
to offer Co-op members a ballot for students
to indicate their position on the issue. Co-op
Board member Pam Pashkowski introduced
a motion at the last meeting to allow stu
dents to express their views on the issue.
She asked that alternatives be given on a
ballot, but the motion died for lack of a
second. This is evidence that the board is
not even willing to debate the issue of pres
ent evidence, which would prove the ‘Save
the Side’ proposal not feasible.
The Co-op constitution has no provision
for referendum. The Board believes it has
no obligations to act on petitions. Some
members of the Board question the valid
ity of the petitions since Sabin is not regis
tered as a student at the University this
term, yet they would disregard the fact that
Sabin has the signatures of 2400 Co-op
members in his possession. Members of
the Board have expressed the opinion that
students are not competent to make this
decision, but these same students were com
petent to elect the board. It is very clear
that the Co-op Board members have not
fully investigated the case of the person
they would ignore.
Student members of the Co-op Board
seem to be little more than rubber stamps
for the proposals of faculty and staff mem
bers. The Board voted to destroy the Will
cox building earlier this year without ever
considering the possibility of restoring the
building for partial use as a bookstore.
There have been rumors that the build
ing is infested with termites and dry rot
and this has added fuel to the argument
that the building must go. We do not know
who started these rumors, but their valid
ity is in question. An architect and a con
tractor who have thoroughly looked over
the Side structure are convinced that the
building is sound. The Side building is con
structed of old growth fir, a better material
than can be obtained at a feasible cost to
day. The building, if properly restored,
could stand indefinitely. No one questions
the need for repairs. There are leaks and a
few isolated spots of dry rot, but these
could easily be repaired. The contractor
and the architect who we mentioned have
estimated that would cost only $150,000 to
completely restore the building. This would
include adding a full basement, upstairs of
fices and air conditioning.
We believe that the Willcox building is a
worthwhile campus tradition. We believe
also that if this building were renovated
and restored it would constitute a superior
contribution to the townscape. The present
restaurant could be maintained while the
other business areas, a basement and sec
ond floor would serve as a beautiful book
store with character. Particularly in the
west where our architectural heritage is so
limited, we should work to preserve a beau
tiful building like the Side which, if re
stored, would be serviceable indefinitely.
The ASUO Senate will also consider the
matter tonight. We urge them to recom
mend that action to destroy the Willcox
building be reconsidered and that they in
struct the Co-op Board members to do their
homework. The Side issue will appear on
the ASUO ballot as an opinion poll only.
The issue belongs on a special Co-op Board
ballot, not on the ballot of a body which
has no authority in this area. Progress need
not mean the destruction of a significant
architectural tradition. The building in
question is a sound structure. It has many
years of future use if properly restored
now. We urge the Co-op Board to recon
sider their hasty action. Student members
of the Co-op Board have an obligation to
be informed. We hope the new board meets
its obligations better than its predecessors.
Development Fund Drive
Unrestricted Funds Merit Consideration
At tonight’s ASUO Senate meeting, Stu
dent Union Director A. L. ‘Si’ Ellingston
will tell the Senate that the campsite drive
has failed to meet its goal of $20,000. Nine
hundred students signed over breakage
fees amounting to $8,000, and 100 students
signed over their breakage fees to the Ore
gon Development Fund. Because of numer
ous reasons involving the timing of the
drive, organization, and promotion, the
campsite drive has failed. There is no ad
vantage in complaining about the failure.
The camp—a worthy and desirable project
—will have to be given up at least for the
time being.
The question is “what are the remaining
alternatives?” A look at the action from the
narrow and short-range reasoning of the
state legislature provides us with our alter
native. The legislature has attempted and is
attempting to cut everything out of the
higher education budget from high priority
additions to our own library to faculty sal
ary increases. At the same time, they have
raised student tuition and failed to allo
cate additional scholarships for the grow
ing student population.
With the collection of private donations,
the Oregon Development Fund attempts to
maintain and improve the standards of the
University. Its money is used to attract
faculty, allow for faculty travel, and provide
scholarships for talented and needy stu
dents. We should be extremely grateful
that such a fund exists, especially during
a legislative session like the present one.
The 900 students who gave their break
age fees for the campsite will be given an
opportunity to assign their money for an
alternative purpose. We strongly urge these
900 to join the 100 students who gave their
breakage fees to the Oregon Development
Fund and to join the many alumni and
friends of the University throughout the
state by signing over their breakage fees to
the Development Fund.
ItfT
"SH-WMl IT'S SttEHNC."
Letters to the Editor
Vote on Side
Emerald Editor:
In the belief that each one
voice raised, however quietly
and with whatever odd inllec
tions, will be heard, we would
like to urge all Co-op members
to take the time and make the
effort to VOTE in next week’s
election on the Side issue A
greater injustice than tearing
down the Willcox Building it
self, would be for the efforts of
one man, Vic Sabin, to go com
pletely unrewarded.
We re not Angry Young Men
crying “Apathy!” at the student
body; we simply believe that the
principle demonstrated by this
series of events must be upheld,
namely; that the students can
make their voice heard
All Co-op members, whether
for or against or neutral about
saving the Side, should make it
a special point to vote next
week, to voice their views on
the ballot. How else will the
Co-op board know in which
direction we want them to
move? The idea, if not the par
ticular project in question, is
vitally important.
Peter Gonigam
Junior in English
Bill Craig
Junior in Biology
Show Concern
Emerald Editor:
On June 22, Jeannace Free
man will be 22 years of age. It
is a cruel, but very real, irony
of fate that this year may also
mark the day of her death This
is to invite each student of the
University to express genuine
humanitarian concern for her
fate by sending her a birthday
card sometime during the next
month.
It should be stressed that
there is no assurance Jeannace
will be allowed to receive such
birthday greetings. However,
the expression of student senti
ment along these lines would be
a commendable act in line with
University tradition of heartfelt
concern for the unfortunate of
our society.
It is suggested that birthday
cards be addressed to Jeannace
in care of Warden Clarence T.
Gladden of the Oregon State
Penitentiary, Salem, Oregon.
To those students who parti
cipate as suggested above, thank
you—on behalf of Jeannace.
George F. Neavoll
Junior in Political
Science
* * *
Synanon Worthwhile
Emerald Editor:
In view of the inadequate
publicity that nas been afforded
the Synanon jazz group, who are
performing a special-attraction
concert this Friday evening at
8 p m in the SU Ballroom, wc
would like to oiler what we feel
to be interesting and pertinent
information about the group to
the students and readers of the
Emerald,
The Synanon jazz group is a
group of professional jazz musi
cians who have all been, at one
time or another, addicted to nar
cotics, and who have since been
cured at the Synanon Founda
tion, a hospital in Southern Cali
fornia geared to cure dope ad
diction. All profits from the con
cert will be donated to the
Foundation The members of the
group are also lecturing on the
subject of narcotics in the
health education classes.
We believe that this program
is, without a doubt, one of the
most worthwhile projects put
on by the university. In addition
to the enjoyment of a fine jazz
concert, we can all have some
thing to think about in the mor
al example these men are set
ting.
Barbara Zeller
SU Board Representative
for Architecture and
Allied Art*
Rich McAdams
SU Jazz Committee
Chairman
OREGON DAILY EMERALD
The Oregon Daily Emruld »* pnbliiheil
•even time* in September and bvr day* a
week during the school year, except dur
ing examination and vacation period* by
the Student Publication* Board of the
University of Oregon. Entered a* wrtmd
class matter at the post office, Eugene,
Oregon. Subscription rates: $5 per year;
$2 per term.
Opinions expressed on thr editorial page
are those of Thr Emerald and do not prr
tend to represent thr opinion* of the
ASUO or the University.
EVERETTE DENNIS. Editor
LARRY WILLIAMS
Business Manager
JANET GOETZE, Managing Editor
RON COWAN, News Editor
DOUG HAGEN,
Editorial Page Editor
JIM SPEER.
Advertising Manager
DICK RICHARDSON,
Ansociate Editor
JIM FRAME,
Assistant Managing Editor
RAY MAST, Sport* Editor
CATHY NEVILLE,
Auftistant New* Editor
GEORGE HIGH AM, Photo Editor
JO GRISWOLD, Women’* Editor
CHUCK BEGGS, JOE BERGER,
PHYLLIS ELVING,
SHERRY LUCAS
Asnociate New* Editor*
ALENE SHARFF
Entertainment Editor
NOM! BORENSTEIN,
Exchange Editor
EDITORIAL HOARD:
Everettc Dennis, Ron Cowan, Janet
Goetze, Doug Hagen, Dick Richardson
Jim Frake, Jerry Utti, Ray Mast, Larry
Williams, Pam Pashkowski, Doug Combs,
Linda Brown, Cathy Neville, Pat Holt,
Simeon Crowther.