Oregon daily emerald., September 21, 1987, 1987 Welcome Back Edition, Page 31A, Image 31

Replacement search for Provost position continues
By Angela Muniz
CM th« l-.merald
The search for a replacement
for Richard Hill, provost and
vice president of academic af
fairs, has been extended to Oct.
15. Hill announced his resigna
tion in January.
Theodore Palmer, a member
of the selection committee, said
the deadline for applications
was extended due to the low ac
tivity period this summer.
The committee has received
more than 100 applications
from people across the nation,
he said.
“There is no bias toward the
Northwest.” Palmer added. "It
is an opportunity for anyone
who would like to work in
economic administration to
come to the University."
The committee will meet
again in the fall and will rank
the applications. It will reduce
the list to 30-40 candidates, and
after a careful review will select
five or six applicants to make
campus visits. Palmer
explained.
Citing personal reasons. Hill
announced he would step down
from his post in January. He
will return to teaching and
researching sociology after a
sabbatical leave. Hill said He
will remain provost until a
replacement is found, however
As provost. Hill was the chief
academic officer, responsible
for the degree programs and hir
ing faculty, he said.
"Maintaining and improving
the quality of academic offer
ings at the University are what
you might call my most satisfy
ing accomplishment," Hill
said.
"Also building and develop
ing faculty and increasing re
quirements for students." he
added, "so we will have a fine
faculty and an increased stu
dent body.”
Hill said the budget decreases
in 1980-85 have helped to main
tain these standards
". . .He is deeply committed
to the University of Oregon; and
he has played a major role in
building and strengthening the
Unversity during the worst of
times." commented University
President Paul Olum in a
prepared statement released
when Hill announced his
resignation.
"1 am terribly sorrv that Dick
Hill is giving up his position as
provost He has been superb in
that role." Olum said in the
History characterizes cemetery
By Kathy I.each
Of th« Kmcrald
Visitors find it strange. New
students often find it morbid.
People who are accustomed to it
don't give it a second thought
Mention of the Eugene
Pioneer Cemetery, located bet
ween the Education Building
and McArthur Court, evokes a
different response from
everyone. Not many colleges
have cemeteries in the middle
of campus, but Pioneer
Cemetery is regarded by many
as an integral part of the Univer
sity of Oregon campus.
The history of Pioneer
Cemetery began in 1H73. the
same year as the University,
when the Spenser Butte l.odge <i
l.O.O.F. (International Order of
Odd Fellows) bought 1(1 acres of
cattle pasture land to establish
the Odd Fellows Cemetery.
According to information in
the University archives, the
earliest burial may have been in
1807. The first official recorded
burial was in September of
1873—a child of the Zumwalt
family.
The cemetery contains much
history of the Eugene area It
has monuments for local
veterans of the Grand Army of
the Republic and of the
Spanish-American War
John S. Coveil, a colonel in
the Grand Army of the
Republic, bequeathed all of his
estate to build a Civil War
memorial for his comrades in
the army. According to Ruth
Lake Holmes. Secretary
Treasurer of the Eugene Pioneer
Cemetery Association. Coveil
moved west after the Civil War.
"He had no relatives, so his
army buddies were his family,"
said Holmes. "After he died
and his estate was found to be
worth $2,500. he had relatives
coming out of the woodwork ."
Eventually, the court decided
that the estate money would go
to erect a monument in Pioneer
Cemetery as stated in Coveil's
will
Holmes said the monument,
erected in 1903, is made of blue
Vermont marble and was carved
by an Italian sculptor."The
monument came to Eugene in a
boxcar and it look a four-horse
team to transport it to the
cemetery," Holmes said. “The
eight ton statue was erected by
sheer manpower and without a
scratch on it."
Prominent historical figures
buried in the cemetery include:
• Harrison R Kincaid, the
Secretary of State in 1859. he
gave his name to Kincaid Street
that runs through part of
campus.
• Minnie I, o c k w o o d
Washburn was a key figure in
establishing the first public
library in Eugene.
• John Straub was a former
Dean of Liberal Arts at the
University.
• benjamin S Dorris was a
legislator who played a big role
in passing the bill in the
legislature to fund $50,000 for
the construction of Deady Hall
Despite the rich history con
tained in the cemetery, there
have been numerous problems
with the maintenance and the
location of it The relationship
between Pioneer Cemetery and
the University has not always
rested in peace.
When the cemetery was
established, no provision was
made for perpetual rare of the
grounds. Individuals who own
ed plots were responsible for
maintenance. By 1HH4, the
c e m e t e r y was called an
“eyesore and solely of nuisance
value" by the University Ami
the issue of proper maintenance
in IHH4 sparked a conflict l>et
ween the cemetery and the
University that was to continue
until 1969.
Capt. W S Moon, a veteran of
the Spanish-American War and
Eugene nurseryman, attempted
to beautify the cemetery by
planting imported trees and
shrubs. The trees and shrubs
went unpruned, however, and
by the 1940s. the cemetery was
in a state of bad neglect With
projected growth in the 1950s.
University officials began think
ing about acquiring cemetery
property for “campus expan
sion needs," according to
University archives
In 1963. the University hired
an architectural firm to study
the cemetery site for possible
ways to build on it. The study
recommended several solutions
including consolidation of
graves on the site, building only
on the unused portion of the
cemetery, and building a struc
ture on “stilts" over the
cemetery to leave the graves and
markers completely intact.
A total of three bills were in
troduced into the Oregon
legislature — in 1959. 1961.
and 1969 — calling for the con
demnation of the cemetery and
a takeover by the University
In 1970. then-president of the
University, Robert ( lark, an
nounced, “I shall not make any
effort to acquire the (cemetery)
property for the University dur
ing my tenure. And the
figunitivi! upheaval of hugene
Pioneer Cemetery was put to
rest.
Today the cemetery, which
has grown to almost lt> acres, is
something of a trademark on
( ampus. It is used in many peo
ple for many things and "the lot
owners welcome multiple use
of the cemetery," Holmes said
On a hot day, students sit in
the shade and study Others iust
sit perhaps for relief from the
heat, perhaps for a moment of
peace and quiet.
Vicki Lehrer. senior, said.
“When I first came to the
University and walked hv It
everyday, I thought it was eerie
Cemeteries are supposed to be
more secluded or private."
"Hut now I know mush
students who practice in it
trecause it's quiet I've gotten
used to it. I guess "
Pioneer Cemetery has certain
ly earned top honors for the uni
queness it brings to the Univer
sity of Oregon campus
statement. "Although I had
hoped he would continue for as
long as 1 was president, 1
respect completely his personal
reasons for wanting to make a
change."
Hill, who has a doctorate
degree in sociology, is looking
forward to returning to teaching
and researching the subject. "I
was trained to be an academic:
sociologist It's my first love."
he explained.
Hill has written four books on
the topic and was elected vice
president of the America
Sociological Association last
year
lean Slockard of the sociology
department commented. "We
are very pleased to have him
joining the staff He is an ex
cellent teacher and a fine
researcher."
"He has always been the per
son I turned to most often for
advice and support. I shall miss
him in lohnson Hall but the
University will have gained
r
■
Ri™
ard Hill
and
back a great scholar
teacher." Olum said
Hill has been with the Univer
sity since 1970, ami was the
head of the sociology depart
ment from 1972-75.
a
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