EDITORIAL
Is Amazon really
that historical?
History is being made at the University.
The administration didn’t even know it, the history
professors themselves probably didn’t even know it, but
the tenants of Amazon fought for it
It was 1947 when the University bought the structures
that make up the Amazon family housing units Shipped
via boat from Portland, the units were used to house
returning veterans who were attending the University
after World War il. Nearly a half century later the units
are still being used to house students. The units did have
a new roof put on, some of them did have a little
foundation work and there was a bit of re wiring done.
Regardless • they are nearly half a century old.
Tho key is history, ami
that is the direction the
residents of Amazon have
taken in order to preserve
their community. The
University had plans of
demolishing and rebuilding
the family units, many of
which aro not oven
occupied at this time
because the University was
ready to demolish them.
M Amazon
remains a
historical site
then that says a
lot about the
history of
America.
The Amazon residents went
before the hugene Historical Review Board and petitioned
for the board to declare Amazon .t historicel district. I hey
won, sort of.
From a political standpoint the Amazon tenants
probably didn't care that they were living in a historical
district: it just made a nice argument to preserve a place
to live. Fearing higher costs, the loss of the community
living, as well as no place to live while the units were
demolished. Amazon tenants fostered the notion of a
historical district.
Now the students have a place to live, for the time being,
but the cost of living will most likely increase. Some kind
of renovation must be done. When something is done,
costs will increase, perhaps even higher than they were
perceived to go up bv demolishing and rebuilding. In fact
an engineering study completed a few weeks ago said
that preservation will be more expensive than building
new units.
The current tenants of Amazon have come away with
a win, but what about the big picture? For the people that
will be in need of family housing in the future they may
very will be caught in the aftermath of the "save Amazon"
movement. The structures, if preserved, will pass on a
higher cost to the now tenants. It may bo time to do some
new goal setting because the goal of low-cost family
housing is history and that can't be preserved. Family
housing is financially self supportive so the higher costs,
if the buildings are preserved, will be directed toward
the future tenants.
History has been made, and unless the University files
a petition and the vote is overturned then Amazon must
be preserved. If Amazon remains a historical site then
that says a lot about the history of America.
Oregon Doily
PO fiOOttt lUGCNC
Thfl Oegon Omfy ( ^*'.**} <s published rtai»> Monday through f r»day during tb# »cbo<y
y0at and Tuesday and Thursday during in© summer by the Oregon Da«ty EmerakJ
Pubfcsbmg Co . Wk . at the University ot Oregon l ugene. Oregon
The fm&akl operates 'idependentty or The Uo<v©«S'ty with othcea art Suite 300 ot The
l.'b Memo' i U»von a • t m a member of th© Associated Press
Th© Em&*kJ is private property the unlawful removal or use of papers >t prow*:u!at>»©
by >ae
Ed»tor-ln-Ch»©f: Jan# Berg
Man•gtna Edit<x
Editorial editor
Graphic* Editor
Fra«tanc« Editor
C*y-oy AnckHKsn
DavxJ Thom
j«« PasU>
Sport* Editor
Editorial Editor
Photo Editor
Supplement* Editor
Night Editor: Stffv*' M •
St<rv«* KA %
P<hhar(«
n jti $t--,rx%<en
Ka»y Soto
Associate Editors t (N»a.’d KlOptonstW’ StvOtfrtt ArfiV Rebecca Me*f>r
C&mmvrut) -M*> S**na©n hiQh#/ £dUr#?*><v4i|nnn.s;?afion
N«w» SUift Mft'xJy Bdu-. I »-. Boch^dfle* Oa-i Dave Oarbonr>«n. J<m D*>>*
Meg Dedoip* Am,- Devenport Ca/a Eoh+virrift, Ma* a f**e‘ds. Marita f Sarah
►♦enderson NfMlfhe* '■• Mimei Vin l eng leeny. Ma* uS Metand. T'-'Stfl No«i. I - satxsth
Reenstjerna. Rotrtx* Reevev l a Saocoa Scott Simonson. Stephan* Season Susan/*
Staftent. Ju«*e Sw»ts«<' Me***# Thompson Agu*Ar Kevin fnpp. Amy Van Tuyi Den«# Wes?
General Manager Judy R*edt
I Advertising Director Mark Waiter
Production Manager Micn«te How
Adverllalng SoOn Outta. Nut Metrmara I vma vice ->e" Je'en y
Mchaei M»i»eflo. Rachael Tiu' Kelsey W»« . Ang.* Wmdheim
Claaalfled ilec*y Merchant. Ma-’u»ge> Vctor Me; a. Sim Tre Tec»
Dlalflbutlon: Andy Harvey, John Long, Graham Sanpaon
Businama: Kathy Carbone. Supervisor Judy Connolly
Production Dee McCotob Production Coonsnafor Shaena Ah*e Greg Desmond. Tara
Gauitney Brad Joss Stacy Michel Jenn.ier Roland Man Thangyiyt. Clayton Yoe
Nmroom . 346-5511
Office 346-5512
Display Advertising 346-3712
Classified Advertising.346-4343
W£’*€ P»NAi.LV DECKED
To Do SO^rMVG ABour
7W£ V/Ol_EWC£ Ofsl TV.
li
2
r
wf found the g»uv
REiPoNS/BtE FOR
SOf*£ OF rwftX \J!OLEMCf
fc. AND HME TIED M/M UP
WAPPV I
AtoW? /
Art AT Wi Hk* MD rtrt WKOH
KipouhBlI fon Kxwni cc>nn>rr
yfj-o-'
llii
LETTERS
You
You walk outside and the bit
ing wind tuts your fa< e As you
begin to shiver and your body
numbs, you want to reach for a
wool jacket — but you don't
own a jacket at all You want to
go outside to a heated home, hut
you only have a cold alley to
return to Your stomach feels
empty but you have no food or
money
This is what three million
Americans face every day.
Twenty-five pen cut of homeless
are under age 1H One Eugene
advocate stated that 45 percent
of Eugenes homeless have high
school degrees, and 1(1 percent
have college degrees
(witting an education is not an
escape from unemployment and
homelessness This could hap
pen to you As u student, you
have opportunities to get
involved Come to a hunger and
homelessness meeting through
OSIMKC or . all :»4ti 4377 Get
involved now and avoid being
a statistic Inter
Kate Wynne
Jett Bolante
Leslie Jones
Nature guides
Emerald readers may have
noth ed the article about Mount
Pisgah Arboretum, "Outdoor
healing.” in the Jan 24 issue
One can't help hut appreciate
the serenity and pear efulness of
a place like the Arboretum.
In our often frantic, calendar
driven lives, thunk goodness for
these places of refuge where
mind, body and soul are
renewed and strengthened And
hoys important it is to let this
"healing power of the outdoors
touch our children! Children
learn and thrive outdoors in
yvuts not possible within the
confines of a classroom
For the past 12 years, the
Arboretum has provided an
opportunity for schoolchildren
to leave the classroom and
explore the natural world and
their place within it.
Each spring a large pool of
volunteer nature guides are
recruited and trained to take ele
mentary school children on
walks through the Arboretum.
1 lie guides mtrodui e the chil
dren to the variety of plants and
animals that inhabit the area
and strive to develop a sense of
the interconnectedness of all
life Most important of all, the
interest, enthusiasm and appre
ciation modeled by these guides
is contagious, and makes a one
and-a-half hour hike through the
woods an experience the i liil
dren never forget.
Spring is rapidly approaching.
Soon the Indian plum will be in
bloom, and once again the
Arboretum is seeking volunteers
who desire to share their knowl
edge and love of nature with the
future stewards of the earth. If
you're interested in a volunteer
position in the outdoors that
provides a vital serve e to the
community, call the Arboretum
office at 747-3817 Credit is
available througli the KSCAPF
program.
Fran Rosenthal
Mount Pisgah Arboretum
Alarmed
It seems to me the sole pur
pose of T | Fooladi's Jon 2f> let
ter was to create an environment
of suspicion, hate and intoler
ance toward member of the
Haha'i faith on this campus
His letter condemned the
Baha'i for partii ipaling in recent
Martin l.uther King )r Dav cele
brations. Fooladi points to the
Haha'i support of the state of
Israel and prosolytizotion of
their faith as factors that dis
qualify them from partii ipatmg
hi King flay events.
If supporting the existence of
Israel disqualifies groups from
participating in King Day
events, then many Christians.
Jews and perhaps King himself
should be disqualified. And if
proselytization is another dis
qualifying factor, most world
religions should also lie exclud
ed. I'lie Baha'i have not proven
to be any more immoral than
other religious groups. Nor has
Fooladi presented any new evi
dence that would make me
believe special provisions
should be created to exclude
them from King Day events.
Instead I feel rather alarmed
that a small, religious minority
is being so blatantly attacked.
This is just not acceptable. The
consequences of publishing a
letter like this could be vorv
dangerous Not many students
know about the Baha'i faith and
could ( arry the bigotry of this
letter into their daily life.
Please, to anyone who read
Fooladi's letter and has ques
tions about the Baha'i faith, edu
cate yourselves' We do not need
any more stereotyping, hate and
intolerance on this campus!
Yohanna Kinberg
Co-Director
Jewish Student Union
Two sides
"Group compares OCA with
Nazis' — nonsense'
The Oregon Citizens Alliance
is taking a stand — as have gays
and lesbians.
Should either win? Not really.
No special rights, period! Not
lor me as a Christian or for gays
and lesbians, since we re catego
rizing.
Did you see the article in the
Hegistvr-Cuard about three
weeks ago:' A bar, made into a
gay and lesbian bar. discrimi
nated against two straight
women
The coin has two sides to it
When will the conflict end
and the energy that is wasted be
used for something important?
If I were forced to take a
stand, it would be against spe
cial rights for gays and lesbians,
or anyone, ini lulling myself.
Vicki Travis
Staff
LETTERS
The Oregon Daily Emerald will attempt to print all letters
containing comments on topics of interest to the University
community.
The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or
style.