Volume 81, Issue 8
Monday October 7, 2013
UMKC SIGNS OFF ON ITS 80TH YEAR Roze Brooks Co-Editor-in-Chief
Renewing eight decades of history
An honorary charter was signed by UMKC administrators, student leaders and community members at the Commemoration Day Ceremony Oct. 1 in Swinney Recreation Center. Alumni, retirees, faculty, staff and current students were invited to help UMKC celebrate its 80th anniversary. “Here we are today, stronger than ever,” Chancellor Leo Morton said, “living proof that a great university can help make a city great, living proof that we have fulfilled the founders’ vision.” Though UMKC is celebrating eight decades of existence, conversations about creating a university in Kansas City started
UM System President Tim Wolfe.
long before the first charter was signed. In 1925, negotiations were being made with a woman named Kate Hewitt, widow to the president of a reputable dental college. Hewitt wanted to provide a gratuitous stretch of land to the Methodist Episcopal Church. However, with that extensive generosity came a laundry list of stipulations that inhibited the group’s ability to act quickly. Seeing an opportunity for expansion, Methodist Church invited the Chamber of Commerce to “have substantial representation on the [University’s] Board of Trustees.” This prompted a merger that combined church representatives with representatives from Commerce, creating an Organizational Committee. A charter was granted in 1926,
Photo// Roze Brooks
forged between the merged groups, declaring the intended name of the university to be Lincoln and Lee University of Kansas City. It wasn’t until December 1930 that a larger entity, the Board of Trustees, was commissioned to further carry out plans for a university.
The Board pulls out of a Depression When the Board of Trustees met for the first time, E.E Howard was nominated Chancellor Leo Morton addresses audience at Commemoration Cermony. Photo// Roze Brooks as a temporary Ernest Newcomb was designated chairman. An extensive set of the first executive secretary, the Lincoln and Lee prefix from the by-laws was presented, stating having primary authority of the title. the official charge of the Board. “That Board of Trustees, by this Executive Committee. This Nominations for permanent seatgroup met promptly after the resolution, makes record favoring holders were also executed. The second Board meeting and created the name: THE UNIVERSITY OF Board met a month later and agreed several subcommittees to examine KANSAS CITY for the corporate that an Executive Committee different facets of creating a name of the university,” read the should be formed. A tentative university, including a committee motion made by Walter McLucas. timeline would have an educational This approved amendment solely charged with conferring with plan and campus buildings ready was then implemented into the Hewitt. for use by fall of 1932. language of the by-laws at the third Later concluding that the land “Eighty years ago in the depths of Hewitt was offering wouldn’t Board meeting. Volker was also a the Great Depression, Kansas City suit the university based on its frequent consultant to the Board, leaders set out on a great mission. location at 75th and State Line, having donated a 40.8-acre stretch I guess some would call it a crazy William Volker and John W. of land to the University Movement mission given the touch times,” Jenkins negotiated with Hewitt to the year prior. Morton said, “but those leaders Meetings of both the Board and donate funds made from selling the believed with all their hearts the the Executive Committee became property instead. powerful, yet simple idea, if Kansas more rapid as the vision of creating Before the Executive Committee City were to overcome the touch actually gathered to have its first Kansas City’s university became times, if Kansas City were to meeting, the Board was having more tangible. Money was scarce, become the great city its leaders intensive conversations about the which was one of the roadblocks knew it could be, it must have a name of the university. In January to this expensive effort during the great university.” 1931, the Board proposed to drop Continued on Page 2