|
|
Kansas Memorial Union The Kansas Union was built as a living memorial to those Kansas alumni and students who gave their lives for our country in service during the Great War, or more commonly known as, World War I. More than three thousand Kansas students and alumni served in World War I, and sadly one woman and one hundred and twenty nine men were killed. What was meant to be a mere gift of gratitude towards the war veterans by alumni, students, faculty, and friends soon evolved into the living room of the university. Since the Kansas Union was completed in 1927, it has undergone several additions to keep up with the growing demands of the university. The first suggestion for a student union building at Kansas was at a Student Council Resolution in 1911. A financial campaign followed this resolution resulting in the rental of a house at 1200 Tennessee (Cornerstone). However, since the building was so far away from campus, enthusiasm soon declined and it closed after only a year. Spurred by a 20 to 20 tie in football against Nebraska, a war memorial campaign emerged with a goal of a million dollars (Kansas Union). The funds were not only invested in the Union but also in building the Memorial Stadium, and a statue of “Uncle” Jimmy Green, which are another two very symbolic marks for KU. Alumni were reminded that one Masloski 2 hundred and thirty men and women died, the first being Lt. William Fitzsimmons, a member of the class of 1910, who was also the first casualty of the war (Rush). The Kansas Union was to be fifty feet by one hundred and thirty five feet. A roll of honor along with mementos and artifacts were sealed in a copper box and placed in the cornerstone of the completed building in 1927 (Cornerstone).
|
