COLLEGE HILL CROWN HEIGHTS UPTOWN SLEEPY HOLLOWVol. 2 No. 2 JANUARY 2009

5 Passing of theatreowner Ted Morrisovershadows, butdoes not darken,New Year’s Eve show.

4 Quiet, for now,comes to tinyCollege Hill block.But what willcome next?

15 WU-hoo! Thesledding slopes ofCollege Hill get avisit—shocking, nodoubt— from WU.

• ••

THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER

No Place Like HomeLocal artists find subjects—and inspiration—close to home. PAGE 8

A copper and bronze sculpture of the Orr residence at 122 N. Pershing by artist Bill Rutherford, a former College Hill resident. The work, which was still in progress at the time of this photo-graph in 2005 (note the roll of solder in the archway at left) is one of many works by sculpters, painters and photographers that depict scenes from College Hill. The stone bridges of the parks,the trees, the quiet majesty of a winter afternoon in the old neighborhood—all have served as inspiration and subject matter for local artists. SEE PAGE 8.

TO THE EDITOR:College Hill residents are some of

the friendliest folk around. They lookfor excuses to come together. Just thinkof the 100 block of North Pershing andtheir communal display of Christmaslights. Or, how about the annualHalloween displays on NorthBroadview. My South Crestway blockgathers annually for a block party andthe Christmas season draws us togetherfor a caroling party followed by a white-elephant gift exchange. Some of us haveeven taken the Christmas trolley ridetogether, which brings me to the pointof this letter.

I assume that the primary purpose ofthe ride is to see the College Hill lumi-naries and Christmas lights. The realityis, however, that the trolley quickly fogsup so badly that it is difficult to see any-thing. But don’t get me wrong. I amnot complaining. Despite the bad view,I had an excellent experience last year.I love spending time with my familyand friends so the night was a hit in mybooks from the beginning. Additionally,the hot cocoa provided by East HeightsUnited Methodist Church was a nicetouch, as was the warm lobby whilewaiting for our scheduled ride. Thekids loved the surprise visit from Santaand Rudolph – kudos to Kirstie Alley –and the sugar cookies from Connieswere quite tasty. The highlight for me,however, was the running history ofCollege Hill narrated by our tour guide.

This year’s trolley ride was an alto-gether different story. We have newneighbors who were transplanted by theAir Force from California to CollegeHill. Last year’s trolley-ride was sogreat that we heartily invited them toaccompany us this year. Our excitementwas contagious and they invited familyfrom Winfield and friends from WestWichita.

After about 15 minutes of restlesswaiting, I had a bad feeling about thenight. We purchased 6:40 tickets but

weren’t boarded until 7:30, only to dis-cover that we were combined with the6:50 ride. The bus was so overcrowded,my wife and I didn’t even get to sit withour kids, much less our neighbors – Imean friends – and their guests. I wasdisappointed that our tour guide provid-ed commentary on the Christmas lightsat the expense of College Hill history.And, although the kids were delightedto see Santa and Rudolph again, I wasshocked to see Scientology tracts beinghanded out.

The trolley ride is a great idea, par-ticularly as a way to bring familiestogether and to introduce new residentsand outsiders to College Hill’s rich her-itage. Offering a clear view – or at leasta foggy view – of the luminaries andilluminated historic homes, in my opin-ion, is secondary. As such, it should beoperated in a manner worthy of theCollege Hill community. The trolleyrides need to run on schedule, at leastreasonably so; each paying ticket holdershould be on the ride they paid for sothat everyone can be comfortable; andfinally, there should be no proselytiza-tion. Like any other neighborhood, weare a diverse group of folk who repre-sent all sorts of religious views. Thereis no Church of College Hill and a trol-ley ride showcasing our community issimply not the place to be handing outtracts.

I am proud to live in such a historicneighborhood. As far as I know,College Hill is the only Wichita com-munity who provides a Christmas trol-ley ride, and rightly so. Let’s just makesure that it accurately reflects the excel-lence that our College Hill communityembodies.

ERIN DOOM

Thanks for the letter, Erin. Wethought it best to let Celia Gorlich, pres-ident of the College Hill neighborhoodassociation, respond. Her letter follows.

THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 20092 LETTERSGETTING TOKNOW YOU

I’m occasionally asked to speak in front of smallgroups interested in learning more about TheCommoner and what on earth we were thinking

when we went into the newspaper business. I’m terribleat the speaking thing, really, and hesitate to pick up thephone when it rings in fear that some well meaning per-son on the other end will extend the offer. Still, I do itwhen asked and have learned that if I stick to my scriptthe whole thing is over before the whiskey wears off.One of the points I always make in those presentationsis that when we decided to start this paper, I knewexactly four people in College Hill—and I only knewthose people because we are related. The line usuallydraws a polite chuckle, or maybe that is a gasp, but inany case, it is no joke. That has obviously changed overthe course of the past year and now I find that I’m oftenwriting about people that I do know, or have met, orwhose porch I could at least pick out of a line up. So,allow me to make the following disclosures about someof the stories you’ll find inside this issue. In an articleabout Holyoke Street, we’re quoting our neighbors.There is a story on the passing of Ted Morris, the ownerof the Crown Uptown Theatre, who was a good man wevisited with often. The trolley tour story is full of famil-iar names and faces I recognize from picnics past. Thosedudes at the Hall of Men? I’ve seen them around. Oneof them sometimes throws the paper. WuShock, theWichita State University mascot shown sledding in theback of the paper is unknowable, a real quiet type, sowe don’t know him at all. But that girl he’s trudging thehill with, the adorable one? Well, she happens to be ourniece, and one of the first of four names in our Rolodex.

BARRY OWENSEDITOR

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

TROLLEY LIGHT TOUR, A FAMILY FAVORITE, DISAPPOINTED THIS YEAR, WRITER SAYS

FEWER TROLLEYS FORCED DELAYS

WRITE THE EDITOR: We welcome your letters. No subject is out ofbounds, so long as it is local. Letters should be limited to 300words, or fewer, and may be edited for clarity and length.

E-MAIL US: editor@collegehillcommoner.com

WRITE US: 337 N. Holyoke, Wichita, KS, 67208

CALL US: 689-8474

ADVERTISE: jessica@collegehillcommoner.com, or 689-8474

3THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 2009

THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONERPublished monthly by

The College Hill Commoner337 N. Holyoke

Wichita, K.S. 67208316-689-8474

editor@collegehillcommoner.comwww.collegehillcommoner.com

PUBLISHERJESSICA FREY OWENS

EDITORBARRY OWENS

CONTRIBUTORSDAVID DINELL, S. DENNELER

ADVERTISING DIRECTORJESSICA FREY OWENS

THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONERVOLUME 2 ISSUE 2 JANUARY 2009

SPREAD THE NEWSYearly subscriptions are available to The CollegeHill Commoner. Share news of the old neighbor-hood with a friend or family member no longerlucky enough to live here. Call 689-8474 for details.

TO THE EDITOR: This year’s trolley tour brought a

new challenge for our events organizers.The City of Wichita has decided not tomake their trolleys available for privatetours anymore and so we had to turn toa privately owned company for trans-portation. We had fewer trolleys towork with and that necessitated rework-ing the schedule of departures. Weapologize to those folks who werecaught up in the timing problems thatwe faced on trolley night and we hopethat the hospitality of East HeightsUnited Methodist Church kept youwarm, fed, entertained, and in the moodto forgive us our learning curve.

As far as the trolley visit to KirstieAlley’s house – I’m sure that you knowthat we had no knowledge beforehand

that the holiday popcorn balls would beaccompanied by Scientology literature.Ms. Alley has been kind enough, thepast few years, to end our tours with avisit from Santa for the kids and sometreats for everyone on the bus. We areall aware of her connection to Dianeticsand while we are accepting her hospital-ity it seems simple enough to deal withthe literature in whatever manner yousee fit. We will speak to them on thissubject, however. Remember, EastHeights handed out information on theirchurch that night, too. I don’t thinkfolks of other faiths were offended bythat gesture so maybe we can do like-wise for our neighbors at Scientology.

CELIA GORLICH

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BY BARRY OWENS

There are better known rental prop-erties in the neighborhood than thoseon this quiet dead-end street in the 300block of North Holyoke. OaklandStreet, where the buildings are candycolored, comes to mind. As do the pre-war apartments tucked away on southBelmont, the few duplexes near thepark, and a selection of rental homesscattered here and there in the neigh-borhood (look for the signs). But ifCollege Hill has a “rental row,” it is onHolyoke, where there are a dozen rentalhomes on a the tiny half-block.

The row, which features a mix ofcentury old four-squares and bunga-lows, has seen better days.

Last month, four of the propertieswere vacated. Some of the tenants leftin more of a rush than others, but near-ly all left things behind. Furniture andother debris litters the backyards, a fewdoors were left to swing in the wind, atoilet froze over in one home, a porchwas nearly knocked over by a Uhaultruck at another. For days, an aban-doned Hula-hoop hung from a treebranch.

In any other neighborhood, thismight seem like a typical scene. Butfor the tenants that remain on the street,some of them neighborhood natives,

the block represents their little cornerof College Hill—rental row or not,attention must be paid.

“Do what you’re going to do, butknow where you are,” is how block res-ident Michael Anderson puts it. “Imean, I love this block. I feel lucky tobe here. It breaks my heart to see howsome people have abused these hous-es.”

Shelly Whitfield, a College Hillnative who resides with her three chil-dren in a tidy bungalow at the end ofthe street, has a unique insight into the

row—she has lived in three of the hous-es.

Whitfield is the sort of tenant thatthrives on the block, one willing tothrow a little grass seed on the lawn ora fresh coat of paint on the walls.

“There are some freedoms that youhave down here that are unusual,” shesays. “The [owner and super] are happyfor you to do a little work on the place.It is a unique situation. It gives you alittle sense of ownership.”

The owner of most of the homes onthe block lives out of state but makes

occasional visits. The super lives in theneighborhood, and pays frequent visits.

Residents say that management,ownership and maintenance has histor-ically not been the problem on theblock.

Because the block is so small, ittakes only one bad neighbor to spoil theatmosphere. Over the summer, therewere a few. One home housed up to 13people, and at times, as many as five pitbulls. At another, young shirtless dudesheld regular band practices and keptreptiles. Domestic disputes at anotherhome made parked police cars, a raresight in the neighborhood as a whole, acommon feature of the block.

Whitfield, who has lived on thestreet for five years, said she was readyto leave. Another tenant, who lived onthe ground floor of a well -maintainedhome for more than a decade, and a fewyears more in the home across thestreet, did leave.

“I feel like I’m going to see some-thing that I don’t want to see,” she saidat the time.

But that was over the summer.Things are much calmer on the blocknow, where half of the houses areempty and the remaining residents arequietly awaiting the new neighbors—and holding their breath.

BY BARRY OWENS

Ted Morris, owner of the CrownUptown Theatre, died last month doingwhat he loved—putting a show together.

It was the final rehearsal before theopening of Club Morroco, a noir-ish1940s style musical, set to open to a sellout crowd on New Year’s Eve. Morrishad just given a few notes to his actors onstage and was turning his attention to theband, when he collapsed. He was 70.

“He gave me my first break back in1982,” said actor Rob Summers, whowas seated on the theatre’s lounge stairs,head in hands, as audience membersfloated by in tuxedos and party dresseson New Year’s Eve. The show would goon, as it always must. “It’s hard to put outof your mind,” Summers said. “Butwe’re professionals.”

Morris made theater a professionaloccupation in Wichita, giving dozens ofplayers their first roles, and their firstpaychecks. The practice of paying localtalent was unheard of at the time.

“I don’t know if you call getting $10being a professional,” said long timefriend and associate Tom Frye, recallingthe early days of his career, “but to us, itwas a big deal.”

Morris opened the dinner theater in1977. Prior to that, he wrote and pro-duced melodramas. He founded CrownPlayers amateur theatre group in 1964and the Empire House MelodramaTheatre in 1980. Very early in his career,he was a working clown.

Aside from being an important play-er in the theater community, Morris wasloyal to the neighborhood. He grew up inCollege Hill, and during a 2008Commoner interview recalled watchingmatinees at the Uptown Theater as achild and taking his future wife, Karen,there on their first date. He saved the oldmovie house from certain destruction—the corner was slated to house a strip

mall—when he purchased the building in1976.

Robert Brinkley, the theatre’s generalmanager, called the staff together for aquick meeting. The doors would soonopen and there were instructions to giveabout the champagne toast, on how toaddress questions about Morris’ passing,and on the future of the theater.

Brinkley also had to prepare to takethe stage to make announcements andintroduce the show, a role Morris rel-ished, especially on New Year’s Eve

when he made a point of singing with theband.

“This is the first New Year’s withoutTed,” Brinkley said. “It is going to be dif-ferent.”

Everett Bonner, who has workedbehind the bar there for 16 years, recalledhis old friend fondly between pouringdrinks. “He was quite a fellow, we allmiss him being here,” he said.

“What will you have young man?” heasked actor Josh Atkins.

He asked for a root beer.

“You in the show?” Bonner wantedto know.

“Yes.”“You any good?” “Well, I think so.”He must be, Bonner said later, “Ted

was a master at getting the right peoplefor the right part—a master.”

Backstage, the show’s light andsound director, Kathy Page Hauptman(who at the age of 16 was given her firstbreak in the business by Morris), said shealready missed the pre-show routine.

“Ted would always come back herebefore the show and he would talk to us.He would usually share some bad jokeand I would tell him that I’d heard thatone before, that he told us that one 40years ago. I really miss that.”

Then the show started and “I prettymuch cried through the first three num-bers, without the actors seeing me,because I was so proud of what theywere able to do in the face of a greatloss,” she said.

As the band played, marketing man-ager Lynda Hartley was busy in the box-office putting together a last minute pro-gram for a one-time only show slated forthat coming Monday called “CurtainCall.” “Crown Uptown ProfessionalDinner Theatre and Family and Friendsof Ted proudly present Curtain Call,” theprogram read. “Starring: Ted J. Morris.Producer: God”

It was to be a memorial for Morris, inthree acts. Musical numbers included“Amazing Grace” and “There’s NoBusiness Like Show Business.”

4 THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 2009 5THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 2009

Passing of owner TedMorris overshadowed,

but did not darken,New Year’s Eve show.

At the Crown Uptown, the Show Had to Go On

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Eviction notices, above, and debris werecommon sites on the block last month,as four homes were vacated. Clean-up isexpected soon, as are new tenants.

A photograph from the cover of a memorial program for Ted Morris, ownerof the Crown Uptown Dinner Theatre, who died last month.

An open window lets fresh air into an old home in the 300 block of Holyoke. The rental was aban-doned last month and left in a mess. The block, with so many rentals, is unique in College Hill.

PHOTOS: BARRY OWENS

Ted Morris.

On one of those nights last monththat was far too cold for a comfortablestroll, hundreds of people turned out toEast Heights United Methodist Churchin mittens and mufflers to board a trolleyto tour the Christmas lights and luminar-ies of College Hill. About halfwaythrough the 30-minute tour, guidespassed out towels for the passengers touse to wipe the fog of their “ooohs” and“ahhhhs” from the windows.

The tour is held annually, put on bythe College Hill NeighborhoodAssociation, and hosted at the church,where the hot chocolate was free andwaiting passengers could pass the timevisiting with neighbors or taking in theliving Nativity scene outside. TheNativity players were provided by thechurch; the animals were trucked in.“We bring the farm to you,” read the signon the side of the livestock trailer parkedin the church lot, not far from the idlingtrolleys.

“We consider it a delight,” saidCharles Claycomb, executive pastor ofthe church, about hosting the event. “It ispart of what we think of as being a goodneighbor.”

While Christmas lights were on atmost houses in the neighborhoodthroughout the month, the night of the

tour (Dec. 14) was the best night to catchCollege Hill fully aglow with luminaries.Some homeowners, too, could be seenoutside warming themselves by a fireand waving to the passing trolleys.

“What do you think about that,guys?” asked tour guide Steve Woodmanas the trolley passed by a particularlywell turned out Christmas display.

“Wow,” came one reply.“Awesome,” came another. Someone

even wolf whistled. “Wait,” a skeptical teenager finally

said. “You can’t have two Santas in oneyard.”

Santa also made surprise visitsaboard the trolley as it idled outsideKirstie Alley’s house on Douglas. One ofSanta’s helpers further surprised passen-gers by passing out Scientology pam-phlets called “A Guide to Happiness,”which were gifts from Alley. The neigh-

borhood association was not aware thepamphlets would be handed out andkindly asked Santa’s crew to leave thosebehind next year.

“We have expressed our opinion toMs. Alley and we don’t think that therewill be a problem with that in the future,”said Celia Gorlich, who is president ofthe neighborhood association.

Gorlich said the tour is unique in thecity and is not surprised that it sells outnearly every year. This year there werefewer trolleys to handle the crowds as thecity no longer provides them for toursand the association hired a private com-pany instead. That reduced the availabletrolleys from six—the fleet on hand inyears past—to three.

“Since the city doesn’t do anyChristmas trolley tours, which they usedto do, we are it,” Gorlich said. “I’ve seena lot of people definitely not fromCollege Hill—which is great.”

A good number of the passengerswere locals, though, and many of themhad already seen the neighborhoodChristmas lights.

“The kids always look forward to it,”said College Hill resident JoannaRobison. “We drive these streets all thetime in our minivan, but there is some-thing special about a trolley.”

7THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 20096 THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 2009

JOLLY TROLLEYTROLLEY TOUR OF NEIGHBORHOOD CHRISTMAS LIGHT DISPLAYS DRAWS ‘OOOHS’ AND ‘AHHHS’

Photos byDAVID DINELL

Text byBARRY OWENS

Right: Santa Claus makes a surprise visit aboard the

trolley at a stop on DouglasAvenue during the CollegeHill neighborhood associa-tion’s trolley light tour last

month. Far right: CollegeHill resident Steve

Woodman offers neighbor-hood history and points outlight displays during the 30-

minute tour.

Brenda Woodman prepares to reboard a trolley after a brief stop on Douglas, where Santa waswelcomed aboard but Rudolph, whose antlers were too wide, was left to wave from outside.

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BY BARRY OWENS

There is really no telling where andwhen something will catch your eyearound here. For photographer JohnMorrison, it once came on a Sundayafternoon after church when he hap-pened by an old river elm on Roosevelt

Street he’d easily seen a hundred timesbefore. This time, it grabbed him.

“I was just struck with how the bonesof the tree showed up with the snow lay-ing on it,” he said. He rushed home forhis camera. [The result is shown aboveright].

Annie Calovich was on a walk inthe park on another snowy morning ayear ago.

“The snow had finally stopped, andI was at the bottom of the sledding hillabout to head up when the sun cameout, turning the church golden,” shesaid.

She had her camera along, andmade a photograph. [The resultingwork is shown above].

Christy Foster, well she just closesher eyes and thinks of her childhood.

“It could be the popsicle truck, themimosa trees, the Burtons and all thekids names in my neighborhood,College Hill Park sledding, KLEO

radio, which is what my mom listenedto in the Volkswagen. Just silly thingsthat would mean nothing to anyoneelse,” she says, “but they do to me.”

Those things sometimes find thereway into her decorative work, like thetext she recently painted on a cabinetand a chair.

Bill Rutherford sometimes finds itin the lines of blueprints that he fol-lows to construct copper and brasssculptures of homes, a good deal ofthem recognizable at a glance asCollege Hill addresses. He has con-structed many them of over the years.

“I used to wear a lot of Band-Aids,”he said. “A lot of them.”

And then there is Wayne Clark, apainter and retired commercial artist,who hasn’t lived in the neighborhoodfor 30 years.

He revisited not long ago to haveanother look at the stone bridges inCollege Hill Park and Sleepy Hollow.He’d painted most of the other notablestone bridges in the state, but neverthese.

The oil on canvas piece “CollegeHill Rendezvous,” captures theCollege Hill bridge in full sunlight.

“But the way my kids tell it, Ishould have painted it at night with abunch of teenagers passed out aroundit,” he said.

8 THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 2009 9THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 2009ARTS

“Rendezvous in College Hill,” by Wayne Clark. The bridge is one of twothat Clark has painted. Last month, he was putting the finishing detailson a portrait of the stone bridge in Sleepy Hollow. For prints, call 942-8797, or email jclarkpaints@sbcglobal.net

A decorative chair by Christy Foster. Handpaintedtext on the front (also on back) just beneath theseat is inspired by the artist’s childhood in CollegeHill. The chair is available at Beads & Beyond, 6488E. Central, 689-0885.

Annie Calovich made this photograph of Blessed Sacrament following a heavy snowfall. “I was atthe bottom of the sledding hill about to head up when the sun came out, turning the church gold-en. I had my camera along and took this photo. My camera had the odd characteristic of providinga brushstroke vignetting around the edges of each photo, and that gives this photo a painterlylook.” Prints and notecards are available by calling 688-1015.

“At the time I took the picture we lived just a couple houses south of here,” says photographer John Morrison. “I was just struck with how the bones of the treeshowed up with the snow laying on it, so I got my tripod and camera out and took a series of pictures. For prints, call Prairie Vistas Gallery: 214-7566.

The Avairy, sculpted in brass and copper, by Bill Rutherford. For details or to com-mission a piece, call 832-9544.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

For inspiration and subject matter, College Hill artists find they don’t have to go far.

Wayne Clark.

11THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 200910 THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 2009ETC.

The meeting is about to cometo order here at the Hall ofMen, where heroism is cele-brated and masculinity isencouraged. The men, seated

at an oak table that nearly fills the room,push away their soup bowls.

“Gentlemen,” says George Elder,raising his glass at the head of the table.

He offers a toast, drawn from a talefrom the Battle of Maldor, where theVikings overran the English at Essex in991 A.D. During the battle a swordsmanstood to rally his fellow soldiers aftertheir leader had fallen, or so the storygoes. In his toast, Elder quotes from apoem that preserves the moment in lore.

“Let us all remember the speecheswe have made so often over our mead,when we stood in the hall boasting upona bench—heroes about hard fighting.Now, let the man who is bold prove thathe is so. Boldness is of no use, unless it isproved.”

There is a hearty “here-here” fromthe table and a clink-clink of beer mugs.

“George, that should be our motto,”says College Hill resident Erin Doom,remarking on the toast. Doom hosts theHall of Men, offering a home for the 12-foot-long table (“It wouldn’t fit in myhouse,” says Elder) and the men whoregularly gather there.

Gary Gensch, also a College Hill res-ident, has another suggestion followingthe toast.

“Next time we should smash theglasses together,” he says, “that would bemore manly, more Viking.”

It is hard to imagine a more mascu-line atmosphere than you’ll find at theHall of Men, which is not a secret socie-ty so much as it is a fellowship group forselect, well, men.

There is no hint of a woman’s touchin the raw, commercial space where talesof heroism are told late into the nightover sips of home-brewed-beer andcider, and pipe smoke sometimes swirlsin the air. A naked bulb illuminates thebuffet, an old wooden television cabinetin a back room where on this night theresits two pots of stew and a butcher knifeto cut the bread.

“It is kind of the best environment forgood masculinity, if you will,” said ScottSpradlin, who was making his third visitto the Hall. “I think we’re all here to haveour minds challenged a little bit, to thinkabout our devotional life, but we’re alsofree to sit and gab, eat some good grub,and have some homemade beer.”

Most of those that attend the meet-ings are Christian—some devoutly so—but it is not a requirement for invitation.Due to space considerations, the meet-ings are so far limited to those on theguest list and the location remains undis-closed here by request.

Doom has hopes of one day opening

a pub and coffee house in the space, aplace where discussions, debate, lecturesand film series can continue even whenthe Hall of Men is not in session.

Like Elder, Doom is scholarly— bothare instructors at the Northfield School ofLiberal Arts—and talk around the tablecan get heady.

“We’re not just coming to drinkbeer,” Doom says. “There is definitely aformal, productive element to the night.”

There is a lecture on a hero presentedat each meeting and the presenter isasked to provide an image, as well.Those heroes then find a place on thewall, which Doom hopes to one day seefilled. Joshua Sturgill, an Uptown resi-dent and employee of Eighth Day Books,spoke about his hero, St. John ofShanghai and San Francisco. He left timefor a Q & A session afterward.

“I’m a teacher,” says Doom. “I wantpeople to learn.”

So far, most of the heroes highlightedin the hall have been Christian Orthodoxsaints. But Doom is committed to keep-

ing the meetings ecumenical.“Part of my goal is to say, Hey, listen,

we have a lot of things in common. Let’sget to know one another, enjoy eachother’s company, and stand together forwhat we believe in,” he says.

When Doom heard what his friendElder had done at Clemson University—he built the table to facilitate the regulargathering of his friends that grew into theHall of Men— a partnership was born.Elder moved his table into the space (andbuilt a kegerator for the meetings). Doomwent on Facebook, looked up a few oldfriends, and sent out invitations.

“We’re going to get together, we’regoing to drink beer, we’re going to eat,we’re going to talk about a hero, we’regoing to pray, and we’re going to hangout,” was the message. “We had over 20guys the very first night,” Doom says.

Elder perhaps best explains theappeal of this muscular sort of Christianfellowship.

“The Vikings tried to take from theEnglish everything that they had,” hesays. “But in the end, the Vikings getconverted to Christianity and they bringwith them this delightful sort of traditionof really strong, manly fellowship inwhich men grab each other and wrestleeach other to the ground. They mighteven hit and bite each other. Some peopleconsider that unchristian, but what I thinkis that people need to remember thatChristianity is not a safe, simple sort ofreligion. We serve a God who is power-ful, a God who is sometimes even vio-lent. I wanted to recover a more fullsense of that.”

Then Elder excused himself to bidadieu to a departing friend.

“Take care,” the fellow says, reach-ing for a handshake. Elder pulls him infor a bear hug, complete with a growl.

A local fellowship hall where the men break bread, tap the keg, and toast their heroes.‘Gentlemen, Here’s to You’

Erin Doom proposes a toast during a recent meeting of the Hall of Men, a fellowship group in the neighborhood. Hall founder George Elder, at right, discusses the groups origins.

Hall guests feast at a table during the meeting.

BY BARRY OWENS

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It was not the first White Castle—home of the five-cent burger, or slider, asthe tiny sandwiches were called — in thenation. That one could be found at Firstand Lawrence Street, later renamedBroadway. But Douglas and Hillside washome to the nation’s second, which isperhaps more historically interesting.The stand, which opened at the corner in1935, was the first fast food chain storein the country.

Here, the burgers were churned outby the dozens on an assembly line in thekitchen, where the “cooks” were likenedto technicians that ran the machinery. It isa familiar sort of work seen today at mostany national burger chain, but it was rev-olutionary at the time.

Partners Billy Ingraham and WalterAnderson founded the original restaurantin 1921, and opened the chains that soon

spread well beyond College Hill andaround the country. Anderson gets creditfor developing quicker ways to make fastfood. Ingraham gets credit for the paperhats employees were made to wear. Amachine stamped those out, as well, andby 1932, Ingraham had set up a tidy littleside businesses supplying the world withpaper hats. By the mid-50s, more than 40million of them were produced.

The buildings, too, were eventuallymanufactured, making for easy shipmentto new locations.

Sadly, the original duplicated store islong gone from the corner. It wasreplaced by a number of buildings andbusinesses over the years, including afranchise invented by a Colonel namedSanders who could do wonderfully deli-cious and fast things with chicken.Today, the corner hosts another chainwhere the goal is to make a quick buck—Speedy Cash.

13THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 200912 THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 2009

TINY BURGERSHISTORY

BY BARRY OWENS

College Hill was home to nation’s first burger chain.

A White Castle burger stand at Douglas and Hillside in 1935. The stand was the second in the city, make it the firstchain store in the nation. White Castle went on to revolutionize the fast food industry, but it’s first chain store isnow long gone from the corner.

PHOTO: THE WITCHITA SEDGWICK COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM

The corner today hosts a check cashing place.KATIE GORDON

14 THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 2009 15THE COLLEGE HILL COMMONER z JANUARY 2009 KIDS

WuShock was spotted last month on the slopes ofthe sledding hills in College Hill Park. “I just lookedup, and he was there,” said Ellie Frey, 6, shownbelow trudging up the hill alongside. She did notseemed too alarmed by the sighting. “It was cool,”she said. “He’s just a mascot.” Photographs of Wulater appeared on a Web site, whereswu.com,which apparently tracks his every move.

Photos byS. DENNELER

WU-hoo!