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West High School Takeover, by Marty Moreno
Posted on Friday 14th, October 2011
It was a warm Summer day I know, I just can’t remember the year exactly. Possibly 1979 or 80. As usual on the Westside, the birds were chirping, while everyone in the neighborhood was out doing their thing. Car radios blaring the latest hits, and dudes washing their cars getting ready for another Summer day cruise.
I headed for up the street for the latest in acting cool with the rest of the fellas on the Hill. Mostly we stood around waiting for a pickup game of basketball, and talk about girls.
Luis and I were walking toward some people who were talking to Don. They were talking about West High School closing its doors. It wasn’t a secret that the KC School Board slated West High School not to reopen this new school year. This would mean that the Westside high school students would be bused to other schools in the district.
Well, Don and the other parents on the Hill were upset and wanted to do something about it. They asked me if I wanted to join in the group to take over the school, as they were going to need as many bodies as possible. They had a couple of the current WHS students help tell them how the school was laid out. I went to ask my Mom for permission to take over the school. I think she told me it was okay, as long as I was home at a decent time. I went back to join the crew and they had come up with 29 bodies to take over. I could name most of them, but I’m not sure if the statute of limitations is up yet, heeheehee.
Okay, so here was the plan. The biggest male adults would head the procession into the school and head off the security officers, and make them an offer they could not refuse (peacefully). Then the leaders would head straight for the school office to ask the staff to leave and offer any assistance in doing so. The rest of us would go in pairs, one with a chain and the other with a padlock, while other pairs of people had a hammer and nails. We had to literally run through the school to our assigned locking points of doors, windows, etc.. We already knew that the police would be called so time was critical.
When all was done, I think it took less than ten minutes to complete the whole takeover. This was quite a feat since we only had about an hour of planning. As we finished, we looked out the windows and saw that we were surrounded by police. It was at that time I became nervous, what did I just do? But the second thought was, I had to call my Mom to tell her I wasn’t coming home at a decent time. It wasn’t until many years later that I fully understood what we did and why we did it. See the attached pictures for somewhat of an understanding.
The police stayed for a while and left. My theory is that it actually was more harmful to the School District to let this kind of situation get to the media.
So it was, 29 unknown citizens and students, in a relatively forgotten side of the city, took over an entire building without violence, to make a peaceful sit-in and tell the flailing school district that they didn’t want their community school to close. What a way to say it!
We were brought groceries by Johnnies Market, and sandwiches were brought in by The Tenderloin Grill. We played basketball, swam, and cooked in the cafeteria, among other things, waiting for a good word to come from the District that never came. We made the news. My picture made the Metropolitan section of the Kansas City Star.
We stayed for a week when we were notified that we would be removed by force. We left peacefully and started school elsewhere.
I’ll always remember that experience. I’m surprised when someone brings this up that anyone remembers it. I’ll tell someone I grew up on the Westside and they'll say, “I remember West High School”, and I’ll think “I remember the West High 29”.
When my mom asked me to write about this, I had not thought about it in some time. I drove by there a couple of weeks ago. It’s a very large empty shell now, I think it’s been forgotten by everyone except the Westside community.
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Jarboe Park New Playground Stories from the Westside The Bestside
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Scott,
I have so many stories for you about Jarboe Park Playground neither one of us has time, however I must share some vignettes; I need to share the joy. This playground is accomplishing everything I’d envisioned thanks to you. These are stories from just this morning. This morning alone there were 5 families up there at 11:30am
1.The boy who climbed to the top of the rock and did the Rocky victory dance/stance
2.The traffic jam at the steering wheel as toddler boys jockeyed to be behind the wheel
3.The two boys who tested all 4 new benches with the bum test
4.The girls who claimed the rock for the United States of America – they just didn’t have a flag to plant
During the week, I pity the poor man laying the tile he’s having to beat folks off with a stick. (p.s. I don’t see the hopscotch pattern but that could be me)
1.The chubby kids who are all over the climbing wall – they feel secure the equipment will hold their weight so not self-conscious and are challenged enough to play for a long period of time.
2.The little girl about 3 who would not leave the wind chimes
3.The little boy who kept running back to spin the rain sound maker
4.All of the kids who are pirates
5.All of the kids determined to conquer the back side of the climbing wall – their Mt. Everest w/o the Sherpas
6.The teen girls on the swings in the evenings as they find their way to adulthood
7.The young couples playing – releasing their inner child
8.More families are using the toddler lot at Garcia because they can see their older kids on the bigger kids playground
9.The family who during the last 2 weeks walks up to the park every evening about 6-630p 6 kids in tow
10.The dad who works 2 jobs but loads the kids into the van and plays with them and is thrilled to have a neat place to bring them close to home – he drops the older kids at Jarboe and goes up to the toddler lot at Garcia for the little ones. He’s really excited about the picnic tables and benches – he can sit.
11.One night there were kids shooting hoops at Garcia, toddlers in the toddler lot, a man throwing baseball pitches to his sons in the field at Garcia and kids all over the new playground equipment at Jarboe with a Grandma at the picnic table under the canopy. It was breathtaking – the playground is feeding the use of Garcia and vice verse. Add the baseball teams using the ball diamond and it’s perfect.
12.The Garcia gym teacher who promised the kids they could have a p.e. class in the park.
13.The older kids are very proprietary sending the little kids to the Garcia School playground (if they can get away with it)
14.The kids from Villa del Sol and West Bluff, our two HUD housing complexes are positive this is their special park. As many attend Garcia they’ve been supervising the contractor from behind the school yard fence.
15.We’re seeing more folks walking/jogging through the playground area. With the wooden fence gone – it feels safer and we don’t have as many folks parking and hiding behind the fence, fewer romantic assignations because of the increased pedestrian traffic. The kids say they feel safer and don’t think there’s a bogeyman behind the fence.
Mike Sturgeon from Columbus Park says he has park envy. I’ve met families from downtown, Volker, and midtown. I have no doubt this is a destination park. Since there’s no thru traffic parents are more comfortable letting the children run. Folks are actually parking in the Garcia parking lot and walking across the street – a miracle.
This playground is already transformative and it’s not yet completed. I wish more neighborhoods could have a magical space like this.
In the words of the kids “it’s awesome”. Thank you for making the dream/vision a reality. Some of the Garcia kids call it their park because they picked the activities. – so you’re bumped out of the way for some of the credit.
You hit the ball out of the park Scott (pun intended). I appreciate all your work and the little thoughtful details. I appreciate Parks & Rec making this park a priority and making the commitment. And, I appreciate the huge financial investment made by Kansas City and its taxpayers. This is an important downtown asset as an increasing number of families with children once again embrace urban/city lifestyles.
See you on the 18th if not before. I would like the contractor’s name and info so we can invite him to the dedication/pool party/picnic.
Thank you again Scott.
Lynda M. Callon
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Westside Stories
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
was the night before Christmas (50 years ago) by Lisa Valerio
A Mexican family of 7 children was anxiously waiting the arrival of the big guy…Santa of course! We were expected at our “Mama Grande” house on Jarboe with all the trimmings! Which included: Tamales, Bunuelos , hot coco and more! So as my mom wrapped us up like “burritos” from the cold winter weather…we walked to my grand-Mothers house on Jarboe Street.
After the dinner was over we gathered around her beautiful decorated Christmas tree, surrounded by all our cousins, tias, tios and whoever else that were invited.
As the designated “Santa” was passing out the gifts to all the little ones, and there was a bunch of us. He would personalize each one by saying the name and how good they were during the year. Anyway to make a long story short. Everyone was getting a lot of gifts except for my brothers and sisters and me! We felt that we were very bad for not getting any gifts…from Santa! So could you imagine the sad faces that we had on our faces. Anyway we left the party feeling so sad and my dad said that maybe now we will be better kids for next year we will get presents from Santa.
So our trip home was dragging our feet thru the snow and dragging our heads very low. As we approach the porch of our house on Belleview. We saw that the lights we left on! We noticed that the tree was lite and there were presents all around the tree! There was a choo-choo-train going around the tree, and a big doll holding a smaller doll in her arms! There were cars for my brothers and gifts for everyone!
It was as though Santa made a special trip just to our house!
My dad told us that he had forgotten to tell Santa that we were at my Grandmother’s house so he didn’t leave us any gifts at her house!
That by farthest was my best Christmas ever!
posted by Ezekiel at
Thursday, September 10, 2009
"Imaginary Park" and also "Flintstone Park"
"Imaginary Park" and also "Flintstone Park"
It was known by locals/children as "Imaginary Park" and also "Flintstone Park". It was in existence from 1962 until 1966, (27th and Madison area).
The park was designed by local sculptor Dale Eldred and by Elpilio Rocha an architect from the local firm Elpidio Rocha and Associates. Mr. Rocha grew up in an area near the park. It did not belong to the KC Park Department. It was a recreation area that was under the jurisdiction of the Recreation Division of the Welfare Department. This was before the Park Department and the Recreation Division joined together.
There is one photograph on the KC Public Library's website from their Missouri Valley Special Collections:
http://www.kchistory.org/u?/Landmarks,10
It was built on the site of what had been the Lowell School. As one newspaper article said in 1961 "An incredible mixture of wood, stone, sand, asphalt, water, plants and plain old dirt, it is going to be either the craziest or the greatest playground the Penn Valley people have ever seen - or maybe even both." KC Star Dec. 5, 1961. From the description of the design you could tell that it was not designed by a regular designer of playgrounds with its "curved walls of stone, logs jutting forth from the logs like a roof, logs 13 feet tall set upright to be like a "forest", spray pools and sand to emulate a beach, mounds of earth and stone. It won Rocha and Eldred an award for art in architecture from the KC chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1963. If you have photos we will post them...
It was taken out in 1966 for the highway.
posted by Ezekiel at
Friday, August 8, 2008
My Memoirs by Frances Moreno
Graham's Drugstore
I don't know how old I was when my mother and I would walk to Graham's Drugstore on 17th & Summit. When you went into the drugstore the first thing you would see would be the soda fountain booth. It had to be Mr. Graham's wife working behind the counter because we would buy an ice cream cone. He had his pharmacy in the back where customers would have their prescriptions filled.
Mr. Graham had another Drugstore down the street on West 17th. I remember going their once, for what, I don't remember. I often wondered why he had two almost on the same block.
Dr. Whim
What about Dr. Whim. He was a doctor of Osteopath who treated the whole westside. He dispensed his own medicine. They were little white pills for whatever ailed you. He would also give you an adjustment for whatever ailed you also. But you know, whatever he did he cured you. His office was down the street from Graham's Drugstore. He later moved to Linwood where he still gave his adjustments and dispensed his little white pills.
Zenaida
Zenaida is George Morales' mother. She had a store on West 24th Street. She sold masa for tamales and made corn tortillas. Every time I went in there I could hear Zenaida laughing. She had a very hearty laugh that could be heard down the block. During Christmas her store would be very crowded with a lot of mexican music going on. She was a lot of fun and would make my mother laugh.
Johnnie's Market
Johnnie's Market was on 24th Street. When I was a child I remember my mother sending me to the store with a list of things she wanted me to buy -- and she always put it on her bill. I would skip down the middle of the aisle towards the back where the meat department was. Johnny was the butcher, and he would ask me what I wanted and I would say, "my mother wants to know if you have any brains?" Of course, I didn't realize what I was saying until many years later.
posted by Ezekiel at
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Yes, There Will Be Frogs
June 28, 2008
A Westside Rain Garden Story
Yes, There Will Be Frogs
Westside Neighbor Patrick D. was hard at work on a perfect June day. The garden was dug, the rocks were laid, the plants were planted. He was standing there admiring thehandiwork of all the volunteers, enjoying a vision turned reality. He stood there contemplating all that was to come.
Patrick, sensing that someone was watching him turned to see a young lad watching, the boy’s gaze alternated between him and this muddy, rock laden wallow strewn with spindly green spikes.
He didn’t see what Patrick saw, a rain and butterfly garden teeming with critters –hoppers and crawlers and creepers and flyers, 2 legs, 100 legs, no legs, wings and shells. Patrick saw an outdoor learning center with kids learning to have the same kind of passion he had about all the astounding things of nature.
The young boy finally mustered the courage to ask the strange man, "What are you making?" It was the youth’s undoing he was trapped. Patrick lights up like a Christmas tree at the opportunity to teach and share and opening young minds. Patrick launched into an animated lecture about natural habitats, ecco-systems, conservation, responsibility of caring for the earth, its’ creatures, our role in the universe and more. Patrick stopped for air. The young man finally broke the silence by asking Patrick, "All I want to know is, are we going to have frogs?"
Patrick asked him if he liked frogs, the boy nodded. Patrick admitted that he too liked frogs. The two of them stood side by side staring into the rain garden seeing the garden as it was going to be, a rain garden haven filled with frogs.
To learn more about frogs andtoads native to Missouri go tothe State of Missouri/Dept. ofConservation’s web page.
http://www.mdc.mo.gov/nathis/herpetol/frog/id.htm
posted by Ezekiel at
Monday, January 21, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
It’s cold and cloudy again; we have about 50 laborers, men who are hoping against hope that there will be work today. For those renting houses or apartments rent is coming due, utilities are coming due, as it is for all of us. Unfortunately, most have not had any substantive amount of work since before Thanksgiving. Some have caught a few hours here and there. I know they’re looking forward to a warm spell and people get out and work on their yards. The men hope to pick up a little work then.
The donated cold and cough medicine has been a huge help. In such confined spaces with so many people we’ve been sharing coughs and colds since November. The DayQuil tablets have been big hit, as have the cough drops. It was a blessing that most of the men, the officers and I all received our flu shots thanks to the KCMO Health Dept. and the extraordinary sheep-herding talents of Maria Reyes/GCI. The Health Dept. is coming next
Remarkably their spirits are good and hopeful. We’ve had a lot of venison donated to the WCAN Center this winter season. Some of it has come directly from hunter’s whose own freezers are filled, some has come from processors when hunters don’t pick up or take all of the processed meat. The meat has truly been a blessing. One week we had about 5 deer donated. Venison is all protein with little cholesterol so it’s very good for you. We’ve kept some of the meat for communal meals and the rest we’ve let the men take the meat home or to their camps.
Our Police Officers, Chato Villalobos and Matt Tomasic have been pro-active in several of our schools, Cristo Rey, Our Lady of Guadalupe Elementary School, Foreign Language Middle and Alta Vista. We’re seeing a lot of middle-school aged boys succumb to the lure of the gang culture. They are making decisions that will affect them the rest of their lives. We wish more parents would check to see what their kids are doing on-line. Computers should be in a communal room with lots of traffic, not in their bedrooms or inner sanctums where you never darken their doorways. A number of boys have become discipline problems in school, at the library, at the Tony Aguirre Community Center and a nuisance in the neighborhood. We hope that you, our neighbors will let us know if you see neighborhood youth behaving inappropriately so that the Officers can meet with their parents or guardians to help these kids pick a better path.
In the former Casa Grande, former Café Seville and former California Taqueria there is to be a new venue, the Jared Allen Sports bar. (700 Southwest Boulevard, directly north of La Bodega.) This will add to the eclectic mix of the neighborhood.
For those in the Sacred Heart area who haven’t ventured north of Southwest Blvd. in a while, we have a new panaderia at the corner of Summit /21st Street/West Pennway. They have Mexican bread, menudo and burritos. Miguel’s Panaderia.
We’re going to have a meeting of our WAY Coalition on Wednesday, 1/23/08 at 3:30pm at the Ruiz Branch Library. We’re going to plot out our neighborhood activities for 2008. Agencies, businesses, residents interested in planning family and youth activities are welcome to join us. Or, if you have any ideas we’d love to hear them.
We’re going to being working on our Back To School Celebration since that is our biggest activity and requires the most fund-raising. Additional definite activities will be our Westside Old Fashioned Family Fall Festival, our Westside Family Campout and we help with the KCMO Mayor’s Christmas Party. We will be looking at doing an Easter Egg Hunt, perhaps a Westside Family Halloween party and who knows what else we’ll come up with.
We will also be expanding our Monarch Butterfly Way Station Garden in front of the Tony Aguirre Center. Last fall we saw quite few butterflies and Monarchs; we hope to attract even more this year.
You are welcome to volunteer or donate goods or donate cash to make our neighborhood, the Westside, the Bestside
Lynda M. Callon
Director
posted by Ezekiel at
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
A Westside CAN Center Christmas
A Westside CAN Center Christmas
It’s Christmas Day, perhaps a little quieter than your house right now but Christmas Eve day was a happy chaos.
Christmas at the WCAN Center really began on Sunday with Matt Tomasic along with several of the day laborer regulars rode out to the farm to pick out two hogs to butcher for our holiday feast of the Mexican favorite, carnitas. In the past we’ve purchased the hog from a well-known meat market but by buying the pig-on-the-hoof we were able to buy two pigs for practically the price of one.
We’re going to skip over some details here and begin with the cooking of the pork meat. Carnitas are made by cooking the meat in boiling fat in a cauldron or caso that sits atop of a hot steady fire. A long wooden paddle stirs the meat. This begins in the darkness of the early morning of Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is the special day in Mexico – so we were celebrating Noche Buena.
Knowing we were going to have a full house, we sent some of the guys to borrow tables and chairs from the community center. At ten o’clock the first of the volunteers arrived. Soon the men took to the out-of-doors to get out of the way as the squad of volunteers came pouring through the doors carrying packages and boxes, guitars and poinsettia, steaming pots of frijoles charros and pans of rice Mexican style.
In a flurry, table cloths are flapping onto the tables, Mrs. Melgoza, the Commandant of the kitchen arena issues orders and instructions, knives become blurry chopping and slicing tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro for the pico de gallo and pineapples for the agua fresca Salsa is poured into bowls and someone is appointed to warm up mountains of fresh tortillas. The music is plugged in, the beans and rice are set on the stove to stay hot.
One more trip to the store for more tomatoes, a trip to Abuela Melgoza’s house for more pots, another takes a trip for more paper plates. Aromas of home fill the air, invited guests begin to arrive. And, we wait for the cocinero de las carnitas to pronounce that the meat is ready.
Music from Uzziel Pecina and friends eases the wait, music of Christmas and music of Mexico and a little rock’n roll. Santa Claus suddenly appears to oversee a raffle where everyone is a winner of a gift brings a smile and memories of childhood Christmases.
With great fanfare, Fernando makes the official announcement; the aluminum lined storage tub filled to the brim with succulent morsels of pork meat is carried with great deference from the caso to the table. Mouths are watering; all eyes are focused on the tub.
The men are treated as cherished, invited guests; their awkwardness fades under the genuine warmth, caring and regard of the Christmas volunteers. The packed room becomes silent. We miss Mr. Tomas Melgoza, he usually says grace but he is under the weather. Two of the men say grace. The Christmas meal can begin.
Fernando disappears back to his cauldron to continue cooking the rest of the meat. These were two big pigs. Guests popped up to watch the process. The kids were fascinated with the pigs heads perched on the table.
Friends and supporters of the WCAN Center stopped by some stayed to eat, some to offer their Christmas wishes or bearing gifts/donations. Even the 2 dogs, Negro and Duchess and the cat Xena The Princess Warrior were remembered.
As many of the men wandered off to return to the shelters for a bed for the evening or their homes or their camps, the volunteers sprung into action to pack up and clean up to get to their homes to prepare for their own Christmases. As quickly as they came, they were gone.
The final clean up began, the borrowed tables and chairs are ready to be returned, the furniture arranged to their usual posts, the floor is swept. Tin foil lids sparkle over the leftovers. Christmas Day is going to be a feast as well.
It was dark and the moon was rising as I left Fernando and a small trusted crew of ayudantes, tending the fire and the caso – it was now time to cook the chicharones.
First thing this morning, Christmas Day, we placed Baby Jesus in our crèche outside, gently nestled in the straw between Mary and Joseph. Felipe who is deaf and unable to speak did the honor.
The men have dined and grazed all day and are watching movies. They’re taking turns using the phone wishing family members a “Feliz Navidad.” In turn their families are relieved that their loved one is not alone and not hungry and not cold.
And for tomorrow, they are hopeful that tomorrow will be a day with work.
Thank you again to the Melgoza Family and Friends for making a beautiful Christmas for the day laborers. Our sincerest thanks and appreciation to all who contributed.
posted by Ezekiel at
Monday, December 17, 2007
Mayor’s Christmas Tree Party
December 13th, 2007
Re: Mayor’s Christmas Tree Party
December 8, 2007, Tony Aguirre Community Center
Dear Mayor Funkhouser,
On behalf of the children and families of the Westside, as well as those from other parts of the City who participated in the 6th Annual Mayor’s Christmas Tree Party at the Tony Aguirre Community Center please accept our thankfulness and appreciation.
Our party was held on Saturday, December 8, 2007 from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Here on the Westside, the Tony Aguirre Center works in partnership with the Ruiz Branch Library and the Westside CAN Center. We welcomed approximately 350 guests. Park Commissioner Stackhaus got there bright and early to help set up. Unfortunately, she could not stay long. In spite of challenging weather conditions close to 300 children received a terrific toy through the Marine Corps’ “Toys For Tots” program. Santa’s lap was well worn by the end of the day. Volunteer Mitch Elliot did a superb job as the real Santa’s stand-in. Elf David Orosco a twelve-year-old aspiring neighborhood thespian aided Santa. Through donations we rented David a bone fide elf costume for his acting debut. A fine luncheon of hot dogs and cookies and juice just hit the spot on a cold icy day. A bag of candy and a candy cane sweetened the end of the party.
Families played games with Party Masters and did crafts under the watchful eye of our Irene Ruiz Branch librarian, Ms. Julie Robinson and little ones bounced to the sky in the inflatable.
Ms. Sharon Gottschalk, Director of the Aguirre Center is a welcoming, well-organized hostess. A group of home schoolers who utilize the Aguirre Center decorated ‘Santa’s Toy Room’ for the children. Volunteers from EMBARQ commanded their posts with Christmas joy. Volunteers Cynthia Jaramillo and Son were official Santa photographers.
Parks Director Mark McHenry and Parks Commissioner John Fierro stopped by for some holiday cheer, a juice pack and a hot dog.
As we were cleaning up afterwards, two young ladies stayed to help. Sharon and I asked what ideas did they have to make next years Christmas party better. Jennifer, (not her real name) who can be a little melodramatic, said with arms sweeping out to embrace the universe “It was perfect just the way it was! It’s our tradition.” Jennifer is right; it is our tradition.
Jennifer was six years old for the first Mayor’s Christmas Tree Party at the Tony Aguirre Center, she is now twelve. Her home life is chaotic and dysfunctional and the kids are pretty low on mom’s list of priorities. The Mayor’s Christmas Tree Party is Jennifer’s Christmas tradition – a little food – a toy – Santa Claus – some fun and being with people who care about you. Another great thing about having the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Party in our community center is that Jennifer can walk to the Center. Most people in our neighborhood can walk to the community center. Children don’t have to be dependent upon an unreliable adult to bring them to the festivities.
This is a very powerful event, Mr. Mayor, it’s a tradition.
We also hope that next year, you or someone from your staff will be able to join us, also part of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree party tradition.
We realize there were funding challenges for this year’s party. Sharon judiciously scheduled staff so that no over-time was required depending upon our volunteers to help man the event. Through donations we were able to fill in the Christmas Tree Fund’s funding gap in order for us to have the event we had planned. We are optimistic that with your stewardship and the generosity of Kansas Citians there will be funding for the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Parties for years to come as long as we have children in need like Jennifer.
However, if by chance there is a deficit in the Christmas Tree Fund, perhaps the shortfall for the parties can be redirected from the Youth Advocacy budget which has grown immensely over the last few years.
Once again, thank you for continuing the tradition of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree party. Please extend our appreciation to those of your staff and City Hall employees who also contributed to our Christmas Party Tradition.
Sincerely,
Lynda M. Callon
Director
View Our Gallery:
http://www.westsidecan.org/html/mayor_s_holiday_party_2007_0.html
posted by Ezekiel at
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