The Kansas City Star from Kansas City, Missouri • 134

By helping others assault victims step toward easing pain By Laurie Scott wwiwnnr visit a women's shelter or a support group" Both women have begun dealing with their abuse and are now volunteers at MOCSA The pain still lingers "Every time someone calls about child sexual abuse I have to give the call to another volunteer because my first instinct is to find the person and kill them" Dawn said Pat said talking about the problem has helped her deal with her past "Every time I have shared my experience with other people it helps me" she said "I took the energy from my battering experience and put it to a positive use" a child she is only now beginning to deal with the hurt and pain "He was a so-called friend of the family and he attacked me while some other men watched" said Dawn also a pseudonym "I knew if I told my parents would be upset I would be in disgrace and something would happen to the man who attacked me" Pat and Dawn typify the plight of many minority women who find themselves battered or sexually assaulted Evelyn Bradley volunteer coordinator for MOCSA said the reason behind the conference is to alert minority women that help is available Pat said that when she was a victim she went through the pain alone "I didnt conference sponsored by the lletropolir tan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA) The session was held last week at Penn Valley Community College Pat said that before she became a victim she had a superior attitude about women who found themselves with an abusive husband "Before I said 'Why do they stay? Even if you dont have a Job anything! better than getting hit on the bead' "she said "Until you get into that situation you dont realize how simplistic those statements are" Dawn another speaker on the panel came from a different situation but one with similar pain Sexually assaulted as Pat believed the had met the man of her dreams-until be started beating her "I tboughtlmarried Heathcliff Hnxta-ble (Bill Cosby character on "The Cosby and wrke up with Archie Bunker" she said Pat not her real name can Joke now about the three years she spent with her abusive husband But as she was living through it the situation was ho laughing matter Pat told of her experience during "Common Ground: Issues of Violence and Survival for Women of Color" a Kansas City's Crystal Palace brought national attention By Gloria Maxwell When the name Crystal Palace is mentioned many people think of the one in London that created quite a stir when built in 1851 Yet Kansas City had a Crystal Palace too Expositions and fairs always have 80000 square feet of glass A fire broke out in the early hours of Aug 5 1901 just a week before it was scheduled to be razed by dynamite Flames roared through the shattered glass roof The fire department responded promptly but because of low water pressure was unable to effectively combat the fire's fury at first By the time the fire was extinguished only a pile of burnt timbers remained to remind Kansas City of her once magnificent Crystal Palace (Kansas City history articles are provided courtesy of the Jackson Gouty Historical Society If yoa are interested in ssbmitting an article contact the society off ice at 363-1827) Kfiiitas hlfttoty been very popular in Kansas City even in the dark days of the Civil War In 1871 the community united a multitude of varying $30000 and the building expense was $265000 The first day's gate attendance was reported at 20000 The next day President Grover Cleveland attended and 50000 Joined him Other noted visitors were Cornelius Vanderbilt and Chauncey Depew The bighwater mark for the fair was 1887 Local real estate values fell accompanied by a nationwide depression in the 1890s The last fair was held in 1892 at a loss of $12000 For years the fair had according to its historian "performed a definite social function for the community" By 1893 those needs had changed The Crystal Palace stood vacant a hollow shell of unused beauty which eventually gave way to desolate ruin and silent haunting dignity In time hailstones and rocks shattered most of its on his own Ground was broken on May' 12 1887 The entire project was finished five months later on Oct 5 and it opened the next day Double shifts of bricklayers carpenters and glaziers were employed They worked around the clock with grounds illuminated by gas and electric lights at night It was considered the finest buiding of its kind in the United States Standing between 13th and 14th streets and between Agnes and Kansas avenues it bordered the oak walnut and papaw groves that covered the outlying hills that marked the city's eastern limits It had 17 acres of floor space with 80000 square feet of glass forming its roof In addition it contained 175 million bricks 2 million feet of lumber and 10000 perches of stone Equipment cost business interests to promote an industrial exposition As the popularity of this exposition increased James Goodwin proposed building a Crystal Palace as a private enterprise Goodwin asked the public for subscrip- tions and eventually obtained 8200000 in that manner after contributing $50000 Project before the footlights seeks to break racial barriers By Laurie Scott tiff writer an of many productions with Shawnee Mission Theater in the Park Pembroke Hill and the Camellot Academy Some of his credits include "Cinderella" "Oliver!" "The King and and "Guys and Dolls" The cast makes directing easy because the students are enthusiastic he said duction come from the Shawnee Mission Kansas City and Center school districts He also is looking for senior citizens groups and underprivileged children's groups to invite to the July 2 matinee "I applied for the grant because I felt it was a once-in-a-lif etime opportunity to produce my own show" Kent said The Prairie Village resident is a veter 'July 3 in the Curry Theater at the Wornall campus of Pembroke Hill School 400 51st St Admission is free The project is funded by a Levitt-Sebree grant which was established at the school to promote projects that encourage understanding and cooperation among ethnic and socio-economic groups This is the first year the grant has been awarded Kent said he tried to ensure that the project extended over racial ethnic and social barriers He handpicked the cast and crew for the production "They are all from pretty diverse backgrounds" be said Kent said the students in the pro mjm ent Fortner's theater career had i a dubious beginning: As a third- if lk grader he had with a role in a play called "Going to Pot" Since then his career has done just the opposite Now the 17-year-old Pembroke Hill student is about to make his directorial debut Kent will direct and produce "Babes in Arms" the Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney classic about youngsters in summer stock theater The play will be performed at 2 pm July 2 and 8 pm Free program will provide a look at the Missouri Rep A special program designed to give audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the Missouri Repertory Theatre will be presented at 5:30 pm Sunday in the lobby of the Helen Spencer Theatre in the Center for the Performing Arts Dennis Rosa director ot "Dracula" scheduled to be performed this summer at The Rep will talk about the play The program is free STANDBY SUMP PUMP I works during power failure or MEDICARE PAYS FOR CHEMSTRIPS AND electric sump pump faaure HOME-GUARD oparakN by wing hniMifJil T- IPWl WlL III1 jn' source Of P0W8T 1 HOME-OUAM) is oomptoMy automatic I' and on Quart 24 noun a diy BLOOD GLUCOSE MONITORING UHOItt5-OUAROaooiinMtovourtxiatKW with proper diagnosis primary sump pump -MuMfstion shows a typical instaVation with your Misting awdric sump pump Ado can CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION raytown 358-3644 lee's summit 524-5535 kansas city ks 371-3253 MM Tho Proinbers Friond riHptunr'iRii I NOUNS: M-FB-S SAT INDEPENDENCE 461-7676 l315Wornal MOM114 361-6100 rf i1 1 Kansas atjLJacksoa County Star JuoeU' t9iT.