Pittsburg State University - Kanza Yearbook (Pittsburg, KS)

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makes it really convenient to fish often. Some people are afraid of snakes, but the ones out there are harmless. We have to keep our property posted to keep people out, otherwise we would have strangers walking alt over. This land was once used for mining . . . not the safest pi ace to tress pass ' The pits have some competition, though. Shawn Strasser, Pittsburg junior, has an alternative to traditional pit entertainment. My dad owns 120 acres of land by Girard that has an old rock quarry on it. This quarry is better than the mining pits because it isn't as muddy so you can see the bottom. The walls around it are seven to eight feet high, so jumping off of them into the 25 to 30 feet deep water makes it better than a pool, Strasser has friends over almost every day in the summer. Among them are Scott Vena and Doug Latty, both juniors at PSU. They enjoy swimming, rafting and playing horseshoes and football at the quarry, as well as being on the invitation list for all the parties held there. It is suprising to find out how many people don't know the history of the pits. These people go tho the pits to swim, fish, ride three wheelers, picnic, to get a tan, or to shoot fireworks — and have never known what purpose the pits had at one time. Kathy McCarthy, Overland Park junior, admits that she has no idea what they used to be. I go swimming in the pits every spring before I go back to Overland Park to work, I've never really thought about where the pits came from or what they once were used for. I thought maybe someone just dug pits to swim in since there weren't any lakes near here. Sometimes I get scared I might meet face-to-face with a snake, but so far I haven't seen any. I've also heard rumors that a couple of guys died in the same pit I swim in — that's erie. I hope it's only a rumor! McCarthy sald.DLesa Cess and Stacey SanderJin For many years the monstrous coal shovel Big Brutus stood proudly unused as a reminder pf the long ago mining days of Pittsburg, Now painted and renovated, the shovel is one of the state's newest toursist stop for those traveling through Kansas. — Buzz Palmer The Kansas Legislature passed a law in 1969 requiring mining companies to level the stripped land and plant trees and grasses. The effects of this action have been successful. The once ugly pits are now almost beautiful with its wild flowers and green foliage. — Dale Bratton Mining Pits 73

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Residents of Pittsburg respect and appreciate the abandoned mines for two reasons. Not only do they represent the town's origin, but today they provide an option for entertainment, Kent Misse, Pitt- sburg High School junior, enjoys the sunshine and the swing rope located at a pit east of Pittsburg. — Less Coss The pits are stocked with croppie, catfish and bass, a delight for avid fishermen. Shane Krutl, Osawatomie junior, takes advantage of the quiet seclusion of a water-filled pit to pursue his sport. — Dale Bratton Continued from page 10 Area residents have found many ways of utilizing the remaining pits. Steve Kissane, Colgan High student, like many others likes to spend hot summer afternoons swimming in the pits. 'Tve lived here for 15 years and spent two or three days each week out of the summer at the pits. My friends and I usually go to the pits out Quincy Street, There's a swing rope there that we jump off of. It's really fun, cheap entertainment. Some people think it's dangerous, but we're real careful. If there was a bunch of people out here drinking it would dangerous. The three wheelers that kids ride out here are more dangerous than swinging off the bank. Tami Roskoski, Overland Park junior, spends her Labor Day weekend at the pits. Every year since I've been going to PSU, I've lounged on a raft all Labor Day at the pits. It's about the only time I can make it out there because I spend my summers working at home. Usually Labor Day is the last time my friends and I can go enjoy the sun for the year. We take picnic lunches, rafts, suntan lotion, something to drink and have our own little party. At this time of year, most of the locals have burned out on the pits, and we have it all to ourselves, Roskoski said. Fishing is another form of entertainment found at the pits. Rob Kaelin, Topeka junior, is an expert fisherman of the old mine land. I especially like to fish in the pits. It is secluded, quiet, and packed with bass. They are also full of croppie and catfish, but I'm after the bass. It makes the time go faster when a bunch of us all get together with a loaded cooler of beer and fish for hours. Yeah, I can't decide which I like better — fishing at the pits or drinking at the pits — so I do them both! Rob Wood, Pittsburg junior, also likes to fish in the pits. According to Wood, The pits have a lot of bass, perch and croppie. We own land with pits which 72 Mining Pits

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 f------------------------ A Homecoming queen is of interest not only to students, but to the Pittsburg area as a whole. Queen Beth Jones, Cherokee junior and representative of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, talks to the media shortly after being crowned. — Kent A. Thompson Homecoming is tradi- tionally a time for students and alumni to get together and enjoy them- selves at competitions, para- des and football games. However, not all students enjoy, or even participate in, Homecoming activities. Pat Cavanaugh, Atchison senior, said he believes that Homecoming is too tradition- al. It has become just another burnt-out tradition, he said. I went to all the Homecom- ing activities my first three years here. But I didn't go to anything this year. It's just gotten boring. There is nothing unique from year to year. Cavanaugh said that although the Gorilla Games were a new event, he felt they were aimed more toward large groups than the individual student, and did not interest him. I know that the Homecom- ing planners cannot cater to everyone's individual taste, but the events are so slanted towards the large groups that individuals and smaller groups are left out, Cavanaugh said. In high school, you could get excited about Homecom- ing even if you weren't involved in groups. Everyone had basically the same inter- ests. But there are so many different kinds of people on a college campus, that Home- coming needs to have some less traditional activities to be appealing to a more diverse crowd. Cavanaugh did not have any suggestions on how Home- coming could be improved. Even students who are involved in large clubs are not always happy with Homecom- ing plans. Leo Brown, Pitts- burg junior and a member of the Newman Club, partici- pated in the Gorilla Carnes. I thought the Games were fun, but they took too long. Everyone got individual prac- tice shots before the Games even started, and we were there for over an hour. I think they should have held some of the events at the same time, he said. I hope they have the games again, though. They were new and fun. If they learned from the problems we had this year, next year should be great. Brown did enjoy the other Homecoming festivities, though, especially the parade. I was Hades, the god of the underworld, for the Newman Club float. It was the first time I had ever been in a parade. Aaron Johnson, Coffeyville senior, had a different complaint about Homecom- ing. I went to the game, he said, but I didn't go to anything else, because I didn't know when anything was. They either did not advertise very well, or I just wasn't paying attention. I knew Homecoming was here, but I didn't know the days or times of the specific activities, Johnson said. Some students enjoyed Homecoming, though. Kayla Acebo, Pittsburg junior, said she went to the game and thoroughly enjoyed it. I did not go to the parade though, she said. It was just too early in the morning for me! D5facey Sanderlin 74 Homecoming