University of Tennessee Knoxville - Volunteer Yearbook (Knoxville, TN)

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Houses closer io the World's Pair »ttc condition than those closer to cant pm forced to hse in these houses token i indo» s and a nindo n appearance arc-typical«»« inati d fd»' sandewarea that me retired to uudenis, Sfvtfamonuw IU dltpru i ‘I-.- I .1 i I', hopes mmr Hiv mono lot ll e

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AO»’ Patie«C( The weekend brought a special kind of energy for those who frequented the Strip. Crowded bars, res- taurants and dance floors were the result when students released a week’s worth of tension and ner- vous energy. The World’s Fair had a special im- pact on the UT community. Students us- ed precious energy on tried patience, anxiety and even, anticipation. The Fair brought with it even more parking, housing and traffic prob- lems. It also brought added culture, increased employ- ment and improved roads. Even Malfunction Junction was a thing of the past after $225 million was used to improve the interstate system for visitors to the Fair. The administration did not sit idly by when the Fair moved in. Great amounts of thought, consideration and even action was taken to combat the parking and housing problems. Although they took the op- portunity to make extra dollars by renting Neyland Stadium, various parking lots and many of the residence halls, they also donated this money to scholarships and dormitory improvements. The stadium attracted such performers as Bob Hope, Gene Cotten, Johnny Cash, and for football lovers, there was an exhibition game bet- ween the Pittsburgh Steclers and the New England Patriots. Student energy did not stay on campus when the Fair began. With in- creased employment opportunities, students took advantage of jobs of- fered in many of the exhibits, pavilions and restaurants. Several corpora- tions such as Gcrneral Electric, Ford, Coca-Cola and Stokely-Van Camp had exhibits and displays which were run by students. The US Pavilion also hired many students to help fill the over 5,000 jobs the Fair created. However students chose to spend their energy, they spent plenty of it. The Fair brought more ways to spend it — whether it was through jobs, exciement, tried patience or exasperation. Students ate provided a unique opportunity to burn up their excess energy by playing basketball, as hast Tennessee cx- pericnecd unusually warm February weather. 15 Opening

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tarty Maloney A Helping Hand That Hurt While many students eagerly awaited 'he opening of the World’s Fair, many Fort Sanders residents looked at it with resent- ment and helplessness. Beginning in January, several homeowners who leased to students evicted them so that they could make reparations and im- provements for World’s Fair visitors. Nine homeowners were stricken from the University Off-Campus Housing Department list in February because they evicted students and planned to raise rents substantially during the Fair. The Chamber of Commerce of Knox- ville also refused to include the homeowners in their list of available housing for Fair visitors. Foreseeing this problem, the Student Government Association formed the Fort Sanders Tenants’ Association (FOSTA) during fall quarter. Gary Harmon. SGA vice- president, chaired the committee which was composed of Fort Sanders residents who were concerned with the affects of the Fair on the area. FOSTA conducted a telephone survey of landlord’s in the Fort Sanders area asking questions about the leases and plans for the Fair. Many said they would not evict students nor would they raise the rent. The most popular leasing contract used by landlords who wanted to rent to Fair visitors was a month-by-month lease. Several gave students the options of a nine month or a mon- thly lease. SGA members who conducted the survey l.cfl: Thiv older house on Clinch Avenue need' some repair', but is in good condition compared 10 many of the home' in (he Fort Sander' area. The derailed archileciure i something noi seen very often on modern houses. did not divulge the names of the homeowners questioned. Only the results were published. When asked about the price for his apart- ments, one homeowner reportedly said, “I’m gonna run it up for the bucks.” The condition of many homes was under close scrutiny this year after several homes caught on fire and one caused the death of a freshman. Forty homes were condemned this year by the city’s code enforcement officers. The Fort Sanders area was listed on the Na- tional Register of Historic Places last June. Listings made in the Register were used for protection of historic sites. It also helped homeowners receive federal money to improve and restore many of the old homes. The Fort Sanders area has a fong history. It was named after Union General William P. Sanders who was shot in a battle during the War Between the States. The battle assured Union domination in East Tennessee. Students began living in the area during the ’50s and ’60s as the need for more student housing arose. Thus, the number of renters in- creased and owner-occupancy declined. This decline eventually led to neglect of the homes and poorer conditions. Many improvements were made on the homes in preparation for the World’s Fair. Some student residents were not affected by evictions or rent raising. However, many students were left with outrageously priced rents, unstable leases and in many cases — no home at all. Above: Taking it easy after morning daw, desuge DeForest a junior in journalism, watches a soap opera ansi rclesc' in hiv l ort Sanders apartment. Deforest was lucky not to receive any reprucus- vionv from the World » Fair. Below: Making an apartment co y and homelike was not always easy on a student' budget, but Julie Henry, a junior in journalism, and her cat. Jar , found ways to cut corners and decorate her home. eft: Many home' in live Fort Sander' area gained much needed mt- rovemente and renovation' due to evtra revenue brought by the Fair nd were leaved to visitors during the siv.month period. Opening 1 .'try Maloney tarry Maloney