Mrs. Howard B. Woods and Frank Kostron have announced the formation of a committee, Friends of Harris-Stowe, which will seek passage of a bill to make Harris-Stowe College an independent state college. The committee, which is co-chaired by Mrs. Woods and Mrs. Kostron, will organize community support for the bill which is now before the Missouri Legislature.
“We invite each and every person who feels as we do about the importance of Harris-Stowe College to join the Friends of Harris-Stowe College,” they stated.
Mr. Kostron, who served as state representative from District 99 in the Missouri Legislature for 26 years, explained his reasons for accepting the co-chairmanship: “I had never realized until about a year and a half ago what a tremendous bargain Harris-Stowe has been. At that time I served as chairman of a Special House Committee that did a study of the college and made recommendations concerning it. The state already pays two thirds of the bill. It has only to pick up the Board of Education’s $2,000,000 direct subsidy and the support services to guarantee the future of this importance community resource. Another way to look at the value of the college is as a city “business.” If it were lost, the city would have to replace it with $2,000,000 business to keep the city from sliding backwards economically. And speaking as a St. Louisan it seems reasonable that if the state can afford large colleges and universities in Joplin, St. Joseph, Springfield, Cape Girardeau, Kirksville, Macon, etc. why not one for the City of St. Louis.”
Mr. Kostron mentioned the high placement rate of Harris graduates as evidence of the quality of the institution. In 1976, he said over 81 per cent of the Harris-Stowe graduates were placed in teaching positions throughout the State of Missouri. “This achievement of professional positions has demonstrated the upward mobility of these students, who. without Harris-Stowe, might never have climbed the socio-economic ladder,” Mrs. Woods commented.
Mrs. Woods, who is publisher of the St. Louis Metro Sentinel, commented. “Harris-Stowe has been for many years of vital importance to the St. Louis Community. It is the only four year public college in our city which provides an opportunity for low income persons, city and county, to obtain a college education. Harris-Stowe is a well integrated institution and the students are prepared to meet multi-racial situations thru an extensive apprentice program. At a time when the city is striving to raise the economic levels of the residents and improve the neighborhoods it is important to maintain Harris-Stowe. Graduates from years past from an important part of the community leadership. Harris-Stowe must be preserved. We want to publicly thank Governor Teasdale for including HarrisStowe in his legislative program.”
Originally published in The Paper, February 1978.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: The source first names Frank Kostron but later says Mrs. Kostron co-chairs; both versions are retained. Printed “importance community resource” and “years past from” are retained.
Original source: SD_Times1978_02.pdf, printed page(s) 6; PDF page(s) 7.
