Students hope university removes statues

UO graduate student Marc Carpenter labels some of the controversial history of the pioneer statues.

-- im jillian smukler.

Two pioneer statues that have been a point of racial controversy on the university of oregon's campus -- for decades -- were torn down last night.

By who?

Well -- thats the question everyone wants answered.

Now -- the pioneer father and the pioneer mother are nowhere in sight.

Kezi 9 news reporter julian mininsohn spoke with a historian about the meaning behind these historic figures -- in tonights top story.

(marc) "the pioneer, which i know quite a lot about, is espeically striking because of how prominent that history of violence is meant to be in that depcition."

That's something oregon graduate student marc carpenter has found in his extensive research about the pioneer and pioneer mother statues.

(marc) "i found that this satue was inspired by and patterned after an indian killer in the day named "big frank" to whom if i may quote the sculture, 'killing an occassional indian was all in a days work.'" carpenter has spoken with those apart of the native american student union who feel uncomfortable with the statues.

Carpenter says there was even a protest last year on the 100-year anniversary of the statue's unveiling.

(julian) the pioneer statues have been moved as you can see there's yelow caution tape around the steps of johnson hall where the staue was laid to rest on saturday night.

In a statement from the university they are putting bpth statues in storage until they decide what to do with them.

Students i talked to aren't necessarily sad to see them go."

(tim slavick) "i don't really know anyone that's been a fan of statue.

This stuff has been happening where people want somethig to change like changing deady.

And schill basically says no doesn't give a good reason.

At a certain point people get fed up."

Others say it should be a communtiy decision whether to keep the statues up or not.

(tim hayden) "when you tear them down it's like okay when history changes two years from now what are we going to tear down now."

The university has no updates as to who was responsible for taking down the statues and when they will decide whether to keep them or not.

Reproting in