On Tuesday, Sept. 26, 1939, the University of California filed a property condemnation suit against several property owners on Telegraph Avenue. This was a legal step in the process of purchasing the land on which a new Administration Building — today’s Sproul Hall — would be constructed.

The Berkeley Daily Gazette reported that “the suit filed by John W. Calkins, Jr., states that the present University of California grounds are ‘inadequate for the proper and necessary requirements’ of the University, and ‘that public interest and necessity require’ the acquisition of the Telegraph Avenue land on the east side of Telegraph between Sather Gate and Bancroft Way.”

The land in question fronted on Telegraph Avenue itself. The university already owned the east side of that narrow block, fronting on Barrow Lane, and used the property there for a variety of purposes including storehouses, the UC Press, and the Architects and Engineers building that still stands east of Sather Gate and is the only survivor of this original block.

All this was 75 years ago, and almost exactly twenty-five later the Free Speech Movement would erupt in front of the Administration Building on a plaza constructed over what had been the northernmost block of Telegraph Avenue.

New exhibit

Remember to come this Sunday, Sept. 28, to the opening of the new Berkeley Historical Society exhibit the “Free Speech Movement at 50.” The keynote speaker is Bettina Aptheker, FSM leader and current UC Santa Cruz faculty member. Free, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., at the Berkeley History Center, 1931 Center St.

New column

Seventy-five years ago, Sept. 25, 1939, a new column appeared in the Berkeley Gazette. Marked at the top with a string of four question marks, it was bylined by Gazette staffer Hal Johnson. Johnson wrote he was called into the office of the boss — “The Paycheck” he called him — and given the assignment of doing a column.

What kind of column, he asked? “Something that will be read,” was the answer. “‘Red’, say we, ‘in the conservative Gazette,’ but evidently the remark appeared more punny that funny to him and we get kind of red.”

Johnson spent the rest of his inaugural column musing about what he could write about, and asking for reader contributions, including ideas for a column name. He said he would not try to emulate Westbrook Pegler, the national conservative columnist well known for his heated attacks on individuals and institutions.

Johnson said he wouldn’t treat people sarcastically, “for the boundaries of Berkeley are such that we would have to meet these people face to face and we are too peace-loving to fight and too fat to run.”

I was delighted to come across this first Hal Johnson column. Part of what we know today about Berkeley history can be traced back to Johnson’s hundreds of columns, since he often interviewed “old-timers” and recounted their family stories and reminiscences.

War news

“The view of expert neutral observers in London after nearly four weeks of war, is that Adolph Hitler can not win a long war and Great Britain and France can not win a short one”, said a United Press story published in the Gazette Sept. 26. “The French and British with the Maginot Line at their backs feel confident that this wall will take care of any offensive which may be launched by the Germans.” The first prediction would prove true; the second, devastatingly wrong.

Germany’s foreign minister headed for Moscow and “the Red Fleet went on a war basis in northern waters” in late September 1939 while Russian troops moved toward the Polish frontier.