This “Letter to the Editor” was submitted on July 14th, 2025.
It references Copy Editor Sage Gilliland’s story on Prospect’s formerly named “Kulieke Theater.” It exposes the first principal of Prospect (Alvin Kulieke’s) ties to the Urantia movement and the Urantia Book – the Urantia Book specifically references eugenics, or the belief that certain races are superior to others.
Dear Editor:I just read the article in the Daily Herald regarding Sage Gilliland’s research on Alvin Kulieke’s eugenics and racist beliefs. That led me to look up the whole article in The Prospector. It is a terrific piece of research and writing. I was a student at Prospect High in 1959-63 and I now understand an incident in which I was involved when I was a freshman. I was on the freshman class council and at some point it became my job to choose and book a band for a school dance. I believe I had a list of band names from which I chose. Shortly before the dance I was called into the principal’s office and told I had to cancel the band. The reason given was that it was a black band (I had no idea it was a black band) and the school would not allow them to perform. I remember arguing about the request and then I refused to do it. The administration went ahead and cancelled the band and I resigned from the class council. I have regretted for all these years that I did not cause a ruckus about what had happened at the time. I am grateful to Sage Gilliland for helping me to understand what was going on during that time. My brother, who still lives in the area, sent me the article. I moved to California many years ago. Jill Haas Rodewald, class of 1963 |
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