EUGENE–Dedication of the Wayne Morse Commons at the University of Oregon’s new William W. Knight Law Center will feature the world premiere of "The Last Angry Man," a documentary chronicling the life and work of Oregon’s late senator and former UO law school dean.

The dedication ceremony is free and open to the public and takes place from 7—9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 16, at the new law center, 1515 Agate St. The Wayne Morse Commons is centrally located on the law center’s ground floor. The one-hour documentary will be shown in Room 175 at the law center, immediately following the ceremony. The documentary’s producers, independent filmmakers Christopher C. Houser and Robert W. Millis, will introduce the work and answer questions after the screening.

"We are delighted to dedicate the commons in honor of one of Oregon’s and the nation’s most dynamic political figures," says UO law school dean Rennard Strickland. "It is an area designed to promote and foster the open and honest exchange of principled ideas and fellowship, in the tradition of a man who put principles above politics. We’re excited to include the premiere of the documentary in our celebration."

The Wayne Morse Commons was funded by a donation from the late Elmer Conklin, a retired court reporter who met Morse in 1938 when he was arbitrating a labor grievance. The two developed a close friendship that lasted until Morse’s death in 1974.

"Conklin and Morse had a deep respect for each other’s intellect," says Margaret Hallock, director of the UO Labor Education and Research Center and co-chair of the faculty advisory committee that oversees the Morse Chair of Law and Politics. "Conklin was one of Morse’s closest friends. They agreed politically, which was important with Morse. They trusted each other’s skills and were loyal to each other."

Conklin donated more than $2 million to the law school, the bulk of it in support of the endowed chair established in 1978 in Morse’s memory. The most recent gift from Conklin’s estate, $1.8 million, funded the commons area, the Morse Chair office at the law school and an expansion of Morse Chair activities.

The written mission of the Morse Chair is to bring to campus appointees who "exemplify the traditions and qualities associated with Wayne Morse–statesmanship, integrity, foresight, independence and fearless championing of the public interest." Since 1980, the endowment has been used each year to bring a noted scholar, author or activist from the areas of law or politics to the university and community.

"The Conklin funds will make it possible for us to bring in distinguished educators and public servants from a wider range of subject areas and for longer periods of time," says Dean Strickland. "It also will fund peripheral activities such as new classes and publications based on the theme of each year’s chair presentations."

The 1999 Morse chairholder is noted sociologist and author, Frances Fox Piven, who will speak in February 2000 to the theme of "The Rich, the Poor, and American Politics."

Past Morse chairholders include civil rights advocate Richard Delgado (1998), former United Auto Workers president Douglas Fraser (1992), former U.S. senator and presidential candidate George McGovern (1990), and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Anthony Lewis (1983).

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