On Thursday night, the May 4 Visitors Center created collages about peace for an exhibition called “Flowers are Better than Bullets: An Art Making Experience” for Alison Krause, one of the four students who died in the May 4, 1970, shooting. 

The May 4 Visitors Center is putting on individual workshops for Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder, the four students who died on May 4. The workshops involve creative activities based on their passions.

“We are trying to do an event inspired by each of them, so for Jeff Miller, we did a program with Chris Butler, who was one of his friends, and we had a discussion about music because Jeff was a big music fan,” said Alison Caplan, director of the May 4 Visitors Center. “So, for Alison, she was really interested in art and pursuing studio art or art therapy, so we did an art activity.”

Sixteen people attended the workshop. In the back of the room, there was an exhibit with artifacts about Krause, which explained her history and beliefs.

“In the fall, we get a lot of Flashes 101 students who are freshmen. We’ve done these previously, but during the pandemic, we’ve had a few donations to Kent State special collections of objects or things related to the students,” Caplan said. “So, we thought for new students for freshmen they would be able to make a personal connection with these students.” 

Kathleen Walker, an associate professor of Human Development and Family Science who has a doctorate in Family Life Education and Consultation and a master’s in art therapy, led participants in the making of collages. 

On six tables, there were photographs and images cut out from magazines that attendees could pick up and craft a collage based on what made them think of peace.

From 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., students and staff members sat at tables and created collages based on their definition of peace.

Idris Syed, a professor from the Department of Africana Studies, attended the workshop and created collages.

“I have been active with May 4 since I was a student here, and I think it is really important to remember the legacy of May 4 and its aftermath and think about it, especially when you think about what happened last night in Maine,” Syed said, referencing a mass shooting at a bowling alley and bar Wednesday night. “We live in a society today where we don’t often pay attention to the relevance of events like this, and I honestly think it is important to remember, to honor, and to respect, and for us to learn from that generation is really important.”

The May 4 Visitors Center is holding a Wick Poetry workshop for William Schroder on Nov. 3 in room 147 Taylor Hall. 

Annalexis Davis is campus editor. Contact her at [email protected].