Leland J. Kennedy Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

they changed those desks after reapportionment. I don't think we had the roll type desks
all eight years I was there the first time. Well I've only had the one special session, the
Sixty-fifth session that I've mentioned previous - we didn't meet a lot until the last couple
of months. I suppose they did have roll-type desks though I guess when you get right down
to it. They might have been changed between the Sixty-fifth and the Sixty-sixth
assemblies. But you mentioned about the change after that 1954 election, or 1955 - they
reapportioned in 1955, didn't they, the first time?
Q: Well let's see - it was reapportioned in 1953, hut then it had to go to referendum in
1954 because there was a constitutional change involved. So 1955 was when it actually went
into effect.
A: Yes. That's when they - did they go to 177 then?
Q: Yes sir.
A: Is that right? Is that when they went to 177? 1 know they had 177 when I was back
in. I guess it was, yes, yes I guess it was. Madison County became a district by itself didn't
it there at that time?
Q: I don't know sir.
A: They lost Bond County, 1 think that's right. Yes, that's right, and just one time later
on after the - they had another reapportionment there late in the 1970's and my last term
in office - I left I guess at the end of the Seventy-third General Assembly, we had Canteen
Township in St. Clair County in our - but it only lasted one time I believe. They took
it out. After I left they had another change in boundaries where they made the - they
only had fifty-eight scnatc districts for a long time, didn't they, for about eight years?
Q: Yes sir.
A: And they had fifty-nine house districts.
Q: That's right, yes sir.
A: And they put the senate districts up to fifty-nine, and I believe my last term in office
when I had Canteen, I'm pretty sure my last - ten years ago this Novernber was the last
time I was on the ballot and had Canteen Township that year. That was the only year I
had it.
Q: Well now back in 1953 do you recall anything about Stratton's move to have reapportionment
done? Do you remember anything about the mechanics of how it was gotten through?
A: Stratton got elected in 1952. He heat that nixon, didn't he? He beat Dixon in
1952. Stevenson was on the ticket and withdrew to run for president and Eddie Barrett
wanted it, and he didn't get it, and they put Dixon on. Well, I guess Warren Wood would
have been the Speaker.
Q: Yes sir.
A: And the Republicans would have been in control of the assembly. I'm sure they controlled
the house in those days. They controlled the senate too I would think, and my memory
is vague on that. I wonder if the Ulue Uook would say something about that. Maybe we
could get some conversation out of that. Let me see here. (looks in Ulue Eook) You see
here's that Monroc .- Monroe went in the year I left and so did Smith. There's Simon. In
fact, those three men wcrc all new in the Sixty-ninth General Assemhly. And that's Curly
Harris of course. Maybe they . . .