"STORIES FROM THE KANSAS STATE CAPITOL: THE NUDE TELEPHONE GIRLS"

A Moment in Time

In the southeast showcase on the first floor rotunda of the Kansas State Capitol, one can see a photograph of the original paintings that once surrounded the upper rotunda. The paintings were done by artist, Jerome Fedeli, who was hired by the Populist Party. The Republican and Democratic parties had been shamefully beaten in the election of 1896 by the "Pops,"as they were often called.

The Populists were considered less refined than either of the other two parties. They were often the subjects of jokes and referred to as "hay seeds." The Populist men were cartooned with rabbits peeping out of extremely long beards.

Knowing that the upper dome would be one of the most prominent places within the newly finished capitol, the Populists quickly set out to leave their mark.

Although he was a Republican, Jerome Fideli was contracted in March 1898 to do a painting for $1,562.72. It consisted of a series of half dressed Grecian maidens (a part of conventional Greek design) which encircled the area between the fifth floor and the railed level of the dome. Fideli engaged his son, Edward, and five workers to paint the 16 figures holding a garland of flowers and vases with ornamental flowers between each figure. The job was completed in three months. Fideli reportedly cleared $500.

While they were short lived, the maidens became the subject of many jokes until the Republicans regained the majority lead and governorship in 1902. Lilla Day Monroe of Ellis County but at the time living in Topeka, is credited with leading the fight to replace the "nude telephone girls," as Fedeli's paintings had come to be known. Monroe had been "long active in the fight for suffrage and many activities of special concern to women and children." It took her no time at all to get the appropriation of $7,600. The Chicago firm of Crossman and Sturdy was contracted to cover over the bare breasted girls with the allegorical paintings we see, today.

"But fate was kind, for the artist (Fideli) died a few months before his panel of singularly harmless and conventional Grecian maidens fell before the scrapers touch."

While the nudity issue was used to debase Fideli's maidens and sell the allegorical works of Crossman and Sturdy, there is irony in the fact that the same Chicago firm was later hired by the Republicans, to do the relief sculptures "cartouches of the state seal" separating bare breasted/bare chested youths located in the "tympanums" just below the paintings.

To learn more stories about the Kansas State Capitol, join a free guided tour at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Monday - Friday. The Capitol is located at 300 W. Tenth Topeka KS 66612; 785-296-3966; www.kshs.org. To reach the Capitol in downtown Topeka take exit 362B I-70 and follow the signs. During the legislative session, January through May, parking is limited.

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© Kansas Historical Society 2001