One of the important inserts in your Homecoming packet at Memorial Center Registration is the Campus Heritage…Self-Guided Tour Map.  Based on my experience at the ’63 reunion last year some of the most pleasurable and memorable moments were those just wandering around the physical plant and grounds.  Once I began my early tour at the Ames Library early Friday I was compelled to do a foot cruise in between and after every scheduled event in the week-end itinerary.  And was rewarded for the effort.

As a junior and senior at Normal Community High I felt the pull of a call to spend my college years out of town and had made visits to a few campuses in other parts of Illinois or in neighboring states.  None of those options were a comfortable fit in reality, so I reluctantly unpacked my bags.

The campus wanderings of Homecoming 2013 provided a strong reassurance of how  wonderful an investment 1959 to 1963 turned out to be. And that was reinforced by the continuing dedications of brand new facilities right up to  Homecoming week. I think you could say it was much more than we bargained for over the past half-century.  And obviously the University family feels the same as I notice this may be the first year that a designated 60th anniversary reunion will be presented.

While it is true that many of the old campus and town “haunts’ and legends of the ‘50’s and ‘60’s are unidentifiable or extinguished you will not be able to deny that  what has been raised in their places is  OFF THE CHARTS.

Congratulations ’64. Enjoy and return often.

Frank Wanto ‘63

OKC,OK