Research files: MLK Day Teach-in history

Posted on February 7, 2019 by Meg Miner

This post provides a timeline for the student and faculty activism that led to the designation of an annual Teach-In day in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

[N.B., Many governance records, like Faculty and Student Senate Meeting minutes, are accessible online. If using the site from off campus, an IWU login is needed. I have summarized my findings for those who lack the necessary credentials.]

First mention of the issue being raised is in January 17, 2000 (pdf p. 3) by Faculty Meeting by Jared Brown. The minutes note that “a large number of faculty supported closing the university on this date. Other faculty spoke against closing fearing a lack of student participation in the many events the university plans to celebrate this day. “

Corresponding Student Senate minutes for March 5, 2000 (pdf p. 5) ask for a Senator’s participation on CC to draft a proposal.

There is a call-to-action in a January 20, 2006 Argus (p. 4) Editorial that provides some comparisons to the 2000 proposal but emphasizes that classes should be canceled on this national holiday as is the practice elsewhere.

A Faculty Meeting packet dated February 13, 2006 (pdf p. 17) contains a CC proposal from 2000 that suggests several ways in which the holiday might be celebrated:
“Curriculum Council recommends that IWU expand its current celebration by creating a three-day symposium that would celebrate King’s life and values in a variety of ways.”

Discussion on Martin Luther King day continues at the March 6, 2006 (pdf p. 8) Faculty Meeting.

Political Science honor society Pi Sigma Alpha sponsors a teach-in, reported in the January 19, 2007 Argus (p. 1) and some faculty bring their classes.

The issue is brought up in Senate again February 25, 2007 (pp. 10-12) and in the March 11, 2007 (p. 6) minutes, the Senate President announces the group reached a consensus on their desires for the day that will go to the President’s Office but the statement is not explicitly defined. At the October 7, 2007 (pp. 8-9) meeting, Senators state they want to revisit the issue.

The Action Research Center and Pi Sigma Alpha sponsor the next Teach-in. The January 18, 2008 Argus Editorial (p. 4) again calls for a day off.

The Teach-in became a regular, cross-campus offering in 2010. (See Argus article on January 22, 2010.) The class schedule for the day remained unchanged but the Argus notes that “Students came in waves from their classes….”

Named places: Hansen Student Center

Posted on January 20, 2019 by Meg Miner

The Hansen family is shown in the center at the ribbon cutting at the dedication on January 12, 2002

Hansen Student Center is named in honor of lead donor Tom Hansen, Class of 1982. His gift made it possible to remodel the Memorial Gymnasium, the first athletic facility on IWU’s campus, which was built in 1922. The building was dedicated to IWU students who died in World War One and their names can still be seen at the entry to the main court, across from the Information Desk. The basement, now Tommy’s, once contained IWU’s first swimming pool. A dedication ceremony for Hansen took place on January 12, 2002.

The campus announced Hansen’s gift in an October 28, 1999 press release and the IWU Magazine ran a post-renovation feature story titled A Place to Call Their Own in the Summer 2002 issue.

Photo selections from the Memorial Gym’s early days are available online; more of these and of Hansen are held in the University’s archives online.

Examining a scale model of the Memorial Gym/Hansen renovation

Named places: Wilson Atrium

Posted on January 7, 2019 by Meg Miner

President and Mrs. Wilson, November 16, 2010

The Wilson Atrium in the Center for Natural Science Learning and Research (CNS) is named in honor of IWU’s 18^th President Richard F. Wilson (2004-2015 and interim in summer 2019) and his wife, Patricia L. Wilson. Wilson gave special attention to developing a strategic plan for Illinois Wesleyan, strengthening the University’s financial position, and conducting the largest fund-raising campaign in the school’s history. Along with financing The Wilson Atrium seal, plaques and lettering, members of the Board of Trustees furnished the atrium with new chairs and couches to make the space more comfortable and functional in honor of Richard and Patricia Wilson.

Unveiling the seal at the Wilson Atrium dedication, May 7, 2018.

Illinois political history in Special Collections

Posted on December 28, 2018 by njett

John Wenum, 1974 Wesleyana

In addition to legislative Illinois alumni, IWU has another connection to Illinois’ political history through the work of Political Science Professor John Wenum who compiled a collection about the fourth (and currently in effect) iteration of Illinois’ Constitution.

John Wenum was a delegate to the 1970 Illinois Constitutional Convention (Con-Con). The work at this Con-Con resulted in a first-ever state Constitution that explicitly guaranteed citizens the right to a healthy environment. Wenum joined IWU’s faculty in 1971 and received the Award for Teaching Excellence in 1992.

Click to enlarge

The Con-Con items in the display pictured here are a Farm Bureau handbook, the Constitutional Convention Newsletter, and correspondence between Wenum and the State Chamber of Commerce. These are just a few selections from the 14 linear feet (unprocessed) collection of materials Wenum gathered during his campaign to become a delegate and his work at the Con-Con itself.

Within The Ames Library’s 4^th floor department called Tate Archives & Special Collections are thousands of unique materials and all are available to benefit people in the IWU and surrounding communities.

The items displayed in these posts about Special Collections holdings are just a small portion of the kinds of materials found in Tate Archives & Special Collections. These collections are in a variety of languages and formats (artifact, book, manuscript, and media) and creation dates range from the 11^th-21^st centuries. Some collections are completely described and identified and some have yet to be thoroughly organized or examined.

Although many holdings do have a direct connection to the University, many are distinct and unrelated to the others such as the supporting materials for research on the people who created and collected the pottery and basketry items displayed in the entry level rotunda.

Curious minds seeking inspiration for creative works and original research are welcome to stop by and explore the possibilities!

Apollo 8 and IWU

Posted on December 15, 2018 by Meg Miner

Earthrise, December 24, 1968. Photo by Apollo 8 Astronaut Bill Anders. (credit: NASA)

December 21st marks the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Apollo 8 mission–the first manned orbit of the moon. Just three months after that on March 18, 1969, the three Apollo 8 astronauts–Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders–were awarded honorary PhDs at the 1969 Founders’ Day Convocation (the latter two in absentia). During his time on campus, Borman, who was Apollo 8’s commander, laid the cornerstone for the new Mark Evans Observatory and spoke at a luncheon for the Board of Trustees.

Towards the end of the Founders’ Day recording Borman speaks and has some pointed and interesting comments about education in direct response to the event’s main speaker William Arrowsmith, University of Texas Professor of Classics and University Professor in Arts and Letters. A March 21, 1969 Argus article (p. 15) describes the event.

Astronaut Frank Borman and a crowd of onlookers at the Evan's Observatory dedication

A sizeable crowd watches as Frank Borman gets ready to place the time capsule in the Mark Evans Observatory. [click to enlarge]

The University made an audio recording of the cornerstone laying at Mark Evans Observatory and the University Archivist added the sound track over three brief (and silent) home movies that were donated in 2016. One of the films shows Borman placing a time capsule in the observatory’s wall. The photo on the left shows just part of the crowd that this event drew; several other photos are available online.

The time capsule included many items that were not connected directly with the campus such as a package of space food, the Apollo 8 astronaut’s Christmas Eve tape, a road atlas, the Illinois Agricultural Association (IAA) Record and fifty-year history, and the Bloomington-Normal Phone Directory on microfilm.

In President Eckley’s remarks at the dedication, he says he intends to open the time capsule in seven years, but the University’s archival holdings do not contain evidence of that happening. With the 50th anniversary of the observatory’s dedication coming up, Physical Plant personnel are examining the building to see if the time capsule is still there.

After the dedication, Borman gave a presentation to the Board of Trustees in which he shared details of the Apollo 8 mission and displayed a great sense of humor!

The Winter 2011 IWU Magazine story “Star Attraction” offers additional details on the history of the development of this observatory.

Happy Birthday, Illinois!

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Meg Miner

Illinois celebrates its 200th anniversary this month. This post honors Illinois Wesleyan’s connection to this history. One way that IWU alumni have distinguished themselves in our state is through service in elected offices. Here’s a list that includes names of alumni who have attained Federal and State offices in Illinois.
[Input on other names welcome! Contact archives@iwu.edu]

Federal
Executive Branch: Adlai Stevenson, Class of 1853, Vice President of the United States from 1893-97

Legislative Branch: Adlai Stevenson, Class of 1853, House 1875-77 and 1879-81
John A. Sterling, Class of 1881, House 1902-1912, 1914-1918.
Louis FitzHenry, Law Class of 1897, House 1913-15
Scott Lucas, Law Class of 1914, House 1935-1939 and Senate 1939-1951

State
Executive Branch: Joseph Fifer, Class of 1868, Governor of Illinois 1889-1893

Legislative Branch: John F. Winter, Class of 1867, House (1874-?; also served as U.S. Consul to Rotterdam and Mannheim, ca 1880s-90s)
Joseph Fifer, Class of 1868, Senator 1881-1883
Archibald E. Stewart, Class of 1872, Senate 1872-76(?)
Abraham Phillips, Law Class of 1884, House 1905-07
George R. Tilton, Law Class of 1884, House 1889-?
Reed Green, Law Class of 1886, IL House – 4yrs, IL Senator – 4yrs
Craig Curtis, Law Class of 1888, IL House – 41/42 Gen Assembly
Lee Brown, Law Class of 1889, House 1901
George English, Law Class of 1891, House 1907-12
Wesley Owen, Law Class of 1894, House 1902
Andrew Dennis, Law Class of 1898, House
Walter Dysert, Law Class of 1901, House 1906
Martin Brennan, Law Class of 1902, IL House 1913-1917/IL Senate1918-
Everett Werts, Law Class of 1904, IL Senator 45/48/51 Gen Assem
James Henson, Law Class of 1906,IL State Senator
Gerry Bradley, Class of 1950, House
J. Bradley Burzynski, Class of 1977, Senate
Tom Cross, Class of 1980, House Minority Leader/State Representative 84th District
Bill Brady, Class of 1982, Senate 2002-present/ House 88th District 1993-2000/Republician Gubernatorial Candidate 2010

Judicial Branch: Craig Curtis, Law Class of 1888, IL Supreme Court Judge

Rev. Dr. (and author) Charles Smith records in Special Collections

Posted on November 27, 2018 by njett

click to enlarge

The Reverend Dr. Charles Merrill Smith was a Methodist minister, a prolific mystery writer (whose detective was another Methodist minister), and a member of the IWU Board of Trustees from 1958-1968. Smith is best known for his Reverend Randolph mystery series, starring Reverend “Con” Randolph, a former professional football player turned clergyman and detective in Chicago.

Click to enlarge

The display pictured here shows selections from his collection (6 linear feet, unprocessed) comprised of manuscript and typescript works, correspondence, photographs, and all of the works he published in English plus four of the same that were translated into Dutch, German and Japanese.

Curious minds seeking inspiration for creative works and original research are welcome to stop by and explore the possibilities!

Named places: Shirk Center

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Meg Miner

Russell Shirk and Jack Horenberger at the dedication of Horenberger Field, 1999.

Russell O. Shirk was a member of the Class of 1943. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1989 and was the Distinguished Alumnus in 1971. The Shirk Center opened in 1994 and is named in honor of him and his wife and Betty J. Shirk. Shirk is pictured here (on left) with his friend Jack Horenberger, who the Shirk Foundation honored through funding the improvement and expansion of IWU’s baseball field.

“The Shirks wanted a center for use by the students and faculty and also something they could be proud of. They were very pleased that the community was able to enjoy the facility as well, and that it has been such an asset to the community,” Ben Rhodes, then- director of development said in 1999.

Shirk Family at ribbon cutting ceremony in 1994. Also pictured are Athletic Director Dennie Bridges (L) and BOT Chair Hugh Henning (R).

Views of an old Bur Oak

Posted on October 28, 2018 by Meg Miner

In an article published today IWU Manager of Grounds Services Eric Nelson told the story of a campus bur oak that fell after a heavy rain. The oldest clear image found in IWU’s archival collections is in the 1929 yearbook, The Wesleyana (p. 15).

: Image of Stevenson cropped so the bur oak is at the right edge. (click all to enlarge)

: Full view from 1929 Wesleyana

Here is a selection of other views over the years!

: Aerial view of campus from the north, ca. 1933. (click all to enlarge)

: Aerial view of campus from the south, ca. 1933

: Aerial closeup of bur oak between Stevenson and Sheean Library, ca1968, from the West

: Aerial closeup of bur oak between Stevenson and Sheean Library, ca. 1974, from the East

: Closeup in winter 1984

: Stevenson Bur Oak in 2011

Digitized history of the Muslim Student Association

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Meg Miner

The archives continues to bring new life to old media. The latest result of this work is a brief but excellent history of the Muslim Students Association (MSA) that is now available online. It was created by the 2005 Summer Enrichment Program students who researched different student organizations and interviewed alumni. Two alumnae were part of this portion and their recordings are also available now:

Hyder Alyan,Class of 2006 and
Muneerah Maalik,Class of 2000

Muneerah Maalik ‘00, co-chair of the Minority Alumni Network, led a mentoring session that paired alumni with current students. Photo from IWU Magazine, Winter 2008-09

Readers should know that the archives is always interested in working with everyone in the IWU community to make sure the history they are making here is known to the future. Contact Meg (mminer{at}iwu.edu), IWU’s archivist, to start discussing your and/or your group’s work today!