On this Day in NU History

Dec. 31, 1954: Men's Basketball: Northwestern v. Princeton.

Wildcats defeat Princeton Tigers by a score of 93 to 83.

Dec. 30, 1995: Men's Basketball: Northwestern 81, Loyola 78, game goes into two overtimes.

Dec. 29, 1960: Two Northwestern professors, Harold F. Williamson and Mitchell Harwitz, join the government's International Cooperation Administration to aid in planning the economic development of Liberia.

Harold Williamson (l) and Mitchell Harwitz (r)

Dec. 28, 2006: Women's Basketball: Wisconsin 93, Northwestern 72.

Women's Basketball: Wisconsin 93, Northwestern 72.
Points in the paints- NU 34, Wisc 38. Points off turnovers- NU 8, Wisc 28. 2nd chance points- NU 5, Wisc 8. Fast break points- NU 2, Wisc 14. Bench points- NU 22, Wisc 22. Scores tied- 2 times. Lead changed- 0 times. Last FG- NU 2nd-01:40, Wisc 2nd-01:13. Largest lead- NU None, Wisc by 30 2nd-07:35.

Dec. 27, 1893: Intercollegiate Athletic Association disbands.

Dec. 26, 2004: Tsunami in Southeast Asia. Seth Stein and Emile A. Okal of NU's Department of Geological Sciences go on to study the seismic activity behind the disaster.

"Long period moment of 2004 Sumatra earthquake," Seth Stein and Emile A. Okal, Department of Geological Sciences, Northwestern University.

Their research is published online at the Department of Geology website

Dec. 25, 1960: The Chicago Tribune carries a feature on the holiday plans of N.U.'s foreign students. (click for link)

The Chicago Tribune carries a feature on the holiday plans of N.U.'s foreign students.

Chicago Tribune (via ProQuest)

Dec. 24, 1967: NU Settlement House aids in program to allow children to paint yule scenes on store windows in Chicago and suburbs.

Full article (via ProQuest, subscription required)

Dec. 23, 1881: Delegates from Michigan University, Racine College, Wisconsin University and Northwestern University meet in Chicago and organize a college baseball association.

Basketball at NU, 1990s

Dec. 22, 1822: Original faculty member and second University President Henry Sanborn Noyes born.

Henry Sanborn Noyes

Dec. 21, 1957: Chicago Campus Drama Group presents Children's Christmas Show.

Dec. 20, 1973: NU-sponsored visit to the Soviet Union begins.

A group of almost 200 university faculty, students, and staff began a 10-day visit to the Soviet Union co-sponsored by Northwestern University and The Research Center for the Study of Socialist Education at Kent State University. The tour would visit Leningrad and Moscow to visit historic places and educational institutions. In preparation Northwestern hosted a series of six seminars focusing on Russian language, politics, educational systems and history. (1973)

Dec. 19, 1890: Junior-Sophomore contest for Congdon prizes.

Dec. 18, 1955: Chicago Campus Chorus Annual Christmas Concert. William J. Peterman, director. 8:00 P.M., Auditorium, Thorne Hall, Chicago Campus.

Dec. 18, 1989: Basketball: Northwestern 103, Northeastern Illinois 63. Lambiotte makes 20 points, a three-pointer, and 3-of-5 freethrows. Schwabe contributes 9 rebounds and 2 assists.

Dec. 17, 1880: Lecture by Theodore Tilton inaugurates a course under auspices of senior class.

Dec. 16, 1966: Northwestern joins with the Universities Research Association. The Atomic Energy Commission announces that Weston, Illinois as site for an accelorator.

Dec. 15, 2000: Women's Basketball: Long Beach State 91, Northwestern 77.

"High scorer-Will (25) / High Rebounder-Russell (8)
Despite a career effort by sophomore Natalie Will the Northwestern [sic] lost to Long Beach State, 91-77, Saturday night at The Pyramid arena.
The 49ers jumped out to a 27-6 lead within the first 10 minutes of the game and made the Wildcats play catch up for the remaining 30 minutes of the contest. Long Beach State was led by Tamara Inoue, who posted a double-double before the first half was even complete (10 points, 11 assists). Inoue would finish the night with 12 points and 13 assists.
Northwestern fought back to get as close as eight points in the opening minutes of the second half, but the 49ers used a couple of easy lay-ups and a three-pointer by Reta Sula to get the lead back to double digits where it would stay for the remainder of the game.
Will led the Wildcats with a 9-12 performance from the floor, including 6-7 from behind the arc, to achieve a career high 25 points. She also tallied six rebounds and two assists. Emily Butler also put up twenty points in the losing effort." (Northwestern University Women's Basketball Media Guide, 2001-2002, p 43)

Dec. 1873: Gas introduced into University Hall for illumination.

University Hall in the 19th Century

Dec. 13, 1953: Evanston Civic Orchestra gives first of three concerts at Technological Institute Auditorium.

Dec. 11, 1941: University Theatre presents "From Morn To Midnight" with a cast that includes Charlton Heston.

Dec. 10, 1863: In response to petition from students for instruction in modern language a class in German is organized.

Dec. 9, 1875: Athenaeum holds first meeting at Woman's College; object: culture in literature and art ; sixty members.

Dec. 1869: Student committee appointed to organize a Y.M.C.A for the University.

Dec. 7, 1894: Mass meeting of students adopts report of student committee recommending "honor system" for suppression of fraud in examinations.

Dec. 6, 1899: Faculties of various departments hold banquet at Palmer House.

Dec. 5, 1933: Prohibition Repealed

On December 5, 1933, the nation repealed the 18th Amendment, which had forbidden the manufacture, sale, and consumption of alcohol in the US. What what was the reaction to Repeal at NU? The Daily Northwestern's headline that day read "NU Beats Bradley in Cage Opener." In many ways, repeal was no big deal to NU, which had been dry from the start. On the left side of the front page, a small article noted that "University Law Creates Big Dry Zone" as NU promised to enforce the original 4-mile dry zone that was established by an amendment to the University's charter in 1855.

Evanston, where the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) had been headquartered since 1900, remained dry until 1972.

Dec. 1877: Compulsory chapel attendance changed from evening to morning service.

Dec. 3, 1891: Tug-of-war team wins six gold medals at Humboldt Park.

Tug-of-War Team, 1890

Dec. 2, 1898: Woman's basketball team defeats Academy, 20-1.

Dec. 1865: Rules and regulations issued for College. Study hours announced.