On this Day in NU History
April 2009 Archives
April 30, 2009
April 30, 1909: The total number of bound volumes in the Library was 74,247, and the number of pamphlets was approximately 50,000.
The figures came from Walter Lichtenstein's first report as Head Librarian at Lunt Library. He replaced the redoubtable Lodilla Ambrose.
Compare the 1909 numbers with more current library statistics at http://www.library.northwestern.edu/administration/library-fact-sheet-2007-2008.html
April 29, 2009
April 29, 1899: Maro, the magician, gives performances under auspices of Northwestern branch of Northern Oratorical League.
April 28, 2009
April 27, 2009
April 27, 1995: First Take Our Daughters to Work day at NU.
President Bienen announced NU's participation in the third year of "Take Our Daughters to Work." This national public education program, initiated by the Ms. Foundation, is designed to offer girls (aged 8 to 16 years) a view of workplaces that, under normal circumstances, might not be open to them. NU marks the day with programs and tours of various departments and offices.
April 26, 2009
April 26, 1968: Deadline for NU Administration to address Black students' demands, submitted on April 22.
Daily Coverage of the event; see also the NUA digital exhibit on 1968's student protests.
April 25, 2009
April 25, 1962: Dean of Women announces that Bermuda shorts may be worn to lunch during the week in university residence halls.
Previous regulations had allowed Bermudas only at breakfast and at Saturday lunch. The Associated Women Students House Council was told that "We are trying to give you responsibility for yourselves. . .[we] will be very disappointed if you take advantage of this rule. We don't want to have to measure shorts."
April 24, 2009
April 24, 1957: Philosopher Martin Buber speaks to over 800 students and Evanston residents in the Tech auditorium.
More than 200 people were turned away from the packed auditorium. The Daily Northwestern reported that the 79-year-old theologian "spoke in a heavy German accent for about an hour on 'Modern Man'."
April 23, 2009
April 23, 1919: The NU Varsity squad faces off against the Alumni team in Water Basketball...
a sport invented at Northwestern by swimming instructor Thomas Henry Robinson in 1907 and played inter-collegiately for several years.
April 22, 2009
April 21, 2009
April 21, 1942: First annual hour-long radio variety show produced by NU's Radio Playshop at Cahn Auditorium.
April 20, 2009
April 20, 1896: Debate between the Hinman Literacy Society (Evanston campus) and the Law School Literary Society is won by Hinman.
See the records of the Hinman Literary Society, 1857-1882, in the University Archives.
April 19, 2009
April 19, 1951: Northwestern's Centennial Conference on the Arts, entitled "The Arts in Modern Society," is held April 19 and 20, 1951, in conjunction with the University's Centennial Celebration.
For more on this event see the Records of the Centennial Conference on the Arts.
April 18, 2009
April 18, 1934: Six sorority houses vote unanimously to liberalize rules governing women on campus.
Five other houses said a majority of its residents are in favor; three houses had not yet received the petition, and three houses' members are unaimously opposed.
April 17, 2009
April 17, 1961: Students barricade Sheridan Road. . . with snow.
More a prank than a protest, the barricade near Elder Hall rose to four feet high, and blocked traffic at Sheidan and Colfax for over two hours before snowplows could break through. Stopped cars were pelted with snowballs by 300 students until Evanston police arrived, armed with rifles. One student was arrested. Dean of Students James McLeod commented that "Ten percent of the north campus made asses out of themselves," and that the incident damaged the relationship between the University and Evanston.
April 16, 2009
April 16, 1892: Delegates from Northwestern University, and the Universities of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, meet in Chicago and organize Intercollegiate Athletic Association of Northwest.
Training table established to prepare for field day at Champaign, IL.
April 15, 2009
April 15, 1958: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr delivers the annual Mars Lecture at NU in the Technological Institute auditorium
Read the complete story . . .
April 14, 2009
April, 1924: The Purple Parrot's Utopian issue
The Purple Parrot humor magazine was published by NU students between 1921 and 1950. It is as enjoyable for its graphic design as for its humorous content, which reflects its era so vividly. Each monthly issue was based (loosely, at least) on a theme.
The Purple Parrot is just one of the many literary, humor, and alternative publications produced by NU students over the years. For more glimpses of student life from long ago, see the selection of photos, documents, and scrapbooks in our student life virtual exhibit.--or stop in the University Archives to look at our extensive holdings of these evocative materials.
April 13, 2009
April 12, 2009
April 12, 1889: The members of Adelphic, a men's literary society, hold a joint meeting with the members of Ossoli, one of NU's literary societies for women.
The Adelphic Society was Northwestern's second oldest literary society. It was established circa 1860, disbanded in 1893, reestablished in 1897 and lasted until its final dissolution in 1911.
From the University's inception until the 1890s, literary societies were a major focal point of campus social life. In addition to regular meetings, the societies held receptions, inter-societal debates, guest lectures by the faculty, even a tug of war. A typical Adelphic evening program, as recorded in the minutes, would open with prayer followed by one or several orations, declamations, and readings. A critic was appointed to comment on the presentations. Musical recitals were often included in the evening's entertainment. A structured debate, with two debaters appointed to each side and two appointed judges, would be the main event, followed by an irregular debate on the same topic, open to the floor and decided by majority vote. A business meeting usually followed the literary program, and occasionally a reception would conclude the evening.
Women students were members of and participants in the societies from 1871 until 1874 – when, at the insistence of Dean of Women Ellen Soule, the faculty enforced segregation and the women formed their own society, Ossoli.
April 11, 2009
April 11, 1902: "Mrs. Jarley's Waxworks" presented at Fisk Hall by townspeople and students for benefit of Northwestern University Settlement.
Evanston residents and faculty, staff, and students at NU have engaged in many fund-raising efforts for the NU Settlement Association over the years. The Settlement, located on the near west side of Chicago, was founded in 1891, soon after Jane Addams' Hull-House. It is still a thriving community center.
The University Archives holds the Records of the Northwestern University Settlement Association, including general administrative files, photographs, scrapbooks, The Neighbor newsletter, and more.
April 10, 2009
April 10, 1886: The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees resolves in favor of establishing a School of Pharmacy in connection with NU.
In July, 1890, the University affiliated with the Illinois College of Pharmacy. Northwestern sold the Pharmacy School to the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1917.
April 9, 2009
April 9, 1896: The first issue of the student paper, the Northwestern, to be edited and published by women.
Editor-in-chief Florence L. Spofford oversaw the first issue of the Woman's Edition. The special edition became an annual tradition which continued until 1915, when a more frequent Woman's Column began to appear in the Daily Northwestern.
For more about the history of student newspapers at Northwestern, see the online exhibit Student Newspapers at Northwestern, 1871-2005.
April 8, 2009
April 8, 1889: Tug-of-war team defeats Union Athletic Club and wins Meriden cup and five gold watch charms.
Our team does it again.
April 7, 2009
April 7, 1879: U. S. Supreme Court decision renders University property perpetually free from taxation.
April 6, 2009
April 6, 1938: Over 100 freshmen burn their caps and invaded five girls' dormitories, leaving havoc, and an estimated $800 of damage, in their wake.
Read the whole story of this shocking event.
April 5, 2009
April 5, 1897: Death of Orrington Lunt.
Lunt, born in 1815, was one of the founders of Northwestern University and was known as the “father of Evanston."
Among other contributions to the University, Lunt donated $50,000 in 1891 for the first building dedicated to housing the book collection. Previously the library had been housed in classroom buildings (first Old College, then University Hall). The building, completed in 1894, was named the Orrington Lunt Library (today Lunt Hall). For more about Lunt Library, see the Archives' Northwestern Architecture site.
April 4, 2009
April 4, 1915: Booker T. Washington Speaks to NU and Local Audience at Evanston's First Methodist Church
April 3, 2009
April 2, 2009
April 2, 1903: Theodore Roosevelt, LL.D., '93, President of the United States, addresses students on campus.
The President was received on the steps of Lunt Library by Northwestern University President Edmund J. James. A procession of trustees, faculty, and students of all departments of the University, in academic costume, escorted Roosevelt from Lunt to a spot in front of University Hall, where he addressed the NU community and townspeople.The student newspaper, the tri-weekly Northwestern, summarized Roosevelt’s speech in the headline “Praises athletes, scores idlers.”
TR had visited NU in 1893, and received an honorary degree, when he was US Civil Service Commissioner. (Trivia question: where on campus is the plaque marking both of TR's visits to NU? Ask the Archives. . . .)
