Illinois Wesleyan University - Wesleyana Yearbook (Bloomington, IL)

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'fe and occasional disappointments, but two events that literally flashed across the campus were the begin- ning of another Wforld XVar in 19-11 and the burn- ing of now historic Hedding Hall, used for around seventy years, in 1945. By the spring of 19-12 there were 219 stars on our service flag, three of them of gold. A Navy V-5 unit was installed here on May 1-1, 19115, taking over the reconstructed lower shell of Hedding Hall, all that remained after the great fire of that year. The enrollment fluctuated between sixty and eighty-five cadets, new quotas arriving every four weeks and others being transferred accordingly. Around live hundred men were given training dur- ing approximately a one-year period. The last quota arrived on May 9, 19-1-1. The closing event of the first century was the cen- tennial celebration of 1950, during the whole calen- dar year. A series of related programs was pre- sented, a list of which is entitled to distinguished record here. 17c'f11'1m1'y. lNfIicl-year Convocation, honoring the founders. Alrrrrlv. Town Meeting of the Air, famous na- tional program broadcast locally. Altznlv. A beautiful carillon, with clock and XXfest- minster chimes, the gift of Mrs. Anna Gulick, of Bloomington, first rang out over the campus. 111111. Publication of the Iflizmir ll'V4'.r'frf'3-1111 Sfllilf, a book of nearly three hundred pages, by Elmo Scott Wfatson, of Northwestern University and also part- time teacher at Vifesleyan. june. Commencement, with historical emphasis. Sej1fw11be1'. Fall Convocation. Noi'embe1'. C0lI.1AfcIllf Sim: historical drama of the early years, was produced by the College of Fine Arts, in three performances. Derwzzbw. Educational Conference, with repre- sentatives of many different institutions. Dcremlfer. Alumni dinners throughout the na- tion-approximately one hundred centennial birth- day parties. During the year the Ai'gZI.1' was full of historical Above: Science Hall, built in 1910, largely with funds from the Carnegie Foundation. Left: Colonial Georgian Annie Merner Pfeiffer Hall was opened to freshman women in 1918. There is room for 122 to enjoy the Early American decor. 37

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Hedding Burns january 9, 1915, 21 snowy Saturday night when seventy-three years ot Wesleyztns' history lighted the sky in il terrible hut beautiful tire. Appraised valuation ot the huildinzg and contents was 55IOI,000. Irreplaceahle, however, were records, the museums, thousands ot volumes in the personal lihrzlries of Professors Wfilhert and Constance Ferguson, the art collection then in temporary storage on the third floor, Amie Clliapels portraits of XYfesleyan's presidents, and tradition, 21

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J i The library had been moved several times and finally was located on the second floor of the Physics Building COld Northj before Mrs. Martha A. Buck's will provided 3221000 for a new library and its endowment. The modified Gothic, sandstone- faced building was dedicated on june 12, 1925. In the foreground stands Hedding Bell, as a perpetual monument to the harmonious blending of these two institutions CHedding and Wfesleyanjf' It had tolled atop the Main Building at Hedding, calling students to classes, from 1885 to 1918. Brought to our campus, it rested three years inside the north entrance to Hed- ding Hall, it was once suggested that it be placed in the cupola atop Old North Cwhose own bell had been given to a churchj. The administration agreed to erect a special monument for it, but lacked the funds. In 1935, the Student Union started collecting nickels and dimes from students as they entered chapel, Richard Postlethwait, Student Union president, supervised students in building the bell's stone column. At last it was dedicated in a pouring rain at Homecoming, October 20, 195-1. Composed of silver and brass, the bell weighs 900 pounds and is forty inches in diameter at its mouth. Several times during the war the government offered to buy it because of its silver content. Occasionally, it still rings Qsee p. 985. articles, with pictures, the We.s'!eyu1za issued a cen- tennial edition in May, and two historical murals from the School of Art, by Arthur H. Smith, were hung in Memorial Student Center for permanent exhibit. The most recent division to join the University family is the Brokaw Collegiate School of Nursing, established in 1958 and based on the Brokaw Hos- pital School of Nursing, well known for many years in Central Illinois. There is not enough room to describe the history of extracurricular student activities fkept pretty much in proper balancej through the years-religious organ- izations and programs, campus politics fheaded by the Student Senatej , fraternities and sororities, foren- sics, athletics, and publications. The chief student activity, ideally scholarship itself, has been hinted at continually through these historical paragraphs, but the tracing of academic routine would sound pretty dull here. A few final notes, however, about publi- cations and sports, should not be considered a breach of impartiality. The Argm, weekly student newspaper, was estab- lished in 1894, and has been published continuously since that time. The Werleyafza was first issued in 1885, as a booklet with faint resemblance to the modern and expensive college annual. The new series, under the same name, but separately num- bered, started in 1895. The We.i'leya1z4 has only twice fand each time in an emergencyj failed to appear before the end of the college year! As to athletics, all who read this history should have the honorable and victorious figures for the earliest games of pre-Titan teams. The first baseball game played by Wesleyan was against Illinois State Normal in 1869. Wesleyan won 22-10. There were eight men on each side Qno shortstopj. The first foot- ball games ffor practice onlyj occurred in 1887, when 23