Campus Events 1940-1931

CAMPUS EVENTS: 1940 - 1931

1940

1939

On February 17th, a student was shot and killed in the Champaign red-light district. One week later over 6,000 students attended a rally at Huff Gymnasium calling for a crackdown on vice.
New YMCA building dedicated.
Board of Fraternity Affairs established, funded in part by the New Deal’s Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, Gregory Hall constructed.
Hilda H. Lawson became first African-American woman to receive Ph.D. from Illinois.

1938

1937

New independent group organized: Men’s Independent District Association.
Students brought suit against Hanley-Lewis Confectionery for discriminating against African-Americans. Case was decided in favor of confectionery.
Civil Rights Union and American Student Union circulated petitions protesting discrimination by campus restaurants and Champaign-Urbana theaters.
Daily Illini launched anti-vice crusade.

1936

Some 300 students and faculty members held a strike against war.
Heat wave killed seven. Temperatures reached as high as 108 degrees.
Jewish fraternities and sororities provided shelter for German refugee students.
Dolores C. Thomas named first Homecoming queen.
Dating bureau organized.
Longtime Athletic Director George Huff died.
Chapter of American Student Union received recognition from Committee on Student Affairs.

1935

Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi established co-operative African-American restaurant after Boyd’s Cafe–the only campus restaurant (except for the University cafeteria) to serve African-Americans–closed. The co-op restaurant lasted less than a year.
Axe-Grinder’s Ball ended.
National Student League again denied University recognition.
Some 150 students held a strike against war, assembled on “National Peace Day.”
Group known as Constitutional Liberals organized.
Interfraternity Council changed name of ‘Hell Week’ and abolished paddling.
Armory fire caused $20,000 in property damages.
Committee on Student Affairs tabled petition seeking recognition for Student League for Industrial Democracy.

1934

University band appeared in several broadcasts on Chicago radio station WGN.
Twenty-six social fraternities reported to have been dissolved since 1930.
University considered National Student League “a radical or communist group” and refused to recognize it.
Arthur Willard appointed University president.
Students protested compulsory ROTC.
Committee on Student Affairs withdrew recognition of Campus Forum. Group was later reorganized and recognition once again granted.
Student Senate established.
Literary Digest poll found 1,045 Illinois students favored President Roosevelt’s New Deal, 887 opposed it.
Daily Illini expanded in size. Publication had regular news section and section devoted to comics, entertainment and features.
Women allowed to join Block I.
Phi Kappa Tau became first Illinois fraternity to have a housemother.
Varsity baseball coach Carl Lundgren died.

1933

New independent group organized: Men’s Independent District Association.
System of preceptors–resident scholastic advisers–adopted for fraternities and sororities.
Jigsaw puzzle craze swept campus.
African-American students launched a program of one-act plays.
Interfraternity Council revised constitution to admit African-American fraternities.
Ice rink used as a dance hall.
Harry Chase resigned, Arthur H. Daniels named acting University president.
University sent murals of campus life to Chicago’s Century of Progress Exposition.
Serving of beer at fraternity dances banned.
Student Affairs Committee recognized Campus Forum, a left-wing group.
Cenacle–honorary African-American society–formed to promote African-American arts and letters.

Thomas Arkle Clark, circa 1910

1932

Thomas Arkle Clark died.
Freshman cap-burning held despite having been abolished by University.
Six fraternities reported to have been disbanded in last three years.
African-American sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha presented play written and produced by members as part of Mothers’ Week.
Left Forum, an unrecognized group, requested use of University rooms for meeting on “The A.B.C. of Communism.” Request is denied.
The Illini Trail, a sound motion picture promoting the University, was released by the Alumni Association.
Organization of independent women formed.
Daily Illini published “Independent” section.
Co-operative Council organized.
Dean of Men Fred Turner assumed control of employment services formally operated by YMCA.
Student Alumni Association founded.

1931

Independent students published own newspaper.
Star Course re-organized.
Freshman cap-burning turned into riot. Event was abolished.
Ice Arena dedicated.
Emergency funds secured for loans to needy students. Meal tickets distributed to destitute students.
First issue of Green Caldron published by Rhetoric staff.
Fred Turner succeeded Thomas Arkle Clark as Dean of Men.
Student oversight relaxed. Dean of Men’s policy of “general oversight of undergraduates’ conduct” changed to one that was “advisory and not regulatory.”
Absence from classes without permission of dean’s office now allowed.
Women’s Gymnasium (Freer Gym) completed.

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