All Power (and Paper) to the People
by Alex Griffin-Little The 1960s were obviously a time of great political and social change in America. Many of these changes emanated from college campuses across the country, and even Purdue University got a piece of the action. One of the ways in which radical and leftist ideas were disseminated to the public was through underground newspapers. Underground newspapers were independent and obviously had more control over the content they… Read More
Face Everything and Rise: The History of Purdue Dance Team
by Meaghan Tracy This work relays the story of the Purdue Dance Team based off reports made by local newspapers, student newspapers and yearbooks. It is not affiliated with the current Purdue Dance Team. It does not represent the opinions, thoughts, or ideas of the current dancers or members of the Purdue Dance Team. In April of 2019, the Purdue Dance Team travelled from West Lafayette, Indiana to Daytona Beach,… Read More
Physical Representation
by Zoe Malavenda When walking into Matthews, Meredith, and Shreve Halls, how often do we acknowledge the work these women did for the university? It is important to ask the question of why such research on Mary Matthews, Virginia Meredith, and Eleanor Shreve is necessary. I entered these buildings as a student would if they were simply going to their dorm or class and evaluated the physical depictions of the… Read More
Mary Matthews
by Zoe Malavenda Being raised by a strong woman like Virginia Meredith, Mary Matthews learned firsthand how to break barriers and create opportunities for women. After her mother died when she was a toddler, Virginia adopted Mary and her brother. Mary would go everywhere with Virginia including her speeches at universities and agriculture conventions [1]. Mary graduated from the University of Minnesota with a home economics degree, a program that… Read More
A Trend of Omission: Student Protest and Activism on Purdue’s Campus
by Max Malavenda Tommie Smith and John Carlos making black salute at 1968 Olympics. [37] On the 17th of October during the 1968 summer Olympics in Mexico, two black American athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, made history when, during the playing of the national anthem, the two men lowered their heads and raised their fists in what is known as the Black Power Salute.[1] Smith raised his right… Read More
The “All American” Band Becomes Open to All
by Jackie Krutsch “Every time something good happens to the university, people look to the band to play ‘Hail Purdue.’” [1] Purdue’s band embodies years of tradition, history, and pride for the school. The band started in 1886 with a handful of cadets and has now grown into a band department that encompasses an organization of more than 800 students. [2] These statements shed light on the magnitude of Purdue’s… Read More
Betty Nelson: Leaving a Legacy
by Anna Szolwinski Betty Nelson knows how to go out in style. In 1995, Betty retired from Purdue with a celebration titled “Betty’s Blast-Off, Celebrating Dean Nelson’s Past, Present, and Future.” (1) Guests were invited to the social with invitations depicting ice cream cones and the words “Here’s the Scoop!” Betty’s “fan club members,” of which there were many, lined up to give their best wishes for the retiring… Read More
The Anti-Feminist: the Dark Side of the Revolution
by Grant Barnett This blog will examine materials in Purdue Archives and Special Collections that illuminate the arguments of antifeminists and feminists on campus in the 1970s and 1980s. In exploring anti-feminism, I have decided to focus on two controversial issues: abortion and the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). These two issues caused controversy and prompted relatively clear arguments by both sides. I loosely define anything that is for abortion or… Read More