The Modern-Day Woman in ROTC
by Stephen Goula Picture of the Armory and Freedom Square in December of 2019. “Career opportunities are limited for women because they are prohibited from serving aboard Navy vessels”. (1) This quote is from Catherine Leahey, a writer for Boilerman. In her article she attempts to find the answer why women are restricted from serving in combat roles within the military. She argues the lack of a valid reason but… Read More
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
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
Purdue’s Support During World War II
by Stephen Goula “Students should not become panicky, but must realize that during the present emergency, as well as the years following the war, there will be a great need for large numbers of men and women trained in the sciences.” (1) These were the words from the Purdue Exponent on December 9th, 1941 two days following Pearl Harbor. Historically, Purdue is known for its involvement in military training because… Read More
The Golden Girl’s Golden History
by Jackie Krutsch Even though the position of Purdue’s Golden Girl was created just sixty-five years ago, this tradition of the gold-sequined twirler is one that is very well known, not only at Purdue, but across the country. The image of the Golden Girl has remained very consistent since its start, and Christy Stallings, the Golden Girl in 2004, still held this image fifty years later. Stallings, ready for a… Read More
A Brief Purdue History of Home Economics
by Grant Barnett Home economics, as defined by Merriam Webster, is “a subject or class that teaches skills (such as cooking or sewing) which are useful in the home.” Home economics has been liberating for women and helped interject women into universities. Home economics curricula, however, have also been riddled with oppressive gendered expectations for the women who studied home economics. Purdue has been host to home economic education since… Read More
S.H.E. (Sisters for Health Education) & C.A.R.E. (Center for Advocacy, Response, and Education): How Advocacy Changes Everything
by Faith Zettler ” I would imagine that the presence of the [emergency] phones will give many students, especially females, a psychological sense of security needed on a campus as large as ours.” (1) Today, walk down any path on Purdue’s campus at night and you will find numerous glowing blue lights positioned atop black boxes along your way. When the button housed on their face is pressed, these boxes… Read More
Betty Nelson: A Tireless Advocate
by Anna Szolwinski In the mid 1960s, Betty Nelson came to Purdue in search of employment. After an incidental connection with Barbara Cook, the former Dean of Students, and several recurring visits after, Betty was hired as the Director of Testing for the psychology department. This role was the first of many for Betty, as she later transitioned into the Office of the Dean of Women as Assistant and Associate… Read More