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
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
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
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
Purdue Athletics’ Journey to Title IX Compliance
by Meaghan Tracy Across the nation, American citizens woke up on June 24th, 1972 to news of federal legislators passing the Higher Education Amendments, later known as the Higher Education Act of 1972, originally proposed by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW). Nonetheless, one section of the act caught the public’s attention more than the rest; now referred to as Title IX. It stated that, “No person in the United… Read More
The Purduettes versus the Varsity Glee Club
by Jackie Krustch Even though Purdue is often referred to as the Cradle of Astronauts or is well known for the STEM, and other programs that exist on its campus, Purdue’s Musical Organizations has existed and grown over the last one hundred and twenty five years. Purdue Musical Organizations, or PMO for short, is what the University’s official vocal groups are held under. Despite not having a College of Music… Read More
Training for Domesticity
by Grant Barnett “The most important industry in America is the management of American homes.” – President Calvin Coolidge What is a practice house and what where they used for? Did Purdue have any and what were they like? A practice house was a facet of many major university home economics programs, starting in Illinois in 1909. Practice houses were a place for young women, often aspiring homemakers, to put… Read More