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
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
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
Home Economics and the Practice House
by Anna Brown “If you are a young woman and want to get married, a college or university campus is the best possible hunting preserve. Such a campus is well stocked with young bachelors who are already on their way up because they have taken the pains at least to begin a college education.” (1) This quote, printed in the Purdue Exponent in 1963, depicts the assumptions and beliefs of… Read More
Meredith Hall
by Zoe Malavenda While walking around campus, students pass building after building, each one named after a different person. Do they ever stop to think, who are these people and why is this building named after them? Each one of these namesakes has a story, one that is not often known or recognized by the students that inhabit these buildings each day. Meredith Hall Built in 1952, Meredith… Read More
Betty Nelson: Sleuthing in Bluefield
by Anna Szolwinski Dean Betty Nelson has come to be one of the most highly respected figures in Purdue history. Known for being an “iron fist in a velvet glove,” Betty pioneered the fight for the disabled and contributed to the revolution for women’s rights during her time at Purdue. Female students such as Teresa Roche and Jane Hamblin revere Betty for her commitment to furthering the status of women… 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