Thomas Hendrickson is an undergraduate in history at the University of Illinois and an Undergraduate Assistant at the Archives Research Center.
A total of ten residence halls are named after women who have had a profound impact on the University of Illinois.
Allen Hall is named after Louisa C. Allen (1848-1920). She was only 22 years old when she was hired at the University and given the major tasks of overseeing female education and developing instruction in domestic science for women. Despite little institutional support and with no precedent upon which to model such a program, Allen offered a full new course of study during the 1875-1876 academic year. Her early work helped make higher education more obtainable for women. [1]
Blaisdell and Saunders, halls within Pennsylvania Avenue Residence Hall (PAR), are named after Daisy Luana Blaisdell (1866-1952) and Alta G. Saunders (1886-1948). [2] Blaisdell was the first housemother of Illinois’ first women’s residence hall, and also served as a professor of German for over three decades (1900-1931). Saunders was a professor of Business English, later becoming the Chair of the Business English Division. She also served as the director of the Alumni Association. [3]
One of the University’s newest residence halls is named after the highly influential Maudelle Tanner Brown Bousfield. She was the first African-American woman to graduate from the University of Illinois and did so with honors in 1906. She went on serve as a teacher and become the first black principal in the Chicago area. [4]
Busey-Evans Hall, the first residence hall at the University of Illinois, was originally named the Women’s Residence Hall. It was quickly renamed after Mary E. Busey (1854-1930) and Laura B. Evans (1860-1932) who were both members of the University’s Board of Trustees and were integral in securing housing for women. [5]
The wings of the Lincoln Avenue Residence Hall (LAR) are named after two women as well, Maria Leonard (1880-1976) and Mariam A. Shelden (1912-1975). Both were Deans of Women and were instrumental in promoting equality and creating programs for disadvantaged students. [6]
Leah F. Trelease (1894-1957) also has a hall of the Florida Avenue Residence Halls (FAR) named after her. Trelease was a renowned teacher within the English Department and also served as the Dean of Women after Maria Leonard. [7]
Lastly, Wardall Hall of the Illinois Street Residence Halls (ISR) is named after Ruth A. Wardall (1877-1936). Wardall was a Professor of Home Economics and later head the Department of Home Economics. To this day Ruth Wardall remains nationally renowned for her work in the field. [8] … [9]
[1] http://www.housing.illinois.edu/aboutus/alumni/namesakes
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] http://uihistories.library.illinois.edu/virtualtour/residencehalls/buseyevans/
[6] Ibid.
[7] http://www.housing.illinois.edu/aboutus/alumni/namesakes
[8] http://uihistories.library.illinois.edu/virtualtour/residencehalls/isr/
[9] Photos of residence halls: http://www.housing.illinois.edu/
