Staying Warm with the Busey Snoot Boot

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Written by Anna Trammell

In December of 1961, the University of Illinois was the birth place of an odd fashion trend that spread across the campus and through universities all over the country. It began when Charlene Levine, a sophomore in Education, received a knitting lesson from her roommate in Busey Hall. After completing a small square, she realized she could wear the material over her nose in the cold weather. She added elastic loops and a tassel and named her invention “the Snoot Boot.”[1] To Charlene’s surprise, the trend caught on. After seeing Busey girls sporting Snoot Boots around campus, a News-Gazette reporter suggested the girls sell their winter wares.[2]

Busey Hall residents wearing Snoot Boots, c. 1961
Busey Hall residents wearing Snoot Boots, c. 1961

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History As Art: Turner’s Woodblock Prints, 1946-1974

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Written by Angela Jordan

History As Art: Turner’s Woodblock Prints, 1946-1974 is the newest exhibit at the Student Life & Culture Archives.

Fred Turner, circa 1930s. Found in record series 41/1/20, Box 44.
Fred Turner, circa 1930s. Found in record series 41/1/20, Box 44.

Dean of Men Fred H. Turner (1900-1975) dedicated his entire career—as a student, alumnus, and administrator—to the University and its students. Beginning in 1918, while himself a freshman, Turner worked with students continuously until his retirement in 1966. Continue reading “History As Art: Turner’s Woodblock Prints, 1946-1974” →

Rose Bowl, 1947

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Written by Angela Jordan

The Rose Bowl, nicknamed “The Granddaddy of Them All,” has been played on January 1 or 2 every year since 1916. The Big Ten (then the Big Nine) did not allow their schools to participate in bowl games, until a Pacific Coast Conference agreement for the 1947 Rose Bowl. In the first Rose Bowl under the Big Nine-PCC agreement, the University of Illinois routed UCLA, 45-14, in an unexpected victory.

Ray Eliot, 1959. Found in record series 28/3/23
Ray Eliot, 1959. Found in record series 28/3/23

Winning head football coach Ray Eliot (Raymond Eliot Nusspickel, 1931) succeeded legendary Bob Zuppke in 1942 with little fanfare. The athletic board searched for seventy-two days before settling upon Eliot, and according to Tom Siler, “the applause was less than deafening.”[1] Though a non-entity to the public, the players were elated. His squad, predominantly war veterans, responded well to Ray Eliot’s principle: “This is your team; the coaches are only the guides.”[2]

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SLC Archives Celebrates 25 Years

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Stewart Howe
Stewart Howe

Written by Ellen Swain

Twenty-five years ago, the Stewart S. Howe Foundation provided a million dollar endowment to establish the Student Life and Culture Archival Program at the University Archives. That gift was the culmination of years of discussion and negotiation between alumnus Stewart Howe ’28 and University Archivist Maynard Brichford. Together they developed a vision for the Student Life and Culture (SLC) Archives that has blossomed into the one-of-a-kind program it is today.

A native of Streator, Illinois, Stewart Howe (1905-1973) majored in journalism (AB ’28 and MA ’31) at the University, serving as senior editor of the Daily Illini and as member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. In 1930 he united these interests by establishing the Stewart Howe Alumni Service, a public relations business which provided record-keeping and publication services to fraternities and sororities on campuses across the country. He was an avid collector of books and manuscripts about fraternity and student life and supporter of archives’ efforts- specifically those at the University of Illinois- in acquiring research-rich collections and historical resources. Continue reading “SLC Archives Celebrates 25 Years” →

Academic Freedom at UIUC: Communism and University Politics

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Written by Nick Hopkins

Intellectual exploration has been a central tenant of secondary education in the United States and at the University of Illinois for their duration. UIUC’s nearly 150-year history has been punctuated by points of conflict between university administration, faculty, and students concerning academic freedom. These differences correspond to larger historical events and societal tensions. Documents at the Student Life and Culture Archives provide insight into university life during the early Cold War period and evidence specific disagreements around academic freedom at the university. Continue reading “Academic Freedom at UIUC: Communism and University Politics” →