90th anniversary edition
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The 90th Anniversary edition of the unewTRANSCRIPT
The University News
as a Student Voice of Saint Louis University
Celebrating
Years90
unewsonline.com90th Anniversary 2Letter from the Editor-in-Chief
The story about storytellingSometimes things just seem to
fit. When I moved into Marguerite
Hall my freshman year, I had my entire future laid out. My major was aerospace engineering, and I was bound and determined to become an ex-cellent engineer. I went to classes and studied hard, and everything seemed to fit into place.
Then some-thing happened. I was introduced to something that was going to take my ideal college experience and flip it on its head.
As Welcome Week passed, I be-gan to search for student organi-zations where I could involve my-self on campus.
Then I remem-bered one piece of advice that my Oriflamme leader gave me at ori-entation: “You should totally join The University News.”
This line was not easy to forget after she screamed this into my ear before the annual soccer game rally. So, I picked up a paper and found a house-ad for general interest meet-ings.
The first time I stepped into Busch Student Center Suite 354, I didn’t feel new or nervous. Some-how, without earning it, I felt at home. I was assigned my first ar-ticle, coverage on Smoke-Free SLU, and everything just fit into place.
Now, more than three years and 91 issues later, my major is now communication and environmen-tal studies. I still find myself losing sleep on Wednesday production nights as the editor-in-chief of this organization.
There is just something about The University News that keeps me coming back.
This experience is not just mine to share. For more than 90 years, The University News has changed the lives of countless other Saint Louis University students.
These experiences are what make this organization special, and it is what makes us a tradition on this campus.
This year, our editorial board
and advertising staff have made it a priority to celebrate The University News’ 90th Anniversary by telling these personal stories and celebrat-ing this tradition. Journalism is a powerful tool, if presented in a pro-fessional manner. Multiple genera-tions of “UNewsers” have given a great service to their University and their community with this newspa-per.
As our staff searched through our archives to give you this spe-cial edition, we found something special in every issue. We found the personalities of those student jour-nalists who wrote and produced the newspaper.
The many stories that we have told throughout the past 90 years tell one larger story of who we are as college students. The University News carries the identity of this aca-
demic institution. Writing for the
paper is not just an activity. Rath-er, it is a job and a huge responsi-bility.
I am so glad that I am able to share this respon-sibility with such a great group of students who are, and will be, my lifelong friends.
The University News has also given me the pride to express who I really am. I am a journalist, and no matter how bad the career prospects may be, I will hold this skill set for the rest of my life.
The University News is my lega-cy on this campus, and I hope that those who follow me will handle it with the care and professionalism that I have strived to give it in these last few years.
Thank you for reading, and do not forget that everyone is a mem-ber of The University News, whether you write or read.
Happy Anniversary!
Commentary
Jonathan ernst
These experiences are what make this organization special, and it is what makes us a tradition on this campus.
“”
unewsonline.com Reflections 3Why The UNews? Editor’s Note:
The following are reflections gathered from current Saint Louis University students and alumni about their experiences working for The University News.
I remember the nightmares fondly.
When I served as editor-in-chief, I would often wake up in a cold sweat, convinced I’d left the third page blank. More than twice, I found myself going back to the newsroom at 4 a.m., looking for the fatal error I was sure I left behind. My periods of stress-induced insanity should be instantly understandable to anyone who’s been through the production cycle.
The mood of a production night remains unparalleled. I can vividly recall pacing around the BSC at mid-night, chugging my fourth bottle of Cherry Coke Zero, praying I’d think of a way to finish five stories in 20 minutes. No matter how stressed I am by my assignments in the world of professional journalism, I can re-member a moment in UNews histo-ry that was more intense. Thinking, “I’ve survived worse than this,” has been a critical factor in my success in professional newsrooms.
Weathering those waves of stress and responsibility with a group of dedicated student editors and contributors at my side helped create some of the strongest rela-tionships of my life. I mingled with the frat boys who sold ads and the Parks students who shot photos. We came together from every corner of Saint Louis University to bring the news of the day to life.
Sure, things have changed since I left the desk in the corner of BSC 354. But no matter how many years pass or how the organization evolves, I will always have a connec-tion with Diana Benanti, Katie Lew-is, Kat Patke, Jonathan Ernst, Kel-ley Dunn, Ian Darnell, Sarah Hale, Ryan Giacomino and many others.
We felt the weight of the Frost Campus on our shoulders together, and we did some great journal-ism. And, in between, we became friends, noshed on an endless sup-ply of Cheez-Its and fought for the title of Movie Expert, care of Avis Meyer, Ph.D.
-Adam TamburinEditor-in-Chief 2008-2009
I joined The UNews because Dr. Avis Meyer recognized some poten-tial in my writing assignments in his Communications 201 class. It was an invitation that would change my life’s direction.
I can without equivocation say that being on The UNews staff was an integral part of my SLU under-graduate experience. I met lifelong friends. I interviewed interesting people. There was the satisfaction of seeing my article(s) in print each week.
Perhaps my fondest memories are of the “good ol’ days” of laying out by hand the newspaper each week at Nordmann Printing. My “Exacto knife-wielding” memories there include:
-During dinner break, eating piz-za with crust so thick, the staff be-came bloated. The crusts later were assembled in a pizza box and taken home to Grendel, the Meyer fam-ily dog, where she devoured it all (which likely explained her mass).
-Avis’s unique gift of regaling the staff with stories and movie trivia -- all the while told, of course, in be-tween puffs on a cigar.
-Sharing time, inside jokes and friendship with staff members.
I have been given a special gift of the opportunity to learn from and get to know Dr. Avis Meyer. I credit him, his classes and my experienc-es at The UNews with the skills that have enabled me to work success-fully in the communications indus-try for more than 25 years.
-Patricia Binder
Associate Editor 1983-1984
The UNews gave me a forum to give it a shot, try managing school and work, rewrite an article at 1 a.m. and lead a team. It gave me confidence, a couch to sleep on and a printer to use, and it helped foster friendships.
I’m sounding lame, I know, but The UNews is a happy, floodlit mo-ment in my life yet to be rivaled. I liked and disliked it.
I loved and hated it. Graduating and leaving The UNews was the best breakup I ever had because I knew I wasn’t going to be the best thing it ever had – there’s so much left for the people who love it to accom-plish, and I’m thrilled that it lives on.
-Katie LewisEditor-in-Chief 2007-2008
When it comes to The UNews, I guess you could say I was a late bloomer. I came to SLU as an Eng-lish major expecting to go to law school.
I was in a pre-law program that guaranteed admittance by taking specific courses. I was politically ac-tive and involved in student govern-ment, so my first brush with the pa-per came when I became a subject of some stories. I ended up getting to know some of The UNews staff that way, and one of them talked me into joining and writing some stories.
My high school didn’t have a pa-per, so it was all new to me. But I liked to write, and I quickly realized that I liked the newsroom a lot more than student government. I never looked back. There was something about the sense of common purpose and teamwork that appealed to me – and still does today, even in an in-dustry facing huge challenges. It’s fair to say The UNews changed my life.
-Teryl FranklinEditor-in-Chief 1989-1990
Aiko Mitsui / The University News 1996
I joined The University News mainly because I’d written for my high school newspaper; also, being a staff writer seemed like a good way to get to know Saint Louis Uni-versity better.
Little did I know at the time how dicey the relationship between the newspaper staff and the administra-tion was, in the wake of a controver-sial charter change.
Over the next few years, I would learn in countless ways the impor-tance of an independent student publication – and I’d work with some of the most intelligent, re-sourceful and creative personalities I’ve ever met.
Being a part of The UNews chal-lenged me each week, whether it was coming up with an interesting angle on a story, debating an edito-rial stance with colleagues, or try-ing to outdo everyone else during a movie quiz.
I lost sleep, I started getting gray hairs and I never got to a single pen-ny pitchers at Humphrey’s -- but it was all worth it. The University News made me a better thinker and less naive about academia, and I am pro-foundly grateful for the experience.
-Diana UmaliEditor-in-Chief 2001-2002
I got my start in publishing by reading the bathroom walls of St. Louis University.
A poli sci major, I took Avis’s Fea-ture Writing course my junior year for fun. My first feature was a sur-vey of campus graffiti.
They published it, and senior year I was news editor. I’d found my career. It’s been challenging, and not always lucrative, but a lot of fun. Beats the hell out of law school. Thanks (I think), Avis! It’s all your fault.
-Jeff FisterNews Editor 1980-1981
I chose to be involved with The University News, first, because old-er student government kids told me if they didn’t like me I’d never get elected. Later, though, it was because I grew quite fond of the friendly banter and strong sense of accountability that existed between SGA and The UNews.
Most of my late Wednesday nights/early Thursday mornings [following Penny-Pitchers at Hum-phrey’s] involved some nightmare-esque hallucination of what I’d read the next morning about my involve-ment with the preceding week.
These are the memories that come close to monopolizing my college experience. And I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
Thanks, UNews, for 90 years of service to SLU students, four years of affliction for wannabe stu-dent leaders and countless lessons taught to this student [me]. My college experience wouldn’t have been the same without you, and my post-college reflections will forever involve the humility-laced lessons your writers taught me.
-Sam HowardSGA President 2008-2009
Two things brought me to The UNews: photograhy and the former photo editor Noah Berman.
I still remember the morning Noah, my former photo editor, came to speak in my photography class. “It’s a lot of fun”, he said, “and you should all come!”
And I did. We all know that some decisions we randomly make can change our lives, to me the decision to join The UNews is probably one of them.
I made some of my best friends in the newsroom, shot some of my best photos during the time working here and had probably some of my happiest moments working here. It’s a luxury to be able to do what I love -- taking photos and talking to people I love.
-Shah (Yuqing Xia)Photo Editor 2011
I joined The University News be-cause I was looking for an opportu-nity to learn more about the Univer-sity, gain some practical experience and learn more about the journal-ism field.
I work for the News and Sports sections and have had the oppor-tunity to interview some amazing people, from the Mayor Slay’s staff to SLU basketball stars. It changed my college experience because it made me recognize that I really en-joy journalism and possibly want to pursue it as a professional career.
Also, I have gained an inside per-spective about the various workings of SLU. I have made some amazing friends, and they helped me become a better journalist, writer and truth seeker. I know this experience will help me in my future education and career pursuits.
-Charles Bowles Staff Writer 2011
There are only two things more useless than a college journalist: baseball-card bubble gum and used tissues.
It takes a certain breed of stu-dent to say “yes” to churning out a newspaper every week. Heckling writers about deadlines, spewing forth words of an article no one on staff wanted to take and making the final changes on your pages long after the rest of the BSC has been vacated can wear and tear on a full-time student. Yet, when I saw the newsroom full of red-eyed editors, teeth stained with coffee, I thought the newsroom might be a welcome place for this misfit toy.
Indeed it has been. What a cast of characters! I have been blessed. I do not deserve my fellow journal-ists, but for them I give thanks. The Printed Word! Long may it live.
-T.J. KeeleyAssociate Arts Editor 2011
Whenever I attempt to detangle how I became involved with The University News, it always comes back to one thing: a hunch.
Like most of the major choices I have made in my life, whether con-sciously or not, joining The Univer-sity News was never really a choice. I just gravitated towards it. Looking back, that’s how I know I am meant to be here, and the benefits I’ve reaped from doing so are beyond measure.
I’m a finance and accounting double major, and I can say with all honesty The University News has added more to my skill set than any lecture hall. That, coupled with the friendships I’ve made while here, will stick with me long after I leave this campus.
-Brian BoydNews Editor 2011
1920s 90th Anniversary Edition The University News
The newspaper that changed like a ‘chameleon’Student newspaper searched for identity in the early 1920s
By JONATHAN ERNSTEditor-in-Chief
Click, click, click…ching. This iconic noise was first heard in a newsroom on Saint Louis University’s campus in 1919 as student journalists rushed to publish a newspaper by dead-line.
The student publication-newspaper went through many changes during its early years in the 1920s, as it strived to make an imprint on campus.
The first student newspaper at SLU was called The Billiken, a 12-page newspaper created by six editors, four sales rep-resentatives and 23 staff mem-bers who published on the 1st and 15th of each month, from October through June. Claude Heithaus, S.J., a SLU professor, started this publication, and it was “devoted to the interests of the Students and Professors, past and present of the St. Louis University.”
The Billiken focused on news, opinion and sports coverage as it covered the SLU football pro-gram and the national politics of the time.
Its audience included nearly 1,000 readers in its first year, as it was circulated around cam-pus. At the end of its first aca-demic year, the newspaper staff changed the name to The Fleur de Lis, to honor a literary maga-zine that was published 20 years earlier.
After a year, the newspaper became a true “chameleon,” as the administration worked to revive the literary magazine with the name “Fleur de Lis,” leaving the paper again to find
a new name and identity. On Oct. 15, 1921, the staff found a name and decided to start anew, publishing the first issue of The Varsity Breeze, to be included in the first archived volume of the student newspaper.
An editorial in the first issue explained the changes to its readers. “Now, lest the St. Louis U. newspaper, by reason of the several changes of its name, be likened to the chameleon and be considered as an attempt to disguise itself, it will be well to inform the student body why the designation of Fleur de Lis has been given up and that Varsity Breeze substituted in its stead.
“But a newspaper, with the life and spirit expected of it, is better suited by a designation expression of energy and activ-ity. These qualities, it is believed are expressed by the name Varsity Breeze.”
The Varsity Breeze published through the 1930-1931 aca-demic year, and when the name switched to The University News ,in fall of 1931, the newspaper started with volume 11, continu-ing the volume numbering start-ed by The Varsity Breeze, making 2011 the 90th anniversary of the student newspaper. Even though the newspaper struggled to find a permanent name and iden-tity in its early days, one thing remained clear: This newspaper was here to serve the University community. On Jan. 10, 1924, The Varsity Breeze, in an effort to increase its readership and rel-evance, began to publish every Thursday. This set the tone for SLU’s weekly student newspa-per, a trend that continues to this day.
The first issue of The Billiken is
published
Dec. 1, 1919
1920sJan. 1, 1920
Father Robinson New President
Jan. 15, 1920
Football Coach Radem-acher to Pilot Billikens
Again Next Fall
March 15, 1920
The Billiken’s name is changed to Fleur de Lis
Oct. 15, 1921
First issue of the Varsity Breeze is
published
Dec. 15, 1922
Jan. 10, 1924
Varsity Breeze to be Pub-lished Every Thursday
Feb. 7, 1924
Houdini Exposes Spirit ‘Mediums’ in Lecture at
U.
The Ku Klux Klan in the
Pulpit
Sept. 30, 1925
Enrollment may reach 4, 000
Feb. 3, 1926
Construction of New Gym Started
Last Week
Dec. 2, 1925
Board Accepts Resigna-tion of Head Coach: Dan
Savage resigns
Oct. 24,1929
Stock Market Crashes on ‘Black Thursday’
Nov. 10, 1926
Loyola’s Mascot is in St. Louis: Students
Stole Goat
Bills quarterback Schaeffering passes in open field during a game against Mizzou. Right: British Field Marshal Marshal Foch visits campus.
An editorial cartoon of the Billiken dreaming of a “Merry Christmas.”
The football Billikens pile up during a game in 1924.
An editorial cartoon titled “Along the Appain.” [sic]
1930s 90th Anniversary EditionThe University News
University moves ahead, re-establishes goalsNewsroom makeover increases production and professionalism
By KRISTEN MIANOAssociate News Editor
The 1930s were a period of growth for Saint Louis University and The University News. As the University gained recognition as a premier Catholic college, The University News began to make a name for itself as a publication.
In 1934, The University News reorganized its newsroom with the addition of new desks and chairs. The paper invested in a circular copy desk, with the hope of eliminating confusion surrounding deadline and arti-cle protocol.
Prior to the newsroom upgrade, editors had to fight over typewriters with other stu-dents and were frequently inter-rupted by smokers looking for a more congenial place to take a break. The renovation gave the office a professional business feel and contributed significant-ly to the productivity of those involved on the staff.
In March of 1936, The University News produced its first special section, entitled sim-ply “Saint Louis University.” The section took a closer look at the locations and personalities that made SLU of the 1930s what it was.
It featured short biographies of the University president and deans and gave history behind the buildings of the campus. In September of the same year, the newspaper helped to form the Jesuit Newspaper Association. Similar to the present day Missouri College Media Association of which The University News is now a part, the Jesuit Newspaper Association brought together the publications of various Jesuit
colleges not only to collaborate, but also compete for the honor of being the best newspaper in the association.
While the newspaper made some serious changes through-out the decade, the biggest change occurred in February of 1939, when the coordinator at the time, Rev. William H. MaCabe, S.J., reorganized the entire staff to ensure that each portion of the University was covered. All new editors were hired, including three female editors, the first women to serve on the staff of The University News. The paper faced a set-back, however, when Mary McNicolas, the features editor, died from burns sustained from an accident just a week after she was hired.
At this time, The University News covered mostly events held at the University, such as the election of prom queens, beauty pageants, the annual Dad’s Day celebration, retreats and fraternity events. The paper consisted of only two sections, News and Sports. The sports coverage placed its emphasis on the University’s football team, but did seasonal coverage of both basketball and baseball.
Meanwhile, the University was thriving, despite the after-math of the Depression and growing conflict in Europe. Surveys reported student satis-faction nearly across the board, although the student dropout rate was near 50 percent. The school focused largely on it’s Catholic identity, featuring guest lecturers who spoke out against evolutionism and contraception. In 1936, the school hired their first female faculty member for-work in the registrar.
The Varsity Breeze is renamed The Univer-
sity News
Oct. 15, 1931
Dec. 14, 1934
Law student dies from illness: Suc-
cumbs to pneumonia
Jan. 11, 1935
New furnishings add business atmosphere to
press quarters
Feb 21, 1935
New News Editor, Albert W. Lutz, appointed
Sept. 23, 1936
UNews helps form Jesuit Newspaper As-
sociation
Oct. 23, 1936
Nov. 13, 1936
Conclave Inaugurates Pep Program
Jan. 15, 1937
Rev Harry B. Crimmions, S.J., appointed president
of the University
First woman on faculty reviews
work as Registrar
May 7, 1937
Dean Crowley resigns position to accept
headship of Teachers’ college at Fordham
Feb. 3, 1939
UNews reorganized, staff switched first
women hired to staff
Jan. 13, 1939
Student Mortaltiy (drop out) rate is 50 percent,
survey shows
Oct. 13,1939
Commerce School Sets new enrollment
record
May 12, 1939
General college to be added to University,
begins next September
Jesuit educators and teachers meet.
Clyde Lucas, orchestra leader, provides music for the last University social affair
Billiken basket ball faces off against the Washington Bears
Mass given in honor of the late Pope Pius XII.Left: SLU baseball faces off against Washington Bears.
1930s
1940s 90th Anniversary Edition The University News
Jesuits Celebrate 400th Year
Oct. 24, 1940
1940s
Coverage dominated by impact of World War IIBonds, barracks, basketball, blood donations decorate headlines
The main focus was the war and its impacts on the Saint Louis University community.
“ ,,
By JONATHAN ERNSTEditor-in-Chief
“Buy war bonds!” “Donate blood!” “Support the war effort!” These were just some of the messages that ran in the 1940’s editions of The University News, as the attacks on Pearl Harbor and the effects World War II dominated the presses. The main focus was the war and its impact on the Saint Louis University community.
Students were trained for combat in the West Pine Gym, now the Bauman-Eberhardt Center, new courses were taught for Morse code, and The U n i v e r s i t y News even had to reshuffle its staff as the News Editor was sworn into the Marines.
The talk around cam-pus focused on the war and how the campus changed and contributed to the military effort. Professors and students donated 498 pints of blood, as the campus strove to support the troops abroad.
War advertisements and news about its impact filled each edition as President Harry S. Truman purchased two full-page advertisements urging readers to buy war bonds. Despite the coverage of the war, some edi-tors and writers found ways to ease the tensions of the times. The newspaper had extensive football and basketball cover-age, including previews for both sports, and it chose to cover prom and dances with front-
page photos. The news was often divided
between human-interest pieces and the hard news of the times. The 1940s were marked by war, but it was also a time of inno-vation in photography for The University News.
The staff attempted to break the mold, as more photos and visuals were added to provide more appeal to the front page. The newsroom was outfitted with a dark room, and each photo had to be developed and placed on the page by hand. Entire pages filled with photos
became more common, as the staff’s stu-dent journal-ists began to use these pho-tos to tell sto-ries.
C a r t o o n s were also used to tell the sto-ries that the
photos could not. The staffs dur-ing this decade had several illus-trators that provided content in the news, opinion and sports sections. Most of the ads during this decade also used illustrators to sell their brands, as com-panies such as Vandervoort’s, a men’s clothing store, Roller Skate and Camel cigarettes fought to stand out and appeal to The University News’ readers.
Photo elements were put to good use as the staff doc-umented the 1947-1948 men’s basketball season that ended with an NIT Championship. The late “Easy” Ed Macauley led the team and secured his legacy in the St. Louis basketball scene.
Feb. 28, 1941
Student Conclave and University News Offer
Plan for New Brand
Oct. 2, 1942
New Japanese Courses Added to
Curriculum
Oct. 30, 1942
President Truman runs two full-page ads promoting the
purchase of War Bonds
Dec. 11, 1942
Saluting the Pearl Harbor Dead at Font-
bonne Ceremony
Dec. 18, 1942
University Awaits Annoucement on ‘Students-in-Uniform’ policy:
Navy, Army Plans to Enlist College Students
Jan. 8, 1943
Father Kelley Becomes SLU
Head on Dec. 25
March 26, 1943
498 Pints of Blood Donat-ed: Faculty, Students and
Scholastics Contribute
V-1 Reserves train under Eberhardt
March 12, 1943
Frist ERC Members Leave for Barracks
Oct. 1, 1943
News Editor Sworn into Marines
Nov. 5, 1943
New President Inau-gurated: Rev. Patrick
J. Holloran, S.J.
March 15, 1948
Bills Win NIT Cham-pionship Behind
‘Easy’ Ed Macauley
A full-length front-page car-toon saluting students serving in World War II.
Students wave goodbye to their friends and family, as they head off for military service.
A male student escorts his date to Homecoming in 1943.Far Right: The front cover of The University News’ football preview in 1942. Near Right: Students attend a course on Morse code in 1943.
1950s 90th Anniversary EditionThe University News
Focus shifts to domestic coverage, rebuildingStudents’ involvment and campus expansion increases at all levels
By PATRICK OLDSAssociate News Editor
The news cycle of The University News changed dra-matically from the 1940s, head-ing away from international news to focus more on domestic coverage in the 1950s. Paul C. Reinert, S.J., moved the Saint Louis University community into rebuilding. This theme was common during the time, as the United States was recovering from World War II.
Just as the country was recovering from WWII, so was the economy of the United States. In 1950, Bernard W. Dempsey, S.J., wrote an article for the Harvard Review con-cerning business responsibil-ity, and part of the article was republished in the Jan. 20, 1950 issue of The University News. Dempsey outlined the idea that contributive justice should over-power distributive justice. “Each higher society is subsidiary to the lesser societies within it and should help those lesser societies settle their affairs, not attempt to settle those affairs for them,” Dempsey wrote in the article.
In addition to receiving national acclaim from Dempsey, SLU had the privilege of hear-ing from United Nations offi-cial William Agar, the first U.N. official to speak at the University.
The general focus of this time period, though, was dedi-cated, more than in years past, to rebuilding SLU. An active debate was held in 1950 con-cerning the student-activity fee, and is similar to the debate of the present. The University polled students on the proposed activ-
Article of Fr. Dempsey in Har-
vard Review
Jan 20, 1950
1950sMar 10, 1950
Conclave Seeks Student Opinion on
Activity Fee
Mar 17, 1950
William Agar, U.N. Official, Addresses
Students
Sept. 191952
Fr. Reinert to Break Ground for New Dorm Monday
Oct. 311952
Gov. Stevensen Defeats Eisenhower by Single vote in University News Presi-
dential Poll
Feb. 6, 1953
Apr. 17, 1953
Wiretaps to be Argued at Law Alumni Day
Jan. 7, 1955
Fr. Reinert to Remain as President
New Student Lounge to Open
Monday
Jan. 14, 1955
Used-Book Policy: No Competition
Oct. 5, 1956
Young Democrat and Republican Clubs Organized
Wednesday
Mar.11, 1955
Dr. Doisy’s Name given to Medical School De-
partment
Nov. 16,1956
Parking Facilities Here to be Doubled by
March
Oct. 11, 1956
New Dorm Dedication on Oct. 28 - Marguerite
Hall
The medical department at SLU was named for Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Edward A. Doisy. Left: On Jan. 13, 1950, stu-dents awaited the SLU bas-ketball team after they played through a grueling East Coast road trip.
Marguerite Hall was dedicated by Fr. Reinert in 1956.
ity fee to pay for, among other things, The University News and new student identification cards. In addition to proposals for new revenue streams through an activity fee, the University saw promising enrollment spikes. Parks College of Aviation, Engineering and Technology had its highest enrollment to date, numbered at 496 in 1950.
In 1952, a mock presi-dential poll was conducted a week before the national elec-tion by The University News, in which Illinois Gov. Adlai Stevensen beat out Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower by one vote. Contrary to University polls, Eisenhower won the election.
Student involvement was increasing in every aspect of the University. In 1952, students demanded library improve-ments.
The University News received criticism from faculty and stu-dents, who felt there was a lack of objective coverage at the publication. In 1955, students challenged the monopoly of the bookstore with student-run used bookstores, but the admin-istration struck the idea down.
As the decade progressed, new facilities were christened, such as the completion of Walsh Hall in 1952, a new student lounge in 1953 and dedication of Marguerite Hall in 1956.
In 1955, the University’s biochemistry department was named the Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, in honor of the department’s director, Edward A. Doisy, who won a Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1944.
The decade represented regrowth and student involve-ment.
This is an artist’s rendering of the new library, Pope Pius XII, in 1955.
1960s 90th Anniversary Edition The University News
Political and cultural turbulence aboundThe University News moves forward in the era of Civil Rights
By PARISA ROUIEOpinion Editor
The sixties were a booming era for white socks, cigarettes and beer ads in The University News. Pictures of tiara-bestowed students pepper the pages of the archives, including prom queens, Mardi Gras queens and every other queen that could plausibly be elected.
In 1961, with more than 10,000 students enrolled, Saint Louis University became the largest in St. Louis. This called for a new dormitory, and Griesedieck Hall was devised to house the surplus of students.
This SLU landmark and orna-ment of the St. Louis horizon was completed as a part of the University’s 150th Anniversary Development Program, along with the Lecture Halls, Shannon and Monsanto Halls, and the Busch Student Center, originally the Busch Memorial Center.
The University Student Conclave, an organization similar to the current Student Government Association, also launched the Great Issues Series in March 1963. This series brought speakers such as Martin Luther King Jr., Governor George Romney, noted civil rights leader Roy Wilkins and president Kennedy’s political consultant to give regular lec-tures, informing the student body of the relevant issues of the time. What better time to talk about the issues of the day than the warring 60s?
The series included lectures on civil rights, sex and sexuality, drug abuse and threats of com-
munism. A newly-added course titled “Human Conduct” (now called Ethics) also increased consciousness of the looming sociocultural change.
The results of a university poll published on Nov. 3, 1967 “revealed that although the University community is almost evenly divided regarding approv-al of the hippie philosophy, they generally do not approve of the hippies’ behavior.” Still, wide-spread drug abuse brought many speakers to the campus to speak on the issue and led The University News to publish a series entitled “The Mystique of Drugs on Campus” in the spreads of two issues in ‘67.
Another spread around the same time featured a commen-tary discussing “The Draft and Vietnam Dilemma for Students,” demanding all student defer-ments be eliminated.
At the same time, the rebel-lious culture spurred the edito-rial board of the paper to write collective editorials urging the University to “raise the hemline” as spring rolled around and to stop requiring students to attend mass at least once a week in order to avoid suspension.
The University paper contin-ued its role in the 60s to cre-ate awareness and render an informed student body. It also served as the student voice to the administration and the soci-ety at large, speaking in a time when society cracked down hard on the youth. Shaving cream and beer ads might have been just enough distraction from think-ing about war and a reforming campus.
Nixon’s Tactics Under Attack by
Bob Kennedy
Feb. 15, 1960
1960sFeb. 24,
1961
University Enrollment Includes Students from 49 States, 57 Countries
Sept. 15, 1961
University Enrollment Ex-ceeds 10,000: Now Largest
School in St. Louis
March 9, 1962
Griesdieck Family Honored at Dormitory Groundbreak-
ing
Oct. 16, 1964
Doctor King Says Much Work Still
Needed in Civil Rights
March 26, 1965
May 7, 1965
North Campus Desig-nated Frost Campus
Jan. 7, 1966
University Raises Tuition in All Schools
Students and Faculty March at Montgomery
April 14, 1967
University Students Join in Vietnam Demonstrations
Feb. 9, 1968
Meeting Calls for Draft Resistance
Dec. 15, 1967
Openings for Negros Rare in Theatre and
Television
Nov. 21, 1969
SLU Faces Dilemma in Assimilating Black Stu-dent Body on Campus
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King delivers a lecture on campus in 1964.
Joseph Cardinal Ritter, Archbishop of St. Louis receives a citation naming him a founder of the University.
St. Louis Mayor Raymond R. Tucker breaks ground for the new I.T. Building on campus. Right: The rise of Griesedieck Hall in 1963.
1970s 90th Anniversary EditionThe University News
Social upheaval marks country, campusIce hockey loss, soccer successes, peace classes define era
The University News sported a new, flashier look to accommodate the changing times.
“ ,,
By BRIAN BOYDNews Editor
From war protests to the trag-ic Kent State shootings, the ten-sions and conflict of the 1970s pervaded college campuses across the country. Despite the tense atmosphere, Saint Louis University saw progressions in peace and moments of triumph throughout the decade.
The University News sported a new, flashier look to accommo-date the changing times.
With a bloody battle brewing in Vietnam, SLU students fought for the institu-tion of a peace cur r icu lum–and succeed-ed. During the 1970 fall s e m e s t e r , courses con-cerning “the institute for the development of peace and alter-natives to war” were offered.
The 1970s also saw the soc-cer Billikens continue the level of unparalleled success that was set in the 1960s.
The Bills rolled through the 1970 season without a loss until they met Howard University in the NCAA Tournament finals, in which they fell 3-2. The loss marked the first time in 44 matches that the Billikens did not win or tie.
The Billikens bounced back strong, however, capturing titles in 1972 and 1973. In both ’72 and ’73, SLU knocked off the UCLA Bruins to capture the title. From 1959 to 1973, SLU won a total of 10 NCAA championships, the most in NCAA history.
“St. Louis U is finding that the task of becoming the No. 1 college team in the country doesn’t get any easier as the years go by,” Paul Gardner of The Sporting News said on Jan. 20, 1973.
His quote proved prophetic when the Billikens fell in the 1974 finals.
In 1973, longtime University President Paul Reinert, S.J., announced his resignation and intentions to become chancellor of the University. Reinert began his tenure as president in 1949 at age 39. Reinert was the first SLU
president to admit women as full-time stu-dents.
“I would weep if I thought this was the end of my work, or a re t i rement , ”
Reinert said. In 1976, SLU purchased the
nearby Xavier High School for the staggering sum of $625,000. The building would become what is known today as Xavier Hall, home of the communica-tion department. Not much has changed in exterior appearance. In fact, the original high school and the current building are almost indistinguishable.
In 1978, the University dropped their Division I ice hockey team due to financial difficulties. The move was unex-pected, according The University News, and was announced before the season ended. Today, SLU offers club hockey. No plans for resuscitation of the D-1 program have been discussed as of late.
Peace Curricu-lum Initiated on
Campus
Oct. 2, 1970
1970sJan. 21,
1972
Soccer Bills Bow in NCAA Finals
Feb. 11, 1972
SLU Surgeons Perform First Heart Transplant
in City.
Dec. 29, 1972
SLU Soccer Wins Ninth National Championship
May 1, 1973
Fr. Paul Reinert, S.J., Announces Retire-
ment from Presidency
Dec. 7, 1974
Dec. 3, 1975
SLU Hosts National Bicen-tennial Conference
March 31, 1976
SLU Purchases Xavier High School for $625,000
Tuition Increas-es to $1200 per
Semester.
March 16, 1977
Famed Psycholo-gist B.F. Skinner
Speaks at SLU
April 28, 1978
Ice Hockey Pro-gram Dropped due to Financial Issues
Feb. 13, 1978
Daniel C. O’Connell, S.J., Resigns Suddenly
from Presidency
Nov. 2, 1979
Registration Becomes Computerized, Elimi-nating Course Cards
March 26, 1979
Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty Signed in White
House
Class registration became computerized in 1979, increas-ing efficiency for students.
SLU purchased Xavier High School in 1976, which became the Xavier Hall we now know.
Head Coach Harry Keough holds the championship trophy.
Professors sit on campus before their next classes.
The SLU Ice Hockey program was dropped in 1978.
1980s 90th Anniversary Edition The University News
Hospital, real estate issues, ‘82 CardsBiondi assumes presidency, pledges
growth for the University community
The 1980s saw a busy decade for big news for Saint Louis University. “ ,,
By KRISTEN MIANOAssociate News Editor
The 1980s saw a busy decade of big news for Saint Louis Uni-versity.
In January of 1984, Saint Louis University Hospital announced a $33 million, eight-story addition to provide space for research and teaching facilities.
In April of that same year, the University introduced a comput-er-related method of payment for meal plans and food pur-chases at all dining facilities. St. Francis Xavier College Church celebrated its centennial.
In 1985, SLU acquired the University Plaza Hotel and named it in honor of Paul C. Rein-ert, S.J., the chancellor of the University. Called Reinert Hall, the build-ing now serves primarily as a freshmen residence hall for SLU students. In 1985, the University began a renovation of the Pius XII Memorial Library, increas-ing square footage and adding a new roof and staircases.
But perhaps the biggest and most lasting bit of news from the decade came about in Octo-ber of 1987 with the inaugura-tion of Lawrence Biondi, S.J., as the 31st University president. Succeeding Thomas Fitzgerald, S.J., Biondi was installed with a promise to focus on “the Uni-versity’s academic mission of teaching, research and commu-nity service.” Biondi’s inaugural address also promised to cre-
ate more professorship endow-ments, to ensure the quality of SLU education, and to continue to nurture the student schol-arship funds. Biondi has since held the position for 24 years, marking the second longest reign of any University president next to Reinert, who served the position for 27 years.
Two years later, in January of 1989, SLU set a record for its own history by raising more than $100 million in fundraising. That same year, the University hired its first female vice presi-dent, Karen Davis.
The Uni-versity News continued to be a student voice for the University by covering all these events and more. Still under the
advisement of Dr. Avis Meyer, the paper published 12 pages every Friday, featuring sections including news, sports, opinion, a global report and an occa-sional comics section. In 1981, the organization celebrated its 60th anniversary as the campus’s newspaper. In 1982, The Univer-sity News ran a special section to commemorate the St. Louis Car-dinals’ ninth World Series win.
Under the leadership of edi-tor-in-chief Rey Villar, the paper began the transition to comput-erized publication in the late 80s. The only other major change to occur to the publication dur-ing this decade was the switch to printing on broadsheet, an improvement that has stayed with the paper ever since.
Celebrated 50 years as The Uni-
versity News
Sept. 1981
1980sOct. 23,
1981
New women’s studies program proposed
Sept. 24, 1982
SLU area rated number one in city auto thefts
Oct. 1982
Cardinals win the World Series
Jan. 28, 1983
McDonnell Douglas grants $1.2 million to Parks Col-lege for avionics program
Nov. 2, 1984
April 13 1984
Computerized food, purchase plan intro-
duced
Dec. 13, 1985
Trustees to name hall in honor of Fr. Paul Reinert
College Church celebrates cen-
tennial
March. 21, 1986
Barnes & Noble awarded bookstore
contract
Oct. 2, 1987
Biondi inaugurated as University’s 31st
President
Jan. 23, 1986
Biondi succeeds Fitzger-ald as Universty Presi-
dent
Jan. 27,1989
Karen Davis begins work as first female
VP
Jan. 27, 1989
SLU sets record, tops $100 million in fund-
raising
Rev. Lawrence Biondi, S.J. appointed President.
An editorial cartoon address-ing the finacial state of the Vatican.
Construction takes place on the Pius XII Memorial Library.
Left: The UNews staff published a two-page special section in honor of the Cardinals 1982 World Series Championship.
1990s 90th Anniversary EditionThe University News
Campus experiences steady construction, renovationStudent activism, SGA drama, visits by Dalai Lama, Pope highlight decade
By BRIAN BOYDNews Editor
Throughout the 1990s, Saint Louis University began to take shape, becoming what it is today.
The Student Village apart-ment buildings opened up in 1997, establishing themselves as a staple of housing and residence life. DeMattias Hall became the homestead for the Greek community in 1998.
Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology com-pleted its move from Cahokia, Ill., to the Frost Campus. Saint Francis Xavier College Church completed its renovations near the end of 1990, giving way to the sparkling interior students see today.
According to The Universi-ty News, the renovation of the church “justified the wait, work”
“The new church design pro-vides a setting for community participation, so important in today’s liturgy, and the renova-tion has reversed a century of wear and tear,” Kurt Landberg, head architect for the project, said on Nov. 30, 1991 to The University News. “At last, the grandeur of the original design will be seen.”
With a new look for the Col-lege Church came a bevy of important religious figures to the St. Louis area and SLU itself. In September of 1993, the Dalai Lama visited the College Church.
More than 1,000 members of the SLU community came to hear the Tibetan Buddhist leader’s message of peace and spirituality.
“The worst thing is that,
sometimes in the name of reli-gion, there is conflict,” the Dalai Lama said.
On Jan. 25, 1999, the city of St. Louis welcomed one of the most influential figures in modern history: Pope John Paul II. According to The University News, ‘Pope Mania’ infected St. Louis, and ‘TV Networks invad-ed the Busch Memorial Center’. Of course, Laclede Street Bar and Grill placed an advertise-ment in the Jan. 21 issue wel-coming Pope John Paul II, and invited visitors for lunch, dinner and drinks.
After all was said and done, more than 100,000 people packed into the Trans World Dome to listen to the Pope give his homily concerning Catholi-cism, racism and the death pen-alty.
“Catholics are seriously chal-lenged to know and cherish tour immense heritage of holiness and service,” the Pope said. “Out of that heritage you must draw inspiration and strength for the new evangelization so urgently needed at the approach of the Third Millennium.”
The University News featured a limited-edition Papal Section to commemorate the event.
On the student side, things grew heated at the close of the decade.
According to The University News:
“By a vote of 25-9, the Student Government Association of Saint Louis University expressed ‘no confidence’ in the decisions and current decision-making ability of the University President and the President’s Coordinating Council [on April 1, 1999].”
College Church renovations jus-tify wait, work
Nov. 30, 1990
1990sFeb. 1, 1991
1,000 participate in anti-Gulf War rally at
SLU
Sep. 10, 1992,
Dalai Lama visits Col-lege Church
Nov. 6, 1992
Campus reacts to election results; Clinton wins
Feb. 19, 1993
Museum of Contem-porary Religious Art
opens
Jan. 15, 1993
March 18, 1994
Basketball Bills fall in first round of NCAA Tourney
Sep. 22, 1995
Parks College coming to Lindell Boulevard
Professor files libel suit against
the UNews
Jan. 26, 1996
SLU sets sights, goals for the next
century
Nov. 5, 1997
SLU sells hospi-tal, draws Vatican
investigation
May 2, 1997
New apartment Village opens
Jan. 28, 1999
Pope John Paul II comes to St. Louis
Dec. 13, 1998
DeMatt slated for Greek takeover
The Popemobile passe through St. Louis.
Pope John Paul II gives a hom-ily in the Edward Jones Dome.
The Dalai Lama comes to SLU’s campus
Left: Larry Hughes led the Billikens to the 1998 NCAA Tournament. Hughes stayed for only his freshman season and was selected No. 8 overall in the 1998 NBA draft.
Right: The Student Village apartments opened up at the end of the Spring 97’ semes-ter.
2000s 90th Anniversary Edition The University News
Decade witnesses distaster, change and dramaInformation age advances, revamping day-to-day life
By BRIAN BOYDNews Editor
In the aftermath of the Y2K scare rose generation Y on col-lege campuses across the coun-try.
With changing technologies and the increasing presence of the Internet and cell phones, information became available at a startling pace.
Things were changing—that much was easy to see.
Even as the millennium turned, Saint Louis University and The University News kept moving forward.
The 2000s brought signifi-cant expansion and gains to the SLU community. Unfortunately, they also brought great losses.
The death of Paul C. Reinert, S.J., on July 22, 2001, shook SLU to the core. Reinert was a landmark of the University, a beloved man who truly was larger than life.
He left an indelible legacy at SLU, serving as president from 1949 to 1974 and as chancellor until his death.
“Fr. Reinert was a great man, who left behind many physical gifts at Saint Louis Universty,” Tricia Fetcher, a junior at the time, said to The University News.
“However, I think that his personality and smile will be most missed.”
On Sept. 11, 2001, the SLU community joined the nation in grief over the vicious terrorist attacks that claimed 2,996 lives.
Dedications, moments of silence and memorial masses all took place on a somber campus in memorial of the victims.
In The University News, six pages of the Sept. 13, 2001 issue
covered the attacks. Among the coverage was a
commentary “Finding forgive-ness, overcoming anger” by Campus Minister Harry O’ Rourke.
He spoke of peace, implor-ing the community to remem-ber that “God calls us to find comfort not in revenge, but in forgiveness and reconciliation.”
His message embodied not only the Jesuit mission, but also the heart of Christianity.
The University itself under-went significant physical change during the decade.
The Griesdieck Dining Hall was expanded and renovated to accommodate the growing stu-dent population in the summer of 2002.
The Busch Student Center and Simon Recreation Center both saw significant upgrades as well. The crowning jewel of the architectural advances came in the form of Chaifetz Arena, breaking ground in 2006.
After years of hosting bas-ketball games off-campus, Chaifetz was completed in 2008. University president Lawrence Biondi, S.J., namesake Richard A. Chaifetz and St. Louis mayor Francis Slay were all on hand to witness the ribbon-cutting cer-emony and opening of the arena.
The arena seats 10,600 peo-ple, and plays host not only to Billiken athletics, but concerts and other events as well.
“We’ve got a place for all Billiken fans to come and enjoy, and we hope you’ll do that,” Chris May, athletic director, said to The University News at the opening.
The 2000s also gave way to three important U.S. presiden-tial elections.
SLU Chancellor McGannon dies
after cancer battle
Dec. 24,2000
2000sSept. 11,
2001
SLU joins nation, world in mourning
Sept. 5, 2002
Gries cafeteria sports new look
Nov. 13, 2003
Goodbye, C-USA, Bills head East.
Apr. 29, 2004
Busch Student Center summer plans evolve
Dec. 1, 2005
Oct. 26, 2006
SLU set to see Simon Rec renovations
April 20, 2007
Aftermath of Virginia Tech massacre draws
people together
Students spend break helping in
New Orleans
April 10, 2008
Chaifetz Arena opens with a bang
March 26,2009
Pius XIII Memorial Library to remain
open 24/5
Nov. 6, 2008
Historic election arrives at SLU: The nation
selects Obama
No. 12, 2009
Program cleared for takeoff: SLU offers Air Traffic Control minor
Aug. 20 2009
H1N1: SLU searching for a vaccine
The SLU community breaks ground on Chaifetz Arena.
Above: Fans celebrate after SLU defeats Louisville. Right: 9/11 victims are hon-ored in St. Louis.
Fr. Biondi addresses the SLU community before Christmas.
Al Gore and George H.W. Bush at the 2000 debates.
2010s 90th Anniversary EditionThe University News
Construction and challenges mark young decadeFuture beckons as growth continues with Pevely and Hotel Ignacio
The publication was rec-ognized as Best in State by the Missouri College Media Association.
“ ,,
By BRIAN BOYDNews Edior
The 2010s have proved to be a decade worth remember-ing, especially at The University News. In April, the publication was recognized as Best in State by the Missouri College Media Association. The title was the first Best in State award that The University News had won in 20 years.
The award was “validation for a staff that works really hard,” 2010 Editor-in-Chief Kat Patke said. “They are all full-time students, on top of put-ting together [a newspaper] each week.”
The class of 2010 exited SLU facing a dreary job market that has yet to recover. With a floun-dering economy, 6 percent of the class of 2009 was unem-ployed upon graduation.
The 2010s have seen major developments at SLU and in the Midtown area. Hotel Ignacio, which opened in April of 2011, was recently named “Development of the Year” by the City of St. Louis.
Construction of the Grand Bridge began in the March of 2010 and still continues to this day.
The project has rerouted stu-dents heading from the Frost Campus to the Health Sciences Campus, and created a divide between the two. The exact completion date of the project
remains undetermined, but the construction remains in prog-ress. The Department of Public Safety and Security Services also underwent a transforma-tion in August of 2010. Roland Corvington, a veteran FBI lead-er, took up the position of assis-tant vice president and director of public safety.
“It is important to under-stand how students feel about the [department],” Corvington said to The University News.
C o n t r o v e r s y came call-ing during the Summer of 2011 when SLU landmark L a c l e d e ’ s Bar and Grill changed own-ership and, in turn, their
name. With the suggestive “CheA+ers” adorning the side of the building, backlash from SLU administration arose.
“The name is in poor taste,” Kent Porterfield, Vice President of Student Development said to The University News.
When all was said and done, the business changed their name in September of 2011 to Pierre Laclede’s. SLU beefed up the Health Sciences Campus during the young decade, add-ing a new Education Union and track to the site.
This, coupled with the pur-chase of the St. Louis land-mark Pevely building, made 2011 another year of expan-sion for SLU. It has since been announced that the Pevely com-plex will be used as a home for SLUCare.
Professor reacts to Haiti’s devas-
tating earthquake
Jan. 21, 2010
2010sJan. 28,
2010
New Wellness Fee Alive and Kicking
Feb. 11, 2010
Focus shifts to racial, diversity issues
Feb 18, 2010
Influx of crows leaves its mark on campus.
March 10, 2010
Campus racial inci-dents spark student
responses
April 22, 2010
April 29, 2010
Grad School structure in flux
Sept. 2, 2010
Ignacio construction aims to rejuvinate
Midtown
Law school drops to 3rd tier in ranking
Oct. 7, 2010
Pius XII Library will get a facelift
Nov. 4, 2010
New Union rising on South Campus
Oct. 21, 2010
Kicked off the Court: Future of Mitchell and Reed uncer-
tain
Nov. 10, 2011
SLUCare proposedfor Pevely site
Oct. 6, 2011
SLU amends cam-pus policy on sexual
assault
Cirque du Soliel Drallion per-forms at Chaifetz Arena.
Large snow fall forces two day closure of the University in Feburary 2011.
Billiken Blue Out 2011.
Shot of SLU’s Medical Campus ComplexLeft: Construction begins on the Grand Bridge spring 2011.
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