Milestones in Depauw University History * Alumni Are Indicated by Their Class Year in Parentheses (Yyyy)
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Milestones in DePauw University History * Alumni are indicated by their class year in parentheses (yyyy) • 1832 Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, forms a committee to consider establishment of a “conference seminary” • Oct. 1836 The Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church took final action, selecting Greencastle from several Indiana towns as the location of the new university • Jan. 10, 1837 Charter approved for Indiana Asbury University • May 16, 1837 Cyrus Nutt, first professor, arrives • June 6, 1837 First classes held • 1838 Platonean Literary Society formed • 1839 Matthew Simpson, first president, arrives • 1845 Beta Theta Pi, first fraternity chapter at DePauw, established • 1847 Joseph Tingley, professor of natural science arrives • 1850 School of Medicine graduated its first doctors. The school was located in Indianapolis and only had three graduating classes, closing in 1852. Rinaldo Ruter, son of Indiana Asbury University co-founder Calvin Ruter, was one of the graduates • April 7, 1852 DePauw’s first newspaper, Asbury Notes, begins publication • 1855 First School of Law graduates; School lasted until 1894 • 1858 Thomas Bowman, fourth president inaugurated; shepherded university through the Civil War and presided over the admission of women students • 1861 Civil War; students respond to Governor Oliver P. Morton’s call for volunteers, two units formed, Putnam Guard and the Asbury Guard • 1866 Intercollegiate athletic competition begins as DePauw plays baseball against Wabash beginning the long-standing rivalry • Fall 1867 First four women students admitted • 1869 John Clark Ridpath (1863), professor of English, history and political philosophy • 1870 Kappa Alpha Theta, first fraternity for women in the U.S., established • 1871 First marriage of alumni, Laura Beswick (1871) and Robert McKaig (1870) at commencement, 1871 • Oct. 20, 1871 East College cornerstone laid • 1877 East College dedicated at commencement • 1877 First international students arrive from Japan • 1877 First woman faculty member, Alma Holman, professor of modern languages • 1877 Anna Downey (1879), daughter of professor Charles Downey, graduates and becomes an evangelist and minister • 1877 First student yearbook, The Mirror, was published • Feb. 12, 1879 Fire destroys interior and roof of the original campus building, The Edifice • 1879 Edwin Post begins his 53-year tenure as a professor of Latin, a record at DePauw 1 • May 15, 1880 DePauw first intercollegiate football game was played against Butler; Butler won • Oct. 1880 Restored and enlarged Edifice renamed West College • 1882 John P.D. John (1880) and Orra P. John became the first couple to join the faculty; Orra in music and John in mathematics; John P.D. John became president in 1889 • 1882 George Washington Ziegler, pastor at a Greencastle Methodist Episcopal Church, became the first African American student to enter the University. Ziegler’s enrollment in the preparatory department paved the way for the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal pastor, Tucker Essily Wilson and for James U. Lawrence, both of whom were African American, to also become preparatory students at DePauw • Jan. 1884 Washington C. DePauw’s financial gift of $240,000 (over 6.17 million in today’s dollars) causes Board of Trustees to change the name of the university to his • 1884 Robert McKim finances the construction of McKim Observatory • 1884 School of Music established from former music department, James Howe was named its first dean • 1884 Music Hall was constructed • 1885 First dormitory was constructed, named Mansfield Hall for professor Belle Mansfield • 1885 Albert J. Beveridge (1885) wins the state and interstate oratorical contest; Beveridge was later elected to the U.S. Senate from Indiana • 1885 Henry B. Longden (1881) begins long career teaching Latin and German as well as holding administrative posts including vice-president and acting president • 1886 The first Mirage yearbook is published by the junior class • 1886 First School of Theology graduates; School lasted until 1900 • 1887 First School of Art graduates; School lasted until 1910 when it became a department of art • 1888 Tucker Wilson (1888) completes his studies, making him the first African American DePauw graduate • 1892 Columbian Boulder given to DePauw as a gift of the alumni • 1892 Jack the Dog appears on campus and is adopted by the students; Jack was fed by students and joined them in attending class, military encampments and picnics • 1902 Minshall Laboratory, the first science building, was constructed • 1903 Scarritt Memorial Fountain (The Owl) erected in memory of Edward Scarritt (1884) by his brother, Winthrop Scarritt (1882) • 1907 First Old Gold Day established by President Edwin Hughes to replace the traditional and increasingly violent “class scrap” • 1908 Carnegie Library constructed • 1910 Ornamental gateway constructed east of East College by the class of 1890 • 1914 Humor magazine, Yellow Crab, published by the journalism fraternity, Sigma Delta Chi, begins 18-year publication run 2 • 1915 Katherine Alvord, professor of history and DePauw’s only dean of women, begins 21 years at DePauw • 1916 Raymond W. Pence, begins teaching English; he retired in 1952 • 1916 Robert Frost Daggett designed the Studebaker Memorial Administration Building constructed with donations from the Studebaker family (of carriage and car fame) • 1918 Sigma Chi builds the first new fraternity chapter house • 1918 Student Army Training Corps formed following the end of World War I • 1919 Edward Rector establishes the Rector Scholarship Foundation enabling generations of students to attend DePauw • 1921 Reserve Officers Training Corps formed • 1926 President Lemuel Murlin lifts the ban on dancing on campus, but women students must obtain parental permission to attend • 1926 Louis Dirks begins as dean of men holding the post for 22 years • 1929 Gobin Memorial Methodist Church is built combining the congregations of the former College Avenue and Locust Street Methodist churches • 1930 Asbury Hall is dedicated and named for the first American Methodist Episcopal bishop, Francis Asbury • 1931 Vera Cooper, the first professionally trained librarian is hired • Nov. 19, 1932 First Monon Bell game played to a 0-0 tie – neither team got the bell • Oct. 15, 1933 Fire destroys Mansfield Hall • 1933 The football team posts an undefeated and un-scored-upon record • 1939 Betty Parker appointed as the first woman editor-in-chief of The DePauw newspaper • 1940 Harrison Hall is completed and houses botany, geology, zoology, and psychology • 1941 George F. Parker, MD, becomes the first university physician • 1941 Rosa Reynolds selected as the first woman to receive the Walker Cup • 1941 WIRE radio begins broadcasting from DePauw campus • 1943 U.S. Navy selects DePauw University as one of its colleges and universities to host its V-5 and V-12 programs; V-12 men were considered DePauw students • 1945 Quonset Huts and Army barracks remodeled into housing for married veterans housing • 1949 WGRE begins broadcasting as the university’s own student-run FM radio station • 1951 Archives of DePauw University and Indiana Methodism established by Reverend Worth M. Tippy (1891) • 1952 Memorial Student Union Building constructed housing WGRE, bowling lanes, a barber shop and a snack bar named The Hub • 1954 Sam Hanna (1924), previously owner of a downtown Greencastle bookstore is hired as manager of the new DePauw University Bookstore adjacent to the Union Building • 1956 Roy O. West Library is completed, named for the long-time board of trustees president, benefactor and alumnus (1890) 3 • 1956 School of Nursing holds its first capping ceremony • April 28, 1956 First Little 500 race held on city streets around campus • May 11, 1957 Richard M. Nixon, vice-president, receives an honorary degree on Business and Industry Day • 1963 DePauw obtains its first computer, an IBM 1620 • 1966 Computer Center established • 1968 Association of Afro-American Students was organized • Jan. 1971 First Winter Term classes held • Jan. 1972 Professor Clinton Gass and university chaplain, Marvin Swanson, offer first Winter Term in Mission taking a team of students to Anguilla, British West Indies • 1974 Students start a volunteer ambulance service that became Operation Life • 1976 Performing Arts Center dedicated • Oct. 17, 1981 East College rededicated following extensive renovation • 1982 Lilly Physical Education and Recreation Center dedicated • 1984 DePauw establishes first student computer lab in the lower level of Roy O. West Library, dubbed the Rainbow Room for its collection of Digital Equipment Corporation Rainbow desk-top computers • April 1986 Walden Inn, now Inn at DePauw, dedicated • Oct. 17, 1986 Robert G. Bottoms inaugurated; President Bottoms served longer than any other president, 22 years • Nov. 5, 1986 Colorado governor Richard D. Lamm speaks on “Science and Conscience” inaugurating the first event in the Ubben Lecture series • Mar. 17, 1990 Men’s basketball advances to final game in the Division 3 NCAA tournament, falling to the University of Rochester, 43-42 • 1993 F. W. Olin Biological Sciences Building dedicated • Sept. 15, 1995 DePauw’s first website goes live • 1998 John Martin Kramer (1998) organizes the first Relay for Life event to raise money for cancer research; the event is now a DePauw tradition and one of the largest Relay events in the country • 2002 Richard E. Peeler Art Center dedicated • April 7, 2002 Fire destroys Rector Hall • Sept.