University of Northern Iowa UNI ScholarWorks The Alumnus UNI Alumni Association 12-1975 The Alumnus, v60n4, December 1975 University of Northern Iowa Alumni Association Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy Copyright ©1975 University of Northern Iowa Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/alumnusnews Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation University of Northern Iowa Alumni Association, "The Alumnus, v60n4, December 1975" (1975). The Alumnus. 67. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/alumnusnews/67 This Magazine is brought to you for free and open access by the UNI Alumni Association at UNI ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Alumnus by an authorized administrator of UNI ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Alumnus UN VEAS f V OF NORTHERN IOWA A few words by Lee Miller, Alumni Director Iowa alumni chapters welcome more members UNI Alumni Association Chapters across Iowa approximately 150 Des Moines alumni plus are gaining more and more members. We're very Panther backers from Cedar Falls. pleased with the interest and time devoted by those Ottumwa: Chairman - Jerry Taylor, 682-1185. who have helped organize and run these chapters. Their event was a dinner a year ago with speakers The Alumni Office advises them in any way we can Chuck Patten and Glen Henry from the UNI mens' and tries to have one member of the staff at each physical education department. chapter event. Quad-Cities: Co-Chairmen - Mr. and Mrs. It's important to remember that these chapters Richard James, 355-8254, Bettendorf, and Mr. and are for UNI alumni of all fields. In addition, alumni Mrs. Dave Lawson, Davenport. Last June the group are a valuable asset to the University through work of 75 alumni gathered for a picnic in Scott County with student recruitment, athletic recruitment, Park. They're planning their second event after the support of University projects and general public first of the year. relations for UNI. Above all, the chapters provide a Cedar Rapids: Co-Chairman - Ron Rath, way for you to see old UNI friends and make new 393-0920, and Dave Bunting, 393-7360. A group ones at social gatherings. of Cedar Rapids alumni chartered a bus last spring All of the Iowa chapters welcome more to Cedar Falls for the annual Jazz Concert at UNI. members. We've provided a list of chapter Dubuque: Co-Chairmen - Mr. and Mrs. Larry chairmen, home telephone numbers and a brief McCready, 556-1927 and Mr. and Mrs . Joseph update of chapter events. If you're interested in Wysocki are organizing the chapter and soliciting seeing people who share UNI as a common factor, ideas for the first event. get in touch with the chairman in your area. In the Mason City: Chairperson Betty Burley, future, we'll give information on the out-of-state 423-5755. About 40 area alumni attended a dinner chapters. in June, 1974, and about the same number were Des Moines: David Oman, president, 279-7571; present for an August dinner at the country club. Sam Scheidler, v.p. This chapter, organized this Iowa City: Co-Chairmen - Morris Adams, year, had a spring dinner for 65 alumni. In the 351-1210 and Duane Waters. The newest chapter summer they had a picnic which drew 75 alumni is just being formed. Co-chairmen sent out letters to and families. For the UNI-Drake game, the chapter 400 area alumni and received about 100 responses sponsored a Hospitality Room after the game for suggesting chapter events. The cover: Homecoming '75 proved to be a smashing Vol. 60, No. 4 December 1975 success as the cover scenes show. For more pictures, see pages 6 and 7. Editor, Carole Shelley CONTENTS Alumni Director, Lee Miller Photographer, Dave Jorgenson Produced by the Office of MA COMMONS RECALLS THE '50s . 3 Public Information Services. UNI-DOME POLICY BOARD MEETS .......... .. .. 4 HOMECOMING '75 REVIEW .. .... ... .. ........ 6 THE ALUMNUS is issued four times SPEECH -ART COMPLEX BIDS APPROVED . 8 a year in February, May, September and December by the University READING CLINIC DIRECTOR RETIRES ... ..... .. 11 of Northern Iowa . 1222 W. 27th St .. FRONTIER WOMEN IN IOWA ........... ......... 12 Ceda r Fal ls , Iowa 506 13. Second class posta ge paid at Cedar Falls, WE HEAR FROM ALUMNI .... ..... ... .. .. 16 Iowa 50613. 2 Ma Commons recalls the 'SOs Because "ties with the past are essential" to her, Mrs. Irene Eaton took many UNI memories with her when she moved to Guam last fall. Known as "Ma Commons", Mrs. Eaton was the hostess at the UNI Commons from 1937 until 1972. She has left Cedar Falls, but there are hundreds of alumni who remember her and she remembers hundreds of them in return. At a feisty 75 years of age, Mrs. Eaton changed her world. Her son, his wife and four children who have lived in Guam 10 years, built a new home and Mrs. Eaton joined them. During her time at the Commons, Mrs. Eaton's favorite years were the late 1940's and 1950's after the Gls returned from World War II. "They brought an invigorating movement to the campus. They'd returned from many branches of the service and shared experiences covering the Pacific to the Atlantic," she recalls. Besides the Gls, Mrs. Eaton said she "knew the names or faces of just about everyone in school." UNI was Mrs . Irene Eaton reminisces about Cedar Falls and UNI as she prepares to pack much smaller then and she felt there some mementos to take with her to Guam. She holds a school bell from was "cohesion among the students Hardscrabble, Dutch Creek Township in Iowa where her mother and relatives and the faculty. Students really knew attended school. their teachers." Evidence of this was the weekly Two other significant events Eaton is now facing new challenges. variety shows presented from the occurred in the 1960's for Mrs. Convinced that her move to Guam stage at the Commons. Sometimes Eaton. She received an Alumni was right, she isn't missing the harsh students from the dorms or Greek Service Award for her years of Iowa winters. "Winter is my worst houses presented skits and other service to UNI in 1964. A UNI enemy" she admits and besides, "I times faculty members displayed alumna, she graduated in 1921 with just never seemed to catch up on their talents. Mrs. Eaton worked a degree in social sciences. In 1966 getting things done the last few backstage adjusting lights and curtains the Men's Union declared her the years." for these presentations and others. "Favorite Girl of 1966". Mrs. Eaton As she enjoys the Guam weather She was also an avid sports fan . expained, "They were tired of the and green landscape, Mrs. Eaton is But, because of her irregular hours, same people being queen, so they working on her 400-page compi':1tion she didn't make it to all the UNI voted and I won." of a family geneology and her stamp sports events. Even so, she actively As Mrs. Eaton approached her collection. In between she serves as supported track, gymnastics and retirement in 1972, she saw a strong the family cook. Eric Eaton, B.A. '56, basketball. "I liked these sports change in UNI students. The days of M.A. '68, is an industrial arts because I could watch individuals the 1950's and '60's when there were instructor at the University of Guam develop atheltic skills," she exclaimed. few infractions of the rules were and his wife also works. In the fall of 1967 the I-Club gone, she said. "In those days the In other plans, Mrs. Eaton wants presented her with an I-Club sweater freshman class was absorbed into the to buy a sophisticated radio so she and an honorary life membership to student population quickly. But now can listen to English broadcasts from the I-Club. Mrs. Eaton is still elated the class is indigestable and freshmen Russia, the Phillippines and Japan. about the presentation and declares, don't seem to become adults until She plans to stay as busy in Guam as "I'm the only woman who can say their junior year." she did for 64 years in the white 'My fellow I-Club men.' " Those days are gone and Mrs. wood house on 22nd Street. 3 Roofing material draped into place in the southeast corner of the UNI-Dome. Policy board meets, rental rates told The UNI-Dome Policy Board at its first meeting facility useful to a variety of groups but also cover our discussed rental rate schedules and heard construction maintenance costs. The rates should be flexible ." progress report and budget projections. Stansbury also reported that the State Board of Dr. Robert A. Stansbury, vice president of administra­ Regents at its September meeting approved three change tive services, called the meeting and presented the rate orders on the multi-purpose coliseum. These were schedule. In establishing the schedule, rates were brought to the Regents following their July action to add compared with similar structures throughout the United $490,000 to the UNI -Dome project budget to complete States. Richard Brownell, who was recently appointed the west side of the structure. The changes essentially acting manager of the UNI-Dome, said the rates seem to provide for additional west side structural development, be consistent with the national trend. He added that rates including restrooms, office areas, balance doors, will depend on the nature of the event. concourse entrances to the arena, sign identification, The minimum costs for use configuration are: small precast treads and risers and the necessary mechanical court, $440; field , $800; stage I (5,000 seats) , $440; stage and electrical accessories to complete the development of II (8,000 seats) , $700; stage III (15,000 seats), $900.