The Dedication Of FOELLINGER AUDITORIUM

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign FOELLINGER AUDITORIUM

Dedicated In Recognition Of Helene R. Foellinger Class of 1932

Dedication Ceremonies Midday • Friday • April 26 • 1985 On The Quad Urbana PRESIDING Thomas E. Everhart Chancellor University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign REMARKS Alan M. Hallene President University of Illinois Foundation Walker C. Johnson Architect-Project Manager Holabird & Root E. David Edquist President Student Government Association Nina T. Shepherd President University of Illinois Board of Trustees Stanley O. Ikenberry President University of Illinois Helene R. Foellinger Retired Publisher Fort Wayne News-Sentinel estoration and renovation of the Illini and played on the tennis team. Auditorium on the Quadrangle of Upon completion of her degree the University of Illinois at Urbana- in 1932, Miss Foellinger returned Champaign has been realized by to Fort Wayne, Indiana, as a re­ the generous gift of honor student, porter for the News-Sentinel. After campus leader and distinguished the death of her father, Oscar G. alumna Helene R. Foellinger. Foellinger, in 1936, she succeeded Helene Foellinger has played a him as president and general manager prominent role in the history of the of the News Publishing Company University of Illinois, as both a and later became president of the visionary benefactor and, earlier, as News-Sentinel Broadcasting an active student leader. A mathe­ Company, Inc., and Fort Wayne matics major in the College of Newspapers, Inc., a joint venture Liberal Arts and Sciences, Miss with the city's Journal-Gazette. In Foellinger was an influential person­ 1974, Miss Foellinger was featured ality within the campus community in Parade Magazine as one of ten of her time. A partial list of honors American businesswomen distin­ she was awarded and activities she guished for their service on corporate participated in during her under­ boards. graduate years includes membership Since 1977, Helene Foellinger in Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Beta Phi, has been a director of the University Phi Mu Epsfton, Alpha Lambda of Illinois Foundation; and in 1979, Delta; and service with the student she began service on the Illinois council, Mortar Board and Torch. Cabinet, the national governing She also was an editor tor the Daihi board tor the Campaign for Illinois. Restoration and renovation of the Auditorium on the Quadrangle of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been realized by the generous gift of honor student, campus leader and distinguished alumna Helene R. Foellinger.

In that capacity, she helped preside over the most successful private f undraising drive in the University's history. n addition to her support for the renewal of the historically im­ portant Auditorium building, Miss Foellinger's generosity supported the Illinois Endowment for the Performing Arts. Foellinger Great Hall in the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts was named to recognize her gift and honor the memory of her late sister and 1936 Illinois alumna, Loretta Foellinger Teeple. Throughout her professional and personal life, Helene R. Foellinger has been active in the enrichment and strengthening of education and her alma mater. She has devotedly served the Univer­ sity ot Illinois family as advisor, benefactor, friend. T*-f

he Auditorium has played a major role in the University's history for mote than three quarters of a century. Early planners of the Unixiersiiy^sdevetopment envisioned a structure that would serve as a southern boundary to the Quad­ rangle while providing a local point around which the campus's future growth could be established. Clarence Howard Blackall will form the center of the growth (Class of 18771, creator of the for many years to come, so that Bowdoin Theatre in Boston, one of ultimately this structure which now the Urhana campus's planners, and seems in a way Ear to the south will architect of the Auditorium said: be surrounded on all sides by large "Our University of Illinois wffl focus and developed schools." about the Auditorium. This building A number of possible uses for is located upon the only command- such a building were discussed, and it^ site of the entire grounds, at the in 1905 the University Board of crest of the slight rise towards the Trustees approved plans to construct south from Green Street, where it a multipurpose facility forconcerts , lectures, and other events. Imost immediately budgetary problems arose. The State Legisla­ ture decided to allocate only half of the $200,000 the University had requested for the project, a deter­ mination which profoundly affected the proposed design and construc­ tion. Blackall received the news of the reduced funding with great dis­ appointment. He had conceived of a comprehensive structure for nstmcuon musical performances which would underway about 1906. include a backstage area. Instead, Auditorium architect he was forced to build a "temporary** CM Blackall, wall where the backstage area was graduate of the Uofi to have been and to abandon plans class of 1877. for a south wing of the building in­ tended to house the School of Music.

torn* of tke nil wit

b/rne arts—music' \sidettt James at •die fflZ Photo date and musical group unknown.

I •T**

if hoveiftoer"4 and 5 of 1907, the Though failing to realize the full scaled-down facility was dedicated scope of the architect's concept, with an inaugural ceremony and a the Auditorium was still an impres­ two-day series of concerts. The sive achievement. During the dedi­ program featured the work of com­ cation ceremony. University poser Edward Alexander MacDowell, President Edmund J. James said whose piano music helped establish of it an independent American musical "Thousands of students may style. During those concerts, a gather here where now there are major acoustical problem was only hundreds. The taste of a grow­ detected. A flaw in the building's ing and refining people may demand construction caused a now legendary a reconstruction of many of our echo, which reverberated through­ buildings. Certainly another and out the building and up into the larger hall will be demanded for dome. Remodeling efforts in 1915 many common purposes: but I and 1937 sought to solve the acous­ cannot conceive of a time when tical honors and achieved some the simple and noble lines of this success. ructure will ever cease to be a slight to our si

imm *-

iiitmL wjfit of diversity President IrthnrCnm Wilton! ni\ aviator A melia pbably no other building on the itrtiarti flnt woman ampus of the University of Illinois > fly the Atlantic an claim a greater distinction as a cultural and entertainment center han the Auditorium. Since 1907 it onctrt programs as stood as the architectural embodi* vm l?99and 1924. nent of the unique purpose it has erved for the campus. Throughout plight hantlconcei s history, the Auditorium's doors -1911, tuve opened to great musicians like kaiian Anderson and Artur lubinstein, to political figures, University Forum and MillerComm rators* educators* scientists and lectures* movies, placement tests* loots including , final exams* lecture courses, organ rhomas Dewey, Eve Curie, Louis recitals* stunt shows* art exhibits* Leakey and Robert Frost. Baccalaureate addresses* and Star Activities conducted in the Course offerings ranging from Auditorium over the years Include: soloists to speakers to symphonies. Jniversity band and orchestra con* An historic building usually erts, YMCA lectures* Commence* nent. plays, dramatic readings, clations with only one person—a eachers% Institutes, patriotic meet* famous person who either lived in ngs during Vforkl War Umci^vantiiy it or built it, The Auditorium, how* iebates* memorial services, convo* ever, has had associations with not kulons, President's receptions* one* but hundreds of famous people. kSGHA HEiFETZ VK3UNBT

SSSSSS FEB. 12 ±iK& Following is a selected list 1918 Clarence Darrow of Star Course performers 1919 General Leonard Wood followed by a list of speakers 1921 Sinclair Lewis who have had engagements 1923 Vachel Lindsay in the Auditorium. 1925 Carl Van Doren 1926 Robert Frost 1929 1909 John Phillip Sousa 1933 Senator George Norris 1916 Admiral Robert Peary 1935 1918 1939 Thomas E. Dewey 1919 Efrem Zimbalist 1940 Eve Curie 1924 Jascha Heifetz 1942 Margaret Bourke-White 1944 Drew Pearson 1925 Paul Whiteman 1931 Admiral Richard Byrd Alexander Korensky 1940 Ezio Pinza 1949 Countess Alexandra Tolstoy Artur Rubinstein Ralph J. Bunche 1941 1950 Walter Reuther 1943 Helen Traubel Dr. Julian Huxley 1946 Rudolf Serkin 1952 Bennett Cerf 1948 1954 Clifton Fadiman Fred Waring 1955 John Dos Passos 1949 Igor Stravinsky Ogden Nash Burl Ives 1956 Eleanor Roosevelt 1950 Royal Philharmonic 1958 Mark Van Doren Orchestra 1959 Wernher Von Braun 1953 Charles Laughton Senator J. W. Fulbright 1954 Vaughn Monroe 1962 Richard Tucker 1963 Harrison Salisbury 1955 Claude Rains 1964 Bruce Catton 1956 Dave Brubeck 1965 Vance Packard 1958 Jose Greco Dr. Louis Leakey 1960 Halllolbrook 1967 Constantin Doxiadis 1%1 Ravi Shankar John K. Galbraith 1962 Dick Gregory Joan Baez 1968 Dr. Eric Fromm 1966 Carlos Montoya Pierre Salinger 1968 Saul Bellow 1969 Lawrence Ferlinghettl LECTURERS 1970 Adlai Stevenson III 15 1971 Stanley Kramer ^Uw Taft 1974 R. Buckmlnster Fuller '»*•

A erial view of 1985 renewal showing new backstage and forecourt additions.

Nearing completion ededicated April 26,1985, as of the interior, Foellinger Auditorium, a new chap­ April 1985. ter in the building's history has begun. Miss Foellinger's gift has allowed the University to fulfill the capped, redecorating of all interior aspirations of many as first expressed surfaces, and the upgrading of all by the original architect: electrical and mechanical systems "This building should in time be and the installation of air condi­ a focus for the historic interests of tioning. The 1750-seat facility has the University, no less than for its new and refurbished seating with academic life" pull-up desks, a new and larger Improvement of the exterior has sound and lighting system, new stage included replacement of the dete­ rigging, and a new central chande­ riorating painted metal dome with a lier incorporating spotlights and new copper roof, construction of a laser lighting to improve overall 6000-square foot backstage area, visibility and enhance stage pro­ tuckpointing, new lighting around ductions. A photomural, installed the perimeter of the dome and along in the lobby, chronicles student life the dome ribs, and the addition of at Illinois and the campus environ­ a semi-circular forecourt before ment of past years. the main entrances. The rehabilitation of Foellinger Extensive interior remodeling Auditorium has. forged a link be­ included reconstruction of the entire tween the past and present, and inner dome, acoustical refinement, strengthens in a significant way the creation of a new projection booth, University's commitment to the improving access for the handi- future. Helene R. Foellinger Class <41932 Her generous gifts made possible the expansion and renewal of this auditorium. For her extraordinary dedication to the ideals of the University of Illinois and for her devotion to excellence in higher education, the University will ever be grateful. Originally Dedicated November 4/1907 Rededicated Foellinger Auditorium April 26, 1985

Commemorath\ plaqueunveiled i the forecmirfA Foellinger Auditor during redediam ceremonies.