A Half-century of Concerts at Illinois State University
Story by John Twork
Web design by Ella Jahraus
All photos in this story are from performances at Illinois State University.
From the “Prince of Darkness” to the “Queen of Soul,” dozens of music’s brightest stars have shined at Illinois State University over the past half-century.
Braden Auditorium (originally named Union Auditorium from 1973-81) has hosted over 300 concerts during its 50-year run as Illinois State’s intimate, 3,500-seat theatrical venue. Larger shows rocked Horton Field House beginning in 1964 until Redbird Arena (now CEFCU Arena) opened in 1989. And, before Illinois State’s modern venues, students danced to the likes of Count Basie at McCormick Gym.
Through more than five decades of concerts at Illinois State, generations of Redbirds share memories of belting out lyrics at live campus shows—from Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” in 1975 to Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” in 2023.
Here are our top 50 concerts of the past 50-plus years at Illinois State.
Fifty years after the curtain rose on Braden Auditorium (then Union Auditorium), it remains a coveted venue for touring artists and fans alike. Pop-infused folk singer-songwriter Noah Kahan sold out Braden for his performance at Illinois State during the 2023 spring semester. A few months later, the rising star played Chicago’s iconic Lollapalooza music festival ahead of a sold-out international tour.
A few alumni stars have appeared on Braden Auditorium’s stage years after they were regulars in Illinois State’s classrooms. Country singer-songwriter Suzy Bogguss ’79, a Grammy award-winning musician, performed at Braden in 1999 to raise funds for Illinois State’s yet-to-be-built Center for the Performing Arts. Comedian Craig Robinson ’94 played the keyboard alongside his band, The Nasty Delicious, at a 2014 Family Weekend musical-comedy show at Braden.
A few hours before opening for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, 25-year-old Lenny Kravitz, bottom right, appeared at The Gallery in Downtown Normal where he was honored by Illinois State’s Black Writer’s Forum “for his outstanding work in the music industry,” according to a February 19, 1990, Vidette article. “What can I say? This is my very first award,” Kravitz proudly told the packed crowd. When asked by an audience member if he would play “Rosemary,” a song off his debut album, at that evening’s concert, he said it wasn’t on the setlist. “So, on the spur of a moment, Kravitz was handed a guitar by someone in the audience and showed the crowd real, honest music, the way it is supposed to be,” according to Vidette writer Kawone Harris ’93.
40
Iggy Azalea
Braden, 10/18/14
Australian rapper Iggy Azalea rode a wave of newfound stardom into Braden Auditorium, with her song “Fancy” topping the Billboard Hot 100 list a few months before arriving in Normal. Along with her hit single, Azalea brought to Braden two dresses for the show that each needed to be shortened by an inch to better accommodate her onstage dance performance. Scrambling with the unexpected request, Braden manager Barb Dallinger, ’81, M.S. ’01, contacted Melissa Schrier ’86, a friend and sewing hobbyist. Schrier dropped what she was doing, picked up her sewing machine, and set up in Braden’s star dressing room. Just a couple hours ahead of showtime, Schrier finished the dresses, which Azalea wore for the evening’s sold-out concert. Before going on stage, Azalea signed Schrier’s sewing machine. “That was incredibly sweet of her,” Dallinger said.
Longtime Braden manager Barb Dallinger has read dozens of tour riders listing items that performers request—or demand—for their performances. Dallinger often parsed the lists by asking managers, “Is it a ‘must have,’ or a ‘want?’” One unnamed star requested a six-pack of white athletic socks and undershirts because she liked the feel of new socks after a show. Dallinger politely declined. Another asked for a specific brand of bottled water only available in Colorado. After arriving in her dressing room to find a case of Evian, Dallinger said the star threw each bottle into the hallway, yelling, “This is not the water I ordered!” Dallinger fondly remembers country band Lonestar’s request for “a meal like grandma would make on Sunday.” “The catering group knocked it out of the park,” Dallinger said. “They made fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, and pie. It was incredible!
In search of a quiet spot after soundcheck to write music with his acoustic guitar, country singer-songwriter Brad Paisley wandered up a spiral staircase connecting the stage level of Braden Auditorium to the upper level of the Bone Student Center. According to former Braden manager Barb Dallinger, Paisley ended up in the former Office of Alumni Engagement, where he was greeted by collective, surprised exclamations of “Brad Paisley?!” Staff set Paisley up with a private conference room where, for the next few hours—as Dallinger frantically searched for the missing country star—he strummed away, potentially working on his next hit single.
Founded by former Illinois State University students Greg Koos and Mike Metcalf ’71, the New Friends of Old Time Music was a student organization that put together a remarkable run of weekly music shows on campus from 1970-87. The free concerts featured “traditional American music,” according to Koos, including signature folk, bluegrass, and blues. New Friends performers included John Prine, Leon Redbone, Tom Waits, Steve Goodman, Bill Monroe, pictured, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and many others.
Classically trained soprano Julie Andrews, widely known for her lead roles in Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, spent a few days in the fall of 1987 at Braden Auditorium rehearsing her first-ever concert tour directed by husband Blake Edwards, according to longtime Pantagraph arts and entertainment editor Dan Craft ’80. “They wanted to keep it under the radar, so they chose Braden and ISU,” Craft said. “That was a pretty big deal for Bloomington-Normal.” Andrews then opened the tour with two shows at Braden during Family Weekend.
For a half-century, artists preparing for a show at Braden Auditorium have been surrounded by the stars who shined onstage before them. Covering the cinder block walls, ceiling tiles, bathroom—even the clock—in the star dressing room, are signatures, messages, and artwork penned by past performers. From a flowingly scripted “Prince” (the “I” dotted by a heart) to a 4-foot-tall chili pepper drawn by none other than the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the dressing room is a living time capsule of Braden’s storied history
Normal Mayor Richard T. Godfrey proclaimed November 7, 1983, as “Genesis Day” in honor of the band’s decision to open its 12-week North American tour in Normal. Phil Collins, middle, and his fellow band members accepted a plaque marking the honor and held a press conference for local media.
If there ever was a band that could conquer the acoustic atrocities of Horton, it is Genesis. But that’s no surprise. -David Bill, Pantagraph
25
Gloria Estefan/Miami Sound Machine
Redbird, 11/11/89
Less than 10 months after Redbird Arena’s inaugural concert (featuring glam metal band Ratt in January of 1989), Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine heated up Illinois State’s newest venue with their high-energy, Latin-influenced music during Parents’ Weekend. The Grammy-nominated group packed their 90-minute show with dance-worthy hits—opening with “Conga” and closing with an encore of “Get on Your Feet,” which was then No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Vidette writer Susie Ginther ’90 noted the concert’s entertaining theatrics, including a “colorful light show,” plus “an astounding alto saxophone solo played by Mike Scaglione.”
Bloomington-Normal has long attracted top-tier touring musicians. This is due, in part, to the community’s location at the intersection of three interstates, inevitably placing it in the middle of cross-country tours. “Our marketing campaign (to tour promoters) for a while was, ‘No matter where you’re going, we’re on your way,’” said longtime Braden manager Barb Dallinger. The community, including its college students, also has a reputation of supporting live music, according to former Pantagraph arts and entertainment editor Dan Craft. “It’s a strong music town,” Craft said.
Soft rocker Barry Manilow performed four times at Illinois State, including a sold-out, two-night stand at Union Auditorium in 1976. “Although I felt more like an observer than a participant, it occurred to me that I was witnessing probably the greatest thing ever to occur in the Union Auditorium since its groundbreaking,” wrote Vidette reviewer Ralph Baum ’77. “(Manilow) gave to (the audience) what they wanted; and they gave to him right back.” Manilow’s performance included a medley of his famous commercial jingles, including “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” Throughout Barb Dallinger’s tenure managing Braden, she said Manilow was the venue’s most-requested artist by community members.
A live recording from English rocker Peter Gabriel’s concert at Braden Auditorium was incorporated into the 1983 double album and long-play cassette, Plays Live, which featured 16 songs primarily recorded at four Midwest venues. It was subsequently rereleased in remastered CD and digital formats. The Vidette concert review, which praised Gabriel’s “well-refined form of art-rock,” noted that Gabriel told the audience, “Those of you who are observant may have noticed a very large truck outside. It is in the process of recording you at this very moment.”
As the lights died and the backing band entered in twos, the audience became excited. A sweet but raspy voice came from somewhere, ending the wait. With enough sequins and hair to kill Liberace once again, Dolly Parton entered the stage and blew away the audience. -Bruce Whitenack, The Vidette
15
The Smashing Pumpkins
Redbird, 3/23/94; Braden, 10/4/07
Four years after playing at The Gallery, a college bar in Downtown Normal, Chicago-based alternative rockers The Smashing Pumpkins returned to Normal in 1994—with two platinum records under their collective belts—to open their spring tour at a sold-out Redbird Arena. Fans were treated to a high-energy concert featuring two encores. “Thanks to you 10 people who used to come see us at the Gallery,” lead singer Billy Corgan told the crowd between songs. The Smashing Pumpkins previously opened, along with Pearl Jam, for the Red Hot Chili Peppers at Braden Auditorium in 1991, and they returned to headline a Braden show in 2007.
The long list of concerts in Normal includes a handful of notoriously controversial performers, none more so than heavy metal rocker Marilyn Manson, who played Redbird Arena in 1997. “There was so much controversy,” said longtime Pantagraph arts and entertainment editor Dan Craft. “Church groups were protesting, and the anti-Marilyn Manson faction blew it up into a front-page news story.” Craft also recalls controversy surrounding rock band Jefferson Starship’s 1982 performance at Horton Field House. “A local minister had discovered what he believed to be a satanic message recorded backwards on a Jefferson Starship record,” Craft said. “Starship’s Paul Kantner went on WJBC radio’s afternoon show, Problems and Solutions, and had a live debate with the minister before that evening’s concert.” In both cases, the shows took place without any major incidents.
“I’m feeling pretty normal tonight,” Bruce Springsteen joked to a full-capacity crowd at Braden Auditorium Tuesday night (during his solo, acoustic Ghost of Tom Joad Tour). I’m in a normal place with a bunch of normal people,” said “The Boss.” “It feels good to be normal.” -Matt Miller, The Vidette
Blues legend B.B. King and his famous Gibson guitar, “Lucille,” played at Illinois State four times beginning in 1974 when King was 48 years old. He returned in 1992, 1995, and finally, in 2006 at age 81. Former Braden manager Barb Dallinger said King was among the friendliest artists to perform during her tenure. “He was just the sweetest man,” said Dallinger, right, with King. “I spent quite a bit of time with him on his bus, which was special.” While chatting, King expressed his interest in Braden’s graduate assistant and internship program. “The type of experiences our students were receiving were rare in the fine arts community,” Dallinger said. “He was quite impressed with not only the experiences they were getting, but also how well they were doing it.”
After singing 18 songs, the Beach Boys took a small intermission. Joyce Kay, an usher for the performance, found herself enjoying the show as she repeatedly got up to dance and sing along. “I think [the show] is fantastic,” said Kay. “It makes me feel young again. It makes me feel like I’m a student again at ISU.” – Becky Fletcher, The Vidette
5
Grateful Dead
Horton, 4/24/78
Widely revered by “Deadheads” as one of the best shows from one of the band’s best tours, the Grateful Dead’s Horton Field House concert was immortalized in a limited edition, three-CD live album produced by Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux in 2013. The show—part of the ISU Entertainment Committee’s Springfest—was recorded by Grateful Dead audio engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson. “It’s long been one of my favorite shows from a really, really good tour,” Lemieux said in a video introducing the live album. “What we have is this incredible show, start to finish.” Lemieux said he ranks the renditions of “Scarlet Begonias>Fire on the Mountain” and “The Music Never Stopped” at Horton among the band’s best versions ever.
Held from 1972 to 1977, the Rites of Spring—Illinois State’s version of Woodstock—were free, all-day events anchored by emerging musicians performing on a stage on the south end of the Quad. In its final year, the Rites drew nearly 20,000 students from across the country to see a lineup that included REO Speedwagon and the Charlie Daniels Band. Excessive drinking and the use of recreational drugs by many of the event’s attendees along with the festival’s cost to the University led, in part, to the Rites’ demise.
The “Rocket Man” helped launch a golden era of rock concerts at Horton Field House in the 1970s. Wearing a flashy suit, platform shoes, and rimmed glasses, 25-year-old Elton John electrified Horton. Students had camped on the Quad for two days to secure tickets. In his review of the Elton John show, Vidette feature editor Mike Waters ’73 said the audience was treated to a “masterpiece” of a concert. “Without letting up, he hit high point after high point, continually bringing the audience screaming to their feet,” wrote Waters.
For 50 years, Braden Auditorium’s towering walls have reverberated some of the finest voices in music—none more magnificent than Aretha Franklin’s. “Franklin proceeded to prove that she still reigned as the Queen of Soul while presenting her wide vocal range to the audience,” wrote the Vidette’s Carrie Browning ’96. “She asked the audience for a little help with the old favorite ‘Think.’ Franklin was surprised with the enormous response from the audience and moved onto ‘Respect.’ The entire audience stood up, rocked with the music, clapped their hands, and yelled out “R-E-S-P-E-C-T.’” Franklin later played a “slow but sweet” rendition of “You Send Me” on Braden’s grand piano before closing with “Spirit in the Dark,” leaving the audience “impressed with Franklin’s style and pizzaz,” according to Browning.
What memories do you have of concerts at Illinois State? Did we miss your favorite show? Share your stories and photos
Special thanks to Julie Neville, M.S. ’12, Illinois State University senior archives specialist, and Bill Kemp ’88, M.S. ’00, McLean County Museum of History librarian.
Cover by Half Hazard Press
From the opening of Illinois State’s first Model School to Abraham Lincoln’s connection to the Quad, historian Tom Emery explores this month in Illinois State University history.
November 2
On this date in 1857, the Model School at Illinois State opened. The purpose of the Model School, and its successors, became a critical portion of the educational experience at Illinois State.
The term “model” described its primary function, to provide a “living laboratory” for use in the training of teachers. The Model School began just four weeks after the University’s opening on October 5, 1857, and quickly gained in popularity.
A first grade classroom in the Model School on Illinois State Normal University’s campus in 1905.
Seven students in a single class group made up the first term of the Model School, but by the third term, over 50 applicants were declined simply because of a lack of space. By 1862-63, attendance had jumped to 226.
The name of the Model School was later changed to “training school,” which was used until 1914. That year, a new building was erected and named “The Thomas Metcalf Elementary School” in honor of Thomas Metcalf, the supervisor of the Training School Department for 21 years and the first individual to hold the position. The elementary and high school divisions of the Laboratory School were separated in 1947.
The original faculty member of the Model School in 1857 was Miss Mary Brooks, a beloved figure in the early history of the University. She was one of six original faculty members at Illinois State.
A respected primary school teacher in Peoria, Brooks was described by Charles Hovey, the first president of Illinois State, as having “a face so sincere and winning as to greatly impress…children loved her at sight, and the love was returned.”
Hovey added that Brooks “seemed to have an intuitive knowledge of a child’s mind at different stages of development and a genius for inventing methods to aid its growth.”
Sadly, Brooks only spent three years at Illinois State, due to gender roles of the time. She resigned with marriage plans, as she wed James Wiley on December 2, 1860, and settled with him in Brimfield. She died at age 43 on January 9, 1868.
Years later, a history of the University aptly remembered that Mary Brooks “set the standard” for the Model School “and thus perpetuated her own skill and spirit.”
November 9
On this date 80 years ago today, a fire in Fell Hall damaged the roof and attic of the building. The disaster caused a significant—though temporary—disruption to Illinois State’s contribution to World War II.
Fell Hall sustained significant fire damage on November 9, 1943.
At the time, Fell Hall was home to the University’s part of the Navy V-12 program, which placed around 120,000 young men in college during World War II. Men who successfully completed the program were qualified for Navy midshipmen schools or Marine Corps Officer Candidate School, both of which led to officer commissions.
On July 1, 1943, 291 men arrived at Illinois State, and many were housed in Fell Hall. Most of the men took a rigorous academic load, and even participated in extracurricular activities.
Many of the V-12 men were finishing lunch on November 9, 1943, when an apprentice seaman detected a fire in the south corner of the attic in Fell Hall. Firemen from Bloomington, Normal, and other entities battled to limit the lower three floors of the building to smoke and water damage, though the attic sustained heavy damage. Most of the roof was also lost.
The concrete floor of the attic was credited with preventing the spread of the flames. Most of the V-12 men saved all their possessions and bedding. Two Normal firefighters were overcome with smoke, including one who was struck by a falling object.
Incredibly, the V-12 program never missed a beat. The men’s quarters were quickly shifted to McCormick Gymnasium, and the normal schedule was resumed the next day after the fire. In an interview with the Bloomington Pantagraph, Illinois State President Raymond Fairchild marveled that “it is amazing how quickly the Navy can make arrangements.”
Repair work on Fell Hall progressed almost as quickly, and a temporary roof was installed. On November 27—just 18 days after the fire—the Navy men were allowed to move back in. Some 604 seamen were sent to Illinois State during the duration of the V-12 program, which ended at the University in June 1945.
November 13
On this date in 1907, Emily Caroline Chandler Hodgin, a member of the class of 1867 and a foremost temperance reformer of the Midwest, died at the age of 69.
Emily Caroline Chandler Hodgin
Hodgin was a delegate to the November 1874 convention in Cleveland that resulted in the formation of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. It was the first anti-alcohol group operated exclusively by women, and remains the oldest, continuous female organization in the world.
In addition to alcohol abstinence and female suffrage, the WCTU also fought for fairness in child welfare, labor, age of consent, food and drug laws, prison reform, and penalties for sexual violence against females. The group also disdained the use of tobacco. Over half of the counties in the United States had a chapter of the WCTU in 1890.
Born in Williamsport, Indiana, on April 12, 1838, Hodgin taught school in her early adulthood to earn enough money to pay for her education at Illinois State. She earned a degree in mathematics from ISU in 1867, becoming part of the eighth graduating class in University history.
That same year, she married another member of the class of 1867, Cyrus Hodgin, whose longtime teaching career included a long stint at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. During her time in that city, Emily became a powerhouse in the local temperance movement, which earned her a spot at the iconic Cleveland convention where the WCTU was founded.
She then organized WCTU chapters across the state of Indiana before her hard work drove her to exhaustion. After regaining her health, Hodgin served as secretary of the Indiana State Suffrage Association and was a trustee of a private school for underprivileged girls. She later completed a course of study in Bible and Theology from Earlham College in Indiana. Emily Caroline Chandler Hodgin died in Lafayette, Ind. on Nov. 13, 1907, ending the remarkable life of an early Illinois State graduate who was well ahead of her time.
November 19
On this date 160 years ago, Abraham Lincoln delivered his incomparable Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863. The two-minute, 272-word speech was given at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, which was designed by William Saunders, a foremost landscape architect of the 19th century.
William Saunders
Saunders is also credited with the design of the Quad, a beautiful hallmark of the Illinois State campus, as well as Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, where Lincoln is buried.
The Scottish-born Saunders was introduced to Normal by the indomitable Jesse Fell, who constructed a magnificent residence in the city in the summers of 1856 and 1857. Fell hired Saunders to landscape the 18-acre property, which was so grand that it became known locally as “Fell Park.”
Fell, who took special pride in the physical grounds of the University, determined that a professional landscaper should be retained to create a virtual arboretum, and hired Saunders for the job. In 1867, Fell secured $3,000 from the state legislature for university landscaping, and the Quad was born.
A decade earlier, Saunders had been hired to design Oak Ridge Cemetery, which was dedicated on May 24, 1860, with Abraham and Mary Lincoln in attendance.
In August 1863, Saunders was brought to Gettysburg by local attorney David Wills to discuss a proposal for a cemetery to honor the dead from the epic battle the previous month. Saunders embarked on the task, and a dedication was set for November 19, 1863.
Two nights earlier, in preparation for the ceremony, President Lincoln invited Saunders to the White House for a meeting to discuss the design. Saunders recalled that Lincoln “was much pleased” with the design, and “took much interest in it.”
Saunders died on September 11, 1900. At Illinois State, the Quad remains a cherished spot on the campus, a place of relaxation and inspiration for thousands of students through the decades.
Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher who, in collaboration with Carl Kasten ’66, co-authored the 2020 book Abraham Lincoln and the Heritage of Illinois State University.
From the first-ever day of classes 166 years ago to Ange Milner’s final day as the University’s librarian, historian Tom Emery explores this month in Illinois State University history.
October 5
The Index pays tribute to Enoch Gastman.
On this date in 1857, the first classes in Illinois State University history were held. Six men and 19 women showed up by the end of the day.
The first student was Enoch Gastman, a gangly, red-haired, 23-year-old from nearby Hudson, who has become synonymous with the early history of Illinois State.
Gastman personified the mission of the University with great humility and became a statewide leader in secondary education. He was part of the first graduating class of Illinois State on June 29, 1860, and began a position in the Decatur School District that September 10.
Thus began a 47-year career in the Decatur schools, including a 45-year tenure as superintendent. Gastman’s death in 1907 was front-page news in Decatur, where a school was named in his honor.
Until 1860, Illinois State classes were held at Major’s Hall, a three-story structure at the southeast corner of East and Front streets in Bloomington. Constructed in 1852, the building was demolished in 1959.
Before Major’s Hall became the temporary home of Illinois State, Abraham Lincoln delivered three speeches in the building, including his famous “Lost Speech” on May 29, 1856, that captivated the audience and was one of his strongest statements against slavery.
Also, on this date in 1965, the Illinois Board of Higher Education authorized academic programs for Illinois State that did not require teacher certification. This is considered a watershed moment in the rich history of the University, which had existed solely for teacher training. The new academic programs became effective in September 1966.
October 13
Donald McHenry receives his Illinois State diploma in 1957.
On this date in 1936, Donald McHenry, Illinois State Class of 1957, was born. McHenry was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under the Carter administration from 1979-81.
It was a crowning achievement in a stellar career in international diplomacy for McHenry, who joined the U.S. Department of State in 1963 and remained for eight years.
From there, he specialized in foreign policy for a series of private institutions from 1971-76 before serving as a member of the transition staff after the election of President Jimmy Carter in 1976. In March 1977, McHenry was named U.S. Deputy Representative to the United Nations Security Council.
He has since served on various corporate boards, including Coca-Cola and AT&T, and has been active in an array of well-respected foreign relations groups, including the Partnership for a Secure America and the Global Leadership Foundation.
On March 23, 2002, McHenry and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright appeared at a Global Town Meeting in Braden Auditorium, discussing international affairs for over two hours in a memorable appearance.
Distinguished Alum Donald McHenry, left, makes a point with WGLT’s Charlie Schlenker during the Stevenson Lecture at the Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall on November 17, 2022.
McHenry later donated $3 million to the University to fund a visiting professor of diplomacy and international affairs.
Following an extensive search, United States Ambassador (retired) Geeta Pasi was appointed the inaugural Donald F. McHenry Visiting Professor in Diplomacy and International Affairs at Illinois State University for 2023-24 and 2024-25.
On this date in 1927, Angeline Milner, the first Illinois State University librarian, retired from her position. She remains a beloved figure in the history of the University.
Born on April 9, 1856, in Bloomington, Milner began her long career at Illinois State in 1890, when she was hired to catalog the various libraries of the University. The previous year, President Edwin Hewett had been authorized to merge the libraries of Illinois State into one entity and hire a full-time librarian.
By the time Milner retired due to illness, she had skillfully handled the 40,000 volumes of the library, as well as an equal number of periodicals and pamphlets, writing the call numbers herself on every volume.
Ange Milner served as Illinois State’s first librarian.
A prolific writer who was a founding member of the Illinois Library Association, Milner demanded that library patrons remain quiet, though she was known for having a sharp wit. She was also keen to student and faculty needs, and always went to great lengths to help hard-working young men and women in their studies.
Milner lived for many years in Normal at 222 N. University Ave., where she died on January 13, 1928. In 1940, Milner Library, now known as Williams Hall, was dedicated. The library moved to its present quarters in 1976 and is a striking tribute to the woman known affectionately as “Aunt Ange.”
October 28
Old Main was the first building of Illinois State University.
On this date in 1938, the Vidette, the student newspaper of Illinois State, reported on some stowaways in Old Main: a cat and her three kittens.
The feline family had taken up residence in the basement of Old Main and captivated the student body. The Vidette reported that, “to the usual crescendo of droning voices, banging of books, and the ever-present glib chatter…was added a new sound: Meow! Meow!”
The Vidette continued that the cats “caused about as much excitement as a free day” among the students, who “in an excited manner” gathered around the store room where the cats were living.
“In case you’re interested,” wrote the Vidette, “the mother and her three infants receive visitors from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.”
The felines may have been an omen. Twenty years later, when Old Main faced the wrecking ball in the summer of 1958, demolition was delayed for several days by another family of cats. In that instance, a mother cat named Molasses and her three kittens were living under a porch on the north side of Old Main.
Old Main was demolished in 1958.
Two girls from University High, junior Margy Moore and her sister Lynn, a seventh grader at Thomas Metcalf School, finally managed to lure the cat family from under the porch. The girls’ father was Harold Moore, an assistant professor of biological science at Illinois State.
The rescued cats were eventually given to Illinois State student Sarah Jane Bristow, who transported the brood to her sister’s home in Cass County.
Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher who, in collaboration with Carl Kasten ’66, co-authored the 2020 book Abraham Lincoln and the Heritage of Illinois State University.
It’s heeeeeere! Spooky season is upon us, which means it’s time for Milner Library’s annual Two Sentence Horror Story contest.
Horror story submissions may be about any terrifying topic but must be two sentences and 400 characters or less in length. Stories will be voted on anonymously (with identifying information removed) at Milner and Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality’s upcoming Boooooks and Other Spoooooky Sundries event on Halloween night! Winners will receive Milner swag, and stories will be shared on Milner social media. Submit stories online.
Contest Rules
Participants must be a current Illinois State student, faculty, or staff member.
Entries must be submitted by Sunday, October 29 at 11:59 p.m.
Participants may submit multiple stories but are only eligible for one prize.
Stories that do not adhere to the two sentence, 400 characters or less rule will be disqualified.
Enjoy an evening of boooooks and other spoooooky things with Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality and Milner Library in the Brown Ballroom, October 31 from 5-8 p.m.
Stuff-a-Plush, cross stitch, pumpkin painting, a spoooooky pop-up library, cardboard games from Milner’s game collection, a Vidette word search, two-sentence horror stories, and snacks.
All items are first come, first serve. RSVP does not guarantee participation/receiving giveaway items.
If you have any questions or need an accommodation to fully participate in the event, please contact Milner Library Director of Marketing and Communications Michelle Neuffer at mgneuff@ilstu.edu.
Since 1921, Redbirds have celebrated the return of the Birds to the nest. From the first Homecoming parade, the annual house decorating contest, class reunions, waffle breakfasts, and game-day contests, Illinois State’s annual Homecoming celebration had something for everyone. Milner Library and the Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield University Archives are pleased to celebrate Homecoming 2023 with events celebrating how Redbirds Reign.
Beginning September 28, Milner will celebrate Illinois State student-athletes with a new exhibit on the second floor. The Illinois State University Redbirds have long reigned on the court, diamond, track, and field. Our Redbird student-athletes are highly competitive and fight hard for Illinois State victories. One imagines a shiny statue or a plaque commemorating the game when they raise their trophies. However, these mementos haven’t always been traditional. Redbirds Reign examines some of the most celebrated games and players at Illinois State and the mementos and memorabilia that highlight those hard-fought contests.
Redbirds Reign September 28 through November 6 Milner Library, floor 2 stairway Selected photographs, programs, textiles and memorabilia curated by University Archivist April Anderson-Zorn
On October 11 at 6 p.m., join the dynamic duo of University Archivist April Anderson-Zorn and Barb Dallinger ’81, M.S. ’01, as they explore the history of one of ISU’s most celebrated traditions and learn how Redbirds have reigned during Homecoming at a virtual event. Registration is available online until the event begins. All are welcome to join!
Milner Library’s Exhibits Program provides a platform for campus and community partners to host and present diverse works of art, science, and culture. Milner Library pursues informative, interactive, and educational programs that support the University’s educational mission and reflect our vibrant community. For more information, visit Library.IllinoisState.edu/exhibits.
If you need an accommodation to fully participate in any events, please contact Milner Library Director of Marketing and Communications Michelle Neuffer at mgneuff@IllinoisState.edu. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.
Milner Library Digitization Center, in conjunction with the Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield Archives and ISU ReD, seeks Illinois State alumni and current or former faculty and staff persons from minoritized backgrounds interested in being interviewed for Milner Library’s ongoing oral history project. Now in its third year, this project aims to preserve and provide long-term access to the memories of Illinois State affiliates in their own voices and on their own terms.
Those interested in being interviewed should fill out this form or contact Milner Library’s Digitization Center Coordinator Karmine Beecroft directly at kbeecro@IllinoisState.edu. Interviews will continue throughout the summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are oral histories and how do they differ from other types of archival records?
Oral history is an interview-based research methodology that highlights the lived experiences and perceptions of the interviewee. Per Donald A. Ritchie, author of Doing Oral History (Oxford University Press, 2014), “memory is the core of oral history.” He goes on to note that “oral [histories may] confound rather than confirm our assumptions, confronting us with conflicting viewpoints and encouraging us to examine events from multiple perspectives.”
As a discipline and community of practice, oral histories are based on informed consent; they are conducted in a collaborative manner and prioritize the interviewee’s wishes in how their stories are represented and accessed. In addition to preserving recollections that may exist nowhere else in the historical record, oral histories have also been shown to elicit a deeply personal and empathetic connection with the past—something that can become lost when researchers rely solely on other types of archival documents.
Why are you seeking interviews with people from minoritized backgrounds?
People from minoritized backgrounds, such as people of color, people with disabilities, immigrants, first-generation college students, and queer people, have been a part of ISU’s story from the beginning. However, due to past collecting practices that focused on those in power, their voices are often buried or missing from the historical record all together. The Milner Library Digitization Center, in partnership with the Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield Archives, seeks to fill in some of these gaps and erasures to help show today’s diverse student body that people like them have always been here—and may even have faced some of the same issues they’re dealing with now.
If I agree to participate, what will happen to my interview?
There are several access levels and modalities Milner Library can offer. Interviewees will have the opportunity to listen to their interview before deciding how to move forward. While the majority of the interviews that have been conducted so far are available online in the University’s institutional repository, ISU ReD, you may decide not to make your interview available at all (we would then provide you with a copy of the recording and destroy our own), have it embargoed for a certain number of years, or specify other restrictions (to be discussed with the university archivist). You will also be able to make small edits to or provide clarification in the transcript of your interview if desired.
What is the interview process like?
You will be contacted by a Digitization Center student employee to set up an interview time and also decide on the parameters of the interview together. You will be able to tell your interviewer what topics you would like to focus on as well as those you would like to stay away from. Interviews may be conducted via Zoom or in person (in-person interviews are currently audio-only). You will be provided with a list of questions to guide the interview at least a week in advance, though the conversation is designed to be free-flowing and not all planned questions may be asked. The interview will last about an hour.
I am a recent graduate or current staff person/faculty member. Do you want to interview me?
Yes, we are seeking alumni from all decades, as well as current or former faculty and staff. Libraries and archives tend to plan very long-term—you may not think of your experiences as “historical” right now, but through careful stewardship and platform maintenance, we aim to preserve access to our stories and voices for decades, if not centuries, into the future.
For more information on Milner’s Digitization Center, the Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield Archives, ISU ReD, or other ongoing library projects, visit Library.IllinoisState.edu.
Illinois State University Archivist April Anderson-Zorn is the keeper of all things history on campus and, in the latest episode of Redbird Buzz, she shares information and stories about three influential women from Illinois State’s past. Anderson-Zorn manages the Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield Archives and is tasked with preserving and unearthing the history of Illinois State, as well as sharing that history with the campus community and beyond.
In this episode, Anderson-Zorn discusses Dr. June Rose Colby, Anna Ropp, and Dr. Patricia Ann Chesebro—each of whom had a unique impact on Illinois State University and the Bloomington-Normal community. From stories about participation in the Suffragist movement, to daily diary entries about life in the mid-1900s, to the genesis of Illinois State’s women’s studies program, you won’t want to miss this fascinating episode.
As the capabilities of digital technologies evolves, so too must the teaching materials available at Illinois State University to prepare students for the subsequent changes brought about to industries across the globe.
We see this evolution here at Illinois State’s own Milner Library where the recent introduction of a 3D scanner has enabled students and faculty to stand at the forefront of innovation. The scanner, a Shining Einscan-SP, is capable of imaging objects of a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Although it can scan objects up to 609 mm3, it will produce its best results from objects sized between 30 mm3 and 200 mm3. It uses a turntable to scan multiple images of the object from all angles with light phase shift technology. This form of scanning captures images with an accuracy of 0.05 mm, making it so even the most minute features are rendered with great precision.
Example of a 3D scan done by library IT services. Scans are rendered as CAD files which can be 3D printed or imported into 3D graphics software.
A previous request from the School of Biology for a replica of a taxidermized bird was the precursor to Milner’s acquisition of this scanner. “We didn’t have a scanner at the time, or else we could’ve scanned their existing model, but we were lucky enough to find a pre-existing model,” recounts Paul Unsbee, director of IT services at Milner Library. “But that started our real, serious look into what was available to us.” Not long after, the department was able to implement the scanner as an addition to its ever-evolving assortment of technology services.
As of now, access to the scanner is limited to faculty and graduate students for education- or research-related uses. Though Milner hopes to soon open access to the scanner to the rest of the student body, this limitation allows faculty to gradually become acquainted with the new technology. Interested individuals must fill out a 3D scan request form and then drop off their object to library IT services.
This new addition opens many doors to new and exciting academic opportunities, such as digitization of artifacts held in the Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield Archives, replication of objects for use in game design or creative technologies projects, and even reproduction of anatomical models for studies in medical laboratory science.
“Honestly, I highly suspect that I’m thinking too narrowly as to what people will come up with,” said Unsbee. He recounts that the department’s expectations for how people would use Milner’s 3D printing services were greatly surpassed shortly after its introduction. “So I imagine the same thing will happen with 3D scanning. I’m very interested to see what engagement we get with it.”
Memories with the flip of a page. Images of move-in, dining halls, dances, and Homecoming. The faces of faculty, classmates, roommates, friends, and partners. Yearbooks have long served as miniature time capsules, transporting readers back to a specific year in the life of a campus and reviewing the thoughts, attitudes, and culture of its communities. At the Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield Archives at Illinois State University, yearbooks are one of the most requested research items in the repository. Thanks to digitization efforts over the last twelve years, researchers can access all of Illinois State University’s yearbooks online from the comfort of their homes through the Internet Archive.
The Index, the yearbook for Illinois State University, ran from 1892 to 1972 and documented many significant moments in the University’s history. From World War I and World War II to the first official Homecoming celebration and the University’s first name change, The Index documented University and student life as it happened on campus. While genealogists find the yearbooks helpful in charting family trees, researchers often find important clues to the changing face of campus in the journal’s pages. The Index often reported the demolition of treasured buildings and the opening of welcomed new spaces. Concerts, parties, and even the occasional Quad nap are all featured in The Index.
While The Index ceased publication in 1972, two smaller publications took its place. The New Student Record, a journal for freshman and transfer students, and the Graduate Record, a journal for seniors and graduate students, launched in 1975. While they were not the comprehensive journal of its predecessor, these publications still documented life on Illinois State University’s campus. However, both journals were published inconsistently and ended in the early 1990s.
Since 2018, the Rayfield Archives has worked with its partners in Milner Library to make the yearbooks for University High School and the Thomas Metcalf School available. Found alongside The Index, The Clarion (yearbook for University High School), and the Thomas Metcalf School Yearbook are available for selected years for online research. The Clarion first began printing in 1929 and continues to this day. The online Thomas Metcalf School Yearbook covers the years 1975-2004. Thanks to countless scans, photographs, and data creation by Milner Library’s team of specialists, 117 yearbooks are now freely accessible online.
The online ISU, University High School, and Thomas Metcalf School yearbooks are popular with researchers at home and abroad. As of June 2022, all the yearbooks have been downloaded over 943,000 times. Researchers from Germany make up the largest user group, followed by researchers from Kansas and Illinois. Why Germany? Illinois State Normal University was the birthplace of the American form of pedagogy known as Herbartianism, a learning philosophy founded originally in Germany.
From education researchers to genealogists, alums looking for lost friends, or a student researching campus history, the online ISU yearbooks remain one of the most requested research tools at the Rayfield Archives. Want to see more online university history research tools? Visit our Online Collections page to view catalogs, governance, The Vidette Digital Archives, and more! You can also visit the Rayfield Archives homepage to explore links to our finding aids, research guides, and other archives resources.
Milner Library has recently expandedThe Vidette Digital Archives to include full-text access to the 1980s issues.
Standing as Illinois State University’s student-led news source for more than 100 years, The Vidette has captured significant historical events, both on and off campus, and its columnists’ perspectives of them across its many issues. Past issues have long been preserved in paper and on microfilm, but in an effort to increase accessibility, Milner Library decided to begin digitizing the many issues and establish an online repository.
It has thus far been a successful endeavor and has afforded many uses to both students and alumni alike, but editions from the 1970s onward posed significant complications. The Vidette printed material from journalists and cartoonists from syndicated sources in this time period. Authorization was given to republish this media on paper but not online. This meant these articles had to be redacted before the issues were uploaded.
Library employees needed to review each issue to identify syndicated stories and black out content that wasn’t approved for digitization, but the project gained support via a university-sponsored crowdfunding campaign. Titled the Redbird Hatch Campaign, this fundraiser brought in around $10,000 from alumni and former Vidette employees to bring the 80s issues online.
An article covering the campus Beer Riots with a photograph depicting police and students outside Normal City Hall. Front page of The Vidette, vol. 97, no. 35, October 4, 1984.
“Digitizing student newspaper projects is very costly, very complicated for institutions, so not a lot of university libraries have necessarily done this,” said the dean of Milner Library, Dallas Long. “I’m proud that Milner Library and its donors have been able to recognize this as a valuable resource.”
Due to the outpouring of financial support, the entirety of The Vidette’sissues from the 1980s have been redacted from and approved for digital publication. This means that thousands of articles across the entire decade are now publicly available. Stories about the Beer Riots of ‘84, the completion of Redbird Arena, and many more significant university events will subsequently be free to access for everyone.
Though absent from the digital archives, syndicated stories are still available in their original format at Milner Library and at the Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield Archives.
Whether these articles are used in academic research, as a historical reference, or for nostalgic reminiscence, their digital preservation will ensure that The Vidette’slegacy lives on.
“I think being able to take one of the University’s most unique and most distinctive primary sources and being able to make it more accessible to the world at large is really exciting,” said Long.
