Myths of IU: Bloomington’s Sinking Library
The main library (rededicated as the Herman B Wells Library in 2005) was dedicated in October of 1970, and almost since the building’s construction…
IU Bicentennial
IU’s Trailer Towns
When World War II ended in 1945, the country welcomed back hundreds of thousands of young men, many of whom had cut their higher…
A Big Bang: The IU Chemistry Demonstration Gone Awry
On the evening of April 24, 1957, in the auditorium of the chemistry building, Assistant Professor Charles Rohrer prepared the final demonstration for the…
Hidden IU: Reverend William M. Daily
Popular Methodist minister William “Bill” Daily, BA 1836, served as Indiana University’s third president from 1853-59. His election was marked by political maneuvering and his…
Before and After: The Lilly Library and Showalter Fountain
The iconic photo of three freshmen looking at the Lilly Library, which appeared on page nine of the October 1960 issue of the Indiana…
Reds Among the Cream and Crimson
When angry letters from Indiana citizens arrived in August 1946, IU President Herman B Wells, BS’24, MA’27, LLD’62, knew he had a problem on his hands….
A Cinderella Story: The Origins of IUPUC
The 1960s are often remembered for the Vietnam War, civil rights protests, long hair, and assassinations, but it was also a time when Indiana…
The Man Who Brought Art to IU
In the summer of 1896, a twenty-six-year-old art historian and recent graduate of Harvard University, Alfred Mansfield Brooks, made the long trek cross country…
Myths of IU: Herman B Wells, Light-Maker
Each year, current and prospective students hear the popular myth about former IU President Herman B Wells, BS’24, MA’27, LLD’62, and the IU Bloomington…
Showcasing the Talents of IU Alumni
In Fall 2018, the IU Alumni Association launched a private label wine program–the 1820 Collection—to celebrate the IU Bicentennial. The winemaker? Indiana University alumnus…
The Student Fee Hike of 1969
Those of us who attended Indiana University fifty years ago started 1969 with a sense of change and uncertainty. As I look back on…
How Hoosier Values Shaped a Great Physician and Public Servant
One of the greatest records of public service ever compiled by a graduate of Indiana University belonged to Otis R. Bowen, BA’39, MD’42, LLD’76….