UIHistories Project: A History of the University of Illinois by Kalev Leetaru
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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS BULLETIN

P U B L I S H E D TWICE A WEEK BY T H E UNIVERSITY OF I L L I N O I S

SEVENTH FOUNDATION NUMBER

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/ / ^ V o l . X X X I V , No. 52 # « ] g W F e b ' 26, 1937

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T H E U N I V E R S I T Y looked like this when it opened, 69 years ago. This old structure (now no longer standing), built in 1862 as the Champaign-Urbana Institute, was acquired by the City of Urbana together with ten acres of land (the present Illinois Field) in 1867 and was a part of the inducements of Champaign County in favor of Urbana as the location of the new University. This building, all ready to move into, was no small factor in winning the battle for Champaign County. After University Hall was built in 1873, the old building was used only as a dormitory. It was partly wrecked in a storm, and was torn down in 1880.

Illini Plan of Coordination Takes Important Step Ahead; Wide-Spread Continuing Campaign for Union Building and Other Projects Announced on Founders' Day; March 2, as Birthday Gift to University

S T H E climax of the University's birthday party March 2 (69 years old), celebrated not only on the campus but at many Illini meetings throughout the country receiving the nation-wide broadcast from the campus, came the announcement of a vast alumni campaign for the new Illini Union building and for other worthy campus projects, to extend through not merely a few months but to be continued as a permanent policy. A more welcome birthday gift for the University could hardly have been devised. All-inclusive. I t is i m p o r t a n t t o note that the announcement mentions not only the new Union building but also other projects. The University of Illinois Foundation becomes in fact a permanent Illini Community Chest, a clearing-house through which gifts of all kinds and for all purposes are collected and administered. Decisions as to what the money shall be used for will be made by members of the Foundation Board of Directors, who are elected by the Alumni Association. Members of

* Actually, the day the University opened, in 1868. The University was chartered Feb. 28, 1867.

will bejviaid about this Ah ||je mohtro to c o m e . ' Gap^fuU estimates %how that at least $l,000;D(M%ai be needed for the cost of the building flfc$>ex, and $300,000 for the equipment and fttfnishings. T h e University will furnish the land. Several drawings have been made. T h r e e sites have been under consideration. Other projects, such as s c h o l a r s h i p funds and student housing, are also on the list. All such things will be most carefully considered before any alumni money is put into them. T h e Illini Union building already has hearty approval from many sources. It would be built immediately if funds were available. "Gift of Effort" and Gift of Money. Previous issues of this Foundation Bulletin have emphasized the "gift of effort" aspect of the Illini Plan of Coordination ; this present issue stresses the gift of money. By "gift of effort" is meant such contribution of your own time and talent as you can spare to the welfare of the University of Illinois. For instance, the I.P.C. organization in your community includes a high school relations committee, through which you can give especially valuable service t o your University. Letters, Telegrams, and Telephone Messages from Illini g r o u p s in v a r i ous places give us assurance that the I.P.C. is sound and that we are on the right track. On Page 4 of this Bulletin are given summaries of I.P.C. activities going on in many localities. You as an alumnus are earnestly invited to identify yourself with your local group. Founders' D a y M a r c h 2 was by far the most elaborately celebrated event of its kind ever known here. Not only were the evening exercises in the Auditorium enjoyed by the local audience there of students, local alumni, and other townspeople, but the blue network of the National Broadcasting Company carried the program to all parts of the country. Thousands of Illini heard it, either individually from their own homes, or in groups gathered in banquet halls. They heard the bands, the glee club, President Willard, President Ekblaw, Coach Zuppke, and Coordinator Jack Powers. T o get all of these fitted exactly into 30 minutes took a lot of planning and coordination—but why have the Illini Plan of Coordination if we don't use i t ? T h e r e was no place for the long-winded old grad who gets going at C o m mencement banquets and forgets to stop.. T h e University's birthdays have not been celebrated with much regularitythrough the years. There were observances now and then in the 70s and '80s,, and a modest one in 1918, the 50th a n niversary. On the 60th in 1928, the U n i versity's radio station, W I L L , was used, and we had a radio birthday for the first time. In 1934 the Student-Alumni Association took a hand and added "traditions week" to the program. T h e S.-A. also had a prominent part in organizing the program this year, as did also the ^ newly-revived Champaign County Illini Club.

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the Alumni Association through their votes for officers and directors thus have a voice in choosing the Foundation directors, who in turn decide how the contributions are to be used (except in cases of restricted gifts.) T o Unify and Perpetuate Alumni Giving. T h e o p e n i n g a n n o u n c e m e n t made on Founders' Day is the beginning of a plan which will not only stimulate and build up alumni giving but will unify, centralize, and perpetuate it through the years. In the past we have had various money-raising campaigns going on among the alumni. Some, like the $2,000,000 Stadium campaign, were successful; some were not. The common thing about them all w a s : they had their day and ceased to be. There was no continuing effort from one to another. The gaps were not bridged. One sector of alumni enthusiasm would be fanned to brightness, but would soon die down, and would be known no more. There was no Illini Plan of Coordination. Illini Union Building. F i r s t on the list of objectives of the new permanent plan of alumni giving is of course the Illini Union building, and a great deal