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The Robert R. Hudelson Papers

Robert in his football uniform as an undergraduate student.
Robert in his football uniform as an undergraduate student.

Written by Breana McCracken

The Student Life and Culture (SLC) Archives recently received the papers and photographs of Robert R. Hudelson (RS 41/20/255), a University of Illinois student and former Dean of the College of Agriculture. Robert Hudelson was born in 1886 in Chambersburg, Illinois to Henry and Katherine Brook Hudelson. He first attended Illinois State University at Normal, Illinois where he received  a bachelor’s degree in agriculture in 1908. From 1909 to 1912, he attended the University of Illinois where he received a bachelor’s degree in agronomy. He then went on to earn a master’s degree  in chemistry  and soils from the University of Missouri in 1915.

After this time, Robert became a soldier during World War I, where he kept a diary documenting the daily life of a soldier. The SLC Archives has been lucky enough to have received this diary. In addition, SLC has also acquired a few other journals of Robert’s and several scrapbooks of his family and from his time as a student.

Continue reading “The Robert R. Hudelson Papers”

Rekindling Lost Love, Illinois-Style

Many of us are good story-tellers; archivists are “story-catchers.”

Paul and Diane at the Kappa Alpha Theta House Christmas Formal, 1950
Paul and Diane at the Kappa Alpha Theta House Christmas Formal, 1950

This past week, the Student Life & Culture (SLC) Archives received seven photos from alumnus Paul Wieland ’52 of Paul and girlfriend Diane Rutter ’52 taken during their time at Illinois.  I asked Colonel Wieland to include a memory piece about his photos to provide context for future researchers.  Below is his  amazing story of love, re-connection, loss and thankfulness:

“Summary of a Love Story”  from Colonel Paul Wieland, September 14, 2015

“This is a summary of the love story that accompanies the seven photos of Diane Rutter and myself, Paul Wieland. The photos were taken in 1950 and 1951 during our fraternity and sorority formal dances at the University of Illinois. Diane and I became college sweethearts just before our 20th birthdays, soon after we met at the University in January 1950. We spent four years together, two on campus and two after we graduated.

Diane’s mother was a dress designer and seamstress, and she made sure that Diane was always the beautiful “belle of the ball,” with a new gown for every formal dance. Those events were always a highlight of campus life; they involved a lot of planning and work — decorating the venue, selecting the best band, finalizing plans for refreshments, working on the guest list, etc.  Continue reading “Rekindling Lost Love, Illinois-Style”