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“To Someone More Precious Than Gold”: Love Letters to Margaret Bordner from Olympian Harold M. Osborn

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Written by Jessica Followell

The Student Life and Cultures Archives recently acquired the letters of Olympian Harold M. Osborn. Dating from September 1924 through August 1928, Harold corresponded with Margaret Estelle Bordner. These letters chronicled their long-distance romance and courtship, with the couple ultimately marrying on September 7th, 1928.

Harold Osborn

After Margaret’s death in 2003, her daughters discovered the letters tucked away in a shoebox in her bedroom closet. Daughter Susan Osborn Jones compiled the letters into an album. They decided to donate a scanned copy of the album to the Archives, as both Harold and Margaret were alumni of the University of Illinois. These letters were written after Harold’s first Olympics and during Margaret’s studies at Illinois.

Harold M. Osborn graduated from the University of Illinois in 1922. During his time at Illinois, he was a member of the track and field team. Harold helped the team win both indoor and outdoor Big Ten titles in 1920, 1921, and 1922. He also tied for the NCAA and AAU outdoor high jump championships in 1922 [1]. During his Illinois career, Harold set six world records [2]. After his time at Illinois, Harold went on to compete at the 1924 Olympic games. He won the gold medal for both the high jump and decathlon, making him the only athlete to ever do so [3]. He competed again in the 1928 Olympic games. After finishing his athletic career, Harold returned to Champaign to practice osteopathic medicine. He maintained a close connection with his alma mater, helping coach the University of Illinois track team in the 1940s. His world record in standing high jump still stands today [4].

Continue reading ““To Someone More Precious Than Gold”: Love Letters to Margaret Bordner from Olympian Harold M. Osborn” →

This Just In: Alpha Epsilon Phi Records, 1947-2017

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Alpha Epsilon Phi Mu Chapter Members, 1947

Written by Anna Trammell

The Student Life and Culture Archives recently acquired the records of the Alpha Epsilon Phi Mu Chapter. These records, dating back to 1947, illustrate sorority and Jewish student life on campus through photographs, correspondence, and a complete set of meeting minutes 1958-1980. Also included are 15 scrapbooks from 1974 to 2017.

Alpha Epsilon Phi was founded in 1909 by seven Jewish women at Barnard College. The organization has initiated over 80,000 members nationwide. While it is an historically Jewish organization, AEPhi welcomes members of all faiths and backgrounds. [1] The sorority grew rapidly after its 1909 establishment and by 1929, 23 chapters were active in the United States. [2] Continue reading “This Just In: Alpha Epsilon Phi Records, 1947-2017” →

Campus Life on the Silver Screen: The 1916 Film “Pro Patria”

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Inez (played by Zelomia Ainsworth) and Dale (played by Heinie Sellards), 1918 Illio

Written by Anna Trammell

Betty Gibson, a University of Illinois freshman, is attracted to a wealthy classmate named Eduardo Salazar. Between registering for classes, attending parties at fraternity houses, watching baseball games, and conducting experiments in the chemistry laboratory, Betty realizes her true love is actually fellow student Happy Harding and the two become engaged. Meanwhile, Dale tries to win back the affections of Inez after she returns his pin. This is the plot of Pro Patria a movie filmed at the University of Illinois in the summer of 1916.[1]

Advertised as “the first all-University movie ever attempted,” virtually ever aspect of the film was connected to campus. The writer, director, and star of the film was student Vivian Kay and it was produced by alumni. [2] The rest of the cast consisted of members of the Illini Photoplayers student organization and other dramatic societies on campus.  Special cameo appearances were made by Dean of Men Thomas Arkle Clark and his wife Alice, Athletic Director George Huff, and Coach Bob Zuppke. [3] Even University President Edmund James appeared on horseback in the film. [4] Scenes were filmed all over campus including the Boneyard Creek, Illinois Field, and the Sigma Chi and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity houses. Chicago filmmaker R.E. Norman, who would go on to direct many important silent films including The Flying Ace, served as the cameraman for the production. Continue reading “Campus Life on the Silver Screen: The 1916 Film “Pro Patria”” →

The First Years of U of I Student Life: Sesquicentennial Speakers Series Kickoff

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Illinois Industrial University campus, circa 1873

The First Years of University of Illinois Student Life…with Reflections on Today, 1868-2017

March 2, 2017

University of Illinois Archives, Rm 146 Main Library

7pm-8:30pm

March 2, 1868, marked the first day of class at the newly established Illinois Industrial University.  Who were the University of Illinois’ earliest students?  What did they study?  Where and how did they live?  What did they do for fun?  And, how do their experiences compare to Illinois students 150 years later?  Join us as Professor Gregory Behle shares his extensive research on student life in the earliest years of the University and Vice Chancellor Renee Romano reflects on UI student experience in 2017.   Exhibits and refreshments.

The Archives will exhibit official documents, personal correspondence, recollections, broadsides, maps and photographs that tell the story of early University history. Continue reading “The First Years of U of I Student Life: Sesquicentennial Speakers Series Kickoff” →

New in the Archives: The Scrapbooks of Miriam Backs

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Miriam Backs in 1950
Miriam Backs in 1950

Marissa Krein is a graduate student at the School of Information Science. She is currently completing a practicum at the Student Life and Culture Archives. 

Souvenirs from nights out in Champaign-Urbana

The Student Life and Culture Archives recently received four scrapbooks from the family of Miriam Backs chronicling her years as a student at the University of Illinois.

Miriam Carolyn Backs was born on November 30, 1928, in Nashville, Illinois. Her father, Gus H. Backs, was the owner and manager of Backs Department Store and her mother was a homemaker. Miriam grew up in the small southern Illinois town and graduated from Nashville Community High School in 1946. She chose to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and enrolled in the freshmen class of 1946. Mirroring her family’s business background, she majored in accounting at the College of Commerce and Business Administration (now College of Business). Her scrapbooks chronicle her four years at the university and are full of memorabilia highlighting her involvement on campus and her active social life as well as her various summer vacations through the South and Midwest. Continue reading “New in the Archives: The Scrapbooks of Miriam Backs” →