1930-1939
1930
- Harry W. Chase succeeded David Kinley as University president.
- Daily Illini conducted poll on Prohibition: 2105 students said they drink; 1787 said they did not.
- Board of Trustees voted to allow Sunday sports after 1:00 p.m.
- Freshman cap-burning revived.
- Depression severely affected campus. Several local banks closed. Run on University State Bank of Champaign occurred.
1931
- Independent students published own newspaper.
- Star Course re-organized.
- Freshman cap-burning turned into riot. Event was abolished.
- Ice Arena dedicated.
- Emergency funds secured for loans to needy students. Meal tickets distributed to destitute students.
- First issue of Green Caldron published by Rhetoric staff.
- Fred Turner succeeded Thomas Arkle Clark as Dean of Men.
- Student oversight relaxed. Dean of Men’s policy of “general oversight of undergraduates’ conduct” changed to one that was “advisory and not regulatory.”
- Absence from classes without permission of dean’s office now allowed.
- Women’s Gymnasium (Freer Gym) completed.
1932
- Thomas Arkle Clark died.
- Freshman cap-burning held despite having been abolished by University.
- Six fraternities reported to have been disbanded in last three years.
- African-American sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha presented play written and produced by members as part of Mothers’ Week.
- Left Forum, an unrecognized group, requested use of University rooms for meeting on “The A.B.C. of Communism.” Request is denied.
- The Illini Trail, a sound motion picture promoting the University, was released by the Alumni Association.
- Organization of independent women formed.
- Daily Illini published “Independent” section.
- Co-operative Council organized.
- Dean of Men Fred Turner assumed control of employment services formally operated by YMCA.
- Student Alumni Association founded.
1933
- New independent group organized: Men’s Independent District Association.
- System of preceptors–resident scholastic advisers–adopted for fraternities and sororities.
- Jigsaw puzzle craze swept campus.
- African-American students launched a program of one-act plays.
- Interfraternity Council revised constitution to admit African-American fraternities.
- Ice rink used as a dance hall.
- Harry Chase resigned, Arthur H. Daniels named acting University president.
- University sent murals of campus life to Chicago’s Century of Progress Exposition.
- Serving of beer at fraternity dances banned.
- Student Affairs Committee recognized Campus Forum, a left-wing group.
- Cenacle–honorary African-American society–formed to promote African-American arts and letters.
1934
- University band appeared in several broadcasts on Chicago radio station WGN.
- Twenty-six social fraternities reported to have been dissolved since 1930.
- University considered National Student League “a radical or communist group” and refused to recognize it.
- Arthur Willard appointed University president.
- Students protested compulsory ROTC.
- Committee on Student Affairs withdrew recognition of Campus Forum. Group was later reorganized and recognition once again granted.
- Student Senate established.
- Literary Digest poll found 1,045 Illinois students favored President Roosevelt’s New Deal, 887 opposed it.
- Daily Illini expanded in size. Publication had regular news section and section devoted to comics, entertainment and features.
- Women allowed to join Block I.
- Phi Kappa Tau became first Illinois fraternity to have a housemother.
- Varsity baseball coach Carl Lundgren died.
1935
- Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi established co-operative African-American restaurant after Boyd’s Cafe–the only campus restaurant (except for the University cafeteria) to serve African-Americans–closed. The co-op restaurant lasted less than a year.
- Axe-Grinder’s Ball ended.
- National Student League again denied University recognition.
- Some 150 students held a strike against war, assembled on “National Peace Day.”
- Group known as Constitutional Liberals organized.
- Interfraternity Council changed name of ‘Hell Week’ and abolished paddling.
- Armory fire caused $20,000 in property damages.
- Committee on Student Affairs tabled petition seeking recognition for Student League for Industrial Democracy.
1936
- Some 300 students and faculty members held a strike against war.
- Heat wave killed seven. Temperatures reached as high as 108 degrees.
- Jewish fraternities and sororities provided shelter for German refugee students.
- Dolores C. Thomas named first Homecoming queen.
- Dating bureau organized.
- Longtime Athletic Director George Huff died.
- Chapter of American Student Union received recognition from Committee on Student Affairs.
1937
- New independent group organized: Men’s Independent District Association.
- Students brought suit against Hanley-Lewis Confectionery for discriminating against African-Americans. Case was decided in favor of confectionery.
- Civil Rights Union and American Student Union circulated petitions protesting discrimination by campus restaurants and Champaign-Urbana theaters.
- Daily Illini launched anti-vice crusade.
1938
- Cenacle published monthly magazine–The Scribbler.
- Student Senate addressed discrimination issue.
- WILL radio station’s power increased from 1000 to 5000 watts.
- Following a ceiling collapse, University Hall was condemned and razed.
1939
- On February 17th, a student was shot and killed in the Champaign red-light district. One week later over 6,000 students attended a rally at Huff Gymnasium calling for a crackdown on vice.
- New YMCA building dedicated.
- Board of Fraternity Affairs established, funded in part by the New Deal’s Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, Gregory Hall constructed.
- Hilda H. Lawson became first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. from Illinois.
Return to 1920-1929 | Continue to 1940-1949