{"id":614,"date":"2014-08-29T16:13:15","date_gmt":"2014-08-29T16:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/archives.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/?page_id=614"},"modified":"2026-02-27T20:15:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T20:15:27","slug":"1930-1939","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/research-education\/timeline\/1930-1939\/","title":{"rendered":"Student Life at Illinois: 1930-1939"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>1930-1939<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_702\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-702\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0005006.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-702 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0005006-300x218.jpg\" alt=\"Students participate in a beard-growing contest, circa 1930\" width=\"300\" height=\"218\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0005006-300x218.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0005006.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-702\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students participate in a beard-growing contest, circa 1930<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>1930<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Harry W. Chase succeeded David Kinley as University president.<\/li>\n<li><em>Daily Illini<\/em> conducted poll on Prohibition: 2,105 students said they drink; 1,787 said they did not.<\/li>\n<li>Board of Trustees voted to allow Sunday sports after 1:00 p.m.<\/li>\n<li>Freshman cap-burning revived.<\/li>\n<li>Depression severely affected campus. Several local banks closed. Run on University State Bank of Champaign occurred.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>1931<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Independent students published own newspaper.<\/li>\n<li>Star Course re-organized.<\/li>\n<li>Freshman cap-burning turned into riot. Event was abolished.<\/li>\n<li>Ice Arena dedicated.<\/li>\n<li>Emergency funds secured for loans to needy students. Meal tickets distributed to destitute students.<\/li>\n<li>First issue of Green Caldron published by Rhetoric staff.<\/li>\n<li>Fred Turner succeeded Thomas Arkle Clark as Dean of Men.<\/li>\n<li>Student oversight relaxed. Dean of Men\u2019s policy of \u201cgeneral oversight of undergraduates\u2019 conduct\u201d changed to one that was \u201cadvisory and not regulatory.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Absence from classes without permission of dean\u2019s office now allowed.<\/li>\n<li>Women\u2019s Gymnasium (Freer Gym) completed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_704\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-704\" style=\"width: 191px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0003962.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-704 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0003962-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"Thomas Arkle Clark, circa 1910\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0003962-191x300.jpg 191w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0003962.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 191px) 100vw, 191px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-704\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thomas Arkle Clark, circa 1910<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>1932<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Thomas Arkle Clark died.<\/li>\n<li>Freshman cap-burning held despite having been abolished by University.<\/li>\n<li>Six fraternities reported to have been disbanded in last three years.<\/li>\n<li>African-American sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha presented play written and produced by members as part of Mothers\u2019 Week.<\/li>\n<li>Left Forum, an unrecognized group, requested use of University rooms for meeting on \u201cThe A.B.C. of Communism.\u201d Request is denied.<\/li>\n<li><em>The Illini Trail, <\/em>a sound motion picture promoting the University, was released by the Alumni Association.<\/li>\n<li>Organization of independent women formed.<\/li>\n<li><em>Daily Illini<\/em> published \u201cIndependent\u201d section.<\/li>\n<li>Co-operative Council organized.<\/li>\n<li>Dean of Men Fred Turner assumed control of employment services formally operated by YMCA.<\/li>\n<li>Student Alumni Association founded.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>1933<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>New independent group organized: Men\u2019s Independent District Association.<\/li>\n<li>System of preceptors\u2013resident scholastic advisers\u2013adopted for fraternities and sororities.<\/li>\n<li>Jigsaw puzzle craze swept campus.<\/li>\n<li>African-American students launched a program of one-act plays.<\/li>\n<li>Interfraternity Council revised constitution to admit African-American fraternities.<\/li>\n<li>Ice rink used as a dance hall.<\/li>\n<li>Harry Chase resigned, Arthur H. Daniels named acting University president.<\/li>\n<li>University sent murals of campus life to Chicago&#8217;s Century of Progress Exposition.<\/li>\n<li>Serving of beer at fraternity dances banned.<\/li>\n<li>Student Affairs Committee recognized Campus Forum, a left-wing group.<\/li>\n<li>Cenacle\u2013honorary African-American society\u2013formed to promote African-American arts and letters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>1934<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>University band appeared in several broadcasts on Chicago radio station WGN.<\/li>\n<li>Twenty-six social fraternities reported to have been dissolved since 1930.<\/li>\n<li>University considered National Student League \u201ca radical or communist group\u201d and refused to recognize it.<\/li>\n<li>Arthur Willard appointed University president.<\/li>\n<li>Students protested compulsory ROTC.<\/li>\n<li>Committee on Student Affairs withdrew recognition of Campus Forum. Group was later reorganized and recognition once again granted.<\/li>\n<li>Student Senate established.<\/li>\n<li>Literary Digest poll found 1,045 Illinois students favored President Roosevelt\u2019s New Deal, 887 opposed it.<\/li>\n<li><em>Daily Illini<\/em> expanded in size. Publication had regular news section and section devoted to comics, entertainment and features.<\/li>\n<li>Women allowed to join Block I.<\/li>\n<li>Phi Kappa Tau became first Illinois fraternity to have a housemother.<\/li>\n<li>Varsity baseball coach Carl Lundgren died.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_705\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-705\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0001743.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-705 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0001743-300x229.jpg\" alt=\"Aerial View of the Armory, circa 1935\" width=\"300\" height=\"229\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0001743-300x229.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0001743.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-705\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aerial View of the Armory, circa 1935<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>1935<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi established co-operative African-American restaurant after Boyd\u2019s Cafe\u2013the only campus restaurant (except for the University cafeteria) to serve African-Americans\u2013closed. The co-op restaurant lasted less than a year.<\/li>\n<li>Axe-Grinder\u2019s Ball ended.<\/li>\n<li>National Student League again denied University recognition.<\/li>\n<li>Some 150 students held a strike against war, assembled on \u201cNational Peace Day.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Group known as Constitutional Liberals organized.<\/li>\n<li>Interfraternity Council changed name of \u2018Hell Week\u2019 and abolished paddling.<\/li>\n<li>Armory fire caused $20,000 in property damages.<\/li>\n<li>Committee on Student Affairs tabled petition seeking recognition for Student League for Industrial Democracy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>1936<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Some 300 students and faculty members held a strike against war.<\/li>\n<li>Heat wave killed seven. Temperatures reached as high as 108 degrees.<\/li>\n<li>Jewish fraternities and sororities provided shelter for German refugee students.<\/li>\n<li>Dolores C. Thomas named first Homecoming queen.<\/li>\n<li>Dating bureau organized.<\/li>\n<li>Longtime Athletic Director George Huff died.<\/li>\n<li>Chapter of American Student Union received recognition from Committee on Student Affairs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>1937<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>New independent group organized: Men\u2019s Independent District Association.<\/li>\n<li>Students brought suit against Hanley-Lewis Confectionery for discriminating against African-Americans. Case was decided in favor of confectionery.<\/li>\n<li>Civil Rights Union and American Student Union circulated petitions protesting discrimination by campus restaurants and Champaign-Urbana theaters.<\/li>\n<li><em>Daily Illini<\/em> launched anti-vice crusade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_708\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-708\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0005004.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-708 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0005004-300x238.jpg\" alt=\"Students studying, circa 1938\" width=\"300\" height=\"238\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0005004-300x238.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/73\/2014\/08\/0005004.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-708\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students studying, circa 1938<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>1938<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Cenacle published monthly magazine\u2013<em>The Scribbler<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Student Senate addressed discrimination issue.<\/li>\n<li>WILL radio station\u2019s power increased from 1,000 to 5,000 watts.<\/li>\n<li>Following a ceiling collapse, University Hall was condemned and razed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>1939<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>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.<\/li>\n<li>New YMCA building dedicated.<\/li>\n<li>Board of Fraternity Affairs established, funded in part by the New Deal\u2019s Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, Gregory Hall constructed.<\/li>\n<li>Hilda H. Lawson became first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. from Illinois.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/research-education\/timeline\/1920-1929\/\"><strong>Return to 1920-1929<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/research-education\/timeline\/1940-1949\/\"><strong>Continue to 1940-1949<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>1930-1939 1930 Harry W. Chase succeeded David Kinley as University president. Daily Illini conducted poll on Prohibition: 2,105 students said they drink; 1,787 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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":453,"featured_media":0,"parent":339,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-614","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/614","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/453"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=614"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/614\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13188,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/614\/revisions\/13188"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/slc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}