Timeline managed by Gregor Orbino.;xNLx;Special thanks to: Ashley Rae LaBar, Ashley Tutera, Judy Harrison and Stephanie Cunningham for direction and support, the web team of Seth Norris, Alex Slaughter, Jaime Masson & Brook Phinney; Jed Corkill at Fast Design, Mariah Day for the time-lapse videos, David Miller for copy, Brenda Keagle for procuring new material, Nick Adamakis, for the majority of photos from the 2000's, Margret Puckett for her documents from the 1980's, and The University of Arizona Special Collections for much of the mid-20th century content.
The idea of a student recreational building had been proposed by President Cloyd Heck Marvin back in 1923, but it was not until March 1938 that the interest in such a building caused then President Alfred Atkinson to appoint a committee to draw up some plans and suggestions as to what should be in the proposed Student Union. This committee and a later one formed in 1940 were unable to obtain the necessary funding or to agree on a site particularly when it was suggested that the new building replace Old Main. The advent of World War II put an end to all plans temporarily, but provided a new and inspiring reason for pursuing its realization: a memorial to the students and faculty who had given their lives in both World Wars. Once again, in 1945, a committee was appointed, with W. Roy Wayland, Phoenix banker, as head, and a monumental fund-raising campaign began which was to cover the State, reach out to all UA friends and alumni, and last until the last dollar was obtained or promised. The original objective was $750,000, but by 1949 the goal had risen to $1,000,000. Plans were drawn up, rejected, redrawn. Various facilities were proposed, discussed, eliminated (such as a barber shop, a beauty shop, chapel, haberdashery, a visitor’s dormitory). Most emotional and vociferous was the struggle over the site, even when a compromise (some thought) was announced that Old Main would be left intact so much had been invested by the Navy in its rehabilitation and the Student Union would be constructed in the limited area in front of it. Fortunately wiser heads in time ruled out this plan, which would have made impossible any future structural additions necessitated by a growing student body. The final cost would be about $1,200,000 for construction and furnishings. One third of this came from the State Legislature, which recognized the need and obligation to furnish dining facilities for the growing enrollment. (The old inadequate Dining Hall was to be torn down.) One third was raised by alumni, faculty, students, corporations, and the general public. The remainder came from the sale of bonds which were to be paid off with income from student fees and sale of services. It was in the last year of President McCormick’s term that ground was broken for the first phase of the Union’s construction, not to be completed until his successor, Richard A. Harvill, had assumed the presidency.
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Completed early in President Harvill’s term of office, with its formal dedication an feature of his inauguration, this eagerly awaited facility took 16 months to build. But the result was worth the waiting, watching, and campus disruption. At last there was an adequate cafeteria, with a giant central kitchen, along with lounges, meeting rooms, and offices for various student groups. The two ballrooms provided a dancing area for 1,000 couples and banquet seating for 600. There was a browsing library and music listening rooms. A separate dining and lounge area was provided for faculty use. The basement contained a post office and games rooms, with a large area still available for further expansion. In its first year of operation the Student Union had approximately 100 employees and a gross income of #370,651. It served over 11/2 million people. There were over 1,800 separate meetings, conferences, teas, receptions, and dances sponsored by 293 different groups composed of students, faculty, alumni, and the public. All this was administered by a director and the Student Union Activities Board.
Wanted! The return of tableware and coffee cups that have been mysteriously disappearing from the Student Union Memorial building. Marvin "Swede" Johnson, Student Union Director, is asking the student who have taken the 1,048 coffee cups to return them to room 201. "Many committees and students have taken the cups for souvenirs or for mixing paints," said Swede. "I will gladly, upon their return, exchange them for chipped ones from the Catsbah and cafeteria." In addition to the disappearing cups, 452 forks, 408 knives, 242 soup spoons, 2,880 teaspoons, 517 eight oz glasses and 260 twelve oz glasses are missing. Approximately $1,048 in tableware has been stolen from the Union in the past year. The IBM clock which used to hang on the second floor was ripped out of the wall and several thermostat covers have disappeared.
Enter story info hereLearning from books isn’t enough for the girls in the Institutional foods class. It’s practical experience that counts. Where do they get their experience? Why in the modernly electrical equipped Student Union. The students spend three laboratory hours twice a week in the Kitchens and one lecture class per week. The class includes two types of instruction: quantity cooking and food service. In the quantity cooking class, the girls spend time in all of the different kitchens including the bakery, salad room and butcher shop. One special assignment to completed by the end of the semester is to cut up a butchered side of beef. While working in these food service areas, they are treated as employees. They schedule work hours with their supervisor, have time cards and are excused from lab to compensate for the time spent working. All this training prepares the food service personnel for jobs in the airlines, hospitals and other institutions, hotels, and school cafeterias. But it also gives them valuable knowledge for life after marriage.
Union funds are being diverted to support vice on campus, a special grand jury decided this week. Indictments have been issued against Marvin "Greed" Johnson and Billy "the kid" Larson. Johnson, head of the 9,000 member coop-loafers club, said there was nothing wrong with the way he spent an estimated $45 of surplus student funds that were employed by him. According to the grand jury report, $3.14 went to cigars, $5.36 to angostura, $36 for a bathtub, 39 cents for dog biscuits and 50 cents for ice cream cones. Johnson admitted that some people might not approve of his habits including putting angostura in his coop coffee to give it a distinct bitter flavor. "My plans are to make my coffee so bitter that no one else can stand it," Johnson said. "My plan backfired a bit when students kept drinking my coffee." By keeping students away from his coffee, "Greed" said students would always be thirsty so he and Billy "the kid" Larson could then sell their bootleg booze at the Union during cocktail hour. "I learned da racket durin’ da depression," Johnson said. The ice cream cones were used to bribe Larson.
Have there been weird monsters rattling your nerves this week? Don’t panic! They are spreading news of the SU Birthday party and they are really members of the ASUA publicity committee. This eerie activity will begin Monday November 9, 1958. Any self respecting ghoul wouldn’t dare miss it. Every year the Student Union Memorial building celebrates its birthday with a theme party. This year, for the seventh party, the Union is having a night of "Terror." Wherever a guest goes in the Student Union Monday night, there will be a new fright, from the ballroom to Louies. Those who are not afraid of death by beheading (beware the guillotine) will want to rock and roll to the Casuals, eat pizza a five cents a serving and drink wtches’ brew in Louies. The way to this marriment houwever, is guarded by a labyrinth. Frankenstein’s henchmen lurk here, hunting for volunteers to become monsters, or brave souls interested in a tour of the UA’s troture chambers. Anyone with a faint heart might ish to take in milder enteretanment a movie perhaps? Ghoulia will play host for the son of Dracula in the cafateria. Are there any Southerners in the crowd? SU suggest the former Coop. It has become an "Okeefenokee" type swamp for the evening complete with Wayne Sander’s Dixieland band. The alligator wandering around won’t be foooling. He’s authentic as are the witches and goblins. Perhaps the shack out in back belongs to Pogo. The snakes in the trees are supposed to be harmless but watch out, anything can happen at the "Night of Terror." All sorts of celebrities will be wandering around in the ballroom. Charles Addams and his family will be there, and it’s anyone’s guess who’s the hangman in the jr. Ballroom—Tom Dooley perhaps. SU director Billy Joe Varney has volunteered to be cadaver for the embalming demonstrations. Graves will be available to all guests and "Death" will be handing out death certificates. Larry Barker’s Playboys will also be playing. At 10pm, the whole party will converge in the ballroom for the cutting of the cake. The Student Union will be closed in the moring so SUAB members can decorate the Union.
Have your tried to eat lunch in the Student Union lately? Rough isn’t it. The Student Union food facilities are seating more people and doing less business this year than ever before, according to Billy Joe Varney, the Student Union’s director. The reason is obvious to anyone who walks in the Coop, the cafeteria or Louie’s between the hours of 11:30am and 1:30pm. The cause is inconsideration. Altogether too many students are lounging or spending leisure time between classes in the Coop and Louie’s during rush hour, and people who try to use the Union’s meal services legitimately are forced to stand and wait for a place to sit. Students who sit in the Coop or Louie’s and play cards, read or just sit and talk are being inconsiderate to their fellow classmates. At any other time but meal time it is all right to do these things. But to inconvenience so many students at meal time is unfair. Admittedly, the Student Union doesn’t have any other lounging facilities of any consequence. These are forthcoming and should be ready by next September, but that doesn’t help much now. Here is an example of how severe the eating situation is: Each year, the Student Union sets up a "snack bar" during lunch hours in the SU Arcade where students can buy sandwiches, drinks and fruit. In the past, this stand has only operated the first few days of school. It has been going three weeks now and still the Union is jam packed at noon. Varney said he feels hesitant about asking "lounging" students to make room for others wishing to eat, but we don’t feel that way. We are supposed to be mature people who can muster a little consideration. We just don’t see how anyone can sit and play cards or watch the girls and boys go by when students with trays full of food are wandering around looking for a place to sit. We realize that this editorial will be read by several who are, at the moment, sitting in the Union doing any number of the things we are protesting. Will you please move?!
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