Purdue University


Introduction

This section will familiarize you with Purdue University, some of its history and traditions, important people and places. Knowing more about your university is an important part of becoming an Alpha Zeta active. Study this information well.

History

Purdue Campus

Purdue University is the Indiana link in the chain of 68 land-grant colleges and universities which owe their origin to the Morrill Act signed by President Lincoln on July 2, 1862. the main purpose of this college would be the teaching of agriculture and mechanic arts.

In 1869, the assembly accepted $150,000 and 100 acres of land from John Purdue for the site of the college. In appreciation for his gift, the legislators determined that the university should be named Purdue University.

Two years before Purdue began to function, a plan of organization for the university was worked out by Richard Owen, the first president. On September 16, 1874, classes began with six instructors and sixty-four students.

Today, Purdue's campus buildings dwarf the three original structures and enrollment has increased to more than 30,000 on the Lafayette campus and about 12,000 on the regional campuses. It's 75,000 graduates throughout the world are responsible for Purdue's reputation as one of America's leading co-educational universities.

Purdue Wreck

At 9:55 a.m. on Saturday, October 31, 1903, the first of two special trains carrying the Purdue football players, students, and fans to the Purdue-IU game crashed into a string of coal cars being pushed by a switch engine. As engine #350 came around a bend near 18th Street in Indianapolis the engineer, W.A. Shumaker, saw the danger, applied the brakes, reversed the engine, and leaped from the cab.

The first four coaches were shattered but all of the casualties were limited to the first car, which contained the team, managers, trainer and a few strong followers. The second car, containing the Purdue Band and a number of female passengers, and the next two cars were derailed and shattered, but all of the occupants escaped serious injury. The people in the ten rear cars were shaken up but did not realize that there had been a wreck.

The game, which was to have been played at Washington Park in Indianapolis, was canceled. The money from the advance ticket sales was turned over to the Purdue Athletic Association and IU offered to play a benefit game with Notre Dame to raise more funds. In all, fifteen players and students were killed in the wreck.

Big Ten Conference

In 1895, Purdue's President Smart called a meeting of all of the seven Midwest university presidents in Chicago to consider the regulations and control of college athletics. As a result, the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives was organized in 1896. The seven original members included Purdue, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern, University of Chicago, Michigan and Illinois. Although the "Big Ten" is the common nabe for the conference, the original name is still the official title.

Big Ten Schools

School NameTeam NameLocationcolors
IllinoisFighting IlliniUrbana, ILorange and blue
IndianaHoosiersBloomington, INcrimson and cream
IowaHawkeyesIowa City, IA black and gold
MichiganWolverinesAnn Arbor, MI maize and blue
Michigan StateSpartansEast Lansing, MI green and white
MinnesotaGolden GophersMinneapolis, MN gold and maroon
NorthwesternWildcatsEvanston, IL purple and white
Ohio StateBuckeyesColumbus, OH scarlet and gray
Penn StateNittiny LionsUniversity Park, PA navy blue and white
PurdueBoilermakersWest Lafayette, IN Old Gold and Black
WisconsinBadgersMadison, WI red and white

John Purdue

John purdue was the founder and benefactor of this university. He was born in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, the only male in a family of eight children. Although he disliked teaching, he taught school in Pickway County, Ohio, for four years. On his first visit to Lafayette in 1837, he was impressed by the possibilities of the town. Two years later he came back to stay and set up a dry goods and grocery store. By 1845 he had built the "Purdue Block" which at that time was said to be the largest business block in the Midwest.

He gave freely of his money and time, particularly toward promoting a plan for free education supported by public taxes. During the Civil War he equipped and provided training for the "Purdue Rifles," who fought under the Union flag.

He was instrumental in planning the university campus and its early buildings. On several occasions he even assisted in selecting the faculty. On the first day of classes in 1876, he died from an attack of apoplexy. He was buried on the campus of the school he helped to found. His grave is located across from University Hall near the flagpole on the western edge of the Oval.

Ross-Ade Stadium

Ross-Ade Stadium, located north of Cary Quad, is the playing field for all of Purdue's home football games and performances of the Purdue "All-American" Marching Band. It was named after two prominent alumni, David Ross and George Ade, who contributed much of the money for its original construction, as well as 65 acres that now hold the present stadium, field house and practice field. Construction began in 1924, and the stadium was dedicated at the Purdue-IU game on November 22 of that year. It has been enlarged three times and has a present seating capacity of 69,200. After the 1985 season, the Boilers have a 175-88-10 record in Ross-Ade.

Purdue Memorial Union

The Union idea at Purdue was suggested by an undergraduate in 1912. He envisioneda building where students could meet and work on their various extracurricular activities. The class of 1912 voted an assessment of $5 from each senior to start a fund to erect a home for students, alumni, and faculty activities. Succeeding classes followed the same procedure until 1917.

Then came the Great War. At its close, Purdue looked at the record of 4,013 men and women in the service, at the 67 gold stars, ..and in many minds there arose the thought that the Union should stand as a permanent memorial to those who had died for it. With this in mind the "Purdue Memorial Union" came into being.

In June of 1922, the first sod was broken. The building was opened for use in September of 1924. Five additions have been added to the original structure since that time.

Great Hall

The Great Hall is located in the Memorial Union. Onb the floor is a cross which commemorates the W.W.I veterans. The tradition is that no one is to step on the cross. Also located in this hall is a large bronze plaque which contains the World War Honor Roll. Four statues are located in the Great Hall, all of important men in Purdue's history: Abraham Lincoln, who provided the legislation that set up land-grant schools such as Purdue, david Ross, Edward C. Elliott, and Frederick L. Hovde.

Memorial Gym

The Memorial Gym was originally suggested by Mr. Jones of the U.S. Experimental Station at Purdue. A meeting was held on November 6 to organize a fund raising drive to build a memorial to the dead of the Purdue Wreck. Ground was broken on Staurday, May 30, 1908, on Memorial Day, and the building was dedicated on May 29, 1909. It cost $85,000. The University gave $25,000, and the rest of the money came from the New York Central Railroad ($15,000), George Ade ($2,500), and other small contributions. Everyone bears his head when entering the building. It was formerly known as the Women's Gym, but is now known as the Computer Science Building.

Varsity Walk

The Varsity Walk is a wide central walk crossing the Engineering Mall in a north-south direction. Alongside the walk are bronze plaques which bear the names of former Boilermakers who were chosen the most outstanding athlete in any varsity sport during their senior year. The walk was started by the Reamer Club in 1956. The announcement of the winner is made each year during Gala Week.

Oval and Hello Walk

Opposite University Hall, near the flagpole on the western edge of the Oval, lies the grave of John Purdue. In former years this area was bounded on the western side by a semicircular road and walk which is known as the "Hello Walk." In the friendly tradition of Purdue, dating back to 1893, it was customary to say "hello" to any person one met along this walk. This custom still exists today and has been extended to include the new walks which crisscross the Oval.

The Mural

The mural in the west foyer of Stewart Center measures 58 feet long and 10 feet wide. It bears the name, "The Spirit of the Land-grant College." The mural is the work of Eugene Francis Savage, an artist born in Covington, Indiana. His work portrays the ideal of democratic education at Purdue and the other land-grant colleges by showing the struggle for growth in agriculture, industry, transportation, and education from the early nineteenth century.

Boilermaker

In 1889, the two newly hired Purdue coaches were quite discouraged by the scrawny volunteers that turned out for the football team. Not to be outdone by anyone, the coaches hired several husky boilermakers from Morton Railroad Shops and a few burly policemen as well. After enrolling these men in one university course, they set about playing football, resulting in victory after victory. When the team beat Wabash College, the Crawfordsville newspapers became slightly incensed and wrote a few uncomplimentary articles calling the team "Sluggers", "Cornfield Sailors", "Haymakers", and "boilermakers." The last name struck the fancy of the students who have been proud to be known as the Boilermakers ever since.

Boilermaker Special

The "Special" is the official mascot of the University. It came into being in 1940, and the present one is the fifth to exist. The Reamer Club is its custodian. In 1979, the Special was joined by the Boilermaker Extra-Special, a smaller version of the Special built on a golf cart, and capable of going places the special cannot, such as into Mackey Arena or the Memorial Union.

Victory Bell

This bell was purchased in 1887 and served as the alarm clock for the students in bygone days. As the University grew and the bell was no longer needed as a rising bell, it was placed in a museum until, in 1905, when Purdue beat IU some enthusiastic Boilermakers hauled the bell from its resting place and carried it through Lafayette and left it on the courthouse steps. The patience of the town officials grew thin and they ordered that the bell be hidden. It was hulled in a gravel pit where Hovde Hall now stands. Later it was unearthed by the class of 1907 and in 1916 the Bell House was constructed. The bell is taken out after every home football game, but is only rung after Purdue conference victories. The Gimlets are its custodians.

Old Oaken Bucket

This is the trophy awarded to the victor of the annual Purdue-IU football game. Each year the winning team carries the bucket and adds another bronze initial link to the long chain dangling from the handle. The bucket appeared in 1925, when the alumni of both schools decided that there should be some kind of tangible relic of the rivalry that has always existed. A shiny new pail from a Chicago mail order house was obtained and traded for a moss-covered one hanging in a well on the old Bruner farm between Kent and Hanover, Indiana. It has been rumored that the legendary Morgan Raiders camped near the Bruner farm during their Civil War raids through Indiana, and, as legend has it, General Morgan and his officers took delight in quenching their thirst from the now famous bucket filled with water from the well in which it formerly hung. When acquired in 1925, the bucket was green coated and some of the staves showed signs of decay, but it was repaired and taken to Bloomington, the site of the 1925 game. It has twelve staves and four copper rings. Through and including 1990 football games, there are 43 P's, 20 I's, and 3 IP's.

Lions

The lions were presented by the class of 1903 as a gift to the University. The cost of the Lions was $600. They do not spout water anymore because the water is turned off and the drains are plugged. The distance between the eyes is 4.75 inches and it is said that whenever a virgin walks by, the lions roar. Amber Frederick, AZ Purdue Alumni Committee chair, is working on restoring the lions to their original working conditions. If you would like more information or if you would like to donate money to this fund feel free to e-mail her.

Purdue Seal

Thge modernistic circular seal of Purdue University was designed in 1968 by Prof. A.J. Gowan. Its predecessor was created by Abby P. Lutle in 1895. Both seals consist of a griffin holding a shield. The griffin symbolizes strength. The shield is divided into three pans symbolizing the three alms of the university: education, research, and service.

Purdue Colors

Purdue's colors are old gold and black. In the early fall of 1887, it was decided that for the football team to achieve distinction in college athletics, it must have college colors. At a meeting of the Athletic Association, the team captain's proposal of old gold and black was adopted.

University Hall

University Hall is the oldest building on campus. Built in 1876, its construction was initiated by John Purdue, although he didn't live to see its completion. It was first used three years after the start of classes at Purdue. In its early days, it housed the President's offices, the library, and a chapel. In the early 1960's it was remodeled inside and air conditioned.

Founders Park

Founders Park is located by the new Liberal Arts and Education Building. Its fountain formerly resided on the Engineering Mall. It was built in the summer of 1959. The money was donated by Bert E. and June Loeb. The inscription reads, "To honor Solomen Loeb, pioneer local merchant, by Bert E. and June Loeb Foundation." It is made of granite with 53 red, yellow, and blue lights in three circles.