UW-Green Bay Memorabilia

Corn maze. Fighting tomatoes. Sailing club. Blue shag covered elevator walls. Opening of the Kress Sports Center. Shorewood Club. Liberal Education Seminars. Eco U. Living in the Trads.

Can you tell we are deeply immersed in projects to celebrate the 50th anniversary of UWGB? Here is a glimpse of a few items we are gathering.

What would you like to see highlighted as part of UWGB’s history? Send us your memories and stories. We would love to hear from UWGB Alums, staff, and current students.

This content was originally posted by the UW-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center to their facebook page on Thursday, June 11, 2015. View the original Facebook post.

Throwback Thursday: Calling all gamers!

In 1973, UWGB faculty member, Dr. E. Nelson Swinerton, launched a game called “The Dead River.” The game was intended to “present a real-life water pollution problem and give each participant a role to play in problem solving.”

The simulation game had students serving as members of teams representing various interest groups. Assuming the role of the interest groups, the teams had to develop water quality standards and policy options for cleaning up an interstate river system.

Swinerton believed students should be “actively involved in the learning process” and used the simulation game in his Introduction to Political Science courses. Swinerton was a professor at UWGB from 1968 until 1996. He taught courses in political science, urban and public affairs as well as the extended degree program.

Marketed to social studies and science teachers, the game was produced and sold nationwide by the Educational Games Company of Ohio.

We are curious if any UWGB Alums remember playing this game in the 1970s and 1980s

This content was originally posted by the UW-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center to their facebook page on Thursday, June 4, 2015. View the original Facebook post.

May 2014 graduate, Elizabeth Smeaton, continuing the tradition of tossing her shoes into Shoe Tree II.

Throwback Thursday: Shoe Tree

One tradition on the UWGB campus is for graduating seniors to throw a pair of shoes, some with personal messages, in to the Shoe Tree branches.

The exact beginning of the Shoe Tree is unknown. We do know it was in place by 1991. Some speculate the meaning was “seniors throw [the shoes] because they’re leaving their ‘soles’ behind.” Others have theorized the purpose is to recognize “this is a big campus and that students were wearing their soles out walking back and forth.”

The beloved 150 year old oak, housing decades of senior shoes, fell during a thunderstorm on July 30, 2002. On October 11, 2002, Shoe Tree II, was dedicated near the Ecumenical Center (now Mauthe Center). At the December 2002 graduation, Chancellor Bruce Shepard, presented Leanne Shaha, the 20,000th graduate, a wooden bowl he had crafted from the fallen Shoe Tree.

We are hoping UWGB Alums can tell us more about this unique campus tradition. When did it start? What are your memories? Do you have a photo you could share?

‪#‎uwgb‬ ‪#‎uwgbalums‬ ‪#‎shoetree‬ ‪#‎commencement‬ ‪#‎gbgrad‬ ‪#‎tbt‬

 

This content was originally posted by the UW-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center to their facebook page on Thursday, May 15, 2015. View the original Facebook post.

Throwback Thursday: Tricycle Races

As UWGB students begin their finals next week, we encourage everyone to take study breaks.

We think bringing back the tricycle races from the Spring Screamer might be a great place to start. The Spring Screamer was an annual event held during the 1980s as a stress reliever for students.

What do you think should we bring this back?

 

This content was originally posted by the UW-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center to their facebook page on Thursday, May 7, 2015. View the original Facebook post.

Throwback Thursday: Men’s Tennis

UWGB Men's tennis team player, ca. 1970-1979.

Congratulations to the UWGB Men’s Tennis team! As Horizon League winners for the second year in a row, they are headed to the NCAA tournament on May 8th to face University of Illinois. Way to represent Green Bay Phoenix!

The Men’s tennis team started on campus with the 1969-1970 school year. We have very few photos in the Archives for the tennis squad over the years. We would love it if UWGB Alums had some to share with us.

In the meantime, enjoy these retro photos. And, it would be great if you could help identify the tennis players!

‪#‎gophoenix‬, ‪#‎tennis‬ ‪#‎uwgb‬ ‪#‎uwgbalums‬

This content was originally posted by the UW-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center to their facebook page on Thursday, April 30, 2015. View the original Facebook post.

Throwback Thursday: 45th Earth Week

In celebration of the 45th anniversary of Earth Week….

In 1973, the first gardening efforts occurred on the UWGB campus. Barbara Rosenbaum, a student from Missouri, contacted the Office of Student Life wondering if there was a section of campus land that could be made available for a garden. Other students, faculty, and staff soon joined the efforts. Dick Christie, director of student life, made sure the gardening group received funding. Although the allocation was only $100, the group accomplished a great deal the first year.

The garden consisted of a half-acre lot and was divided into a communal section and individual areas. The small organic campus garden grew cabbage, beans, corn, radishes, lettuce, and other vegetables.

One of the organizers was Schellie Hensely, a senior from Illinois. He indicated the limited gardening funds were extended by using the leaf mold from a campus recycling project. Hensley stated the campus gardeners learned from organic gardening publications and members of the group who “grew up on a farm” as well as intuition.

The 1973 garden quickly became bigger in purpose with the campus fruit trees benefitting from the garden mulching and pruning; planned renovation of the greenhouse; and the creation of a library on organic gardening.

Fast forward to 2010 when the current SLO Food Alliance was established and a new campus garden began on the plaza of the University Union. As part of UWGB’s Earth Week celebration, this year’s garden will be planted on Thursday and Friday.

Pictured in the 1973 photo are Schellie Hensley (right) and Marcia Karras (left).

 

This content was originally posted by the UW-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center to their facebook page on Thursday, April 23, 2015. View the original Facebook post.

Throwback Thursday: Library

THROWBACK THURSDAY!

Happy National Library Week too!

The UWGB Cofrin Library was envisioned by Chancellor Weidner and the architects as the heart of the UWGB campus. Ground was broken for the present library building in 1970. Known at the time as the Library Learning Center, the building opened for use in February 1972. It was renamed in 1990 to honor a major campus donor, David A. Cofrin.

Prior to 1970 the Library had homes in downtown Green Bay in Schmitt’s Discount Store (located at 1276 Main Street) and the Instructional Resources (Services) Building, approximately where CIT and the General Access Lab is now located.

This content was originally posted by the UW-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center to their facebook page on Thursday, April 16, 2015. View the original Facebook post.

Throwback Thursday: Phoenix Sports Center

Forty years ago, April 1975, marked the groundbreaking for the first physical education center for UWGB.

For approximately the first seven years of campus history, sports facilities at various locations in Green Bay were used. The planning for a new sports center did not come easy. Campus and state officials did not agree on the need for a physical education building.

Campus administrators sought approval from the state for construction of the Phoenix Sport Center which would provide a place for physical education instruction; indoor recreation; intramural programs; and intercollegiate athletics. The initial proposals called for a facility that would lead to the intercollegiate sports of gymnastics, water polo, handball, diving and swimming, and wrestling.

Eventually the request was approved by the state with a thirty percent budget reduction from the original proposal, which required modifying certain design elements.

Thirty years later, in 2005, the groundbreaking was held for the present Kress Events Center which was built around the Phoenix Sports Center, incorporating the original gym into the new design.

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This content was originally posted by the UW-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center to their facebook page on Thursday, April 2, 2015. View the original Facebook post.

Throwback Thursday: 2nd Gear

This weekend UWGB Student Life will be sponsoring the program, “Let’s Go Thriftin’.” The day will feature shopping adventures to all of the Green Bay thrift stores.

This reminded us of our very own thrift store, Second Gear. Second Gear opened in 1976 and was located in the concourse level of the UWGB Cofrin Library. It was considered very much a part of our EcoU philosophy.

Coordinated by the University League, students and staff could consign or donate items to be sold to others on campus. Shoppers at Second Gear would find clothing (dresses were only 25 cents!); books; toys and games; household goods; jewelry and more.

Most of the proceeds from sales were directed towards student scholarships sponsored by the University League. When the University League officially disbanded in 1999, Second Gear also closed its doors.

‪#‎uwgb‬

This content was originally posted by the UW-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center to their facebook page on Thursday, March 26, 2015. View the original Facebook post.

Throwback Thursday: Studying on the Library Lawn – late 1970s

Beautiful weather on the UWGB campus has created spring fever for all. Let the outdoor studying begin!

These former students are studying on the hill near the UWGB Cofrin Library (then Library Learning Center). Photo is from the late 1970s.

This content was originally posted by the UW-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center to their facebook page on Thursday, March 19, 2015. View the original Facebook post.