New Exhibits at the Student Center!

For the past week I’ve been rather busy setting up exhibits on the second floor of the Student Center. I have installed three themed displays of Savitars (the University of Missouri yearbook established in 1894) and I thought I would give you guys a little preview. 

Welcome:

The first display, which is in a small display case in the Traditions Lounge, is a rather topical one—Savitars page spreads dedicated to the swarm of students arriving or returning to school:

 Savitar 1975, pg. 17

Savitar 1927, pg. 171

 

             

             Why not join a MIZZOU organization?:          

 

             The second display, which is in the display case on the Bridge Lounge, focuses Mizzou student organizations from previous decades. The spreads I chose for this exhibit demonstrate the enduring spirit (and fashion sense) of Mizzou students:

Savitar 1918, pg. 270. Their motto is worth reading…

 Savitar 1974, pg. 308

100 Years of Homecoming:

The third display is a bit more substantial. As many of you undoubtedly know, this year marks the 100^th year anniversary of the first Homecoming game at Mizzou. Consequently, I will be designing several celebratory exhibitions at the Student Center comprised of primary objects (like the Savitars) as well as detailed historical information about the ritual of Homecoming at Mizzou. Additionally, leading up to the big day (October 15^th), I will periodically post to my blog historical blurbs (by the decade) about Mizzou’s Homecoming tradition. In the meantime, check out our new display of Savitar Homecoming pages in the large glass case in the Traditions Lounge of the Student Center. Here's the first decade!:

1910s

1911- The Tigers hosted the Jayhawks for a football game in Columbia for the first time in the history the rivalry. To intimidate the Kansas team, Chester Brewer (coach/athletic director) famously called for all Mizzou alumni to ‘come home’. Other schools had had ‘Homecoming’ celebrations of sorts, but none until Mizzou had combined such a celebration with football and a parade. According to the 1912 Savitar yearbook, “the streets were swarming with Missouri supporters…The crowd numbered about nine thousand. Kansas only sent one hundred and fifty rooters.” The idea was a complete success and Mizzou’s model of Homecoming has since become a standard for schools around the nation!

Savitar 1914, pg. 195.

1917- Coach Brewer took a leave of absence from Mizzou to join America's World War I efforts.

1918- The football season was officially cancelled due to the war and an Influenza epidemic, which devastated the campus for several months. Savitar authors of 1919 reflected: “The heroes of the diamond, gridiron, court and track responded at the first blare of the trumpet... A summer made horrible by the casualty lists from overseas predicted a dismal year for the institutions of learning.”

Savitar 1919, pg. 223.

Authored by Niki Eaton, PhD Student, Art History and Archaeology