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Description
Oral history interview with Illinois State Normal University alum Gary Parmelee, Class of 1961. The interview was conducted on October 17, 1981, by Linda Polkow, then a member of the Student Alumni Council.
Parmelee recalls ISNU being smaller and more compact in comparison to 1981. The campus was centered around what is now called the quad, fostering a closer-knit community among students. He remembers President Robert G. Bone as a popular figure who oversaw significant expansion in buildings and facilities during his tenure, contributing to the growth of the university.
Parmelee highlights the importance of athletics, especially basketball and baseball, during his time at ISNU, and mentions the 1959 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) basketball tournament in Kansas City, Missouri. He recalls an Asian Flu outbreak his freshman year and identifies the launch of Sputnik as the most significant national event during his time at ISU, along with the Nixon-Kennedy debate. To his recollection, popular forms of on-campus entertainment included the Big Four dances, movies in Capen Auditorium, and performances by artists like The Four Freshmen and Bob Newhart.
Parmelee fondly remembers the size of the university, finding it just large enough to be interesting yet small enough to foster a sense of community. He describes the centralized campus layout, mentioning landmarks like Old Main, Schroeder Hall, Cook Hall, and Walker Hall, and shares an anecdote about a short-lived social group he was involved with called the BOAs (Brotherhood of Alcoholics).
Interview Date
10-17-1981
Index
- Introduction: 00:00-01:33
- President Robert Bone: 01:33-02:11
- Comparative difficulty of completing a college education: 02:11-02:47
- Athletics: 02:47-03:49
- Health and placement services; Asian Flu: 03:49-04:41
- Prices: 04:41-05:56
- Typical mode of dress: 05:56-06:49
- National news: 06:49-07:17
- Entertainment: 07:17-09:24
- Alcohol and tobacco use: 09:24-10:28
- Favorite and least favorite aspects of ISNU: 10:28-11:53
- Campus boundaries and buildings: 11:53-14:19
- BOAs and 1961 streaking incident: 14:36-17:15
Recommended Citation
Parmelee, Gary Robert, "Interview with Gary Parmelee, Class of 1961" (1961). Alumni Oral Histories. 28.
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/aoh/28