This day in UNO History

Founded in 1908, the University of Nebraska at Omaha has evolved from a private, non-denominational religious university (1908-1930) to a municipal university (1930-1968) to a state university (1968-present). Below are monthly links to day-by-day accounts of significant or otherwise interesting events in UNO history. Check back frequently as the calendar expands often.

For more history, visit the Gateway Archive and its offering of student newspapers dating back to 1922. Also see the Criss Library Flickr site offering thousands of photos.

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February

Feb. 1, 1968

Alum Merlyn H. Dethlefsen (1965) presented the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Lyndon Johnson in White House ceremony, 1968. Dethlefsen honored for flying repeated attacks on key North Vietnamese anti-aircraft site in a damaged jet fighter. See more from U.S. Air Force Web site story on Dethlefsen. Dethlefsen is among four UNO graduates to have received the Medal of Honor, along with Jack L. Treadwell (1963) Leo K. Thorsness (1964) and Roger Donlon (1967).

Feb. 2, 1976

Mike Wallace and “60 Minutes” interviews UNO freshman Michael Winchester, then a 19-year-old member of the Council Bluffs School Board who was trying to same some of the districts old schools. See Gateway article at http://bit.ly/mikwallaceuno

Feb. 2, 2004

“My Doom e-mail virus” hits campus, though ITS-installed anti-virus software limits damage

Feb. 3, 1944

“Hillbilly” band performs for students at Hillbilly Shindig in auditorium.

Feb. 3, 1973 NU Regents approve School of Fine Arts.

Feb. 4, 1947

Omaha University’s School of Adult Education beings to offer a course on Church Ushering.

Feb.  5, 1942

Thurman Arnold, assistant U.S. Attorney General and “the federal government’s No. 1 trustbuster,” begins two days of speeches, “Free Enterprise During the War and After,” for the Baxter Memorial lecture series

Feb.  5, 1956

Eppley Library (now Administration Building) dedicated

Feb.  6, 1934

National Council for the Prevention of War representative H.E. Terrell addresses international economic relations class, reporting on trip to Germany where he studied the Hitler movement

Feb. 6, 1964

Sophomore Terry Williams ties the world indoor 60-yard dash record of 6.0 seconds during a meet against Doane and Hastings. The record originally was set in 1960 by Herb Carper in Dortmund, Germany.

Feb. 7, 1950

OU students set a Douglas County record by donating 130 points of blood to the Red Cross, topping the 124 points Creighton students had donated.

Feb.  8, 1945

World War II veterans form new organization, Eagles and Anchors

Feb. 9, 1967

The Association performs at the Civic Auditorium’s Music Hall after canceling a homecoming show the previous fall.

Feb. 9, 1972

1970 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Dr. Norman E. Borlaug speaks on "Problems of Population — Food, Production, Ecology,

Feb. 9, 1980

Inaugural meeting of the Association for Systems Management, a club for students interested in computers and systems analysis.

Feb. 9, 1989

Attallah Shabazz, oldest daughter of Malcom X, speaks in Strauss Performing Arts Center on "Malcolm X: The Man and Father Away from the Podium" for Black History Month.

Feb. 11, 1960

“Happiest Millionaire” debuts with OU student Peter Fonda in role of John Lawless

Feb. 11, 1962

OU Freshman James Kaspar conducts one-man piano recital in Joslyn Museum’s recital hall

Feb.  12, 1952

KMTV presents new TV set – a 17-inch Philco, during the station’s “Penny Auction” program

Feb. 13, 1931 

Universal Picture’s Author Ungar conducts interviews with OU students interested in a movie career.

Feb.  14, 1931

William Elmer Sealock, dean of teachers’ college at the University of Nebraska, elected president of new Municipal University of Omaha by regents

Feb.  14, 1938

Night students help Omaha fireman put out a fire in the janitor’s room of Joslyn Hall

Feb. 15, 1980

UNO Student President/Regent Katie Rinn and nearly 300 other student government leaders from across the country meet in the White House with President Jimmy Carter, who tells her she’s “good looking.”

Feb.  16, 1940

LIFE magazine publishes photos of men’s dancing class

Feb. 16, 1949

Capt. Michael Fielding speaks on “What next on Russia,” at a convocation. A military and political analyst, he had just returned from a European trip “highlighted by several narrow escapes from the Russian NKVD.

Feb.  17, 1933

Maxine Steincamp named “Depression Queen,” at Women’s Athletic Association Dance

Feb.  18, 1924

Hamilton Holt, former editor of New York Independent and one of the chief American correspondents at Versailles, speaks at university on behalf of League of Nations

Feb.  18, 2004

Former Maverick Dan Ellis becomes first player in UNO history to play in an NHL game as winning goaltender in Dallas Stars 4-3 win over Los Angeles Kings

Feb.  19, 1945

School of Adult Education beings four-day institute of church music

Feb. 19, 1967

OU students Craig Reisser, Wesley Webster, Marcia Cohen and Gary Johnson lose to Texas 375-125 on “General Electric College Bowl,”

Feb.  19, 1974

Unexpected death of Football Coach Al Caniglia

Feb. 20, 1942

Omaha University Board of Regents vote to add a third semester to the school year.

Feb. 20, 1977

UNO and UNL football players stage benefit basketball game in UNO Fieldhouse for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Mavericks led by quarterback John Smolsky, Huskers by quarterback Vince Ferragamo.

Feb.  21, 1945

The Earl of Halifax, British ambassador to the United States, speaks at the university under auspices of OU and the Omaha Committee on Foreign Relations

Feb. 21, 1975 Richie Havens and Dave Loggins perform in Peony Park Ballroom under sponsorship of Student Programming Organization.

Feb.  22, 1938

Nationally renown and modern dance pioneers the Charles Weidman Dancers brought to Omaha for performance at Technical High School by University Women’s Athletic Association

Feb. 22, 1974

Miss Black America Arnice Russell speaks on "The Black Direction" as part of the African-American Heritage series sponsored by the Black Liberators for Action Committee (BLAC).

Feb.  23, 1948

Milo Bail announced by Regents as new OU president, to replace Rowland Haynes upon his July 1 retirement

Feb.  23, 1950

First basketball game played in Fieldhouse, vs. Creighton

Feb.  23, 1972

Anthropologist Margaret Mead speaks in Student Center ballroom

Feb. 24, 1942

OU students begin four-day strike demanding resignation of President Rowland Haynes in protest of his lack of support for athletics, unfair dealings with faculty, financial policies, relationship with Regents

Feb.  24, 1947

Monsieur Jacques Donvez speaks to OU French students s representative of French Embassy

Feb.  24, 1955

OU basketball defeats Creighton University for first time, 95-86

Feb. 24, 1971

Roberta Flack performs for UNO’s Student Programming Organization, in Joslyn Concert Hall.

Feb.  25, 1950

OU students entertained on 10th floor of Brandeis Building for KFAB show “Campus Cavalcade” radio program

Feb.  26, 1953

Pulitzer Prize winner James Reston, correspondent for New York Times’ Washington Bureau, speaks at 10th annual Baxter Lecture Series on “The Price of Freedom"

Feb.  27, 1948

Alpha Lambda Delta, first national scholastic organization, installed at OU

Feb.  28, 1924

University glee clubs perform “In Jungle Land,” “Goodnite, Goodnite, Beloved” and other selections in a WOAW (later WOW) broadcast

Feb. 28, 1982

UNO sophomore Lori Lynn Novicki is named Miss Nebraska USA

Feb. 29, 1967 

OU Ski Club begins annual excursion, in Winter Park, Colo.

Feb. 29, 1972

Senior Lynda Korolka wins the 14-contestant UNO Top Coed Contest, sponsored by Home Economics Club and Glamour Magazine.

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