MU History

Question 1

David Barton

Answer 1

Served in MO government: attorney general, president of constitutional convention, Speaker of the House of Representatives, first MO senator. Memorial on west side of Jesse Hall.

Question 2

Richard Henry Jesse

Answer 2

8th president of MU. Presided over burning of original Academic Hall and the rebuilding process. Focused on research, science, elective system, and earning government support.

Question 3

David R. Francis

Answer 3

Governor of MO when Academic Hall burned down. President of Board of Curators. Kept Mizzou in Columbia after 1892 fire.

Question 4

Thomas Jefferson

Answer 4

Louisiana Purchase, 3rd U.S. president. Got us the land we needed for the 1st land-grant university west of the Mississippi.

Question 5

James Sidney Rollins

Answer 5

Father of the University. Helped establish Mizzou in Boone County as well as securing funding as a member of the legislature.

Question 6

John Hiram Lathrop

Answer 6

First president of MU. Set the foundation for the first 100 years of the university.

Question 7

Jefferson’s Epitaph

Answer 7

Original is now kept in Jesse hall. Author of Declaration of Independence, Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia. (These plans later influenced the set-up of MU).

Question 8

Geyer Act

Answer 8

1839. Act of the Missouri State Legislature which established MO public schools as well as MU. Introduced by Rollins and authored by Henry Geyer.

Question 9

Robert L. and Robert B. Todd

Answer 9

Two cousins who made up the first graduating class of Mizzou in 1843. Related to Mary Todd. Robert L. founded the Alumni Association and was on the Board of Curators. Robert B. was on the State Supreme Court of Louisiana.

Question 10

Switzler Hall

Answer 10

Oldest academic building on campus (built 1871). Originally Scientific Hall/Ag Building; it now houses Communications, WGS. Bell rings for Tap Day.

Question 11

Beetle Bailey

Answer 11

Created by MU alum Mort Walker. Statue by Reynolds. Namesake of Mort’s (c. 1950-present). Follows him from Rockview University through enlistment.

Question 12

Walter Williams

Answer 12

Founded the School of Journalism, created the Columbia Missourian, and developed the Journalist’s Creed. From Booneville.

Question 13

Donald W. Reynolds

Answer 13

MU journalism alum. Foundation for charitable giving (biggest donor to the university). Donrey Media Group.

Question 14

Elmer Ellis

Answer 14

14th president of MU. Expanded the create the UM system by including UMSL and UMKC. Handled increased enrollment as a result of the GI bill. Also served as a history professor and dean of Arts and Sciences.

Question 15

Don Faurot

Answer 15

Spent 80 years in MU athletics. Player and coach for football and basketball; athletic director. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Statue at Memorial Stadium. Split T formation.

Question 16

Crowder Hall

Answer 16

Named for Enoch Crowder, a former lieutenant and professor of military science at MU. He was a West Point grad and jurist who taught two semesters at MU before going on to develop the Selective Service Act. Helped form ROTC and first University Band. He was later an ambassador to Cuba under John J. Pershing. Crowder Hall is now the ROTC building/armory.

Question 17

KOMU

Answer 17

NBC and CW Plus affiliate. One of two commercial full–power TV stations to be owned by a public university. 1953 to present, full-time NBC in 1971. Policy banning political symbols on air. Teaching lab for J school founded by Edward C. Lambert.

Question 18

Sterl Artley

Answer 18

Author of Dick and Jane. Taught education at MU from 1930s-1960s.

Question 19

Norm Stewart

Answer 19

MU basketball coach 1967-1999. 731-375 record. Court at Mizzou Arena named for him. Played basketball and baseball for MU (national team). MU Athletics Hall of Fame, St. Louis Hall of Fame, National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

Question 20

Memorial Union

Answer 20

Opened 1926 as WWI memorial, WWII memorial later added. Students gave $100 each, alums gave $200 each. 117 for WWI, 338 for WWII.

Question 21

Donovan Rhynsburger

Answer 21

Professor Emeritus who built theatre department from the ground up. The theatre is now named for him. His most famous student was George C. Smith (Patton, A Christmas Carol).

Question 22

Lucille Bluford

Answer 22

Famous journalist who was against segregated education. Accepted to MU graduate School of Journalism, but denied entry on basis of race. NAACP suit that lost. Did not attend MU after 11 attempts, but given honorary doctorate in 1989. Residence Hall.

Question 23

Lloyd L. Gaines

Answer 23

Gaines v. Canada. Disappeared mysteriously. Denied admission to MU Law on basis of race. GOBCC named for him. Scholarship for law school. Posthumous membership of bar.

Question 24

Norris Stevenson and Mel West

Answer 24

First two Black students to be awarded a football scholarship.

Question 25

Gus T. Ridgel

Answer 25

First Black student (graduate). One year MA in Econ (admitted 1950, grad 1951). Honorary doctorate in 1996. Academic faculty at Kentucky State.

Question 26

Arvarh E. Strickland

Answer 26

First Black MU faculty. Taught Black history. Developed Black Studies as a minor (now a major). First Black tenure track professor.

Question 27

Jay Felton

Answer 27

First student curator. Now a partner at Lathrop and Gage, LLC; adjunct at MU.

Question 28

Linda Godwin

Answer 28

Astronaut (1986). Studied math and physics (first at SEMO, then MS and PhD at MU). 4 flights. Taught here until 2010.

Question 29

Barbara Uehling

Answer 29

First and only female chancellor of MU (1978-1987). First woman to lead a land grant university. Began beautification efforts (botanical garden, Conley House, blue lights, green space, campus planner).

Question 30

Debbye Turner

Answer 30

Earned DVM at MU; was Miss America 1990. Was the only Miss MO to become Miss America, 3rd Black Miss America.

Question 31

Kuhlman Court

Answer 31

Developed in 1922 as faculty/student housing. Removed in 1984 for library expansion, park, and bookstore. Originally called Brady Park.

Question 32

University Hospital

Answer 32

Level I trauma center, multiple ICUs, ER, pharmacy, urgent care. Ellis Fischel, Orthopaedic Institute, Women's, Children's, Psychiatric Center, Med School, Sinclair School of Nursing, School of Health Professions.

Question 33

MURR

Answer 33

10 MW. Most powerful university research reactor in the U.S. Produced important radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals. Built on former polo field, inspired by Elmer Ellis. Idea in 1950s, building in 1961, opened 1965, and jumped from 5MW to 10MW in the 70s.

Question 34

Sanborn field

Answer 34

Agricultural experiment field pioneered by J.W. Sanborn in 1888 (old dean of CAFNR). Used to study crop rotation, fertilizers, soil conservation. Discovery of Aureomycin. Made a historic landmark in 1964.

Question 35

Morrill Act

Answer 35

1862. Federal law giving land and funding for an ag college. Rollins pushed for the ag college to be added to MU with George C. Swallow (the first dean of ag). 1868--ag added to MU.

Question 36

Mary Paxton Keeley

Answer 36

1st female graduate of J school (1910). Chose red tassel. Keeley elementary. Pioneer for female journalism. Wrote for the Kansas City Post. Close with Bess Truman.

Question 37

School of Home Economics

Answer 37

Established 1900 as a course for teacher specialization. Dissolved in 2021. Located in Gwynn Hall and Stanley Hall. Also known as Family and Consumer Sciences Education; College of Human Environmental Sciences.

Question 38

M I Z --- Z O U

Answer 38

Brainstormed during 1976 bus ride back from Ohio State Game--Jess Bushyhead.

Question 39

Mike Middleton

Answer 39

Professor Emeritus of law. BA and JD from MU. DOJ trial attorney in Civil Rights division under Jimmy Carter. Associate general counsel for Department of Education. Helped organize Legion of Black Collegians.