Did you notice little children and stuffed animals in the library earlier this month? It’s no surprise! 8 children from ages 2 to 8 years old visited Andersen Library on April 5, 2024, to participate in the library’s ninth Annual Stuffed Animal Sleepover. The children from families of UW-Whitewater students, staff, faculty, and the Children’s Center participated in a craft followed by a story time.
Library student staff members took a lead role in planning and prepping activities. Orion Regenold’s robot face-in-the-hole boards were a hit with both the children and their stuffies!
Hannah Featherly pulled together craft supplies for children to make their own robot and prepared storytime props.
Parents, grandparents and caregivers along with student volunteers Georgia Mayfield and Jaelyn Krohn helped the children engineer their own robots.
With crafts complete, the children geared up for a robot story time with library student employees Hannah and Beau Boyd, and Jaelyn each leading a robot story from the UW collections.
Before heading home, the children said goodbye to their stuffies for the evening. The stuffies stayed up all night exploring the library, reading more stories, making robot friends, and taking photos, with the assistance of student volunteer photographer Lilian Schildbach. The event volunteers created a photo memory booklet of the stuffies adventures which the children kept as mementos.
A big thank you to the volunteers that helped make the event a success! We are so grateful for the many student workers and staff members involved behind the scenes, blowing up balloons, creating props, moving furniture and tidying up.
If this sounds like fun for a little one you know, or if you are a UW-W student who would like to volunteer to help with this event in any way, keep your eyes peeled for next year’s event!
“Sunshine Welcomed with Beer and Brats”, The Matrix, April 25, 1974, 6. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.34666595
Thomas Walterman, grew up in the Quad Cities area to a lower-middle class, German family. After high school, he began working in a factory in Bettendorf, Iowa, before enlisting in the Marines. Walterman spent two years in Korea then returned to his work in the factory. [1] Eventually, Walterman, attended Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. He then started working as a high school history teacher and simultaneously worked on achieving his master’s degree at the University of Iowa. He later attended Washington University in St. Louis and achieved his doctorate degree. [2] He then used his education to help him get a position as Associate Professor of History and Assistant to the President at Central Washington University.[3]
In 1973, UW-Center Rock County named the Walterman Dean, succeeding Dean George Condon. [4] Upon his arrival, Dean Walterman quickly settled into the campus culture and communicated his desire to build a stronger presence in the community and expand the opportunities that the university had for non-traditional students. Walterman said, “We should do all we can for as many as possible, but still maintain the status of an educational institution for basic college instruction.[5] In April of 1974, the Vets for Vets Club honored Dean Walterman and other veterans with the “First Annual Beer and Brat Day”. The event raised funds for the club and included a performance by the Jazz Ensemble, frisbee contests, and hoop-rolling.[6]
“U-Rock Dream Coming True”, The Janesville Gazette, January 25, 1980, 10.
Walterman was a major player in the development of campus facilities. The county denied initial requests for funding to help grow campus facilities. Walterman understood that improved campus facilities would improve the experience of students and could improve campus enrollment.[7] In 1978, Walterman’s advocacy proved successful and plans to build a gymnasium and fine arts building began building steam.[8] On February 14, 1980, the Rock County Board approved $2.6 million to fund the new buildings.[9]
Dean Tom W. Walterman, Janesville, 1981. https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/LIRT6XXJQV3BM8O
In 1990, Walterman accepted a position at UW-Whitewater as the associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. At Whitewater, Walterman would develop projects, create and review courses, update the course catalog, and serve on the campus space committee.[10] In his parting remarks, Walterman disclosed his appreciation for the UW-Rock County Center saying, “This place is a jewel of great value, and comparatively few people recognize that.”[11] Walterman spent five years at UW-Whitewater, then retired in 1995.[12] UW-Whitewater President, H. Gaylon Greenhill exclaimed, “I would describe Dr. Walterman as an extremely conscientious and hard-working individual. He is a professional who always expends the necessary time and effort to get a job done and to be certain that it is done well.”[13] He was nominated for the rank of Associate Vice Chancellor Emeritus, upon his retirement.[14]
Dean Dr. Thomas Walterman, Janesville, 1973/1990. https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/BY3XVXJJO6LDA9E
Dr. Thomas Walterman’s dedication to accessibility paved the way for UW-Rock County and his awareness of the needs of students solidified his significance to UW-Whitewater. Walterman serves as an early example of the collaborative relationship between UW-Whitewater and UW-Rock County and his impact lives on throughout both campuses.
[1] Rebecca Woosley, “Dean leaving ‘life on the lightning rod”, Janesville Gazette, August 31, 1990, 1.
[12] Anna Marie Lux, “Brave in battle: Book chronicles duty, danger, death for county’s Civil War soldiers”, The Janesville Gazette, March 10, 2002, 1.
[13] H. Gaylon Greenhill to UW-Whitewater, memorandum, May 5, 1995, “Dr. Thomas Walterman”.
[14] Faculty Senate, “Resolution”, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, May 5, 1995.
Oliver Cromwell Arey, born in 1817 in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, was named after 17th-century English Puritan Oliver Cromwell. From the ages of 16 to 21, Arey worked as a merchant sailor before receiving his degree from Union College in Schenectady, New York. After receiving his education, Arey served as the principal of two New York Normal Schools, located in Brockport and Albany respectively.[1]
President Oliver Cromwell Arey[2]
In 1868, Oliver Arey became the first President of the Whitewater Normal School. When the Normal School opened in 1868, the school consisted of nine faculty members and forty-eight students [3]. Arey served not only as president, but also as a professor of mental and moral philosophy and theory and practice of teaching. President Arey, who had a strong dedication to living earnestly and “socially correct” behavior, decided that students would be “evaluated on the basis of character, integrity, and manners as well as on classroom academic performance.”[4] As President, Arey oversaw the first-ever Whitewater Normal School commencement ceremony in 1870. The ceremony, held in the Universalist Church in Whitewater, located on the corner of Center and Prairie Streets, recognized the first six graduates of the Whitewater Normal School.[5]
During his tenure, Arey introduced “Student’s Day.” Student’s Day was an event held once each semester. On this day, faculty and staff were absent from school, leaving the students to be appointed by each other as “President and Faculty, who would at once take up the regular duties of the day and carry them seriously and successfully through to the close.”[6] The faculty and staff gave students no warning as to when this day would occur each term as a means to test their morals and abilities.
Arey Residence Hall[7]
Arey left the Whitewater Normal School in 1876 to return to New York before becoming President of the Cleveland City Normal School in 1879.[8] Arey had a strong impact on the university here at Whitewater. Arey Residence Hall was built in 1963 and originally known as Carlson Hall. When the Carlson Business and Economics Building opened in 1971, the residence hall was re-named in honor of our first president. The residence hall continues to be in use today, housing up to 197 students and is located on the west side of campus.[9]
President Arey was last in Whitewater in 1904, three years before his death, to visit the graves of his two daughters who passed away while living here. Arey spent the remainder of his life in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.[10]
[1] Richard C. Haney, Campus Cornerstones: University of Wisconsin Whitewater Biographical Sketches of the People Whom Buildings & Facilities are Named (Whitewater: University of Wisconsin Whitewater, 1997), 8-9.
[6] Albert Salisbury, ed., Historical Sketches of the First Quarter-Century of the State Normal School at Whitewater, Wisconsin, with a Catalogue of its Graduates and a Record of their Work: 1868-1893 (Madison: Tracy, Gibbs & C0., 1893), 7.
On September 11, 1970, UW-Whitewater (then Wisconsin State University-Whitewater), a five-year-long process of planning and constructing a new stadium, was completed. The university dedicated the new stadium as Warhawk Stadium (now Perkins Stadium). The event was a sight to behold, even featuring one of the most famous American musical acts at the time, Neil Diamond. Campus christened the stadium with a football game the following day, a 35-10 Whitewater loss to Texas Trinity. Despite the loss, head coach Forrest Perkins, whom the stadium would later be re-named after, said, “This is the dream that all of us have waited for. I want to express my thanks to the thousands who have helped, and I know that they are proud and will remember this day for many, many years.”[1]
Warhawk (Perkins) Stadium under construction, July 17, 1970. [2]
The planning process began on November 2, 1965, when the Whitewater State University Student Council passed a resolution to support a fundraising drive for a new stadium. The official stadium fund drive began on October 1, 1966, led by drive chairman Forrest Perkins, also the head coach of the football team at the time. After three years of planning and fundraising, the stadium received bids totaling 1.2 million US dollars on May 8, 1969, and the Building Commission gave final approval on May 12 of that same year. [3] Construction was completed in Summer 1970, and campus held the dedication on September 11 of that fall semester. The new stadium was to seat up to 14,000 fans and feature a press box.
A completed Warhawk (Perkins) Stadium, 1970. [4]
The stadium dedication ceremony was held on September 10, 1970, and featured music artist Neil Diamond. Diamond, a New York native, had been on the scene throughout the 1960s, having achieved top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 by 1970 that included “Cherry, Cherry,” “Sweet Caroline,” and “Holly Holy.”[5] The dedication concert was a big hit, as 7,000 people turned out to see the budding star perform. According to those who attended, Diamond “did as much moving around on stage as any musical performer ever did” and “showed all the charisma necessary to hold the attention of such a large gathering under anything but ideal conditions.”[6]
[1] “Costley is ‘Costly’ in Warhawk 35-10 Dedication Game Loss to Texas Trinity,” The Whitewater Register, September 10, 1970.
[2] UW-Whitewater Archives and Area Research Center.
[3] “Plans for Stadium Started in 1965,” The Whitewater Register, September 10, 1970.
[4] UW-Whitewater Archives and Area Research Center.
[5] “Neil Diamond Chart History,” Billboard Hot 100, accessed November 2, 2023.
[6] Dale Reich, “Stadium Dedication Features Diamond,” The Royal Purple, September 15, 1970.
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UW-Whitewater students, staff, faculty and Children’s Center families, accompanied by a child 6(ish) years of age or younger, are invited to Andersen Library on the Whitewater Campus for the 9th Stuffed Animal Sleepover in the Library on Friday, April 5th. Children bring a stuffed animal friend to join them in a storytime and a craft activity – and maybe even make a new robot friend, too! The stuffed animals then get to sleep over and explore the library after hours.
Children will pick up their stuffed animal friend and a photo memory of their adventures on Saturday, April 6th, Sunday, April 7th, or Monday, April 8th during regular hours.
Note: Children need to be accompanied by an adult, but the library will provide chaperones for the stuffed animals’ overnight adventures.
Many students know of the Ambrose Health Center on campus, but few likely know the history behind its establishment. The health center opened in 1971, but its history starts in 1946 with Stephen Ambrose.[1]
Stephen Ambrose[1]
Stephen Ambrose had always been interested in medical practice and botany, so after graduating from Illinois University with his undergraduate degree and M.D., he opened his own private practice in 1932. Upon the United States’ involvement in World War II, Dr. Ambrose entered the military in 1942. He was a Commander in the U.S. Navy and served as a physician in the Pacific Theater of Operations. After returning home from the war, Dr. Ambrose opened a private medical practice in his wife’s hometown, Whitewater.[2]
The university’s student population started to skyrocket due to the baby boom following the end of World War II, “so in addition to his own private practice, Dr. Ambrose took on the additional responsibility of becoming the campus physician.”[3] However, Dr. Ambrose was not always readily available to students on campus. Dr. Ambrose was only available for a “one-hour sick call.”[4] At this time, there was no dedicated medical center on campus, so Dr. Ambrose’s office was in the east wing of Old Main.
However, Dr. Ambrose resigned from his position before Old Main burned down. He served the University of Whitewater from 1946 until 1964 when he decided to pursue and devote himself to his private practice. On June 23rd, 1964, Dr. Ambrose was honored with a reception for the 18 years he dedicated to campus.[5]
Although Dr. Ambrose was no longer the campus physician, he did not completely sever ties to the university. In 1966, two years after his resignation, Governor Warren Knowles appointed him to the University Board of Regents, on which he served until 1972. Not only was Dr. Ambrose a member of the University Board of Regents for Whitewater’s campus, but he also served as the representative on the Wisconsin State College Board of Regents, which dissolved in 1972 with the creation of the University of Wisconsin system.[6] In addition to his work at the university, Dr. Ambrose also served as the Medical Director at Fairhaven, a nursing home near campus, and was a member of the Walworth County Cancer Society.[7]
After the Old Main fire in 1970, there was no longer a place for the campus physician to attend to students. In response, the university built a dedicated student health center in 1971 and named it in honor of campus physician Stephen Ambrose. The Ambrose Health Center continues to serve students with physical and mental health concerns to this day.
Dr. Stephen Ambrose played a significant role in Whitewater’s history, both on campus and off, and created an environment that continues to prioritize the health of Whitewater students.
[1] Richard C. Haney, Campus Cornerstones: University of Wisconsin Whitewater Biographical Sketches of the People Whom Buildings & Facilities are Named (Whitewater: University of Wisconsin Whitewater, 1997), 4-5.
From 1955 to 1973, the United States was involved in the Vietnam War, a brutal conflict between the communist forces of North Vietnam and the non-communist forces of South Vietnam. Intervening on the side of South Vietnam, the United States gradually increased its military involvement throughout the 1960s, authorizing the deployment of troops in 1965. Troop deployment to Vietnam reached a peak of over 543,000 in April 1969, with a total of 3.1 million American soldiers being deployed to Vietnam throughout the war.[1] Back home, opposition to the war grew as causalities mounted, resulting in large-scale anti-war protests, including at UW-Whitewater, then known as Wisconsin State College-Whitewater.
A student-led antiwar march approaches the war memorial in downtown Whitewater on October 15th, 1969.[2]
In Fall of 1969, a massive nationwide protest called “The Moratorium to End the Vietnam War” took place nationwide. While the anti-war movement had been active for several years, this protest propelled it to new heights as US soldiers began participating in protests for the first time on a large scale.[3] At Wisconsin State College-Whitewater, around 1,000 people, mainly comprised of students, marched downtown in protest on October 15th, 1969, the day of the nationwide mortarium.[4] Many students also went door-to-door asking for signatures on an anti-war petition to be sent to President Nixon, garnering about 400 signatures in total.[5] The protest was mostly peaceful and looked upon with general approval by city residents.[6]
Students participate in antiwar march in downtown Whitewater on October 15th, 1969.[7]
The march to downtown Whitewater was not the only protest event that occurred on that day. Prior to the march, a rally was held at Hamilton Field before being moved indoors to Hyer Auditorium. The rally featured speakers, including former Wisconsin attorney general Bronson LaFollette.[8] Wisconsin State College-Whitewater English department chairman Dr. Robert Burrows also spoke, expressing hope that more and more students would seek to get involved, stating, “There is a time to be silent and a time to speak. This is a time to speak.”[9] Overall, many saw the day as a success and reflected Whitewater’s anti-war sentiment in a pivotal moment in American history.
Whitewater police officers express their support for the protests by holding up peace signs.[10]
In March 1984, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Men’s Basketball team emerged victorious in the Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament after defeating Clark (MA) University 103-86 in the National Championship game. The road to the championship for the 1984 Warhawks was not easy, as they had to win four straight games against tough competition to make it to the final round. Among those victories was a triple-overtime win described as “what could be one of the most exciting wins in Warhawks history.”[1] In the Regional Championship against eight-ranked St. Norbert College, team-leading scorer Andre McKoy knocked down a jumper with five seconds left to give the Warhawks an 85-83 lead in a game that would finish 87-84 in UW-Whitewater’s favor.
UW-Whitewater leading scorer Andre McKoy meets with an ESPN reporter after his iconic performance in national championship game.[2]
The Warhawks had made it to the Final Four the previous season before falling to Wittenberg University 85-80 in the national semifinal and Roanoke College 83-77 in the third-place game. A controversial call marred the loss to Roanoke when UW-Whitewater sophomore center Mark Linde was called for a questionable foul with 17 seconds to go and Whitewater trailing 79-77.[3] Reflecting on the disappointing losses, junior guard Anthony Brazzel stated that their season “will be hard to duplicate,” but “now we know what it’s like to play in the national tournament, and hopefully, we’ll be back. There’s no substitute for experience.”[4]
Senior Warhawk center Mark Linde celebrates the ultimate success of winning a national championship.[5]
Brazzel’s hope for the following season was not unfounded, as the 1984 Warhawks finished the regular season by clinching a share of their conference title and earning a second consecutive national tournament berth. Led by leading scorer Andre McKoy and returning veterans Anthony Brazzel and Mark Linde, the Warhawks rode four straight wins against Illinois Wesleyan (75-67), St Norbert College (87-84), Nebraska Wesleyan (65-54), and DePauw (85-69) before facing Clark University in the national championship. In the championship game, a slim 46-43 halftime lead turned into a lopsided 103-86 victory for the Warhawks, clinching their first-ever national championship in men’s basketball. McKoy and Linde made the all-tournament team, with McKoy leaving as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. This award was well-deserved, as McKoy set a record for most points (145) and free throws made (45) in a five-game tournament stretch.[6] Coach Dave Vander Mullen described the victory as “the greatest feeling in the world. Being a champion is one thing, but being a national champion is something you dream of as a little kid.”[7]
The 1984 team poses with the championship trophy.[8]
The 1984 men’s basketball team was UW-Whitewater’s first-ever national championship team. Since then, UW-Whitewater has seen 19 other championships across other sports, including three more men’s basketball titles in 1989, 2012, and 2014.[9] Whenever we reflect on our college’s storied history of champions, we must never forget the 1984 team as the one that set the precedent for success.
[1] Randy Ruef, “Warhawks Survive to Quarterfinals,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater), March 7. 1984.
Warhawk Alley is a 10-pin bowling alley located in the University Center. It is an adored place among students and faculty as it supports events such as tournaments, glow nights, and leagues. However, did you know that the alley was not part of the original floorplan of the UC? Before Warhawk Alley, students would travel to Hawk Bowl, a local bowling alley that opened in the 1960s but is closed today. It was a 16-lane alley that housed many leagues and traveling teams. [1]
UW-Whitewater Archives
The University Center extension housing the bowling alley opened on January 20, 1965. [2] The new Warhawk Alley consisted of six lanes and offered opportunities to participate in bowling leagues. Both a men’s and women’s bowling league were shortly established on campus after Warhawk Alley opened. [3] These leagues consisted mainly of Greek Houses and small student groups.
The Men’s Whitewater Team began in 1969. The team participated in a league consisting of many of Whitewater’s neighboring universities, including Oshkosh, Platteville, and LaCrosse, to name a few. [4] The teams would compete at local alleys in Wisconsin. This team continues today as a club sport on campus. Despite being a club sport, they have plenty of opportunities to compete in high-ranked tournaments nationwide. The men’s team has been ranked in the top 10 the past six seasons, holding a total of 55 wins, including an Intercollegiate Team Championship (ITC) National Championship (2022), two Club Championship Titles (2019, 2021), and five Great Lakes Bowling Conference Championships (2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020). The team currently sits at number one in the collegiate bowling power rankings. [5]
“2019-2020 Women’s Bowling Roster,” University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Athletics, https://uwwsports.com/sports/womens-bowling/roster/2019-20.
Additionally, UW-Whitewater has a successful Women’s bowling team. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s bowling program was Wisconsin’s first NCAA bowling program. [6] UW-Whitewater established the first women’s bowling team in 2002. However, the NCAA did not recognize the team until the 2003-2004 season. [7] The team competes in both NCAA and United States Bowling Congress (USBC) events, competing against some of the top teams in the country. Although they have not won an NCAA championship, they have made three consecutive appearances in the tournament (2013, 2014, 2015) and were Central Intercollegiate Bowling Conference (CIBC) champions in the 2019-2020 season. [8] This season, the team took the 2023 Midwest Collegiate title and currently sits at number 19 in the collegiate bowling power ranking. [9]
Bowling at UW-Whitewater has come a long way since the opening of Warhawk Alley. The bowling alley provided students with a place to practice on campus and helped bowling become a successful program at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater.
[1] “Whitewater Corporation Begins Construction of City’s New ‘Hawk’ Bowling Alley,” The Royal Purple, March 24, 1959.
[2] “Pins Fly at Center Lanes After Initial Two Weeks,” The Royal Purple, February 3, 1965.
[3] “Pins Fly at Center Lanes After Initial Two Weeks,” The Royal Purple, February 3, 1965; “Women’s Bowling League Scheduled to Start Tuesday”, The Royal Purple, February 9, 1966.
[4] “Hawk bowling team tied for second,” The Royal Purple, February 13, 1969
[This post was researched and written by Meadow Santiago.]
Catherine Crossman
Catherine Crossman, an artist and teacher, received her bachelor of arts degree from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, in 1928.[1] She later got her M.A. from the University of Oregon in 1938. In addition to these formal degrees, Crossman also studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Minnesota. But she didn’t stop there; Crossman also attended Harvard University on an architecture scholarship and the University of California on a fellowship.
Before coming to Whitewater in 1947, Crossman taught at schools in Idaho, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Ohio. At the time of Crossman’s arrival at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, known then as the Wisconsin State Teachers College, the university only had two art courses available – Art Appreciation and Drawing.[2] During her 28 years here at the university, Crossman transformed the art program into a multi-faculty department and introduced many new courses, such as ceramics and weaving.[3] Through her expansion of the art department, Crossman created the Art Major on campus.[4]
The first art gallery on campus, located in Old Main, opened in 1967 and was named in her honor.[5] After the Old Main fire of 1970, the Crossman Art Gallery reopened in 1971 in the new Center of the Arts, a fitting location as she helped to design the building.[6] The Crossman Gallery provides a space for students to display their work, in particular, the senior art students’ portfolios.[7] Apart from current students, the Crossman Gallery also shows art from local and famous artists, which are often available to purchase.[8]
Catherine Crossman (middle) at the opening of Crossman Art Gallery, 1967.
Crossman Art Gallery Opening Reception, 1967.
Many of her colleagues credited Crossman as a dedicated teacher and artist. She was known to say, “You’re never lonely if you have art. There is no better way to make friends.”[9] After retiring in 1975, Crossman was active in the Whitewater community, participating in various art clubs and volunteering at Fairhaven Retirement Center. Her alma mater, Carleton College, recognized her with the Distinguished Achievement Award in 1987.[10]
[1] Richard C. Haney, Campus Cornerstones: University of Wisconsin Whitewater Biographical Sketches of the People Whom Buildings & Facilities are Named (Whitewater: University of Wisconsin Whitewater, 1997), 34.
