Hilltopper Heritage - WKU 1961-1962

"Pictorial Review of Western's 55th Year," College Heights Herald, July 18, 1962

New Uniforms . . . The Western band displayed striking new uniforms whne it took the field during half-time ceremonies of the 1961 Homecoming game.  The new ensemble includes a navy blue jacket and trousers with contrasting red and white trim.  Other features of the unifroms are a white plume to be worn on the hat and a blue cape with red lining.

Distinguished Speaker . . . Another first in the history of Western was the initiation of the Rodes-Helm lecture series on Thursday April 18, with Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, outstanding world citizen, being the initial speaker.  Approximately 5,000 attended the first of the series of lectures named in honor of Warren County Circuit Judge John B. Rodes and Miss Margie Helm, director of library science at Western.

Mark First in National . . . The past school year saw Western’s Pershing Rifle exhibition drill team journey to the Cherry Blossom Festival at Washington, D.C., to participate in the National Exhibition Drill Meet held April 5-7.  The team returned as the number fifteen drill team in the nation and sixth of all Perhsing Rifle companies.  The unit . . . is the first drill team to place higher than 25th in its initial appearance in the annual drill meet.

HIS 3RD BOOK . . . Dr. Gordon Wilson, emeritus head of Western’s department of English, published his latest booklet “Folkways of the Mammoth Cave Region,” in May.  The booklet gives many samples of the Folkways around the Mamoth Cave area.

VICTORY . . . climaxed Western’s homecoming celebration with the Western Hilltoppers defeating the Morehead Eagles Nov. 4 by a score of 7-0.  The annual weekend saw the election of Martha Jo Johnson, senior from Scottsville, as queen to reign over the Homecoming activities.  Here, Joe Jaggers (with ball), Western fullback, found a hole in the Morehead defense on the fourth down an dplunged for Western’s lone touchdown in the homecoming game, late in the first quarter.

RALPH MARTERIE . . . led his band of Marlboro Men to a musical success at the annual Talisman Ball held at the Paul L. Garrett Student Center, May 3.  The ball, one of the two formal dances held during the school year, was sponsored by the Talisman staff and the senior class.

CHAMPS . . . Pictured above is the 1961-62 Hilltopper basketball team, which finished the season with an outstanding 11-1 OVC record, clinching their 11th OVC title.  Highlighting the season were Coach E.A. Diddle’s 1000th game and the Toppers’ victory in the NCAA opener, which advanced them to the Mideast Regional where they were defeated by the number two team in  the nation, Ohio State.

THOMPSON HALL DEDICATED . . . Another event in the making of history at Western was the dedication of its new science hall named in honor of Western’s president, Dr. Kelly Thompson.  Here Kelly Thompson delivers the dedicatory address for the then newest building on the Western campus.  Approximately 1,500 persons attended the dedication held Sunday, October 15, 1961.

SNIP . . . Ribbon cutting ceremonies held January 8, officially opened the new Western Washeteria, located adjacent to the heating plant.  Official ribbon cutter for the event was Dr. Kelly Thompson, president of the college.  Looking on are (left to right):  A.J. Thurman, director of the College Heights Foundation; Janice MacAtee, then senior and secretary of the president’s student advisory council; Miss Judith Moore, dean of women; Frank D. Cain, architect for the project; and Jim Hill of Hill-Motley Lumber Co.

ONE OF THE LARGEST . . . athletic buildings in the United States was started at Western with the ground breaking ceremonies for the $2,900,000 building held last fall.  When finished, the E.A. Diddle Arena will seat 13,000 at capacity.  Also included in the structure will be 30 master class rooms and an Olympic-size swimming pool.  The building is expected to be ready for occupancy at the opening of school in September 1963.

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September 1961

College Heights Herald begins weekly production
Science building named in honor of Kelly Thompson
TV courses offered for college credit
Rodes-Helm Lecture series funded

October 1961

1961-62 Cheerleaders

Dianna Robinson, Dianne Howard, Marilyn Cates, Martha Johnson, Roberta Johnson and Sylvia Terry

Thompson Hall dedication
West Hall dedication
United Nations Day – Oct. 24th

November 1961

Winterset performed by Western Players
Zachary Solov Ballet Ensemble performs
Dianne Robinson and Bill Booker elected senior class favorites

December 1961

Bernard Madison elected president of Student Advisory Council
Nick Denes named OVC coach of the year
Western Players perform Missouri Legend

January 1962

Dero Downing named Dean of Students
Campus policeman Al McPherson retires
Ray Franklin Orchestra plays at ROTC Ball, Roberta Johnson crowned queen

February 1962

Sweetheart Ball
Hilltoppers win OVC
Debate Team 1-3 at Mid-South Debate Tournament
Western Players play host to South Central Drama Festival
Young Democrats Club organized

March 1962

Fraternities approved for campus
Classes rescheduled around WKU – Detroit NCAA tournament game in Lexington 90-81
Military Science minor developed
Skin of Our Teeth stars Millie Wood and Carolyn Alston
E.A. Diddle named OVC coach of the year
Bobby Rascoe named MVP

May 1962

Mock trial of Fred and John Alcott for attempting to steal coat rack from the Western Grill
Dianne Robinson and Doug Smith, Talisman Ball royalty
William Meacham commencement speaker
Make Mine Music variety show performed by Western Players
Carl Barnes retires after 33 years in Industrial Arts
Dairy Judging Team wins 32nd Annual Dairy Judging Contest

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Helm, Kenneth. “Inventory of Campus Yields Surprising Facts,” College Heights Herald, March 14, 1963

Very few people who attend this college could tell you, without hesitation, how many buildings are on this campus or how many acres are on the Hill.

It took about fifteen or twenty minutes of hard concentration to count the building, and the Public Relations office had to give me the figures on the exact acreage of the campus. Our campus has exactly 141.0 acres and a total of 75 buildings.

The 141.0 acres does not include the 550 acre farm that the college maintains on the Nashville road. It does include all land between Normal drive and Russellville road and 15th street and the back part of the Agriculture pavilion. Lands outside this boundary are Ogden Campus, the Rock House property, the triangle at 15th and Center, the land on which stands the Kentucky Building and grounds, the new girls dorm, heating plant, maintenance building, and the new Athletic-Academic building [Diddle Arena].

Also included in the property that contain two private homes that adjoin the campus. The seventy-five buildings include:

11 educational buildings
2 administrative buildings
5 recreational builidngs (including Faculty House, S.U.B., press box on football field and two little league dug-outs.)
1 President’s Home
1 Home-Management House
5 private homes
1 garage
10 dorms
34 houses (Vets Village)
3 storage sheds
1 Livestock Pavilion
1 Heating Plant

This does not count the two buildings presently under construction.

In the future there will be more buildings going up on the space we have left. This land that we have left will not be used for several years and the college will not have to acquire more land until this is used.

I would like to look now into the near and distant future. When our Athletic-Academic building is completed, will it be possible to get from there to Kelly Thompson Science Hall in ten minutes? Mr. Robert G. Cochran of the Public Relations office thinks that it is possible, but if it isn’t, “the problem will be faced when it arises.” He also stated that “The needs of the future will dictate the building of more buildings.”

Information taken from College Heights Herald.