Legacy of SIU

Webster tells us that “legacy” is anything handed down from the past; it also is defined as “a gift.”

Few would argue that the SIU of today is indeed a gift handed down by those who came before us. Some of the names – and there are many – are synonymous with the University’s development since it was chartered in 1869 as Southern Illinois Normal University, a teacher’s college – Robert Allyn, Henry William Shryock, Delyte Morris, Hiram Lesar, to name but a handful.

Thousands of men and women, in administrative, classroom and service roles, contributed their energy and talents to the University since classes began in July 1874 with 12 faculty members, including President Robert Allyn. More than buildings, a university is a gathering place for ideas, creativity and knowledge, for artistic talent, for athletic prowess, and so much more.

Since that first group of 53 students began classes on the one-building “campus,” tens of thousands have followed in their footsteps. They brought with them not only a desire to learn, but to share their own wisdom, creativity and energy with those around them. They, too, have contributed to the development of SIU and its legacy.

The SIU community of today benefits from those who came before, and it too will continue to add to the University’s ever-evolving legacy. As John W. Gardner, the founder of Common Cause, once said, “History never looks like history when you are living through it.”

Each of us will have a different perspective on key people and key moments from our time at the University. Many consider the 1969 fire that destroyed Old Main an important memory. What about the student vote in 1951 that forever made us Salukis, instead of Maroons? There may be those for whom the Saluki Sport Parachute Club’s 1966 National Collegiate Parachuting Championship is a fond memory.

Some may recall, with a smile, that there was serious discussion in 1971 of building a $9 million monorail system to alleviate campus traffic and parking problems. Fast-forward to today…some things never change, right? If you were on campus that year, perhaps you fondly recall that Itchy Jones’ baseball team lost to Southern California in the title game of that year’s College World Series.

The point of this annual celebration is to remember the contributions of all those who came before us, to take pride in our history and to inspire each of us to continue making our own contributions to the next "chapter."