On 12 December 1997, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 26 June the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, with a view to the total eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.  Background, information and links are available from the UN website.

–Betsy Pittman, University Archivist

Campus songs have been a tradition at American colleges and universities for over a century, and at one time the University of Connecticut had enough to fill its own songbook.  Published in 1949, Songs of UConn featured about a dozen songs, and its highlight was the first publication of a new fight song written by Prof. Herbert France, head of the music department. The songbook introduction notes that “UConn has many songs, but there are three which you’ll find sung at all rallies and football games. These are the fight song, Connecticut Husky, better known by its first line ‘On the Rolling Hills Beneath the Blue”, the driving UConn Husky, and the nostalgic Alma Mater. By the end of the 1950s, only two songs would be known on campus. Today, while few will know the Alma Mater, the success of Connecticut basketball has made UConn Husky a nationally recognized tune.  Connecticut Husky, a favorite for a little over two decades, has faded from memory. It was written at the request of a student by musician Fred Waring, who composed and premiered college songs on his popular NBC radio program in the late 1930s. You can hear an excerpt of the Waring premiere of Connecticut Husky here [http://advance.uconn.edu/1999/990405/waring1.mp3] and a recording of the full song here. [http://advance.uconn.edu/1999/990405/waring2.mp3]

–Mark J. Roy, University Communications (retired)

From its beginnings as the Storrs Agricultural School in 1881, Connecticut Agricultural College operated on a trimester system, with fall, winter, and spring terms.  That came to an end in 1914, when a meeting of the faculty (this was well before creation of the University Senate), voted to change to a two semester academic calendar.  The three semester system had terms of uneven duration – a 15 week fall term, 11 week winter term, and 13 week spring term.  After the change to two semesters, the calendar was virtually unchanged for decades. Until 1972, the fall semester began in late September and ended by mid-January. Students went home for the Christmas/New Year break, came back for final exams, then went home again for semester break.

–Mark J. Roy, University Communications (retired)

It was the height of the war in Vietnam, and when the lead singer of the vocal group “The Happenings” was drafted, their appearance at UConn’s Jorgensen Auditorium was canceled. In their place was a concert on February 25 by soul singer Wilson Picket, whose hits included “Mustang Sally” and “In the Midnight Hour”, among others.  As the concert progressed, Picket encouraged UConn students to get up and dance – but an auditorium manager concerned about safety had the house lights turned up and asked that Picket tell students to get back in their seats. Picket refused, the manager cut power to the stage, and Picket walked off and never returned.

–Mark J. Roy, University Communications (retired)

We take it for granted now, but in 1968 the networking of computers was cutting edge, and UConn had it first network was in development in 1968. Actually, there was only one computer, an IBM 360 mainframe, and the network was comprised of 30 remote terminals.  The Connecticut Daily Campus noted in February that the network was “being developed here allow students and staff to plug into the huge new IBM 360 computer.” Funding of $366,000 came from the National Science Foundation for the then-University Computer Center. Started in 1962, the UCC was headed by John L. C. Lof in the late 1960s. At the time it must have seemed amazing – the network would allow use of the mainframe by 30 people at the same time.

Professor Koons studying honeybees with teachers, undated

“Immediate cause of death was exhaustion due to cancer of the throat.” Those words in the December 19, 1903 edition of The Hartford Courant related the cause of death for a beloved member of the campus community in Storrs.  The day before, at his home in Storrs, Benjamin F. Koons, first president of Connecticut Agricultural College, died. He was 59. Koons had begun his Connecticut career as an instructor of natural history at Storrs Agricultural College when it started its first semester in September of 1881. By the end of 1882 he was acting principal of the school for boys, and in 1883 held the position in full. He became president in 1893 when legislation changed the school into the Storrs Agricultural College, and officially admitted women.  Koons had allowed local women to attend starting in 1891, noting that in creating a boys school, the legislature did not forbid the enrollment of women.  Koons was replaced in 1898 by George Flint. In retirement, as the first president emeritus, he continued to teach natural history, maintained a botanical garden, and started the college’s first museum of natural history.