From the Archivist

University High School was established at the University of Minnesota by the Board of Regents in 1908. This year is the 50th reunion of the final graduating class of the University of Minnesota's University High School.

Materials documenting a department’s, college’s, or center’s history can be found in a variety of University Archives collections, so casting a wide research net can yield interesting and usually fruitful results. Learn more about the history of the University's laboratory schools.  

The modern Bell Museum will play an indispensable part in the formal education and the enlightenment of the people of Minnesota and beyond. My first introduction to this museum was as a student. Fortuitously, the Bell continued my museum studies as an archivist. I’m excited to further my education as a member and visitor for many more years to come.

2018 marks the 90th anniversary of the University of Minnesota Archives, giving us a prime opportunity to highlight what we have and what we do. Please explore the online exhibit by diving into an entire section examining the role of academic freedom and tenure at the University or the University’s response to the massive influx of students following World War II. Or spend some time with a panel or two.

From 1938-1979, the Minnesota School of the Air brought educational programs into the classrooms of Minnesota and beyond over radio airwaves and through tape transcription. This episode takes listeners to Metropolitan Stadium to learn how to stay dry on a rainy day. 

While working with the University Archives collections to research a recent exhibit, I learned about Professor Lillian Cohen, the University of Minnesota's first female faculty member in the Department of Chemistry.

On this episode of U of M Radio on your Historic Dial take a field trip in sound to the Como Zoo in 1978 and hear a surprising story of an animal theft and why lions do not make good pets.

The 1868 Act to Re-Organize the University established the University's mission, an academic framework, and the governance and duties of University leadership. In many ways, these events of 150 years ago are the beginnings of the University of Minnesota we know today.

From its dedication as the Field House in 1928 to its remodeling and re-naming as Williams Arena in 1950 to today, "The Barn" has held a special place on campus.

On New Year's Eve 1927, former University President William Watts Folwell wrote to then President Lotus Coffman with a request. I beg leave to suggest...

On this installment of "U of M Radio on your Historic Dial," we’ll travel to the St. Paul campus to "A Clinic That’s for the Birds" – which also happens to be the title of the December 8, 1977 episode of Look What We Found.  If you haven’t yet deciphered the title of the broadcast, we are going on an audio tour of the Raptor Center.  The Raptor Center is a research and rehabilitation center for birds of prey which today cares for approximately 800 ill and injured raptors each year.

Today’s field trip in sound on the program "Look What We Found" is more of a staycation.  On the November 17, 1977 episode, program announcers Walter, Patty, and Bill, gave a tour of the KUOM radio studios and interviewed the staff at the station. 

Fifty years ago, on November 7, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Public Broadcasting Act which created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the act, the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB) is encouraging organizations to share archival materials related to the history and preservation of public broadcasting. University of Minnesota Archives is happy to join them.

Students at the University have been writing — and publishing — opinions and short stories and literary criticism and jokes and poems and news stories since 1877. That's when the first student newspaper Ariel began publication. Its successor, the Minnesota Daily, has been in continuous publication since May 1, 1900.

In this week’s episode of Look What We Found, titled “In A Vietnamese Kitchen,” the producers teach an important lesson about cultural understanding by starting a conversation about cuisine. While interviewing the owner of Bamboo Village, Patty asked, “What made you decide to open a restaurant?” She replied, “I like a place where we can exchange the culture between the Vietnamese and the American and have something more to show, you know? We have a chance to interact with the American, to meet them on a day-to-day basis.” Episode 2, Season 2 of "U of M Radio On Your Historic Dial."