1950s

1951 March

Charles Boddie

Presentation: "Christianity and Freedom," helping people of all faiths to live together in harmony and understanding.

1951 October

Ralph Lapp
physicist, assistant director of the Metallurgical Laboratory

Lecture: "Are You Afraid of the Atomic Bomb?" Dr. Lapp was associated with the development of the atomic bomb from its beginning and with the Manhattan Project; in 1948 he participated in the Bikini bomb Tests as Scientist Consultant on radiation

1951 October

Earl Spicer
baritone singer

Performance: by the New York baritone; Mr. Spicer sang with many symphony orchestras in the US and England [sponsored by the Concert and Lecture Series: University of Minnesota]

1952 January

Dean Tremblay
psychometrics

Lecture: "What Are You Good For?" A degree in Psychometrics at Colorado College in Colorado Springs; Tremblay worked with seashore equipment in Iowa City in the revision of the Rhythm Memory Test, and designed and recorded a new test for tonal memory; the lecture was held in the North Hall auditorium

1952 February

Carey McWilliams
author (Brothers Under the Skin, California: The Great Exception, A Mask for Privilege, Witch Hunt: The Revival of Heresy), editor (The Nation), lawyer; best known for his writings about social issues in California

Lecture: focused on various minority groups in terms of racial prejudice and discrimination [Lecture arranged by the University of Minnesota Concert and Lecture Series]

1952 March

Ruroy Sibley
astronomer

Presentation: The Universe of Palomar, a film and lecture presentation by Dr. Sibley dealt with interpretations of astronomy [arranged by the University of Minnesota Concert and Lecture Series]

1952 April

Grant Reynard
artist, painter

Lecture: "Painting My Way Across America: An Artist Draws New York," Reynard talked abut the enjoyment of art and Rembrandt; Reynard's work is represented in several museums including New York and San Francisco [sponsored by the Art Department]

1952 July

Emil Lengyel
professor of Education at New York University

Lecture: "Europe's Crisis" Dr. Lengyel, an internationally known author presented in the North Hall auditorium; he was a noted world traveler, foreign correspondent, lecturer, and writer

1952 October

Gerard Willem Van Loon
assistant director of Kraft Television Theater

Lecture: "Television: Miracle or Menace?" He has a background as an actor, playwright, and director of Broadway shows as well as experience on television [arranged by University of Minnesota Concert and Lecture Series]

1952 October

Warner Imig
dean of College of Music at the University of Colorado

Workshop: Imig conducted a workshop on River Falls college campus. He worked with the college choir and high school choirs [sponsored by University of Minnesota Concert and Lecture Series]

Undated

Eric Mann
professor at New York University and director of the the Institute of International Studies

Lecture: Dr. Mann was a world traveler and lecturer who spoke on world affairs

1953 February 12

Nelson and Neal
duo-piano performers

Concert: Allison Nelson and Harry Neal in concert in the North Hall Auditorium; they both taught at the University of Tennessee at Martin  [sponsored by the Music Department]

1953 April

Johnson E. Fairchild
head of the Social Philosophy and Copper Union

Lecture: "Geographical Illiteracy"

1953 April

Emil Liers
Wisconsin-born Minnesota naturalist and author (An Otter's Story)

Presentation: conservationist and naturalist Liers urged protection of otters in the interest of wildlife conservation

1953 November

Mario Rossi
diplomatic correspondent

Lecture: "Interpreting U.N. Developments Affecting the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa" by Dr. Rossi

1954 January

Paul Grim
professor of Education at the University of Minnesota

Lecture: "Professional Growth Given at Wisconsin State College" by Dr. Grim

1954 February

Robert McFerrin
singer

Concert: Baritone, versatile artist. North Hall Auditorium

1954 March

Peter Von Zahn
former war correspondent, was a correspondent for the largest radio network in Europe in 1954

Lecture: "What You Can Expect From Germany"

1954 September

Warren P. Knowles
retired from the Wisconsin State Senate in 1954; elected Wisconsin lieutenant governor in 1954, 1956, and 1960

Speech [sponsored by Young Republicans]

1958 February 28-March 2

Percy Grainger
composer and pianist

Lecture: "Melody vs. Harmony" for the First Annual Fine Arts Festival; in addition Mr. Grainger directed the college concert band

1958 September 22

Warren P. Knowles
Wisconsin lieutenant governor, from New Richmond

Keynote Speaker for the kick-off meeting of the Young Republicans for the school year

1958 October 4

Gretchen Kemp
associate professor of Journalism at Indiana University; first woman journalist on a metropolitan Indiana newspaper to hold a key staff position

Speech: "Reflecting Your High School in the Newspaper and Yearbook," Dr. Kemp was the principal speaker at the High School Publications Institute on campus

1958 October 21

Lisbeth Andersson
Swedish professional designer and teacher of craft techniques

Opening Speaker for the Rural Life Conference, which focused on "Art in Rural America"

1958 October 25

Ezra Taft Benson
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

Speech: "The Outlook for the Family-Sized Farm," for the Rural Life Conference [co-sponsored by Agriculture Department and Social Science Department]

1958 November 11

Donald Davies
director of Student Teaching at the University of Minnesota

Speech for the American Education Week convocation, Dr. Davies said "The problems facing our country are complex and numerous and we must prepare citizens to face these problems"

1959 February 3

Nicholas Slonimsky
composer, pianist, musicologist

Lecture-Recital in the evening in the Little Theatre, also spoke to a number of music students and attended a music class

1959 February 24

Robert S. Shankland
physics professor at Case Institute of Technology, known for Compton scattering and the history of modern physics

Lecture: "Nuclear Energy Sources," Dr. Shankland spoke in the North Hall Auditorium; he also conducted class sessions in physics [Visiting Scientists in Physics, co-sponsored by the American Association of Physics Teachers and the American Institute of Physics, with grants from the National Science Foundation]

1959 March 20

Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.
professor of History at Harvard University, winner of the Pulitzer prize in 1946 for The Age of Jackson

Lecture: "American Foreign Policy in the Atomic Age," Dr. Schlesinger said that it is essential for America to understand the Berlin crisis and why it has brought the world to the brink of war

1959 April 17

James Curtin
associate professor of Education, and director of the University Elementary School, at the University of Minnesota

Speech: "Beyond the Basics," Dr. Curtin was the keynote speaker for the 2nd Annual Elementary Education Conference and spoke on ways of motivating youngsters in the fulfillment of their needs

1959 April 22

Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra
musical group

Concert: by the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra in North Hall Auditorium

1959 May 7

Howard Nemerov
poet, published Mirrors and Windows in 1958 (will twice be the United States Poet Laureate, 1963-64 and 1988-90; will win the National Book Award for Poetry and the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry in 1978, and the Bollingen Prize for Poetry in 1981)

Lecture: "The Sense of Poetry," for the Festival of Contemporary Arts [sponsored by the English Department]

1959 November 12

John F. Kennedy
U.S. senator from Massachusetts and at this point only a potential candidate for U.S. president

Speech: "The Task of Our Teacher College Graduates, " Senator Kennedy spoke on the crisis in American education to an overflow crowd in North Hall Auditorium [sponsored by the Young Democratic Club]

1959 December 17

Percy Grainger
composer and pianist

Concert: World premiere of Grainger's arrangement of "Let's Dance Gay in Green Meadows"