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SEMO Sesquicentennial Moments

Dr. Joel Rhodes shares highlights and historical moments from Southeast Missouri State University's history during its sesquicentennial year.

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  • Formed in 1907, just two years after the completion of Academic Hall, the Southeast Marching Band is one of the oldest traditions on campus. Officially named the “Golden Eagles” in 1957 after a steamboat that traveled the Mississippi River, the band has marched to its own drumming across football fields, parade routes, and castle esplanades.
  • Following the May 1954 Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education – which ruled that racial segregation in education was inherently unequal – many America schools began integrating that fall while others stubbornly resisted for years. Southeast fell into the former category, enrolling Roberta Slayton and Helen Carter, our university’s first African American students.
  • Nestled on bucolic, tree-lined hills in between the Show Me Center and Dempster Hall, Wildwood serves as the official residence of Southeast Missouri State University presidents.
  • From “Pig Clubs” to presidential speeches, southeast Missourians have gathered together at the corner of Sprigg Street and New Madrid as a community; first it was for agricultural contests at the university’s demonstration farm and today to see live entertainment and sports at The Show Me Center.
  • Perched majestically upon Cardiac Hill, the rare Gum Tree – indigenous to the Southeast campus – is a one of our timeless traditions. And while the tree itself has evolved through at least five incarnations – most significantly from wood to metal – one constant endures: a hard exterior of repurposed chewing gum.
  • Formed on October 22, 1913, when we were still the Third District Normal School, the Black Mask Honorary Dramatic Society is thought to be the oldest student group at Southeast Missouri State University.
  • Long before Tik Tok, Google, KRCU, KFVS TV, heck even KFVS radio, Southeast students were kept informed by their campus newspaper, The Arrow. Our paper has been dependably reporting the local, national, and international news, sports, opinions, and features from a college perspective since 1911; making it one of the longest-running student newspapers in the country.
  • Beloved teacher, gifted orator, and avid photographer, Dr. Harold Oscar Grauel wore many hats over a 43-year-long career as English professor, department chair, and head of the divisions of English, foreign languages, philosophy, and speech.
  • Dr. B.F. Johnson came to Southeast in 1897 just as Southeast’s fifth President William Duncan Vandiver, ended his tenure to pursue a career in politics. Working as Chair of the Department of Mathematics, Johnson was its “lone professor” until his retirement in 1940 – a career spanning 43 years!
  • Under his 16-year tenure as president, Dr. Kenneth Dobbins ushered in tremendous growth for the university, effectively guiding Southeast into the 21st century.” Serving from 1999-2015, Dobbins got his start at Southeast in 1991 as the president of finance and administration until 1993 when became vice president. He served in this position until his inauguration as our 17th president six years later.