Warhawk Almanac

John Belushi was a famous comedian, actor, and musician. He was born on January 24^th, 1949, in Chicago, Illinois, and died in Los Angeles on March 5th, 1982. He was a prolific person with a wide variety of roles in his different fields, but he was primarily known as being one of the first cast members of Saturday Night Live, playing one of the Blues Brothers, Jake Blues, in the hit movie Blues Brothers (1980), and for playing a character named John “Bluto” Blutarsky in the college comedy film National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978). [1] On Saturday Night Live, John Belushi had several well-known and liked characters: Saturday Night Live Samurai, Henry Kessinger, Ludwig Van Beethoven, the Greek owner of the Olympia Café, Captain James T. Kirk, Killer Bee, and others. [2]

Although John Belushi did not attend UW-Whitewater for very long, being enrolled in college from 1967  to 1968, he showcased his passion for acting by joining the theatre group and participating in a variety of different plays. One of the plays he partook in was a production of “Night Must Fall,” a psychological thriller first performed in 1935, where he portrayed an inspector in “Night Must Fall.” [1][2] He was also in a play called “The Man Who Came to Dinner” in October 1967,[3] as well as a role in a play called “Winterset” in November 1967.[4] While he was in school, two professors from the drama department worked with him and commented on what Belushi was like as an aspiring actor and comedian. Fred Sederhelm directed Belushi in “Night Must Fall,” a play where the talented freshman was in the role of a Scotland Yard detective investigating and solving the murders of old women in England; he also directed Belushi in  “The Man Who Came to Dinner.”[5] In regards to Belushi’s talent, Sederholm remarked that “he was only on stage for 15 minutes, but it was just a riot act.”[6] However, Sederholm observed that Belushi was at his best when he could improvise, and was not as skilled at memorizing and reciting lines. Another drama professor, Fannie Hicklin, noticed this as well, commenting that John Belushi was “undisciplined.” Sederholm also commented that Belushi was “quiet,” and that he “applied himself only to the things which interested him.”[7] The last thing Sederholm mentioned about Belushi was that “Looking back, I can’t say he was going to be a star…A lot of theatre is just plain dumb luck, and he had talent, and he was lucky. He had a lot of guts to stick it out where many people don’t.”[8] 

John Belushi was one of the most influential male comedians, showcasing his talent in various ways and creating an immortal mark in comedy that has influenced a plethora of comedians and actors and will continue to influence people in the future. 

Kenny Rogers was an American singer, songwriter, actor, and entertainer who held on to a six-decade career and cemented himself as one of the greatest male musicians of all time. Born in 1938, died in 2020, Rogers became one of the best-selling male artists of all time, selling over 120 million albums worldwide.[1] Some of his musical hits were songs such as “The Gambler,” “Lucille,” “Lady,” and “Through The Years.”[2] Kenny Rogers was unique in that he did not carve his niche into one particular genre of music; rather, his music intertwined with different genres, including pop, country, jazz, rock, and folk, showcasing his interest in a plethora of different music types. His music has been the kind to move through different boundaries, with singles and albums finding success fairly often on the Country, Top 40, and Adult Contemporary charts, and in some cases on the R&B and Christian charts.[3] Kenny Rogers won quite a bit in terms of awards, including: 3 Grammy awards, 21 American Music Awards, 11 People’s Choice Awards, and 6 Country Music Association Awards. Kenny Rogers was most well-known for his music. Still, in addition to being a musician, he invested his money in Branson, Missouri enterprises, published multiple photography books, wrote two children’s books, participated in various charitable activities, and created a chain of restaurants.[4]

On Monday, May 9, 1970, Kenny Rogers and The First Edition played at the Williams Center on the UW-Whitewater campus. Their music was not well-received that evening. Kenny Rogers was quoted as saying, “I could feel it way at the beginning, it seemed like they (the audience) didn’t care.”[5] According to the writer of the article, the band and the music didn’t seem to find a groove that evening, but continued to attempt to create a connection with the audience as they were ineffectual in injecting the evening with any kind of fervor. Mary Eckardt also observed that “The lack of variety also hindered great expectations. Only two of three songs deviated from the standard set of drums, tambourine, and three guitars that were used throughout the performance. And even the deviation itself was only a folk guitar.” Kenny Rogers’ performance was part of a series of events that took place during what is known as May Week, a week designed to celebrate spring by offering activities and events meant to entertain students. During May Week, other events included a Semaine de Mai talent show, a carnival, a sports car show, and other events. [6]

Kenny Rogers will be remembered as a legendary musician who made his mark on the world via music, entertainment, investments, and philanthropy, giving inspiration to those who want to make a positive impact on the world via different means. 

The Women’s Army Corps (WAC) developed so that women could support men fighting in combat during World War II by performing a wide variety of tasks. The Women’s Army Corps began as the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) in May 1941 when a U.S. Representative named Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts wrote a bill that created the WAAC. [1] Because Ms. Rogers had observed that women veterans in World War I had not been given their dues, Rogers promised that if American women decided to serve in the military, they would be able to do so with all the rights and benefits given to the soldiers. Fort Des Moines, Iowa, was selected as the site of the first WAAC training center. Over 35,000 women from all over the United States applied for less than 1,000 positions. After they completed training, women served as clerks, typists, drivers, cooks, and unit cadre. The women typically performed in four areas: baking, clerical, driving, and medical. Within one year of the WAAC being operational, over 400 jobs were open to women.[2]

In January 1943, Edith Rogers introduced in both houses of Congress bills that would allow and encourage the enlistment and commissioning of women in the Army of the United States, or Reserve forces, instead of the traditional enlistments in the U.S. Army. When President Roosevelt signed the bill into law on July 1^st, 1943, it gave women all the rank, privileges, and benefits that their male comrades had.[1]

The WAC recruited at Whitewater State Teacher’s College for women to serve in positions that would free men to be sent to battle.  Two graduates who served in the war effort were Margaret M. Fleming and Eleanor Wezeman.

 Sgt. Margaret M. Fleming 

Margaret Fleming was a 1940 graduate from the Whitewater State Teacher’s College (now UW-W) who went on to join the Women’s Army Corps in 1943.[2] While at Whitewater, Fleming was a part of the varsity women’s hockey team via the Women’s Athletic Association[3], where she played in the position of goalie, scoring a significant number of points[4]. She was also in the Commercial Club for four years and the Photography Club her sophomore year[5]. In the WAC, Fleming served as chief clerk in the Adjutant General’s Department Headquarters.  She was stationed in Cairo, Egypt.[6]

Lt. Eleanor Wezeman 

Lt. Eleanor Wezeman was a Whitewater graduate who, after graduation, began teaching at the Chicago Christian High School.[7] In college, Eleanor was part of the women’s bowling team, which at one point had an average score of 160.[8] She later focused on post-graduate studies at the University of Denver in Colorado. In 1943, she signed up to be a WAC, completing the standard training in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. She was in service in various places including Florida, Colorado, and Mississippi. Before entering officer candidate school, she was stationed at Chanute Field, Illinois. 

Let us not forget the women who contributed to the war effort in World War II by enlisting in various branches of the military, doing a wide variety of tasks to help support the men in combat. 

Shirley Chisholm was a well-known American politician who made history by being the first African American woman to be a member of the United States Congress, as well as being the first African American and first woman to seek the nomination for President of the United States from the Democratic party. Shirley Chisholm was born in 1924 and died in 2005, creating a legacy that impacted a significant amount of people. In addition to being a politician who focused on women’s equality and the equality of African Americans, Shirley wrote an autobiography titled Unbought and Unbossed which specifically focused on her advocacy for both women and African Americans during the seven terms she was in the U.S. House of Representatives.[1] She was an active participant in the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983, and she won the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 2015.[2]

Representative Chisholm visited the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus in November 1972 where she commented on several different topics relevant to most people. She noted that “One tenth of one percent of the two million corporations in the U.S. control 55 percent of the country’s total assets… The economic system favors only a small segment of society.”[1] Another observation that she voiced was that “Racism is the root of the cancer of this country… we must give less importance to materialistic values and more to humanistic and spiritual values, to civil liberties and human rights, to plain caring. We must forget traditions and conventions and look to God and our conscience for approval.”[2] During her speech at UWW, Shirley commented on a multitude of topics relevant to that time and are still relevant today, i.e., economic difficulties, war, transportation, racism, and the human condition. She commented that “If you accept the truth, then the truth will set us all free. So, let’s not get uptight. Let’s relax and see what we can learn together.”[3] She also told the audience, “Students, unending change is the essence of life. If we have the courage of our convictions, we will forget traditions, we will forget conventionalism, we will forget what the world would say whether we’re in our place or out of place.”[4] To finish off her discussion with the students, she said, “We will think our best thoughts, we will only do our best deeds, looking only to God, whoever your God happens to be, and your conscience for approval.”[5]

 Shirley Chisholm will be remembered and honored as a trailblazer in politics, a woman who fought discrimination as both a female and as an African American, a person who was committed to upholding her integrity in an environment where it can be easily overlooked by individuals prioritizing their own interests. When looking to have various role models outside of family, friends, or others, keep Shirley Chisholm in mind as someone whose character is something to aspire to. 

Maya Angelou was a significant poet in the literary scene who made her mark in different mediums. She was born Margeurite Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri on April 4^th, 1928 and died on May 28^th, 2014 in North Carolina at age 86.[1] Her career involved several different pathways, including those of a civil rights activist, author, poet, historian, playwright, singer, dancer, actress, composer, director and producer. She broke some barriers by being the first African American woman to create a screenplay for a pivotal movie and the first female inaugural poet in the United States.[2] Angelou is known the most for her autobiographical books, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which was a New York Times bestseller for two years. Her literary works are known to have made a crucial impact on society by providing more diversity to literature and theater. [3] In addition to these accomplishments, Maya Angelou also was the first black woman allowed to drive a cable car in San Francisco, spoke six languages, and edited the Arab Observer. She also wrote two cookbooks and had her own line of Hallmark Greeting Cards.[4]

Maya Angelou visited the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Rock County in Janesville on February 12^th, 1985, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kirk Denmark Theatre.[1] She discussed a plethora of topics, including racism and equality, family and lineage, the human condition, and others. One of the most profound, insightful things she said was this: “If your great-great-great grandmother could see you now, she would know you are the reason she left Ireland. You are the reason she slept in slave ships. You are the reason she stayed at Ellis Island and had her name changed to something indescribable.” [2] She also remarked that “There’s a world of difference between being trained and educated. If you are intoxicated with the idea of being educated, you have a lifelong course ahead of you. Take advantage of this institution.” [3]

Today, Maya Angelou has cemented her place in countless cultural venues, including poetry, politics, and others. She is a reminder to all of us that even when a person is going through dark times, there is a psychological, cerebral strength within all of us that can be accessed and used to find our strongest human capabilities. 
 

Holly Wilson is an accomplished author and professor of creative writing. She has been an associate professor in the literature, writing and film department for thirteen years, making a name for herself both as a writer and as a well-liked and respected professor. 

Holly went to college at Wichita State University and got her Master’s of Fine Arts at Wichita State. After she got her MFA, she became a Kingsbury Fellow at Florida State University, where she got her doctorate in creative writing.[1] 

Holly began her writing career by publishing in various literary magazines, such as Narrative, Redivider, Northwest Review, Short Story, New Stories from The South, etc. 

                                                                                Interview with Holly Wilson 

As a writer, I frequently look to other writers to glean more information and expand my knowledge base of the craft. Being able to to learn from other writers is one of the most important tools in a writer’s kits. I emailed my former creative writing professor, Holly Wilson, to see what I could discover about her identity as a writer and what her writing process is. I include in this post a few of the questions and answers from the interview. 

 Q. How do you approach overcoming writer’s block? 

  A. The only thing that works for me is 1) reading more, and 2) just writing through it. If you keep your butt in the chair, eventually something will show up.

Q.  What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about writing?

A. Write the sort of book that can only exist because you exist. 

Q. What advice would you give someone trying to get published for the first time? 

A. Read as much as possible, don’t send your work out until it’s as good as you can possibly make it, and learn to love rejection.

Q. Were there any particular moments or milestones that solidified your confidence as a writer?

A. Nothing really hits quite like walking into a random bookstore and seeing your book on display for the first time. I still feel like an imposter most days, but that moment for sure helped. 

Q. Who were your biggest influences as a writer? 

A. Too many influences to name, but Mark Richard has been a very important writer to me. His prose was a revelation when I first encountered him. His short stories and novel Fishboy gave me permission to do all sorts of things.

                                                                    Reviews

For Holly Wilson’s debut novel, Kittentits, there are several reviews that praise her distinctive writing. In one, the reviewer notes, “Wilson demonstrates exceptional artistry with the supporting characters, capturing the fundamental experiences of trust, friendship, love and loss.”[2] In another, a reviewer says that ‘Kittentits’ by Holly Wilson is a whimsical and provocative exploration of identity, femininity, and the intersection of humor and vulnerability.”[3]

If you are interested in reading a book that is absurdist and outside of your traditional perspectives, I would recommend you read Kittentits by Holly Wilson as a challenge to your sensibilities and perspective of the world around you. 

Eva Kinney Griffith was an accomplished, ambitious woman who was part of the first class here at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Born in Whitewater in 1852, Eva attended the Whitewater State Normal School from 1868-1871, aspiring to be a teacher. [1]

After she graduated, Eva began her extraordinary working life by teaching one semester at the Elkhorn High School and two semesters in Cold Spring, Wisconsin. She took a year off of teaching after that to pursue a career in journalism in Chicago. She temporarily returned to teaching from 1879 to 1880 in Hays City, Kansas. [2]

After finishing teaching in Kansas, Eva came back to Wisconsin and got involved in the temperance movement in 1883, joining the Wisconsin Women’s Temperance Union and participating as both a speaker and administrator for seven years. The Women’s Temperance Union was founded on December 15^th, 1873, when a Boston doctor named Dr. Dio Lewis had a lecture in New York. After the lecture, he was invited to come to a Sunday evening church service and talk about temperance. After the church service, in which the doctor delivered a passionate speech on temperance, Rev. Lester Williams asked the women at the church to hold a meeting. Fifty women responded, prepared to take action, signifying the beginning of the important organization.[3] For Eva Kinney Griffith, she became known as the “Wisconsin Chalk Talker” for her inspiring illustrated lectures.[4] While she was actively involved in the temperance movement, she also became a writer, publishing two books: A Women’s Evangel (Chicago, 1892), and Chalk Talk Handbook (1887). As well as the books she wrote, she also wrote and published temperance lessons and poems in journals such as the Temperance Banner and the Union Signal. She also wrote and published in True Ideal, a journal that focused on purity and faith studies. 

After her work as a temperance activist, she decided to move back to Chicago in 1891 and become a journalist again. She first became a special writer for the Daily News-Record, and then an editor on the Chicago Times. Through the Chicago Times, she publicly showcased her opinions on the temperance of alcohol and tobacco. 

Eva also displayed advanced views on different topics for a woman living during the late 1800’s. One of the observations she made in The Author was that “as alcohol is a brain poison and nicotine, the active principle of tobacco, is a nerve poison, no writer who desires long life or aims for the highest in his work should indulge even moderately in the use of liquor and tobacco.” Along the same lines, she mentioned that “the unused organ is certain to lose its strength and fall an easy prey to disease.” [5]

Eva Kinney Griffith will be remembered as a trailblazer and an inspiration to women that, with perseverance, dedication, and a strong belief in yourself, you are capable of doing nearly anything that you set your sights on. 

Written by Jacob Ober

As we start Homecoming Week, let’s look back at how the campus celebrated 50 years ago. The theme for 1974’s homecoming was “New Images,” reflecting the university's changing nature as it welcomed a new chancellor, increased enrollment, and a championship football team.[1] The festivities at Homecoming ’74 were highlighted by the nationally renowned jazz-rock band Blood, Sweat and Tears making an appearance on Thursday night, performing hit songs such as “You Make Me So Very Happy” and “Spinning Wheel,”[2] both of which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969,[3] as well as songs off their new album “Mirror Images,” reflecting the “new images” theme of homecoming. Soft-rock band Heartsfield also made an appearance, providing a mellow contrast to the more upbeat style of Blood, Sweat & Tears. 

The Homecoming Parade kicked off Saturday's festivities. The organizing committee thought it to be the largest Homecoming Parade to date. [4] The UW-Whitewater football team took the field that afternoon, facing off against UW-River Falls at Warhawk (Perkins) Stadium. The result was a resounding 28-14 victory, highlighted by wide receiver Roger Gename’s 11 receptions, setting a new school record at the time.[5] 

Other festivities throughout the week included a bonfire, bed rally, a dance, and the annual “Yell Like Hell” contest.[7] In congruence with the official homecoming celebrations, the sorority Sigma Gamma Rho sponsored the annual “Black Homecoming” that featured a dance in the Badger Commons on Saturday. Karen Jarrart, basileus of the Sigma Gamma Rho chapter in Whitewater, was quoted as saying that she “hopes everyone will attend the homecoming because this will benefit future events for all black students.”[8] 

By all accounts, Homecoming ’74 at UW-Whitewater proved to be a big success. Students expressed positive sentiments about the celebrations, and in the spirit of “New Images,” Homecoming ’74 “offered an image that reflected the varied interests and contrasts of the student body.”[10]

Written by Riley Smith Today, the students and athletes at UW-Whitewater are fondly known as the Warhawks and are accompanied by a hawk mascot named Willie. Though, that was not always the case. Throughout the university’s early years, the student body had no real nickname or mascot to call their own. They did, however, have a school color- purple. “The Purple” was a common way to refer to school teams, whether athletic, for the football team, was referred to as “The Purple” in the 1934 Minneiska, the university’s yearbook, as well as other student organizations, such as the debate team.[1] Yet, as early as 1929, the football team also used the moniker of the “Quakers.”^[2] As students were trying to determine a mascot or symbol that represented them, the Quakers won out as the unofficial school mascot. It would be used in reference to the school’s athletic teams for the next couple of decades. 

Many stories exist as to how the name came to be. One story states that a traveling baseball team came to Whitewater to play a game and left their jerseys here, which had “The Quakers” printed on the back.^[3] A variation of said story claims the baseball team was bankrupt and unable to pay for a hotel, so they left the aforementioned jerseys as a form of payment.^[4] Another story is that a local team, named the Quakers, provided the jerseys.^[5] Regardless of how the name came to be, the student body would come to accept it as their own. It was not long before a mascot, who represented the new Quaker identity, started showing up to parades and other athletic events. The mascot’s face also soon appeared on signs at sporting events and on the homes of students and fans. 

Despite the new nickname and mascot’s popularity, the school did not officially recognize the symbol of the Quaker as a mascot. With growing dissatisfaction with the passive symbolism associated with Quakers, students and staff alike were interested in adopting a mascot that had a fighting spirit.^[7] In the late 1950s, a contest was held in hopes of bringing upon a name the school could officially adopt.^[8] Four students, August Revoy, Ron Hall, John Rabata, and William Jolly, came up with the name “Warhawks”.^[9] The name was then officially approved by the school’s president at the time, Robert C. Williams.^[10] While the student body is no longer known as the Quakers, both the name and mascot hold a unique place in UW-Whitewater’s history.