Warhawk Almanac - Research, Citation, & Class Guides at University of Wisconsin Whitewater

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.

[1] “Kenny Rogers,” Wikipedia, accessed December 12^th, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Rogers.

[2] “Kenny Rogers,” Britannica, accessed December 12^th, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kenny-Rogers-American-singer-songwriter.

[3] “Kenny Rogers: Biography,” Kenny Rogers, accessed December 12^th, 2024, https://www.kennyrogers.com/bio.

[4] “More Crossover Success,” Country Music Hall of Fame, accessed December 12^th, 2024,

https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/hall-of-fame/kenny-rogers#:~:text=The%201980s%20also%20saw%20Rogers,launched%20a%20chain%20of%20restaurants.

[5] Mary Eckardt, “Monday’s edition was Roger’s worst,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater, WI), May 7, 1970.

[6] “Semaine de Mai Events,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater, WI), May 4, 1970.

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Warhawk Almanac: John Belushi

John Belushi was a famous comedian, actor, and musician. He was born on January 24th, 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]Photo Credit: IMDB Database.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] Photo Credit: The Royal Purple, 1968. 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. [1] University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, The Minneiska Yearbook 1968 (Whitewater: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 1968), 134. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.30048828. [2] “Night Must Fall,” Wikipedia, accessed December 3rd, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Must_Fall. [3] “Weird Family Object of Theater Production,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater, WI), October 12, 1967. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.32935013. [4] “Winterset Cast Has Rehearsals,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater, WI), November 9, 1967. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.32935017. [5] UW-Whitewater Foundation for Alumni and Friends, “Late ‘Animal House’ Star Once Attended UW-Whitewater”, Whitewater Today 19, no.1 (Fall 1987): 5.[6] UW-Whitewater Foundation for Alumni and Friends, “Late ‘Animal House’ Star Once Attended UW-Whitewater”, Whitewater Today 19, no.1 (Fall 1987): 5. [7] UW-Whitewater Foundation for Alumni and Friends, “Late ‘Animal House’ Star Once Attended UW-Whitewater”, Whitewater Today 19, no.1 (Fall 1987): 5.[8] UW-Whitewater Foundation for Alumni and Friends, “Late ‘Animal House’ Star Once Attended UW-Whitewater”, Whitewater Today 19, no.1 (Fall 1987): 5. ...

Warhawk Almanac: Kenny Rogers

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]Photo Credit: The Royal Purple 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. Photo Credit: The Royal Purple [1] “Kenny Rogers,” Wikipedia, accessed December 12th, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Rogers.[2] “Kenny Rogers,” Britannica, accessed December 12th, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kenny-Rogers-American-singer-songwriter. [3] “Kenny Rogers: Biography,” Kenny Rogers, accessed December 12th, 2024, https://www.kennyrogers.com/bio.[4] “More Crossover Success,” Country Music Hall of Fame, accessed December 12th, 2024,https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/hall-of-fame/kenny-rogers#:~:text=The%201980s%20also%20saw%20Rogers,launched%20a%20chain%20of%20restaurants. [5] Mary Eckardt, “Monday’s edition was Roger’s worst,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater, WI), May 7, 1970.[6] “Semaine de Mai Events,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater, WI), May 4, 1970. ...

Warhawk Almanac: Whitewater WACs serve in WWII

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]WAAC Inspection by Oveta Culp Hobby, Fort Des Moines, Iowa, from the Hank Zaletel collections.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 1st, 1943, it gave women all the rank, privileges, and benefits that their male comrades had.[1]WAC advertisement, The Royal Purple, May 15, 1944.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, The Minneiska, 1940. 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] Eleanor Wezeman, The Minneiska, 1940.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. [1] “Women in the Army,” Army, accessed November 21st, 2024, https://www.army.mil/women/history/wac.html.[2] “Around the World with the Boys,” The Royal Purple 45, no.10 (December 1945): 2. [3] Minneiska 1940 (Whitewater: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 1940), 88.[4] “W.A.A. Pucksters Lose Opening Tilt,” The Royal Purple 38, no.6 (October 1938): 4. [5] UW-Whitewater, Minneiska 1940 (Whitewater: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 1940), 110. [6] “So Proudly We Hail,” The Royal Purple 44, no. 30 (May 28, 1945): 2.[7] “Around the World with the Boys,” The Royal Purple 45, no. 10 (December 1945): 2.[8] “Bowling in Full Swing for W.S.T.C. Keglers”, The Royal Purple 39, no.12 (December 1939):4. ...

Warhawk Almanac: Shirley Chisholm

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]Photo Credit: The Royal Purple 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] Photo Credit: The Royal Purple 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. [1] Carolyn Hemlock, UW-Whitewater News Release, November 4th, 1972, University Marketing and Communications Records, University Archives and Area Research Center, Harold Andersen Library, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI.[2] Carolyn Hemlock, UW-Whitewater News Release, November 4th, 1972, University Marketing and Communications Records, University Archives and Area Research Center, Harold Andersen Library, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI.[3] Katie Kuhn, “Chisholm: ‘Answer in our Hearts,’ The Royal Purple 73, no.12 (November 1972): 1.[4] Katie Kuhn, “Chisholm: ‘Answer in our Hearts,’ The Royal Purple 73, no.12 (November 1972): 1.[5] Katie Kuhn, “Chisholm: ‘Answer in our Hearts,’ The Royal Purple 73, no.12 (November 1972): 1. [1] “Shirley Chisholm,” Women’s History, accessed December 10th, 2024 https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/shirley-chisholm[2] “Shirley Chisholm,” Britannica, accessed December 10th, 2024 https://www.britannica.com/biography/Shirley-Chisholm...

Warhawk Almanac: Kenny Rogers

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