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This Day Timeline

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  1. 7/2/1862 Morrill Act becomes law The Morrill Act becomes law, providing national funding to establish a land-grant college in each state. In North Carolina, this funding first went to the University of North Carolina, but in 1887, the state legislature established the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now NC State) as the state's land-grant institution.
  2. 3/20/1875 Land scrip endowment restored An original land scrip endowment to the University of North Carolina as part of the Morrill Act (lost during the Reconstruction period) is restored. On paper, this creates a College of Agriculture and a College of Engineering and Mechanic Arts at the University of North Carolina.
  3. 2/10/1886 More calls for agricultural school Leonidas Polk continues to call for an agricultural school in the first published issue of the Progressive Farmer.
  4. 4/21/1886 North Carolina Board of Agriculture accepts bid The North Carolina Board of Agriculture accepts a bid to locate an industrial school in Raleigh.
  5. 3/1/1887 Land scrip funds transferred to new Raleigh school University of North Carolina President Battle unsuccessfully opposes the transfer of the land scrip funds from UNC to the proposed agricultural school in Raleigh; a bill is passed on this date to transfer the funds.
  6. 3/2/1887 Funding for Agricultural Experiment Station Under the Hatch Act, the federal government provided $15,000 to each state for agricultural experiment stations.
  7. 3/3/1887 North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts established The North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts is established using a combination of the scrip funds reallocated from the University of North Carolina and funds from the Hatch Act of 1886, which had established the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station.
  8. 3/7/1887 Legislation enacted creating the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts Charles Dabney pens the legislation to create the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. March 7 is still celebrated annually as Founders Day.
  9. 4/22/1887 Board of Trustees meets for the first time
  10. 8/30/1889 Alexander Holladay elected President The Board of Trustees elects Alexander Q. Holladay as the first President of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. The offer surprised Holladay, because he had applied to be only a professor of English, but he accepted the presidency position anyway.
  11. 10/3/1889 First classes held The first classes are held at the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. Fifty-two students, at the minimum age of 14, attend. Tuition was $20 a session. Students could select from two basic curricula: agriculture and mechanics.
  12. 12/9/1889 Agricultural Experiment Station transferred The Agricultural Experiment Station is transferred from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to the North Carolina College of Agricultural and Mechanic Arts.
  13. 6/20/1893 First commencement Nineteen students receive degrees during the first commencement ceremony held at A&M College.
  14. 6/5/1899 A&M opens to women The Board of Trustees votes to open A&M College to women.
  15. 8/2/1899 Women designated as "Special Students" The Board of Trustees amend their decision from earlier in the year to admit women to A&M, deciding women will be classified as special students, except in textiles courses, where they can be enrolled as regular students.
  16. 4/13/1903 Dramatic Club performance The A&M College Dramatic Club presents the play "She Stoops to Conquer."
  17. 2/8/1911 First basketball game The A&M College basketball team play their first official game at Wake Forest, losing 33-6. The team eventually became known at the Red Terrors, until 1947, when all NC State sports teams adopted the name Wolfpack.
  18. 2/20/1911 First basketball game in Raleigh The A&M College basketball team takes on Wake Forest in the first intercollegiate basketball game played in Raleigh, winning 19-18.
  19. 5/26/1913 Franklin D. Roosevelt gives commencement address Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then assistant Secretary of the Navy, spoke at commencement exercises. He implored young men to "stay East" because the western expansion of the nation meant abandoned farms in the east.
  20. 3/25/1914 Textile Building fire Fire destroys the Textile Building (now Tompkins Hall) and all the equipment inside. The Textile Building was rebuilt the following year, with the local textile industry contributing new equipment.
  21. 1/24/1920 Watauga Hall fire Fire destroys the third floor of Watauga Residence Hall
  22. 1/31/1920 Civil Engineering Society induction The State College Civil Engineering Society is recognized by and inducted into the North Carolina Society of Civil Engineers
  23. 2/1/1920 First Technician issue The first issue of the Technician, the student newspaper, is published
  24. 5/14/1920 Athletic monograms The Athletics Council makes a decision to award sweaters to athletes who receive monograms ("letters") for their athletic accomplishments; the first letter sweaters appear on campus shortly thereafter.
  25. 10/15/1921 Student Government established
  26. 11/10/1921 Memorial Bell Tower cornerstone laid The cornerstone is laid for the Memorial Bell Tower, a monument to honor State College alumni who had been killed during World War I.
  27. 5/17/1922 Evolution debate Entomology professor Zeno P. Metcalf debates Bible Conference leader William B. Riley on the topic "Resolved: That Evolution is a Demonstrated Fact" in the old Pullen Hall.
  28. 9/15/1922 Technician becomes a weekly publication
  29. 12/15/1922 Cross Country champions The State College cross country team wins the Cross Country-All State Championship.
  30. 5/11/1923 Frank Thompson Gymnasium named The new gymnasium on campus is named after Frank Thompson (Class of 1910), a former athlete at State College who was killed during service in WWI.
  31. 6/25/1923 Dr. Eugene Brooks elected President
  32. 10/5/1923 Gymnacrobatic Club founded The Gymnacrobatic Club is founded, hoping to put on "startling exhibitions" such as walking on telephone lines.
  33. 12/28/1923 Contract awarded for construction of new library Contract for construction of a new library building (now Brooks Hall) is awarded to Joe W. Stout & Company, at a cost of $227,500.
  34. 1924 Thompson Gymnasium (now Thompson Hall) opens Thompson Gymnasium opens, becoming the first on-campus home dedicated to basketball. Previously, home basketball games had been played in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. It was built by architect Hobart Brown Upjohn and named for alumnus Frank Martin Thompson.
  35. 1/25/1924 Beauty contest The Technician begins a beauty contest to find the prettiest girl in Raleigh and the handsomest boy at State College.
  36. 9/19/1924 Music Department established
  37. 10/24/1924 First telephone installed Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company installs the first telephone exchange at State College.
  38. 11/13/1924 Apple Judging Team The State College Apple Judging Team wins third place at the Intercollegiate Apple Judging Contest in Atlantic City, NJ.
  39. 6/5/1925 Tuition increase Tuition increases to $60 for in-state students and $80 for out-of-state students.
  40. 10/1/1925 New cafeteria opens The new cafeteria opens (in the old Pullen Hall), allowing students to receive a month of meals for $25.
  41. 10/15/1925 D. H. Hill Library opens in what is now Brooks Hall The original D.H. Hill Library in what is now Brooks Hall was built by Hobart Brown Upjohn and named for Daniel Harvey Hill, Professor of English when NC State first opened.
  42. 11/21/1925 Agriculture Club social event The Agriculture Club of State College hosts a "Barn-warming" for visiting farmers at Thompson Gym.
  43. 1/10/1926 Poultry Judging Team competition The State College Poultry Judging Team competes for the tenth consecutive year at the National Inter-Collegiate Poultry Judging Contest at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
  44. 5/8/1926 Class field trip A professor and six students from the Economic Geology class took a field trip to Carolina Coal Mine, and became trapped in the mine for four hours.
  45. 6/7/1926 D.H. Hill Library dedicated The original D.H. Hill Library is dedicated (this building later became Brooks Hall). The contents of the library had been moved into the building the previous autumn, marking the first time there was an entire building designated as the library.
  46. 2/5/1927 Academic regulations for athletes The Athletics Committee decides students must maintain a passing grade in 60% of their classes to play in collegiate athletic events.
  47. 2/26/1927 First female Phi Kappa Phi member Jane S. McKimmon becomes the first female inducted into NC State's chapter of Phi Kappa Phi.
  48. 3/12/1927 Fire destroys part of the Sigma Phi Epsilon house
  49. 3/27/1927 First pay phone installed Southern Bell Telephone Company removes the free telephone from the campus YMCA and replaces it with a pay phone, due to abuse of the free phone by students using the phone for "social visits."
  50. 4/14/1927 B.W. Wells lecture Dr. B.W. Wells gives a lecture on plant evolution as part of the Phi Kappa Phi lecture series.
  51. 5/20/1927 Agronomy lab work Students in the Agronomy 135 course (Farm Terracing) spend the day outside doing lab work, including surveying the land in preparation for planning tile drains.
  52. 6/7/1927 First degrees conferred to women The first degrees are conferred to women at NC State. Recipients are Jane McKimmon, B.S. in business administration; Charlotte Nelson, B.S. in education; and Mary Elizabeth Yarbrough, M.S. in chemistry. Yarbrough was the first female graduate to have completed all coursework while at NC State, and she went on to become the first woman to earn a master's degree at NC State.
  53. 10/28/1927 Marching band wears red and white The marching band begins wearing red and white uniforms when performing at athletic events.
  54. 11/19/1927 Emergency airplane landing An aviator was forced to make an emergency landing in the field just west of Thompson Gymnasium, after being unable to locate the airport. State college offered him the use of the woodshop to make repairs to his airplane.
  55. 9/29/1928 Increased female enrollment Twenty-one female students enroll at State College for the 1928-29 academic year, twice as many as the previous year.
  56. 2/16/1929 Cows cause damage to campus Four prize cows step on an electrical wire, costing State College over $3,500 in damages.
  57. 4/11/1929 Textile Exposition and Style Show The School of Textiles hosts the annual Textile Exposition and Style Show.
  58. 11/11/1929 Freshman Cap vote Nearly 1,000 students—about half the student body—vote on the freshman cap referendum. By 15 votes, they elect to keep the caps. Freshmen accept the decision and continue to wear the caps throughout the spring semester, though the close vote leads the Student Council and the NC State Board of Trustees to consider requiring the caps to be worn just for the fall semester instead of the full academic year.
  59. 11/14/1929 Freshman Cap advice Comiskey (a student) has worn a dress for 13 days when more than 400 freshmen meet and decide to stand in unity with him and burn their freshman caps. Henry Love, Class of 1930 and Vice President of the Student Council, addresses the freshmen, telling them that “burning the caps now would only necessitate the buying of new ones, or trouble.” He advises them to try to get rid of the caps through a student body referendum.
  60. 11/21/1929 Freshman Cap referendum Freshmen vote 582 to 18 to seek a referendum regarding the required wearing of freshman caps on campus.
  61. 2/7/1930 Quiet Hour in dormitories Quiet Hour goes into effect in all dormitories, beginning at 8pm.
  62. 5/2/1930 Industrial Engineering curriculum established Curriculum in industrial engineering is announced, with the first courses to be offered in the fall of 1930
  63. 5/15/1930 Freshman Cap address In an end-of-the-year address to students, the Dean of Students, Edward L. Cloyd (Class of 1915), says he supports the elimination of the caps, because it makes freshmen easily distinguishable and a target for hazing. He encourages freshmen to continue to work to abolish them.
  64. 5/21/1931 The Order of Thirty and Three The Order of Thirty and Three is founded by members of the sophomore class; there are eleven charter members.
  65. 10/25/1932 Franklin Delano Roosevelt visits Presidential candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt makes a campaign stop in Raleigh; State College suspends classes for the day so that students may attend the speech, with the band performing at the event.
  66. 2/17/1933 Engineering book dontation D. H. Hill Library is given a private engineering library of more than 1,000 books by the widow of Colonel J.L. Ludlow of Winston-Salem.
  67. 4/6/1933 Dairy barn fire Fire destroys one of State College's dairy barns, with damages estimated at $4,000.
  68. 10/14/1933 Riddick Field Concrete Stands State College ties the University of Florida, 0-0, in the first football game held at Riddick Field with its new concrete stands. The field was named for Wallace Carl Riddick.
  69. 12/8/1933 Civil Works Administration projects An announcement is made inviting students to be employed on Civil Works Administration projects to improve the campus.
  70. 2/21/1934 Academic dress required during commencement The senior class passes a resolution requesting that faculty who participate in commencement exercises wear caps and gowns.
  71. 10/26/1934 Honor system abolished A faculty vote officially abolishes the honor system at State College; teachers will now have to remain in the classroom during all quizzes and exams.
  72. 11/27/1934 Power outage After a power outage causes lights in the 1911 Dormitory to go off, students build a fire in front of the building to provide light inside. The Raleigh Fire Department sends two trucks to extinguish the blaze, with organized student cheering sections encouraging the firemen while they work.
  73. 12/3/1934 Exemption proposal denied The faculty deny a proposal to exempt senior class from all examinations.
  74. 10/4/1935 Bell Tower grant The Memorial Bell Tower construction project receives a $37,000 Works Progress Administration grant.
  75. 10/19/1935 New electronic scoreboard in Riddick Stadium A new electric scoreboard and time clock are used at Riddick Stadium for the first time during a game against the University of Georgia. The scoreboard and clock were a donation from the News & Observer.
  76. 1/30/1936 Snowball fight A combined army of the Fifth and Sixth Dorms battle South Dormitory to a draw in a snowball fight. The Fifth-Sixth army was particularly efficient at throwing snowballs through open windows in South Dormitory.
  77. 10/29/1937 First female Mechanical Engineering student Katharine Stinson, personal friend of Amelia Earhart, is the first woman to enroll in Mechanical Engineering.
  78. 1/28/1938 Seniors donate $1,000 toward a clock for the Memorial Bell Tower
  79. 4/29/1938 Traffic congestion on campus In response to traffic congestion on campus, Chancellor Harrelson appoints a committee of faculty members to study the traffic conditions at NC State.
  80. 5/16/1938 Jimmy Dorsey visits Jimmy Dorsey's orchestra performs at a dance sponsored by the Interfraternity Council.
  81. 9/30/1938 Chemistry research Female chemist J.C. Richmond of State College is awarded a grant to study the Vitamin C content in goat's milk and the presence of nicotinic acid in cow's milk.
  82. 10/20/1938 Free Homecoming tickets The Raleigh Junior Chamber of Commerce distributes free tickets to State's Homecoming football game against Furman by releasing balloons with instructions for the finders on how to claim their free tickets.
  83. 11/11/1938 Chinese delegates visit Chinese delegates address State College students and Raleigh citizens in an event sponsored by the YMCA and YWCA.
  84. 1/13/1939 Protest over tuition increases Student body gathers in Thompson Gymnasium to protest to proposed tuition fee increases (from $85 to $125 for North Carolina residents, and from $180 to $225 for out-of-state students).
  85. 2/17/1939 Attendance policy set The Student Welfare Committee approves a plan that allows juniors and seniors with a B cumulative grade point average to have ten unexcused absences per term and twenty per year, but no more than sixty during their four-year academic careers.
  86. 5/13/1939 Annual Pushball contest Freshman and sophomores battle in the annual Pushball contest, consisting of pushing a ball 6 feet in diameter and weighing 75 pounds into the opponent's goal.
  87. 9/12/1939 "College Days" film premier "College Days," a film starring Art Rooney and Carolyn Tucker, premiers, portraying typical events in an NC State student's life.
  88. 9/29/1939 Commemorative Technician issue The Technician produces a special 58-page edition to commemorate NC State's 50th anniversary.
  89. 10/3/1939 NC State's 50th Anniversary State College celebrates its 50th anniversary; President Franklin Roosevelt sends a message of congratulations to the college; the City of Raleigh declares it to be "State College Day"; Dean of Students E. L. Cloyd leads an academic procession to Pullen Hall for the college’s 50th anniversary celebration.
  90. 11/17/1939 First annual High School Day The first annual High School Day brings approximately 6,000 seniors to visit NC State's campus; many stay to attend the State-Duquesne football game, as well.
  91. 1/5/1940 College doctor retires Dr. Campbell completes 20 years of service to NC State as the college doctor.
  92. 2/9/1940 New fight song Fred Waring, prominent national band leader, agrees to write a new fight song for NC State, and to air it during his March 8, 1940 radio program.
  93. 5/18/1940 First annual Livestock Day State College's new dairy barns are dedicated as part of the college's first annual Livestock Day.
  94. 9/13/1940 First work study program State College's first work study program begins for Engineering students, with approximately twenty students employed.
  95. 3/7/1941 Bell Tower bell rung Students learn that State College acquired the bell and bronze tablet in the Memorial Bell Tower from the U.S. cruiser Charlotte (a ship that fought for the U.S. Navy in WWI and was retired after 17 years of service on Nov. 11, 1935). The bell was rung once - when a group of students celebrating a basketball defeat over UNC broke into the tower and rang the bell.
  96. 5/9/1941 Technician presents a special Spring Fashion issue
  97. 11/7/1941 NC State beats UNC in football for the first time in 14 seasons
  98. 1/30/1942 Early graduation approved The faculty approves a plan to allow seniors who are taking jobs in essential industries or joining the military to graduate early.
  99. 2/6/1942 Katharine Stinson hired Katharine Stinson, a 1941 graduate of State College, is hired by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (forerunner of the Federal Aviation Administration) as a junior engineer, making her the first woman to hold this position.
  100. 4/17/1942 Special summer courses The faculty approve a plan to hold fall engineering classes in the summer as part of a nationwide war effort to accelerate graduation at technical schools for the benefit of the war effort.
  101. 4/24/1942 Higher female enrollment sought Increased enrollment by women needed in engineering courses; urgent appeals are made as the male students leave to fight in the war.
  102. 4/24/1942 Blood drive Students hold a blood drive to support the war effort.
  103. 4/24/1942 Famous hypnotist Dr. Polgar visits
  104. 5/8/1942 Campus buildings named All dorms, the cafeteria, and other non-classroom buildings on campus are given official names for the first time.
  105. 10/7/1942 Scrap metal drive Students gather over 150,000 pounds of scrap metal in 3 hours for the war effort; a banner over the collection pile reads "To Hitler & Co. from NC State College."
  106. 2/12/1943 Defense classes Plans are announced for up to 2,000 military trainees to enroll at State College to take specialized defense classes through the United States War Department; the college will operate as two separate units: one for the military and one civilians.
  107. 3/8/1943 Harrelson reports for military service Col. John Harrelson, Dean of Administration, reports for active Army duty; he becomes the 56th faculty member at State College to enter active service and the first head of a major college in the South to be called for permanent active duty.
  108. 4/9/1943 Enrollment decline Enrollment hits the lowest mark in 20 years, due to the number of students leaving to join the military.
  109. 10/1/1943 Engineering fellowships for women Eighteen young women win a fellowship of $1,425 from Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, which will employ them as engineering aides after they complete a 48-week course offered by State College.
  110. 12/29/1943 Student-run book store opens on campus
  111. 2/18/1944 Infirmary moves to Clark Hall The college infirmary moves from Carroll Infirmary to Clark Hall, becoming the largest and most modern such facility among all Southeastern non-medical colleges.
  112. 2/25/1944 Alumni in the Armed Services Over 5,000 NC State alumni reported to be serving in the Armed Services, six of whom have obtained the rank of General.
  113. 7/10/1944 U.S.S. Tyrrell Launched State 4-H Club Leader L. R. Harrill and others watch as the U.S.S. Tyrrell is launched from Wilmington. North Carolina 4-H helped fund and name two warships during World War II.
  114. 2/25/1945 Comic Strip Banquet A Comic Strip Banquet, addressing the creation and impact of comic strips, is held in the private dining room of the cafeteria.
  115. 6/10/1945 Late release of Agromeck The 1945 Agromeck is printed and released late, due to wartime restrictions.
  116. 1/25/1946 New dorm construction NC State borrows $500,000 to begin construction of two new dorms.
  117. 3/1/1946 Diesel Engineering graduate program established After receiving a loan of $2,000,000 worth of diesel engines from the U.S. Navy, the College of Engineering is able to launch a graduate program in Diesel Engineering.
  118. 4/26/1946 Everett Case hired Everett Case is hired as head Men's Basketball coach; with duties beginning on July 1st, 1946. Case coached at NC State until 1965, and remains the winningest basketball coach in the school's history.
  119. 5/25/1946 Record-setting baseball crowd State College wins its first Big Four baseball title since 1928 with a 4-3 victory over Duke; the game is witnessed by 4,000 fans, which is the largest crowd to ever view a baseball game in Raleigh.
  120. 9/28/1946 Football victory over Duke NC State beats Duke in football for the first time since 1932, with a final score of 13-6; the wife of right end and co-captain Al Phillips gives birth to a baby boy only hours after the contest.
  121. 9/28/1946 Marching band returns A football game against Duke marks the first post-war appearance of the marching band.
  122. 10/4/1946 WNCS broadcast schedule increases Campus radio station WNCS begins broadcasting campus-wide Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:30 PM and 11:30 PM.
  123. 10/18/1946 Trip to Wake Forest football game State College secures a "victory train" to take 6,000 students to go to the football game against Wake Forest (in Winston-Salem); train tickets are $0.65 and tickets to the game are $1.00.
  124. 11/1/1946 Early female band member Lois Madden (on drums) becomes one of the first women to ever join the NC State marching band.
  125. 12/6/1946 First bowl game bid NC State receives its first-ever bid to a football bowl game (the Gator Bowl), where the team will take on the University of Oklahoma.
  126. 1/1/1947 First football bowl game appearance The NC State football team make their first bowl game appearance, taking on the University of Oklahoma in the Gator Bowl. NC State unfortunately loses the game, 43-13.
  127. 2/25/1947 Forced basketball forfeiture NC State is forced by the Raleigh fire chief to forfeit a basketball game against UNC because Thompson Gymnasium is too crowded and students refuse to leave the building.
  128. 8/7/1947 Vetville Vetville was another enterprise to house married veterans attending NC State after World War II. Later, Korean War veterans lived there. At the end of the 1950s Bragaw dormitory was built on the site.
  129. 10/13/1947 New intramurals announced Four new intramural sports to begin NC State: football, volleyball, boxing, and tennis.
  130. 10/17/1947 Beauty Section added to Agromeck The Agromeck announces it is adding a Beauty Section to "offer the average Joe College a chance to show his beauty-getting ability." Men are asked to send in snapshots of their girlfriends to be judged, and the top 10 will appear in the yearbook.
  131. 11/14/1947 Pep rally plans A pyrotechnic display consisting of sparklers spelling out "Beat Wake Forest" is planned for the day's pep rally.
  132. 1/17/1948 Thompson Gymnasium condemned The Raleigh city building inspector condemns Thompson Gymnasium just hours before a Men’s Basketball game against Duke. Only a few reporters and college officials are allowed to attend the next home game, against High Point College. From then until the completion of Reynolds Coliseum in 1949, home games are played in Raleigh’s Memorial Auditorium.
  133. 4/10/1948 First Swimming national championship Bill Despres captures first place in the National Junior 300 yd. Individual Medley Championship of America, becoming the first swimmer from NC State to capture a national championship. Depres' winning time was 3:41:08, just 4.7 seconds slower than the national record.
  134. 5/23/1948 School of Design established The School of Design is established, with the Division of Architecture and Landscape Design incorporated into the curriculum. Henry Kamphoefner from the University of Oklahoma becomes the first dean of the school.
  135. 10/19/1948 President Truman visits President Truman reviews techniques of State College ROTC cadets during a parade.
  136. 2/23/1949 Outing Club established
  137. 4/15/1949 First annual Greek Week A banquet ends the First Annual Greek Week, sponsored by the Inter-Fraternity Council.
  138. 5/13/1949 Coke bottle problem The Coca-Cola Company threatens to remove their machines from campus if students don't start returning empty bottles to the racks instead of discarding them around campus.
  139. 7/1/1949 Reynolds Coliseum construction Reynolds Coliseum under construction.
  140. 11/11/1949 Dedication of the Memorial Bell Tower The Memorial Bell Tower is dedicated, with former Governor R. Gregg Cherry present at the ceremony.
  141. 12/2/1949 Reynolds Coliseum opens Reynolds Coliseum opens, with the NC State Men's Basketball team beating Washington and Lee, 67-47. Not all of the seats had been installed yet, so some fans had to sit on the cement tiers.
  142. 10/10/1950 UNC System presidential inauguration In a ceremony at NC State, Gordon Gray is inaugurated as the second president of the UNC System; the new president vows to not tolerate Communism among faculty members.
  143. 10/21/1950 First televised football game A State College football game is televised for the first time; the team takes on the University of Maryland in the contest.
  144. 2/23/1951 Debate Team championship State College Debate Team members all win votes for national individual ranking during a competition at Columbia University.
  145. 3/21/1951 Department of Landscape Architecture accredited The Department of Landscape Architecture receives accreditation from the American Society of Landscape Architects, becoming the second to do so in the South, and one of only ten accredited schools in the U.S.
  146. 4/27/1951 Dedication of Riddick Laboratory Over 200 citizens gather for a ceremony at the newly-opened Riddick Laboratory. The lab building, constructed for $1,300,000, is dedicated to Dr. Wallace Carl Riddick, NC State's first Dean of Engineering, and the university's fourth president.
  147. 11/14/1952 Dean resigns Dr. James H. Hilton resigns his position as the Dean of the School of Agriculture.
  148. 12/5/1952 Cross Country championship State College celebrates a second consecutive Cross Country Southern Conference championship (the first in 1951), as well as a Dual Meet championship. Runner Buz Sawyer takes first place in the meet, after finishing ninth overall in the nation during a meet the previous week.
  149. 12/8/1952 Scott Hall opens State College celebrates the opening of Scott Hall, the new poultry science building, named for Robert Walter Scott. Construction of Scott Hall cost the college $380,110.97.
  150. 2/27/1953 Semester system implemented The Board of Trustees agrees to transition the academic calendar from a quarter system to a semester system, by a vote of 46-28. NC State will switch over in the fall semester of 1953.
  151. 4/1/1953 World Series of Basketball A game in the 4th annual World Series of Basketball, featuring the 1953 All-Americans versus the Harlem Globetrotters, is played in Reynolds Coliseum.
  152. 5/22/1953 Raleigh-Durham TV Fair The first Raleigh-Durham TV Fair concludes at Reynolds Coliseum. Stars appearing at the fair included Homer and Jethro of the Breakfast Club and Mrs. Hank Williams.
  153. 5/29/1953 Student success in the School of Design A popular myth that there is a "high academic mortality rate" for School of Design students is debunked. Of the 629 students enrolled in the School of Design, only 12 received flunking grades, a 2% mortality rate - much less than the rumored rate of 10%.
  154. 9/1/1953 Carey Bostian becomes Chancellor Dr. Carey Hoyt Bostian becomes the seventh Chancellor of NC State. Bostian was serving as a member of the NC State faculty (since his appointment in 1930), and would step down from his position as Chancellor to return to teaching in 1959.
  155. 9/5/1953 Nuclear reactor goes into operation The R-1 reactor was the first non-government-run nuclear reactor in the world and the first designed, built, and operated by an academic institution. Design and construction had begun in 1950. It was the first of four reactors operated at NC State.
  156. 10/1/1953 Harrelson becomes head of University Archives Former Chancellor John Harrelson begins an appointment as the head of the University Archives collection at D.H. Hill Library.
  157. 10/20/1953 Russian course The Extension Division of NC State College begins offering a night class in Elementary Russian.
  158. 12/18/1953 Kilgore Hall dedication The new building housing the School of Forestry and the Department of Horticulture is formally dedicated as Kilgore Hall, named in honor of the late Dr. Benjamin Wesley Kilgore, former Dean of Agriculture, Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, and the first head of North Carolina's Agricultural Extension Service.
  159. 10/15/1954 Hurricane damage Hurricane Hazel destroys the cupola on Becton Hall and the roof of the press box at Riddick Stadium.
  160. 3/12/1955 Death of John Harrelson Former Chancellor John Harrelson dies; a graduate of NC State, Harrelson served in various positions at the college for 46 years, including 19 years as Chancellor.
  161. 3/12/1955 New D.H. Hill Library dedicated The new D. H. Hill Library (the east wing of the current building) is formally dedicated.
  162. 5/23/1955 Burlington Nuclear Laboratories dedicated The Burlington Nuclear Laboratories building is dedicated; located within the building is the first non-government-run nuclear reactor.
  163. 5/24/1956 Agronomy Club Banquet Dr. Arthur Kelman, professor of Plant Pathology, receives an award for being voted the most outstanding professor in the School of Agriculture at the first annual Agronomy Club Banquet.
  164. 9/7/1956 First marriage in Danforth Chapel Jim Stewart, former president of the YMCA, becomes the first person to get married in State College's Danforth Chapel.
  165. 2/13/1957 Louis Armstrong visits Jazz pioneer Louis Armstrong performs at Reynolds Coliseum.
  166. 9/23/1957 Jim Hunt becomes Student Body President The 1957 president-elect for Student Government fails to meet academic requirements to return to campus and take office, thus vice-president elect, Jim Hunt, becomes Student Body President for the year. Hunt would serve as president again the following year, and go on to become governor of North Carolina.
  167. 10/7/1957 Matthews Medal established A newly-established scholarship and student award will honor the first student enrolled at State, W.J. Matthews, and be henceforth known as the Matthews Medal.
  168. 11/25/1957 First ACC football title The State College football team defeats the University of South Carolina to win their first Atlantic Coast Conference title.
  169. 2/20/1958 Bragaw Hall construction Construction of Bragaw Hall begins to draw attention. The "new modernistic dormitory" is a "familiar landmark on the campus." It was named for Henry C. Bragaw, an alumnus who was killed in World War II and awarded the Silver and Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts.
  170. 3/4/1958 Ogden Nash visits Ogden Nash lectures in the ballroom of the College Union Building as part of the Fine Arts Festival.
  171. 3/20/1958 Campus traffic congestion According to data collected by the College Traffic Committee, there are approximately 5600 cars on campus and only 4070 parking spaces. The committee conducted a study of the parking problem and suggested that new parking areas be constructed and special zones be created for personnel.
  172. 4/1/1958 Technician pranks The April Fool's Day edition of the Technician proclaims that the College Union building has been destroyed by fire. The front page also includes headlines about dropping the ROTC program and introducing Home Economics courses into the curriculum.
  173. 4/22/1958 Jim Hunt's re-election In an unprecedented landslide, Jim Hunt is elected to a second term as Student Body President. Hunt would go on to be a four-term governor of North Carolina.
  174. 2/26/1959 Bragaw Hall dedication Bragaw Hall is dedicated to the late Henry Churchill Bragaw, a well-known NC State alumnus who died during WWII. Bragaw was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Silver Star for his heroic actions during the war.
  175. 3/5/1959 Hillsborough Street fire Fire damages a half-block of buildings across from the NC State campus along Hillsborough and Horne Streets.
  176. 3/9/1959 Basketball title The NC State Men's Basketball team tops UNC to win the ACC championship, 80-56. The victory marks Coach Everett Case's eleventh championship win in his thirteen years of coaching.
  177. 3/14/1960 First sorority Gamma Phi chapter members of the Sigma Kappa Sorority hold their first pledge dance at the Carolina Hotel. Formed in 1959, this was the first active chapter of a national sorority at NC State.
  178. 7/1/1960 School of Physical Science and Applied Mathematics established
  179. 9/17/1960 John F. Kennedy visits Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy appears in Reynolds Coliseum before a crowd estimated at 8,000 persons. Kennedy sharply criticizes Vice President Nixon in his dealings with Khrushchev.
  180. 10/21/1960 Kingston Trio performs The Kingston Trio performs at Reynolds Coliseum.
  181. 10/26/1960 John Dos Passos visits Novelist John Dos Passos, author of Manhattan Transfer and the U.S.A. trilogy, gives a lecture at the College Union.
  182. 11/16/1960 Lawrence Ferlinghetti visits Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a noted poet associated with the Beat Generation, gives a lecture at the College Union.
  183. 12/1/1960 Roman Gabriel honored Football team quarterback Roman Gabriel is selected as a second-team All-American.
  184. 5/6/1961 Dr. Edgar Eugene Randolph honored The Chemical Engineering department's reading room is dedicated in Riddick Labs in honor of Dr. Edgar Eugene Randolph, who was instrumental in developing the Chemical Engineering curriculum at NC State.
  185. 11/4/1961 Harrelson Hall (named for former chancellor John William Harrelson) opens Harrelson Hall, NC State's newest classroom building, opens to the public for the first time as part of the School of Agriculture's Open House. The building seats 3,429 people.
  186. 3/7/1962 Adlai Stevenson visits Adlai Stevenson, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, delivers the first annual Harrelson Lecture at Reynolds Coliseum.
  187. 4/7/1962 Mercury space capsule displayed A Mercury space capsule, on loan from NASA, is one of the exhibits displayed at the annual Engineers' Fair.
  188. 4/16/1962 Popularity of Bragaw Hall 171 students wait in line in front of the Student Housing Office to get rooms in Bragaw Hall for the following year.
  189. 5/16/1962 Syme Dormitory pronunciation survey Students discover that the correct pronunciation of "Syme" Dormitory, is "sim," and that is named after George Frederick Syme, a civil engineer who served as the first president of the Raleigh Engineers Club. Over half of the students surveyed thought the pronunciation was "sime."
  190. 10/17/1962 First analog computer installed The School of Engineering installs the first half of an analog computer system on campus - a PACE computer, manufactured by Electronics Associates.
  191. 12/10/1962 Unpopularity of potential name change Governor Sanford gets booed after an NC State-Wake Forest basketball game in Reynolds Coliseum by students protesting the possible name change of the University from North Carolina State College to the University of North Carolina at Raleigh.
  192. 2/14/1963 Challenge issued to UNC students Two NC State students challenge UNC students to a 55-mile walk-a-thon. If accepted, the students plan to leave at 2 pm on March 2nd, and hike throughout the night to the agreed location, where the winning team will be determined by the most walkers present throughout the race and completing it in under 20 hours. State students believe they will win.
  193. 3/30/1963 Lady Bird Johnson visits Lady Bird Johnson, wife of Vice President Lyndon Johnson, visits the School of Agriculture.
  194. 4/17/1963 Escaped pig captured A pig which escaped from the Animal Disease Lab is captured in the ladies' restroom in Winston Hall.
  195. 4/30/1963 Protest over racial segregation A group of NC State students join with students from Shaw University to protest racial segregation policies in effect at the State Theater on Salisbury Street.
  196. 6/25/1963 Speaker Ban Bill passes The Speaker Ban Bill passes through the NC House, prohibiting anyone with "known Communist ties" from speaking on any state-supported campus, including NC State.
  197. 9/16/1963 Discontinuation of cigarette ads A Technician article cites the recent discontinuation of cigarette ads placed in university publications, a result of efforts to reduce exposure of young persons to cigarettes.
  198. 9/18/1963 Protective eyewear required in Chemistry labs All Chemistry lab students must now wear protective eyewear, as voted on by the Chemistry Department, regardless of whether that student otherwise wears glasses.
  199. 9/25/1963 Warning to students in Physics courses The new head of the Physics Department, Dr. Dudley Williams, is glad to have joined NC State. He warns his students that sleeping in class merits a piece of chalk thrown directly at them.
  200. 9/26/1963 National Association of State Departments meeting The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture hold a meeting at the Faculty Recreation Center. Members came from all over the U.S. and discussion ranged from hula girls to cheese.
  201. 10/9/1963 New computer arrives on campus A computer created by professors from NC State and built at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at a cost of $50,000 has arrived on campus. The computer, named Lincy, greeted professors with the message, "I want to be here," and will be used in experiments to measure the distance between heart beats, blood pressure, and brain waves.
  202. 10/10/1963 Stan Getz performs Jazz saxophonist Stan Getz performs at Reynolds Coliseum.
  203. 10/12/1963 Football game broadcast in Reynolds Coliseum For the first time ever, an NC State football game is shown in Reynolds Coliseum via closed-circuit television.
  204. 10/16/1963 Campus Pride Week Campus Pride Week is created in an effort to urge students to walk on the sidewalks through campus and not on the grass. Some students, however, are caught ignoring these efforts put forth by the Student Government.
  205. 11/6/1963 Burlington Labs maintenance Sixty gallons of anti-freeze are put in the cooling tower for the reactor in Burlington Laboratory, added to keep the 250 gallons of water in the tower from freezing during the winter.
  206. 3/3/1964 Status of Women Students report The university produces, for the first time, a "Report on the Status of Women Students."
  207. 5/1/1964 Inaugural Windhover released The inaugural issue of The Windhover, NC State's annual literary and art magazine, is released.
  208. 6/8/1964 Dorm '62 opens "Dorm '62" is dedicated and opened to residents for the first time. The building would be renamed Lee Dormitory the following year.
  209. 9/16/1964 First female dorm opens Watauga Hall opens as NC State's first female dorm, marking the first time women are able to live on campus at NC State. All undergraduate single women are required to live there.
  210. 10/6/1964 "Lady Bird Special" Whistle-stop Tour President Lyndon Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson are accompanied by UNC System President William Friday at a Democratic presidential campaign rally held in Reynolds Coliseum. More than 14,000 attend the rally, with hundreds more outside. The rally was part of Mrs. Johnson’s whistle-stop tour through the South on the "Lady Bird Special."
  211. 10/6/1964 President Lyndon Johnson campaign speech President Lyndon Johnson made a campaign speech before an audience of 13,000 people in Reynolds Coliseum. The president warned that a victory for opponent Barry Goldwater would mean cuts in farm programs.
  212. 10/11/1964 London Symphony performs The London Symphony performs on campus as a part of the Friends of the College concert series. The orchestra received a standing ovation after their performance, playing music from Stravinsky, Vaughn, Mozart, and Brahms.
  213. 11/2/1964 Women in science and engineering Two female engineering students from NC State attend a conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that discusses the opportunities and difficulties facing women in the fields of science and engineering.
  214. 11/10/1964 Compulsory ROTC service abolished The Faculty Senate votes to abolish compulsory ROTC. Prior to this date, all male students were required to take military training.
  215. 12/7/1964 Everett Case resigns Due to declining health, Men's Basketball coach Everett Case resigns. Case compiled a 379-134 record at NC State.
  216. 12/14/1964 Groundbreaking ceremony for Carter Stadium A groundbreaking ceremony takes place for the construction of Carter Stadium (later Carter-Finley). It was named for Nick and Harry Carter.
  217. 2/22/1965 Pullen Hall destroyed by fire The original Pullen Hall is destroyed by a fire, which a former student later admitted to setting. Pullen Hall was built in 1902, and was the center of campus activities in the early twentieth century. It was located on the site of the present-day Peele Hall parking lot. A few years later, another building on campus was built and named Pullen Hall.
  218. 11/10/1965 Rolling Stones perform The Rolling Stones perform at Reynolds Coliseum. The Stones are joined by Patti LaBelle for the show.
  219. 11/13/1965 Final game at Riddick Stadium The final football game is played in Riddick Stadium. Members of the football team mob Harold Deters after he kicks the winning field goal against Florida State, resulting in a final score of 3-0.
  220. 3/2/1966 Martin Niemoller visits Martin Niemoller, a German Lutheran pastor who was imprisoned in a concentration camp for his anti-Nazi views, gives a speech at Erdahl-Cloyd Student Union. Niemoller is perhaps best knows as the author of the poem "First they came..."
  221. 4/1/1966 Bob Hope performs Comedian Bob Hope performs at Reynolds Coliseum.
  222. 5/5/1966 Everett Case's funeral A funeral is held for long-time Men's Basketball coach Everett Case; his last recruiting class of players serve as pallbearers.
  223. 5/10/1966 Norm Sloan hired Norman Sloan is hired as the new head basketball coach at NC State. Sloan, who was a player on Everett Case's first basketball team at State (1946-1947), leaves the head coach position at the University of Florida to accept a 3-year contract at State that pays $12,000 annually.
  224. 10/8/1966 First game in Carter Stadium Carter Stadium opens as the football team takes on South Carolina; the stadium is dedicated during a halftime ceremony.
  225. 10/8/1966 Live wolf mascot Student government sold 25-cent shares to purchase a timber wolf, which was shown during the first game played at what became Carter-Finley Stadium. The animal howled, making it popular, but it was later discovered to be a coyote.
  226. 7/1/1967 Outstanding Cadet NC State student Wayne Mayfield is chosen as the most outstanding cadet of the AFROTC Field Training Unit at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
  227. 9/13/1967 Premier of 'The Flim Flam Man' Raleigh's Cardinal Theater is the site of the Southern premier of 'The Flim Flam Man,' a new film based on a novel by NC State English professor Guy Owen. The film stars George C. Scott. Both the Technician and Dr. Owen express some degree of disappointment at how the film turned out.
  228. 10/30/1967 Perfect season The 1967 Freshman Football team finishes the season with a perfect 5-0 record.
  229. 10/31/1967 Halloween activities 70 NC State students take 70 children from the Governor Morehead School and Garner Road School (both schools for the blind) trick-or-treating, and then to the YMCA for hot chocolate afterward. For many of these children, this is their first-ever chance to participate in Halloween traditions.
  230. 11/15/1967 Brigade of Guards perform Two units of Queen Elizabeth II's Brigade of Guards (the Band of the Welsh Guards and the pipes, drums, and dancers of the Scots Guards) join forces for a "pageant" of music, marching, and dancing at Reynolds Coliseum.
  231. 12/4/1967 Free Expression Tunnel conduct established Rules are established by the Campus Welfare Committee concerning the painting of the Free Expression Tunnel. Any use of obscenity or vulgarity "will be considered a Campus Code offense" and untasteful remarks will be removed.
  232. 12/8/1967 Longer library hours D.H. Hill Library extends the closing hour from 11PM to 1AM.
  233. 1/1/1968 Liberty Bowl victory NC State defeats the University of Georgia in the Liberty Bowl, 14-7.
  234. 4/14/1968 Academic College Bowl appearance Students from NC State compete in the General Electric Academic College Bowl.
  235. 4/19/1968 Riddick Stadium demolished A majority of Riddick Stadium is demolished to make room for more parking on campus. SAS Hall now stands on the site Riddick Stadium once occupied.
  236. 11/9/1968 Folksinger Bob Godfrey performs
  237. 12/21/1968 Apollo VIII participation The Apollo VIII spacecraft launches, becoming the first human spaceflight mission to escape Earth's gravitational field; many NC State alumni and faculty play a role in both the development and launch of the spacecraft.
  238. 2/28/1969 Student rally A group of students hold a rally to support better wages and working conditions for non-academic workers on campus. The protest is organized by the Society of Afro-American Culture and an offshoot of Students for a Democratic Society calling themselves "The Group."
  239. 4/23/1969 Willis Casey becomes Athletic Director Willis Casey is promoted from Assistant Athletic Director to Athletic Director.
  240. 10/14/1969 Vietnam Symposium NC State responds to a call for campus protests nationwide, as a "moratorium" against the Vietnam War. A faculty-student committee organizes a Vietnam Symposium, with Chancellor John Caldwell as keynote speaker and several faculty members talking on the impact of the war.
  241. 11/7/1969 5th Dimension performance The 5th Dimension perform at Reynolds Coliseum.
  242. 11/10/1969 Homecoming Queen candidates David Mark Brown becomes one of 22 semi-finalists competing for the position of Homecoming Queen. Sponsored by Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Brown ran to promote higher campus interest in Homecoming.
  243. 11/12/1969 Referendum policy Student Government passes a bill stating that students may place referendums on Student Senate election ballots by collecting signatures of at least 5% of the student body in favor of the referendum.
  244. 4/11/1970 Tommy Burleson comes to State 7'3" high school All-American basketball player Tommy Burleson announces his decision to accept a scholarship offer to play for NC State. Burleson would go on to be a key member of NC State's 1974 National Championship team.
  245. 5/5/1970 First female Student Body President Cathy Sterling is elected Student Body President, becoming the first woman to hold a major campus student elective post. During her presidency, Sterling led the student body in a retreat to protest the invasion of Cambodia. Her report, "Due to Circumstances Beyond Our Control," resulted in a greater student role in the spending of student fees. Sterling says of her decision to run for student body president, "A few weeks before the election, a few friends asked me to run for president, and I just did it. I don't know why I did it, but I just did." -- Raleigh Times, Friday, February 1, 1985, p. 1B.
  246. 5/7/1970 Vietnam and Kent State protest NC State students hold a convocation on the Brickyard in the aftermath of U.S. expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia, and the death of four Kent State University students in Ohio. The following day, nearly 6,000 students from NC State and other colleges protest by marching on the State Capitol.
  247. 1/17/1971 Color Wall activated The light mural (later known as the Color Wall) in D. H. Hill Library is activated for the first time, but not yet fully completed.
  248. 2/2/1971 Library addition passes inspection The 11-story addition to the D.H. Hill Library (North Tower) passes inspection and is declared ready for opening.
  249. 2/12/1971 Book drive A group of students donate over 3000 books to Raleigh Central Prison, completing a drive to collect books to provide prisoners with study materials for high school equivalency tests.
  250. 2/22/1971 New dining options Harris Cafeteria offers new $.99 dinners and $.89 breakfasts, each of which includes 1 entree, 2 vegetables, 2 rolls, 2 pieces of oleo, and a beverage.
  251. 2/24/1971 Possible cap on enrollment Consolidated University of North Carolina President William C. Friday announces that the NC State may need to put a ceiling on enrollment, unless more funding can be appropriated.
  252. 2/24/1971 New Liberal Arts dean Dr. Robert O. Tilman is appointed as the new dean of the School of Liberal Arts.
  253. 3/1/1971 ACC Swimming championship NC State wins the Atlantic Coast Conference Swimming championship with the largest number of points ever scored, breaking seven swimming records in the process.
  254. 3/5/1971 Library addition opens The 11-story tower addition to the D.H. Hill Library (North Tower) opens.
  255. 3/17/1971 Accolades for the Technician The Technician receives its third consecutive "All-American" rating from the Associated Collegiate Press.
  256. 3/26/1971 Late-winter snowstorm A snowstorm hits NC State, burying the campus in snow drifts.
  257. 3/27/1971 Mile run record Jim Wilkins of NC State sets a new time record of 4:01 in the individual mile run in Gainesville, Florida.
  258. 4/7/1971 Technician joke explained Technician editors finally explain what nematodes are, ending a 2-month series of nematode jokes which had run in the paper.
  259. 4/14/1971 Cooking spaces approved for dorms The Inter-Residence Council approves the construction of cooking spaces in all dorms, hoping to alleviate problems with students cooking illegally in their dorm rooms.
  260. 9/3/1971 Student Government party Free beer is offered during the first annual Student Government Coffee House Party, with no reported incidents.
  261. 10/7/1971 Ralph Nader visits Ralph Nader addresses over 800 people about the formation of a North Carolina Research Group (NC-PIRG) in the Union Ballroom.
  262. 11/29/1971 Lou Holtz hired Lou Holtz is hired as the new head football coach, replacing Al Michaels.
  263. 1/21/1972 Student Affairs watchdog Dean of Student Affairs Banks Talley has been issued parking sticker A0007. When asked if he had any connection to James Bond, who is Agent 007, Talley replied that he is not a spy - though many students believe his office has spies everywhere.
  264. 3/24/1972 Vienna Symphony performance The Vienna Symphony perform in Reynolds Coliseum.
  265. 4/4/1972 Pan-Afrikan Festival The second annual Pan-Afrikan Festival begins.
  266. 4/10/1972 Technician wins award The Technician is named the best newspaper in the Southeast during the 8th annual Southeastern College Newspaper Competition.
  267. 4/14/1972 New mile run record NC State student Jim Wilkins sets another record in the individual mile run in a meet against Wake Forest, breaking his own previous record from the year before.
  268. 4/15/1972 Forestry Team championship The NC State Forestry Team take home the championship at the annual Conclave, an event based around forestry skills such as logging, timer estimation, sawing, log rolling, etc.
  269. 4/16/1972 Student protest NC State students join an anti-war protest on the steps of the State Capitol in response to the U.S. bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong in North Vietnam.
  270. 4/17/1972 WKNC temporarily off the air The college radio station WKNC announces it will go off the air for the remainder of the school year, due to an air conditioner failure in the studio.
  271. 4/21/1972 Vietnam War protest Over 1000 students march down Hillsborough Street from campus to the State Capitol to protest the Vietnam War, staging a rally on the capitol steps.
  272. 8/23/1972 Fire in Bowen Hall A fire originating form a fan causes $2500 in damage to Suite 602 in Bowen Residence Hall, making the room unusable for the rest of the semester.
  273. 8/30/1972 David Frye visits Comedian David Frye puts on a show at the Student Center Theatre.
  274. 9/1/1972 Student housing shortage A massive student housing shortage leaves 260 students without housing as classes begin.
  275. 9/16/1972 Record enrollment NC State enrollment for the fall term hits a new record of 13,800.
  276. 10/3/1972 Dedication of D.H. Hill Library North Tower The original eleven-story bookstack tower (now the North Tower) of the D. H. Hill Library is dedicated. With the addition, the bookstacks are opened to all users (previously, the library had had closed bookstacks).
  277. 10/6/1972 Cleveland Orchestra performance The Cleveland Orchestra opens up the Friends of the College program at the Reynolds Colliseum with a performance in front of 21,000 people.
  278. 10/14/1972 New football record NC State quarterback Bruce Shaw passes for 294 yards against Wake Forest, breaking the team's previous record for single-game passing yardage.
  279. 10/17/1972 Fundraiser An auction is held on campus selling off men to the service of women for one day, and raising $175 for the Morehead School of the Blind.
  280. 12/29/1972 Peach Bowl victory The NC State Football team beats West Virginia in the Peach Bowl, 49-13.
  281. 2/5/1973 Walnut Room cafeteria opens The University Student Center's Walnut Room cafeteria opens for the first time on this day at 11:30am.
  282. 3/10/1973 Undefeated season NC State defeats Maryland, 76-74, in the finals of the Atlantic Coast Conference basketball tournament to win the conference championship. 7'4" junior center Tommy Burleson is named the ACC Tournament MVP. The wins caps an undefeated season for the Wolfpack at 27-0.
  283. 8/29/1973 First female teaching award recipient Dr. Mary Wheeler becomes the first female recipient of the NC State Outstanding Teacher Award.
  284. 9/27/1973 Equal Opportunity Employment NC State becomes an equal opportunity employer and enacts the Affirmative Action Plan.
  285. 10/12/1973 Film showing The controversial film "Birth of a Nation" is shown in Stewart Theatre.
  286. 10/17/1973 North Carolina Award for Science Dr. Ellis Brevier Cowling is awarded the North Carolina Award for Science.
  287. 10/20/1973 Lili Kraus performance Hungarian pianist Lili Kraus performs on campus.
  288. 10/27/1973 International Fair An International Fair is held in the Student Center, exposing students to cultures and customs from around the world.
  289. 11/2/1973 Joint statement Student body presidents from NC State, Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC-Greensboro publish a joint statement urging the impeachment of President Nixon, complete with 12 reasons why the proceedings should begin.
  290. 12/3/1973 Alcohol ban Alcohol is banned from Reynolds Coliseum.
  291. 1/22/1974 Campus power failure NC State's campus is plunged into a complete power failure for an hour and forty minutes, starting at 11:10pm. The failure was caused by faulty equipment.
  292. 1/28/1974 Pool equipment malfunction Swimmers warming up for the State vs. South Carolina swim meet jumped screaming from the pool as electric timers in the pool malfunctioned, shocking the swimmers.
  293. 2/6/1974 Campus rally An anti-death penalty rally is held on campus, lasting two days.
  294. 2/18/1974 Uri Geller visits Famed Israeli psychic Uri Geller puts on a show at the Stewart Theatre, bending keys with his mind.
  295. 3/21/1974 Policy decision University administration reverse their stance on streaking, banning the "sport" on campus due to the very high number of streakers running around campus causing havoc.
  296. 3/23/1974 Victory over UCLA En route to topping Marquette for NC State's first NCAA Men's Basketball championship, State beats UCLA 80-77, sparking a huge riot on Hillsborough Street.
  297. 3/25/1974 NCAA Men's Basketball championship NC State defeats Marquette, 76-64, in the finals of the NCAA Basketball Tournament in Greensboro, NC, to win the 1974 National Championship. Junior forward David Thompson is named the Tournament MVP. The Wolfpack also receive key contributions from Tom Burleson, Monte Towe, Tim Stoddard, and Mo Rivers during the championship run.
  298. 11/20/1974 George Faison Universal Dance Experience visits Stewart Theatre hosts the George Faison Universal Dance Experience.
  299. 2/5/1975 Bomb threat A bomb threat targets Carmichael Gym, but no bomb is found.
  300. 6/30/1975 Chancellor Caldwell retires Dr. John T. Caldwell retires after 15 years as NC State's chancellor. Caldwell oversaw a period of unprecedented growth for the university: of the nearly 47,000 degrees awarded in the first 85 years of the university, two-thirds were earned during Caldwell's tenure.
  301. 1/1/1976 Joab Thomas becomes Chancellor Joab L. Thomas becomes the ninth chancellor of NC State, serving through 1981. During his administration, enrollment at the university surpassed 20,000 students for the first time, and the College of Veterinary Medicine was established.
  302. 1/24/1976 Women's Basketball game televised The Wolfpack won the first women's basketball game televised in North Carolina. The team beat UNC-Chapel Hill 68-58.
  303. 1/26/1977 Leonard Nimoy visits Leonard Nimoy, famous for his role as Mr. Spock on the television show "Star Trek," speaks at Stewart Theatre.
  304. 1/23/1978 Fountain prank Laundry detergent is dumped into the Student Center fountain, causing a mass of bubbles and a great deal of work for the maintenance crew.
  305. 1/30/1978 Mike Cross performs Mike Cross performs to a sold-out crowd at the Stewart Theatre, and gives a 20 minute encore.
  306. 2/11/1978 First ACC Women's Basketball tournament The NC State Women's Basketball team participates in the first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Basketball tournament as the top seed. NC State lost in the championship game to Maryland.
  307. 4/22/1978 Zoo Day Student Government's "The Day" and the Inter-Residence Council's "Zoo Day" are combined (retaining the latter name), as a day for students to relax and take a break from the pressures of the end of the academic year. Zoo Day was held along Cates Avenue, offering a day of free beer, field games, and concerts.
  308. 1/12/1979 Security Chief retires Worth T. Blackwood retires after twenty years as Security Chief at NC State. During Blackwood's tenure, the security force grew from seven to twenty-two officers.
  309. 8/20/1980 Wolfline buses go into service A ceremony marks the beginning of the new Wolfline bus service on campus. The service initially has only one route, intended to serve students who live off-campus.
  310. 9/5/1980 Pep rally arrival by helicopter First-year head football coach Monte Kiffin arrives at the first pep rally of the season in a helicopter.
  311. 9/17/1980 Meal Mobile A van called the "Meal Mobile" begins dispensing food around campus. The mobile snackbar is run by Food Services.
  312. 9/20/1980 Elton John performance Singer Elton John performs at Reynolds Coliseum.
  313. 11/29/1980 Jim Valvano's debut NC State beats UNC-Wilmington, 83-59, in Jim Valvano's debut as head Men's Basketball coach.
  314. 12/14/1980 Tribute to John Lennon WKNC broadcasts silence for ten minutes as a tribute to John Lennon, who was murdered the previous week.
  315. 2/28/1981 Wolf mascots get married Mr. Wuf and Ms. Wuf were married in a mock wedding ceremony by the Wake Forest Demon Deacon mascot during halftime of a Men's Basketball game at Reynolds Coliseum. The two were joined in "canis matrimonium," and Chancellor Joab Thomas gave the bride away.
  316. 3/23/1981 Mel Blanc visits Mel Blanc, legendary voice of cartoon characters such as Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig, gives a lecture at Stewart Theatre.
  317. 8/27/1981 First Veterinary Medicine classes NC State's new School of Veterinary Medicine holds classes for the first time; initial enrollment is 40 students, selected from 126 applicants.
  318. 2/4/1982 Iranian student protest Iranian students protest the execution of 50 people by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The students ask to remain anonymous for fear of losing their rights in Iran.
  319. 5/4/1983 NCSU Libraries join the ARL The NCSU Libraries become a member of the prestigious Association of Research Libraries (ARL).
  320. 6/8/1983 Uncomfortable classrooms The air conditioning system in Harrelson Hall breaks down, sending temperatures in some classrooms into the 90s.
  321. 6/28/1983 NBA draft selections All three seniors from NC State's 1983 national championship Men's Basketball team are selected in the NBA draft. Thurl Bailey is chosen 7th overall by the Utah Jazz, Sidney Lowe is chosen by the Chicago Bulls with the first pick of the second round, and Dereck Whittenburg is picked in the third round by the Phoenix Suns.
  322. 12/19/1984 Centennial Campus established North Carolina Governor (and NC State alumnus) James B. Hunt, Jr., allots the initial 355-acre parcel of land for the university’s Centennial Campus.
  323. 5/29/1985 Windsurfing class offered The Union Activities Board begins offering a class on windsurfing.
  324. 6/25/1985 Missed interview Technician entertainment writer Lee Johnson is unable to interview rock band Hüsker Dü following their show at The Brewery because his tape recorder was damaged during the show.
  325. 8/7/1985 Worth Seagondollar interview In an interview with the Technician, NC State physicist Worth Seagondollar recalls his work on the Manhattan Project; he was part of a team that calculated the first critical mass of plutonium. The interview is part of a special Technician issue dedicated to atomic power.
  326. 9/5/1985 President Ronald Reagan visits President Reagan promoted tax reform during a speech in Reynolds Coliseum. Afterwards the president met with students, and Student Body President Jay Everette gained notoriety when he asked reporters to respect the students' time with the president.
  327. 5/2/1986 Strolling Professor statue dedicated The "Strolling Professor," a bronze statue in Gardner Arboretum that depicts chemistry professor William R. Johnson, was dedicated
  328. 9/25/1987 Women's Soccer Win The NCSU women’s soccer team defeated Erskine College 5-0.
  329. 12/5/1989 Libraries' 100th anniversary The NCSU Libraries celebrates its 100th anniversary in a ceremony that includes planting three yoshino cherry trees in front of the East Wing of the building.
  330. 2/2/1990 President George Bush visits President Bush toured two labs used in microelectronics research and joined a roundtable discussion on the international competitiveness in high-tech industries.
  331. 1991 African-American Cultural Center opens Witherspoon Student Center; (formerly the Student Center Annex) following its completion, this building housed the African American Cultural Center, which included meeting space, a library, and a multipurpose room. In 1992, following months of student and faculty protests, NCSU administrators granted the African American Cultural Center an operating budget.
  332. 7/22/1991 Bicycle patrol debuts The Public Safety office unveils a new bicycle patrol. Officers feel that the bicycles have advantages over patrol cars, including "mobility, stealth, and speed."
  333. 7/26/1991 Installation troubles The installation of a new irrigation system in the lawn next to the Student Center Annex (now called Witherspoon Student Center) results in a cut gas line, forcing the evacuation of Harris Hall, Pullen Hall, and the Student Center Annex.
  334. 4/24/1992 Holladay Medal established The Board of Trustees established the Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence to honor NC State faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to the university through achievements in research, teaching, or extension and engagement.
  335. 6/24/1992 NBA draft selection NC State basketball player Tom Gugliotta is selected by the Washington Bullets as the sixth overall pick in the NBA draft.
  336. 9/2/1992 New dining options Students welcome the addition of Taco Bell and Li'l Dino Subs to the University Student Commons.
  337. 8/7/1995 Margaret A. Zahn becomes Dean of College of Humanities and Social Sciences Margaret A. Zahn, nationally known for her studies on violence in the United States, becomes Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
  338. 7/22/1997 Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena groundbreaking A groundbreaking ceremony is held for the new Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena, located next to Carter-Finley Stadium, which will be the home of NC State Men's Basketball and the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes.
  339. 11/19/1999 First game at the RBC Center The NC State Men's Basketball team beats Georgia, 67-63, in their first game at the RBC Center.
  340. 4/22/2000 Passing of Carey Bostian Former NC State Chancellor Carey Hoyt Bostian dies at the age of 93.
  341. 9/21/2000 Victory celebration After an overtime football victory over Georgia Tech at Carter-Finley Stadium, NC State students tear down a goalpost and carry it down Hillsborough Street towards campus, making it as far the Waffle House; the goalpost costs $5,000 to replace.
  342. 6/2/2002 Track and Field national championship NC State Track and Field athlete Kristin Price won the individual NCAA championship in the 10,000-meter event. She was a twelve-time All-American in track and cross country.
  343. 9/27/2002 Kay Yow honored NC State Women's Basketball coach Kay Yow is inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Springfield, MA.
  344. 12/1/2003 Department of Biomedical Engineering established The Department of Biomedical Engineering is established, co-located at UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Medicine and NC State's College of Engineering.
  345. 3/12/2007 Renovation of the East Wing completed A major renovation of the east wing of the D. H. Hill Library is completed, featuring the Learning Commons, the Conservatory, the Special Collections Reading Room, and the Exhibit Gallery. The opening of the newly refurbished space coincides with the fifty-second anniversary of the dedication of the original building in 1955.
  346. 5/6/2008 President Barak Obama visit Presidential candidate Barak Obama appeared before a crowd at Reynolds Coliseum shortly after defeating rivals in the Democratic presidential primaries.
  347. 1/26/2009 President Bill Clinton at Millennium Seminar Series Former President Bill Clinton addressed 6,000 people, stating that the world would best find its way to peace and prosperity through “communitarianism.”
  348. 9/11/2011 President Obama at rally President Barak Obama spoke before an audience in Reynolds Coliseum. During the speech he promoted the American Jobs Act.
  349. 9/5/2012 ASSIST Center established The NSF Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies (ASSIST) was established to create self-powered devices to help people monitor their health and understand how the surrounding environment affects it. With both the ASSIST and FREEDM centers, NC State become the only university with two NSF engineering research centers.