No one saw it coming. It’s only a game after all, right? Lots of students, who were more interested in academics and had never bothered with attending the games, hardly noticed the decisive blow that officially ended Varsity football at the University of Detroit. But when it was officially ended on November 30, 1964, the serene setting of this peaceful campus exploded into screaming chaos resulting in two nights of student rioting that some will not soon forget....
These days the library has become more of a center for learning, sharing, and community than a warehouse of books. In its early days, however, students and faculty who used the library were regarded as “customers” who checked out books in a very formal fashion. They looked up the call numbers printed on cards maintained using the Dewey Decimal System, and a technician or librarian would retrieve the books for them through a system of call boxes and “dumb waiters.” It was very formal, very procedure oriented, and very tedious for all concerned....
In June, 1907, a special edition of the Tamarack called The Young Tamarack was issued. According to an editorial published in this edition, there were two reasons for this … both relating to athletics. The first reason was the formation of the Athletics Association, which, the writer tells us, would help finance the Athletics program at the university. An association of this type would also help establish some by-laws for participation in the various sports available at the University of Detroit at that time....
The 1965 Tower Yearbook begins with an aerial view of the campus. Spending a few minutes on the two images offered here, allows visitors an amazing perspective on how much of the campus has changed over the past 50 years. It’s equally amazing, however, to notice in these images the things that haven’t seemed to change during this time....
One of the highlights of any student’s experience at graduation is the celebration that marks the completion of all their hard work. The pomp and circumstance of the event marks a formal recognition of accomplishment, and an end to all the worry, effort, and lost sleep they went through in order to realize this one goal. When the moment arrives to walk across the stage to receive that valued diploma, it’s as if they are walking across the finish line of a marathon they began in Grade School. It’s done, completed, over, and Commencement testifies to that....
There are two great aerial photos of the campus in the beginning pages of the 1965 Tower Yearbook. All the changes that have taken place on campus and the surrounding neighborhood since this time are easy to see from this vantage point....
Did you know that there are currently 112 digitized course catalogs (bulletins) (both undergraduate and graduate) from the University of Detroit, Mercy College, and the University of Detroit Mercy available in our digital archives? These range from 1928 through 2005, and represent offerings from every college, including the Law School and the Dental School. We even have the very first course catalog published for the 1889 to 1890 term. And this archive is growing! Each month, more catalogs are being published to offer visitors a wealth of history in digital format....
The digital Football Collection offers viewers a way to revisit the time when the pride of the university was reflected in the powerful Titan team. To complete the experience, click through some of the audio interviews included with the collection and hear first hand the memories of those who were there on the field, who felt the sting of those days before uniforms were designed with safety and comfort in mind. It’s easy to be proud once again listening to those who still remember their time on the field....
In 1940, the Sisters of Mercy established a presence in Detroit at Southfield and West Outer Drive. About a year later, Mercy College of Detroit began offering classes on this spot that would leave an indelible mark in this city’s history. Over the years until its consolidation with the University of Detroit in 1990, Mercy College expanded from offering nursing and teaching classes to women into a comprehensive coeducational liberal arts college....
Mercy College, once located at 8200 West Outer Drive, opened its doors to the first class of eager students on September 8, 1941. October of that year marked the first issue of Outer Echoes, the school newspaper. Frequent visitors to our digital archives know by now that our Mercy College Student Newspapers collection contains a wealth of history within its issues from October, 1941 through April, 1989. Our Tower Yearbook collection fills in the history of the school after this...
