The University of Chicago Magazine

photo: from our pages 1911 The Danish University Students’ Choral Union visited in March for a Reynolds Club reception and Mandel Hall concert with the Chicago Women’s Glee Club. V. Christopherson, president of the European singing group, expressed his “wonder and admiration of the extraordinary achievements of the American intelligence” and conveyed his good wishes and gratitude to the city of Chicago. “The meeting was one of great enthusiasm,” the July issue reported, “and the singing by the Danish university students especially effective.”

1956 The Magazine caught up with eight superannuated professors—all hit the compulsory retirement age of 65 during the 1955–56 academic year—including former SSA dean Helen R. Wright, PhD’22. “Toni is due tomorrow night,” Wright wrote to the Magazine of her beloved French poodle, en route to join her in New Delhi, India, for a two-year assignment assisting with the country’s social-work schools. Wright had taught at Chicago for 28 years.

1981 Organizers were planning a 50th birthday party for the Burton-Judson residence hall in mid-November, the fall issue reported. Kicking off the three-day festivities would be a 1930s-themed Friday night supper and a showing of the Frank Capra classic It Happened One Night. A swing orchestra would play tunes Saturday night, and on Sunday alumni would enjoy films, a sherry hour, and an exhibit of B–J memorabilia.

1996 A consummate campus prank, the theft of president emeritus Hanna H. Gray’s Hutchison Commons portrait, was resolved July 3 when a College student found the purloined work “benignly resting next to an alley dumpster.” The thief had marked the portrait’s back with a quotation from the Book of Revelations—and a doodled horn. A note advised the painting’s lucky finder to return the work to the University police and claim the $500 reward. The prank prompted the facilities team to wire Gray’s portrait, once restored to Hutch Commons, with a security device.