A volunteer army of alumni and friends worked together to create the University of Portland’s entry “Becoming” for the 79th Annual Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade.  Volunteers labored around the clock from May 31 until Parade Day June 6 to produce an award winner, the 1987 UP float earning the prized Queen’s Trophy. 

UP’s 1987 Rose Festival Float …Becoming (click to enlarge photo)

So what does it take to create a float?

• One float skeleton
• Over 300 dozen colorful flowers
• Over 1,700 hours of labor from over 200 alumni and friends
• Ironing corn husks
• Scraping bark (so the glue will stick)
• Plucking flower petals
• Gluing petal by petal
• Shaking seeds from bulbs
• Gluing seeds
• and many, many more tedious tasks

A beautiful, colorful float viewed by a crowd of over 350,000 on the parade route in Portland and by many, many more on television.

(Gallery of Photos from the University Archives, click to enlarge image)

The 1987 Queen’s Trophy and float photos are on display in the first floor display case in Buckley Center.

At the end of the 2016-17 academic year, five members of the University of Portland faculty will retire after many years of service to this institution and making a difference in the lives of untold number of students.    The University gives thanks to our retiring faculty for their dedication and commitment to teaching and learning and wishes them all the best.

Dr. Matthew Baasten, Theology; Associate Provost and Graduate School Dean (from 2012), at UP since 1981
Dr. Carol Craig, Nursing, at UP since 2008
Dr. Wayne Lu, Engineering, at UP since 1988
Dr. James Male, Engineering, Sweo Endowed Chair (from 1997), at UP since 1997
Dr. Zia Yamayee, Engineering, at UP since 1996

(Photos from the University Archives; Click on image to enlarge)

Once upon a time, the content of a library centered on books, and the content of the books depended on words!  And so in the geography of a library — long ago and far away in another time but in this same place (UP, the Bluff) — the library study carrels stood clustered in obeisance around the Dictionary Stand.   For, to wax eloquent, upon the throne of the Stand rested the Monarch and Referee of all student study.

Here is that rickety prop:

The bookstand’s articulating wings adjust to provide full spine support (like with a baby).  The “Columbia Dictionary Stand” is made of oak and cast iron, circa 1890s, and is an antique used during the antique period of our own history as Columbia University (1901-1935).   Found first in the library of West (now Waldschmidt) Hall; and later moved with the library to the basement of Christie Hall in the 1930s.

Because dictionaries are in phones now, this Dictionary Stand is now on permanent display in the University Museum.

The Clark Library Research Desk fields student questions throughout the day and also includes a 24/7 chat service.  With over  4,000 questions per year receiving that human touch and attention.

Winters in Oregon feature scenic views of snow-covered mountains beckoning skiers and snow boarders to the slopes.   Mount Hood — the closest, just two and half hours from Portland — has been a skiing destination spot for UP students from likely before the campus Ski Club was formed in 1939.   The club still going strong today, paired with snowboarding; included among a long list of sports clubs from Student Activities.

1948-49 Ski Team – Front: Bob Strand, Dave Hayes, Ted Little Back: John Little, John Heffernan, Bob Wieseman, Ed Cade, John Clark, Bill Hoffstetter, E.P. Goodrich – 1949 Log (University Museum)

And once upon a time UP had a Ski Team (1946 to mid-1950s) which engaged in intercollegiate competition against colleges and universities in the West and Canada.  Pilot skiers competed on Mount Hood and locations such as Donner Summit in CA; Yosemite; Banff in Canada.   During their short run, the Ski Team had successes each year–  1947 in the Giant Slalom Race – Pilots took 5 of the first 10 places; 1948, 1st and 5th place individual at Yosemite; 1949, a 1st in Giant Slalom; 1949, 3rd team overall against University of California, Stanford, and University of Oregon; 1950, 1st place in the Pacific Northwest Ski Association meet; advancing in 1951 a 5th place finish at the National Intercollegiate Ski Championship; and in 1954, 1st place again locally at the Oregon Intercollegiate Memorial Ski Championships.

The Rec Sports sends out a weekend Ski Bus during the season, and continues to offer rental equipment for recreational opportunities for students on a continuing basis, not just during the rare campus closure and even rarer twelve-inch snowfall.

Photo Gallery (click on image to enlarge)

Tom Martin; Gene Brady, Banff, Alberta, Canada, n.d. (University Archives)

Ken Underdahl, ’52, 1950 Log (University Museum)

John Little models ski apparel, 1949 Log (University Museum)

Anders Woldseth, 1952-53 team (University Archives)

1947-48 Team at Yosemite – Kneeling: “Gee Gee” Goodrich, Tom Stewart, Ted Little; Standing: Barney Becker, John Younie, Fredi Lowel, Ruth McElroy, Alan Fischer – 1948 Log (University Museum)

1948-49 Ski Team – Dave Hayes, John Clark, Jim Carr, Jack Viodoni, Bill Hoffstetter, Ted Little – 1949 Log (University Museum)

1947-48 Ski Team, 1948 Log (University Museum)