Lightning Strikes the Decades
Amanda Hall, Gore Center graduate assistant, designed an exhibit for the Golden Raiders Class of ’56 fall induction ceremony. The exhibit featured a “then and now” theme, highlighting the similarities between today’s MTSU Raiders and those of fifty years ago. A powerful resemblance exists between the 1950s era of expansion and the growth of the university at present. Q. M. Smith, president of MTSU during that time, worked hard to accommodate the growing student body, a result of the post-World War II boom and the G.I. Bill. New dormitories, libraries, and classroom buildings dramatically changed the campus landscape. The last decade has also seen similar expansion with the addition of the Walker Library, the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building, the Business and Aerospace building, and the renovation of Todd Hall.
MTSU Athletics was also featured in the exhibit, which highlighted the winning age of celebrated athletic director Charles “Bubber” Murphy. Both men’s and women’s athletics were examined from each decade to underscore the importance of athletics in defining the character of MTSU. Interesting campus life photos of the 1950s were paired against modern pictures, all of which illustrate MTSU’s lasting legacies of tradition, memories, and pride.