This month marks 40 years since the dedication of the Herbert Bluethenthal Memorial Wildflower Preserve at UNCW on November 8, 1974. The preserve honors the memory of Herbert Bluethenthal, a successful business-owner in Wilmington.

The university set aside about 10 acres of land behind Hoggard Hall and near the university’s existing nature trail. New trails were created in order to grant easy access to areas that included excellent examples of the native flora of Southeastern North Carolina.  The preserve has been further developed over the years to offer the best examples of unique plants of the region.

The dedication ceremony featured the unveiling of the memorial to Herbert Bluethenthal by his widow, Mrs. Janet Bleuthenthal, as well as the presentation of a monument honoring contributions to botany by Dr. Bertram Wells, a noted botanist who worked in North Carolina for much of his career. Both Dr. Wells and Mrs. Bleuthenthal were honored guests at the dedication.

The preserve is intended for use both by the public as well as students in fields such as biology. The University Archives has a range of materials about Bluethenthal Wildflower Preserve and the dedication including photos, brochures, Seahawk newspaper articles, and newspaper clippings in the university’s annual scrapbooks.

Herbert's brother, Arthur, served with the French as a bomber pilot along with other Americans during World War I. He was the first North Carolinian killed in action in World War I.

Resources from Archives: 

Bluethenthal Preserve Brochure

The Seahawk, November 20, 1974

Photo from Dedication Ceremony

In 1973, the book collection of the William M. Randall Library of the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) reached 100,000 volumes. To celebrate, the library acquired a first edition Huck Finn by Mark Twain (published in 1885) and held a special ceremony. This first edition is in Special Collections.

An announcement for the Nov. 30 ceremony was in the Seahawk student newspaper.

For comparison, according to 2012/2013 statistics, Randall Library has 481,134 books. 

A couple notes from the library's history:

*Wilmington College Library moved from a few rooms in Alderman Hall to its own building during winter break of 1968. It opened in January of 1969 and the official dedication was March 30.

*Randall Libray began planning an expansion in 1985, which was completed in 1987. 

This model of Randall Library, circa 1985, is in University Archives in Randall Library at UNCW.

John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States on November 8, 1960. According to an editorial in the Wilmington College student newspaper, JFK came to office with the burden that the people “will expect much, will demand much, and, conceivably, will receive much.”

Just three years later, on November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, TX to the shock and horror of the American people. The reaction of one Wilmington College student, Jack Loftus, was captured nearly one month later in the December 18, 1963 issue of the Seahawk. Loftus wrote that the assassination reflected the “barbarism” and “extremism” that had become part of America. He claimed that these attitudes had allowed “some punk with a mail-order rifle [to murder] the President of the United States.”

Theories

Long after Wilmington College became the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), debates about the nature of the assassination continued. In 1993, UNCW offered a course on the Rhetoric of JFK Assassination Theories.

Reflections

Virginia Adams, dean of the UNCW School of Nursing from 1994-2008, was a college student when President Kennedy was assassinated. In the interview transcript of her oral history, she spoke of Kennedy's legacy:

_{Virginia Adams, Ph.D. Former Dean of the School of Nursing. Photo by UNCW Office of University Relations in 2006.}

When I was a freshman student, Kennedy was killed .... That had a big impact on us, on my campus, on the students. I mean everybody literally stopped. We believed in this President, and we believed that changes were going to occur because of this President. It was a shock. And it was hurtful. It was painful... the students were mobilizing at that time. So we were a part of the change in the world. Isn't that something to say? “We were a part of the change in the world.”

_{^{Lou Buttino. Photo by UNCW/Office of University Relations.}}

Back in 2005, the documentary Broken Brotherhood: Vietnam and the Boys from Colgate made its North Carolina debut on Veterans Day in Kenan Auditorium at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. The autobiographical film by UNCW professor and filmmaker Lou Buttino addresses division and the potential for healing after the Vietnam War.

It is screening again on Thursday, November 14, 2013, at 7 pm in the UNCW Lumina Theatre, followed by a panel discussion. This event is part of The Big Read Greater Wilmington-2013.

Buttino is a documentary filmmaker and film studies professor. He has taught at UNCW for 19 years.

Broken Brotherhood recounts the path toward reconciliation between Buttino--who had been a conscientious objector during Vietnam--and his college friend, Brian O'Donnell--who became a Vietnam veteran. The two had not spoken for 35 years. The film also explores what happened to other Colgate University students during and after the Vietnam era.

In 2005, Buttino told the Seahawk:

"The idea of making this documentary came to me when I realized I had never made peace with that era," Buttino said. "I felt very wounded to see what happened to my friends, even my best friend/roommate from college [Brian O’Donnell]. Part of the reason I wanted to make this film was so that I could travel across country and talk to him 35 years later and see if we could salvage our friendship. It's a very powerful and emotional film that resonates to today."

“Films can entertain, provoke and inspire. This one is about healing. Healing can help bring wisdom. I hope we will find wisdom regarding the Vietnam War and release from the divisiveness that it inspired. Wisdom is one of the things we never got from the Vietnam War,” Buttino said.

Seahawk student newspaper: "New department chair sees a bright future for film."

UNCW Randall Library partners with The Big Read--Greater Wilmington in 2013.

*The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest

55 years ago, the Seahawk released its first monthly issue, becoming Wilmington College's monthly student newspaper after a period of sporadic publication. The news organization promised to strive for this level of consistency in the future.

The first Seahawk newspaper was distributed in September 1948. The year 1958 was its reinvigoration, according to the 1959 Fledgling yearbook. A Publications Board, consisting of representatives from the administration, faculty, and student body, was established to support the Seahawk.

The Seahawk remains the student news organization for the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) to this day. Online news services are provided continually and a print newspaper is published every other week. The Seahawk was never a daily newspaper, although publication did rech twice a week at various times.

The Seahawk, November 3, 1958--View first monthly issue

Digital Seahawk Collection, 1948-1973

How to Search the Seahawk

The Power of Print and Pixels: 65 Years of UNCW Student News - Exhibit in Special Collections Open Until Dec. 3

On October 24, 1993, a plaque was dedicated in Randall Library to commemorate and honor the members of the Order of Isaac Bear, an honorary organization of the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Former Chancellor William H. Wagoner founded the organization as a way to recognize members of the UNCW faculty. These members of the faculty had taught in the Isaac Bear building on Market Street, the original location of Wilmington College later UNCW, and were still employed by UNCW in 1987. The original Isaac Bear building had been an elementary school before it was home to Wilmington College. The former elementary school, Bear Hall on our current campus, and the Order of Isaac Bear were all named in honor of Isaac Bear, the brother of a local businessman.

As inscribed on the plaque, "Founded in 1988, the Order recognizes those who have demonstrated loyalty to UNCW, contributed to the academic quality of the University, or had a significant role in uniting the institution and the community." Listed are charter members Louis Adcock, Mary Bellamy, Walter Biggs, William Brooks, Thomas Brown, Joanne Corbett, Marshall Crews, Calvin Doss, Thomas Lupton, Dorothy Marshall, Duncan Randall, Gerald Rosselet, and Doug Swink. Chancellor Wagoner had an honorary membership. 

In 1991, the Order expanded membership beyond faculty members who worked at Wilmington College on Market Street. Members of the staff and faculty who had contributed to the development of UNCW are invited to the Order. Associate memberships are for people who aided in the founding of the institution and for members of the Board of Trustees.  

More photographs from the plaque dedication

History of the Order of Isaac Bear

A 2007 article about the Order of Isaac Bear in UNCW Magazine

Photo of members of the Order of Isaac Bear, October 16, 2013

40 years ago, three musical acts--the Stories, Lynyrd Skynard, and Heather--played in Hanover Hall at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. The venue had a newly installed sound system for the event. Tickets for students were $2.50 in advance or $3.50 at the door.

At the time of the performance the Stories was the biggest name of the three. They had previously released two albums both of which were well reviewed by the music world including Rolling Stone. The group had one popular hit with “Brother Louie.” Wes Knape, a Seahawk newspaper writer, wrote that this had been “a really great song when it was released; however...most of us are tired of it being played so often.”

Lynyrd Skynard had only released their first album in August of 1973 and had not built  up their popularity. Even though they were not nationally recognized, music critics had already begun to hail them as the next big hit to come out of the South. This would prove correct as they would become nationally recognized shortly following their performance at UNCW.

According to students interviewed by the Seahawk, the concert did not exceed their expectations, especially the band Stories. The Seahawk published the thoughts of six students, one of whom did not even attend the concert. The students stated that the new sound system was “out of wack” as the instruments were louder than the vocals. Another complaint was the high number of high school students in the audience. One student protested the high cost of the ticket and suggested bringing in local bands to lower the cost, while another student complained that the bands brought in should be more “well known” and represent a greater variety of musical styles.

List of musical performers at UNCW

Spotlight about Dedication of Hanover Hall

12 years ago, Michael Jordan came back to his hometown of Wilmington, NC, and to the game of professional basketball after retiring in 1998. 

Jordan began his association with Washington Wizards as president and minority owner in 2000. In October of the same year, he brought the NBA team to the University of North Carolina Wilmington for their training camp. A sold out crowd watched the team at the end of their week-long stay in Trask Coliseum. At that time, the Wizards announced plans to return to UNCW in 2001 for their training camp. This move was anticipated by the Wilmington community, but the excitement and anticipation reached a high when Jordan announced that he would return to the NBA as a Washington Wizards player for the 2001 season.

UNCW was immediately launched into national and international news as it would serve as the location where Jordan would make his latest debut. News media from around the country, including ESPN, came to UNCW to cover the event. The event was highly publicized and well received in the community as a whole, but one UNCW student expressed parking-related grievances against the commotion caused by the visit. 

Jordan played again with the Washington Wizards in Trask Coliseum in 2002.  In later years, when Jordan was affiliated with the Charlotte Bobcats, UNCW welcomed this club for training camps.

UNCW Magazine--Fall/Winter 2001

The Seahawk--September 7, 2000, p 18

The Seahawk--October 12, 2000, p 15-16

The Seahawk--August 30, 2001, p 17

The Seahawk--September 27, 2001, p 16

                                       The Seahawk--October 4, 2001, p 13-15

The Seahawk--October 18, 2001, p 19, 21, 24

The Seahawk--October 3, 2002, p 15

The Seahawk--October 13, 2005, p 9

More photos in University Archives: Jordan at UNCW (2001

See also: news articles about Michael Jordan's summer basketball camp at UNCW in 1987.

The North Carolina General Assembly passed the Safe Roads Act of 1983 and stipulated that the law would become effective on October 1, 1983. The law had many parts, but it most specifically dealt with drunk driving. The law raised the drinking age in North Carolina from 18 to 19 for beer and wine. The United States Congress would further increase the drinking age nationally the next year with the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, 23 USC § 158, which mandated that states raise the drinking age to 21 or the government would withhold ten percent of the federal funding for highways. North Carolina complied with the federal law.

Many students at the University of North Carolina Wilmington voiced opposition and protested the fairness of the new law. The Seahawk published editorials against the Safe Roads Act. The treasurer of the SGA even wrote, in an open letter published in the Seahawk on April 16, 1981, that one of the greatest accomplishments of the group during the 1981-1982 school year had been a resolution passed to stand in opposition of the law.