Excerpt:
The Rev. George Washington Gale had a dream in the 1830s that led to the establishment of Galesburg, Ill., and the formation of a manual labor college called Knox. The first 25 settlers arrived in 1836 and built temporary cabins in Log City near what is now Lake Storey.
One of Gale’s objectives for Knox College was to offer equal educational opportunities for both men and women. In 1843 a Female Seminary Building was in operation near the intersection of Seminary and Simmons Street. Unfortunately the structure burned to the ground shortly after opening. An Academy Building was then built on the Public Square area in 1847 with the upper floor devoted to educational facilities for Knox College female students.
Seven years later in 1854 Gale’s fledgling town began to flourish when the CB and Q Railroad began operations. Knox College donated land needed for the railroad’s expansion. The college grew to 66 women and 51 men enrolled in full-time classes. In 1857 Knox College expanded with the construction of two major buildings that remain viable today.
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A local citizen recently gave Knox College a “devil’s tongue” plant. In full bloom, the plant smells like rotting flesh.
Excerpt:
Miava Reem of the Knox College greenhouse believes the plant is a devil’s tongue, which is related to but smaller and more common than the corpse flower. Both species belong to the genus amorphophallus and are among a number of plants known for their carcass-like stenches.
“It smells like a suitcase full of dead mice,” Reem said of Thompson’s plant, which stands about five feet six inches tall.
After receiving the plant on Monday, Reem first displayed it in the college’s science building, but moved it outside after its odor, described by one faculty member as reminiscent of roadkill, spread through the halls.
Within days, the bloom will fall off and the stench will dissipate. It might be years before it blooms again, Reem said.
The Lincoln Park Conservatory in Chicago also has a devil’s tongue, which bloomed last month. While not as rare as a true corpse flower, the plant is among the more rare species now found in Knox College’s horticulture collection.
“I’ve been hanging out in this greenhouse for 14 years and the only amorphophallus I’ve ever seen has been in pictures. I never dreamed that one was going to drop into my lap on a Monday morning,” Reem said.
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Local historian Tom Wilson traces the history of baseball at Knox College.
Excerpt:
Baseball at Knox College was one of the institution’s earliest intercollegiate sports. During the 1860s baseball became a frequent source of diversion for Knox male students. Four baseball clubs were listed in the first Knox College yearbook. The inaugural game was played without gloves and participants had to learn the art of catching a swiftly thrown ball bare-handed. During the 1870s a game that resembled baseball occurred several times with Lombard, Monmouth and Illinois Industrial University.
Knox baseball records reveal that in the period covering 1888 to 1931 the “Siwash” compiled a record of 205 wins, 179 losses and 6 ties. The Knox baseball team first won the Illinois Intercollegiate championship in 1889, defeating a University of Illinois nine captained by George Huff by a 16-2 score. Knox won the Illinois championship again in 1920 and experienced an undefeated season.
Read the full story in the Register-Mail.
Knox College senior Martha Camargo wants Galesburg youth to know there is plenty to do in Galesburg. Her recently completed internship with the Knox County Area Project proves that.
Excerpt:
For Camargo, participating in a variety of youth programs exposed her to a range of activities and ideas that shaped her college and career decisions.
A Spanish literature major with minors in business and sociology who played on the women’s basketball team at Knox, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Oregon in the fall. She also is a McNair Fellow at Knox through a federal mentoring program meant to increase the number of doctoral degrees obtained by underrepresented segments of society.
For the past few months, she has been helping a local non-profit agency research available youth programs in Knox County. As an intern with the Knox County Area Project, Camargo wanted to help make local youth aware of the programs in their communities.
“You hear there’s nothing to do here. I think that’s where KCAP comes in because we want to see what the perception is and what the reality is,” Camargo said.
Working with KCAP director Rhonda Brady, Camargo developed a 17-question survey and distributed it to local schools, churches, libraries and organizations who might offer youth programming. She then filled a thick binder with spreadsheets and graphs analyzing the 45 responses she received.
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Knox alum and Galesburg resident, Russell “Bucky” Swise ‘42, died on March 23, 2007.
Excerpt:
A man remembered for his strong relationship with children, as both coach and teacher, died Friday. Russell “Bucky” Swise was 87.
Harley Knosher, retired basketball coach and athletic director at Knox College, and now professor emeritus of sports studies, remembers Swise from the days when Knosher was a young coach.
“I think probably the first thing that comes to mind with anybody who had a close relationship with Bucky was an extraordinary ability to communicate with young people. He was a master at getting young people to listen to him,” Knosher said.
Knosher said when he came to Knox College, he learned a lot from Swise in that context.
“He had a good sense of humor,” said Bob Morgan. Swise was Morgan’s teacher and coach at Hitchcock Junior High School, then Morgan in 1962 took over the coaching reins from Swise at what by then was Churchill Junior High School.
Knosher also recalled Swise’s sense of humor when Swise was assisting him at Knox.
“I can remember sitting next to Bucky at a basketball game and you think the world’s at stake,” Knosher said.
Read the Register-Mail story.
Renowned dance choreographer David Dorfman will accept as many as 30 students and community members to participate — along with his company — in a week-long series of workshops and a capstone performance at Knox College.
Excerpt:
The Midwest premiere of “underground,” a new work from renowned choreographer David Dorfman will cap a week-long series of dance workshops April 2-7 at Knox College.
Dorfman, who specializes in community-based dance projects, has invited Knox students and members of the Galesburg community ages 16 and up to participate in free workshop rehearsals, then perform “underground” with members of Dorfman’s company at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 7, in Harbach Theatre in Ford Center for the Fine Arts….
…. “Underground” is based on the activities of the Weather Underground, an American protest organization that originated in the 1960s with opposition to the Vietnam War, and later, according to authorities, engaged in rioting and bombing.
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