Alumni College 2010 Opening Lecture a Glimpse into Miami History

Covering more than 200 years of Miami University history in a single hour is an overwhelming proposition, but Curt Ellison, Ph.D., provided an enticing glimpse into the rich and occasionally quirky life of the university as opening lecturer for Alumni Weekend 2010.

Ellison, Professor of History and American Studies at Miami, was editor of Miami University 1809-2009: Bicentennial Perspectives, which captures Miami’s history through the work of more than 50 contributors. In tracing what Ellison described as the roots of Miami’s present experience, the book covers five distinct eras in Miami’s history. According to Ellison, each of those eras are linked by an overriding theme.

“When you ask yourself what has Miami contributed, what is the emerging theme, it’s how Miami has interacted with the students and how, in turn, those students have shaped the university.”

The five eras covered in the book and summarized in the lecture are Old Miami, 1809-1885; New Miami, 1885-1941; A National University, 1941-70; The Public Ivy, 1970-96; and The Corporate University, 1996-2009. An overture within the book also looks at the history of the early Miami people and their homelands.

Ellison’s lecture provided an interesting collection of Miami lore, ranging from well-known events like the Snow Rebellion and the tumultuous times surrounding the Civil War to lesser known chapters like the story of Alfred Upham and Miami’s two Alma Maters and a long-lost and an over-the-top Miami Creed.  

According to Ellison, the book is not so much about preserving the university’s traditions as it is about understanding how it became the institution we know today.

“As a historian, you like to focus on change and how it all came about,” Ellison said.

Afterward, copies of Miami University 1809-2009: Bicentennial Perspectives were available for purchase and autographs by Ellison. Alumni and friends of the university who were not able to attend Alumni Weekend 2010 can purchase their own copy by visiting www.MiamiAlum.org/Merchandise.

The traditional Opening Lecture, which was given by Ellison for the second straight year and which previously featured John Dolibois ’42, kicked off two days of engaging and fascinating Alumni College sessions, including “Classes without Quizzes” taught by current Miami faculty and “Backstage Passes & Tours” which provide behind-the-scenes tours and experiences at a variety of Miami facilities.

These alumni education opportunities are available on campus each June during Alumni Weekend, and in warmer climates during Winter College each winter. Miami also offers One Day U – a day of ‘Classes without Quizzes’ – throughout the region, including upcoming stops Nov. 6 in Columbus, Ohio, and Nov. 13 at the Voice of America Learning Center in West Chester, Ohio.

Learn about all of these great opportunities to interact with Miami faculty, reconnect with friends, and learn something knew at www.MiamiAlum.org/AlumniEducation.