Category: People
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Thomas Milton Gatch
Written by Eleanor Smith, Class of 2026 Thomas Milton Gatch is one of the university’s most beloved presidents, serving two non-consecutive terms from 1860-1865 and 1870-1879. Gatch was born in Cincinnati on January 28, 1833. He went to college at Ohio Wesleyan University where he received his bachelor’s in 1855 and then his master’s. He… Read more
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Joseph Henry Wythe
Written by Eleanor Smith, Class of 2026 Joseph Henry Wythe was a controversial yet multifaceted president in Willamette’s history, often seen walking down the streets of Salem with a cigar hanging out of his mouth. He was born in Manchester, England in 1822. His family moved to the United States when he was ten.1 He… Read more
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Nelson Rounds
Written by Eleanor Smith, Class of 2026 Nelson Rounds’ presidency was seen as “old fashioned, strict, severe” by the student body.1 While he was not as beloved as the previous presidents, he was exactly what Willamette was looking for after Wythe’s cigar smoking. Rounds seemed to be the perfect fit for the university because of… Read more
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Francis S. Hoyt
Written by Eleanor Smith, Class of 2026 Rev. Francis S. Hoyt is the father of a university that began its existence struggling to exist in an isolated place. When he took over, the school did not yet resemble a university. It was Hoyt’s task to oversee this transition from the Oregon Institute to Willamette University… Read more
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Eaton Hall
Written by Jess Kimmel, Class of 2025 On the north side of the Willamette campus stands Eaton Hall, an imposing, four-story behemoth of red brick and stone. While it now houses several of Willamette’s humanities departments, Eaton has played a crucial role for both the academic and administrative needs of the University in the 125… Read more
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Willamette University and World War II
Written by Hannah Mosher, Class of 2026 The United States’ entry into the Second World War, in 1943, completely altered student and faculty life at Willamette. As the fighting went on, Willamette students volunteered for the draft and were sent to local and overseas stations while those on campus adjusted to college education during wartime.… Read more
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Lestle J. Sparks
Written by Hannah Mosher, Class of 2026 In 1974, construction of Willamette’s Sparks Center was completed. The university chose to dedicate the building in honor of Lestle J. Sparks, a man with an extensive history with the school beginning with his time as a student and subsequent career as a professor and coach. He was… Read more