Department News - Dec. 1994 to Dec. 1995

12/15/95
The USD History Department today begins its 2nd year on the web. When the department home page went online Dec. 15, 1994, there were only 2 other history departments in the world listed in the Yahoo index of History Institutes (Saskatchewan and Rochester), USD had only a 56kb Internet connection, and 1200 of the college's 5000 students had a computer account.. Today there are 21 departments listed in the Yahoo index, and USD's new T1 line is already heavily used by 5045 student accounts and 125 faculty accounts.

12/11/95
Student web pages produced in the fall semester include 6 projects in History 17 and 4 projects in History 176.

12/1/95
The complete text of the 1919 Versailles Treaty is now online, with photos, maps, cartoons and a chronology of Woodrow Wilson's fight for the League of Nations.

11/1/95
Pictures of the Phi Alpha Theta softball team in action.

5/8/95
Congratulations to John Michels for being named the top History graduate student for 1995 at the Honors Convocation.

5/5/95
USD's chapter of Phi Alpha Theta held their Spring Banquet on Friday, May 5. Jennifer Babic, L. John Grogan, Cortney Bass, and Dominic Zappia were initiated as new members of the honors society. The dinner was Mexican food and completed with Richard Griswold del Castillo relating the background of Cinco de Mayo and discussing key issues in Mexican history. Around seventy-five people attended.

4/19/95
A memorial service was held today on campus in the Immaculata church for Dr. James Moriarty (1924-1995), Professor Emeritus of History, who recently retired and was stricken with a heart attack on Sunday evening.

4/7/95
The many ways to use the Internet in teaching and learning history was the subject of the April meeting of Phi Alpha Theta. Dr. Schoenherr gave a demonstration in Loma 318, now equipped with an ethernet line and overhead video/data projection, using a Mac Powerbook 180c. Check out his home page

4/95
The history department's intermural softball team made it to the playoffs. Thanks to everyone who came out and participated.

4/5/95
Congratulations to Dr. Iris Engstrand on her award of a Fulbright Fellowship to study in Spain during her sabbatical next year.

3/95
Congratuations to Jeff Tuttle who won third place for his paper at the Phi Alpha Theta regional conference at California State University at San Marcos.

2/22/95
Six new members of USD's chapter of Phi Alpha Theta were initiated in a intimate ceremony at the home of Doug Cutter, the chapter's new President.

2/20/95
The department is pleased to announce that Dr. Molly McLain, from Yale University, currently teaching at Fairfield College in Connecticutt, has accepted a position in our department. She will begin teaching in September classes in European history, including her special field of interest, the rise of consumerism in early modern England and France.

2/13/95
Pi Omega, USD's chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, will be holding a book sale to raise funds for this year's activities. There will be a table outside of the student union on 2/24/95. The chapter also announced a series of meetings on Friday nights to discuss their plans for the new semester. The schedule:Mar. 3; Apr. 7; May 5

2/1/95
The department welcomes home Professor Elizabeth Cobbs. Dr. Cobbs has been in Ghana researching her new book on the history of the Peace Corps.

1/27/95
Speaking (or writing) about homecommings, Dr. Engstrand has returned from Miami where she was researching the historical significance of Superbowl XXIX. If you stop by her office, she will be glad to engage in a scholarly discussion.

1/1/95
Professor James Gump is taking a sabbatical to New Zealand for Spring Semester. In Dr. Gump's absence, Dr. Iris Engstrand will take over as Department Chair.

12/15/94
The Univerity's chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, Pi Omega, held its Winter Banquet and initiation of new members. The December gala was attended by 67 members, initiates, and friends, making the winter banquet the largest ever held at USD. The evening's festivities included a pre-meal reception, a buffet dinner, the initiation ceremony, and a post-meal speaker. The guest lecturer, Dr. Hanlin, gave an amusing talk which explored the relationship between the success of presidential administrations and their grave sites.

Chapter President Marshall Buelna (on right) leads a discussion of the society's mystic symbol, displayed by Chapter Officer A.J. Lutz.

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