On the second floor of the 1937 addition to the Home Economics Building (later named for Dean Jessie Harris) were two kitchens, and the sink in one of the kitchens “disposed of its own garbage,” as Jessie Harris described it. The more than one thousand people who attended the open house after the wing was … Continued

Dr. Fred C. Smith, then serving as registrar and director of placement in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, was appointed to the new post of dean of the Graduate School in 1936. He was additionally made vice president in 1945. Prior to establishment of the dean’s position, the Graduate School was administered directly by … Continued

Annie DeBauche of Chattanooga was the first student to earn a degree from UT through interactive video courses. She received the degree in communications through courses taught at UT and linked via interactive video to classes in Chattanooga. Her degree was conferred at fall commencement, 1996.

Angie Warren Perkins was appointed acting dean of women in 1898. She served without compensation.

Dr. George Bertsch and Dr. Gerald Mahan were the first to be appointed as UT/ORNL “distinguished scientists” in 1984 with the creation of the Science Alliance. An offer was also made to David Prescott, a research scientist from the University of Colorado, who declined. Bertsch resigned effective August 1, 1985, to return to Michigan State … Continued

The YMCA Building, when finished in 1891, provided the first central heating system on campus. Science Hall, completed in 1892, was next and had steam heat.

In 1968 UT was the site of the National College Band Directors’ Convention. The 92-member concert band served as the host, and a record was made of their performance at the ending.

Governor Lamar Alexander (later, UT president) announced on February 18, 1985, to a capacity crowd in the Shiloh Room of the university center that three Chairs of Excellence had been created at UT. The endowments for each of the three $1 million chairs received $500,000 from the state. Two chairs, one in engineering (materials science … Continued

Under the direction of Music Professor David Stuzenberger, and accompanied by Professor John Brock on the organ, the UT Chamber Singers produced their first cassette tape, A UT Christmas Celebration, in fall 1988. Proceeds from the sale of the cassettes ($10) went to the School of Music Scholarship Fund.

In 1892–93 a college bookstore was established and given a room in the YMCA building.