In 1958 a new, fireproof biology building was named Hesler Biology Building for longtime head of the Botany Department Lexemuel Ray Hesler, who also served as dean of liberal arts. The building had already been designed by Barber and McMurry when Morrill Hall burned in January 1934, and bids were immediately sought for its construction. … Continued

The estate plans of Dr. and Mrs. L. R. Hesler provided funds for a professorship in floristic botany. In 1985 the Department of Botany organized a program of Hesler professorships that funded visiting professors whose research complemented UT Knoxville faculty research and contributed to the understanding of southeastern flora. The visiting professors do field and … Continued

Dr. Hesler earned the bachelor’s degree from Wabash College in 1911 and the PhD from Cornell in 1914. He joined the UT faculty in 1919 as professor of botany. He served as head of the Botany Department and became dean of the College of Liberal Arts (now Arts and Sciences) in 1934. In 1936, he … Continued

Designed by Baumann and Baumann and completed for fall quarter 1961, this seven-story building was designed as an addition to Melrose Hall and was originally called New Melrose Hall. Intended to accommodate 1,040 residents, the residence hall was one of the largest in the South. Original planning in 1959 called for a large barracks area … Continued

In fall 1977 Peter Stephen Cornelius, a freshman engineering major from Chattanooga, was murdered in his Hess Hall dormitory room. Cornelius was allegedly attempting to purchase marijuana from Roy Powell and John Morrison, while John Beal, the driver of the car in which the two allegedly arrived at the residence hall, waited outside. Morrison accepted … Continued

An All-American football player, Hickman (’32) played guard from 1929 to 1931 and was All-American in 1931. He also held the UT shot put record. He was a professional wrestler, wrestling under the name Tennessee Terror, and being known also as the Tennessee Cannonball. He coached at North Carolina State and Army before becoming the … Continued

First held in 1934 and often called University Day, High School Day was a gala day to acquaint high school students with the university. The day combined a number of activities for high school students previously held separately: an invitational track meet; an invitational pitching tournament for both boys and girls; a tennis tournament; a … Continued

In summer quarter 1958, the Germanic Language Department and the Botany Department admitted high school students to regular college classes. German students could earn as many as nine hours of credit by taking the entire set of three, four-week courses. The botany students could earn four hours’ credit. Students were admitted as “special” students and … Continued

Dr. Highberger earned the PhD from the University of Iowa in child welfare in 1953. She joined the faculty of the university’s Department of Child Development and Family Relationships in 1957, serving as head of the department from 1959 to 1969. She retired from the university in 1982. She gained recognition as a specialist in … Continued

Currently, there are two higher education systems in Tennessee, with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission performing a coordinative role. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was created by the General Assembly in 1967. The University of Tennessee system is comprised of campuses at Knoxville, Martin, and Chattanooga; the Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis; the … Continued