Founders’ Day

The first Founders' Day commemoration took place on December 11, 1913. The first printed program held in the University Archives is dated 1922 and all that are available have been scanned and uploaded to this collection. When possible, speeches or entire event recordings are also available.

President William H. Wilder gave one of the speeches at the 1913 ceremony. He quoted a paragraph of the Central Illinois Methodist Conference Education Committee's report (copied below in its entirety). In 1921, part of the quote was inscribed on the University's west gate, named the Founders' Gate. The University has since adopted this quote as a guiding philosophy, and it is usually cited at Founders' Day Convocations.

"The Methodist Church, in the West and Southwest, stands in a position of incalculable responsibility to the great wave of population overspreading the valley of the Mississippi. Destiny seems to point out this valley as the depository of the great heart of the nation. From this center mighty pulsations, for good or evil, must in future flow, which shall not only affect the fortunes of the republic, but reach in their influence, other and distant nations of the earth. The advances herein reported which are being made by the Methodists on the subject of education in the bounds of the Illinois Conference, flatter the idea that, in so far as our section of the church is concerned and especially the division of it embraced in the Illinois Conference, cheering success will attend our future efforts to contribute our share towards the general education of the great masses. In addition to all other motives conspiring to lead us forward in this noble work, patriotism or the love of country is not the least. The nature of our constitutions and laws demands it. The tenure and price of our liberties are involved in it. The sovereignty invested in the whole people imperiously requires it; and recent events, as they have been connected with the civil questions which have agitated the nation, some of which questions have sprung from the tide of foreign emigration setting in upon American soil, call loudly for the work of education to go forward-the education of nothing less than the whole American mind; an education, too, that shall be American in all its essential principles."

[Education Committee Report, Illinois Conference Minutes, 1854, p. 19.]

Digital Commons @ IWU

Founders’ Day

Submissions from 2022 2022

Submissions from 2021 2021

Submissions from 2020 2020

Submissions from 2019 2019

Submissions from 2018 2018

Submissions from 2017 2017

Submissions from 2016 2016

Submissions from 2015 2015

Submissions from 2014 2014

Submissions from 2013 2013

Submissions from 2012 2012

Submissions from 2011 2011

Submissions from 2010 2010

Submissions from 2009 2009

Submissions from 2008 2008

Submissions from 2007 2007

Submissions from 2006 2006

Submissions from 2005 2005

Submissions from 2004 2004

Submissions from 2003 2003

Submissions from 2002 2002

Submissions from 2001 2001

Submissions from 2000 2000

Submissions from 1999 1999

Submissions from 1998 1998

Submissions from 1997 1997

Submissions from 1996 1996

Submissions from 1995 1995

Submissions from 1994 1994

Submissions from 1993 1993

Submissions from 1992 1992

Submissions from 1991 1991

Submissions from 1990 1990

Submissions from 1989 1989

Submissions from 1988 1988

Submissions from 1987 1987

Submissions from 1986 1986

Submissions from 1985 1985

Submissions from 1984 1984

Submissions from 1983 1983

Submissions from 1982 1982

Submissions from 1981 1981

Submissions from 1980 1980

Submissions from 1979 1979

Submissions from 1978 1978

Submissions from 1977 1977

Submissions from 1976 1976

Submissions from 1975 1975

Submissions from 1974 1974

Submissions from 1973 1973

Submissions from 1972 1972

Submissions from 1971 1971

Submissions from 1970 1970

Submissions from 1969 1969

Submissions from 1968 1968

Submissions from 1967 1967

Submissions from 1966 1966

Submissions from 1965 1965

Submissions from 1964 1964

Submissions from 1963 1963

Submissions from 1962 1962

Submissions from 1961 1961

Submissions from 1960 1960

Submissions from 1958 1958

Submissions from 1957 1957

Submissions from 1956 1956

Submissions from 1955 1955

Submissions from 1954 1954

Submissions from 1953 1953

Submissions from 1952 1952

Submissions from 1951 1951

Submissions from 1950 1950

Submissions from 1949 1949

Submissions from 1947 1947

Submissions from 1946 1946

Submissions from 1945 1945

Submissions from 1944 1944

Submissions from 1943 1943