There are a lot of World War One memorials in Evanston! As I continued my research, I found more and more information. In fact, I found enough information to write a third blog post about Evanston. and about the outcome of the war in Evanston. Watch this space next week.
Evanston Township High School
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| The memorial elms on the new campus of Evanstson Township High School which opened in 1924. Photo: History of ETHS, 1883-1958 by M.C. Davis | |
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The Memorial Elms
In 1924, when the new campus of Evanston Township High School opened its new buildings at 1600 Dodge Ave, The Evanston Garden Club planted 80 Elm trees High School as a memorial to the students who lost their lives in World War One. The Club maintained the Elms until 1951. The rows of trees grew and thrived, unfortunately, they were killed by Dutch Elm disease, and were no longer there when I attended the high school in the 1960.
The Oliver Baty Cunningham Award
An award honoring the World
War One service of Oliver B. Cunningham was established at Evanston High
School by his father Frank Cunningham. The award, the highest award given to an outstanding male
member of the graduating class is still given today. It is given to a
student who ranks first in his class in all around qualities, including
intellectual ability, capacity for leadership,
sense of
responsibility and distinguished service to school and
community. Cunningham's portrait hangs outside the library at the high school. He is also
remembered in a stained glass window at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in
Evanston.
Cunningham graduated cum laude from Yale University, where was awarded the Francis Brown Memorial Prize, given to the member of each Junior Class at Yale "who most closely approached the standards of intellectual ability, high manhood, capacity for leadership, and service to the university."
Captain Cunningham was buried in France, near the place of his death. He received both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star Medal, which was awarded posthumously. After his death, his father established the Oliver Baty Cunningham Publication Fund at Yale University Press was established, which continues to publish today.
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| Oliver B. Cunningham as a young man |
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| Lt. Oliver B. Cunningham |
Northwestern University
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| The Memorial boulder on the north end of the Northwestern Campus. Photo: P. Noznick |
There are several World War One memorials on the campus of Northwestern University. The oldest, dedicated in 1923 is a bronze plaque mounted on a granite boulder on the northern end of the campus, near the fraternity houses. I'm not sure that it is in it's original location, since I read information that stated that the memorial was located in the avenue of the elms north of Patton Gymnasium. There is a row of trees nearby, but I doubt that they are the original elms. I also noticed is that some of the names in the Northwestern World War I list are also on several memorials in Evanston.
The second memorial on the campus is a plaque located in the lobby of the Alice Milar Chapel.
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| The bronze plaque memorializing Northwestern students who lost their lives in the Civil War and World War One. Photo: P. Noznick | |
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