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By Rick Moore
Now that football is returning to campus at TCF Bank Stadium, it seems appropriate to reminisce about the new stadium's predecessor on campus, Memorial Stadium. The "Brickhouse," as fans affectionately called it, was built in 1924 and stood for nearly seven decades until its demolition in 1992.
As TCF Bank Stadium has taken shape over the past three years, the staff at University Libraries wondered how their archival resources and digital technology expertise could be used to capture and share the rich history of the Brickhouse.
They wrapped their resources into a new multimedia and interactive Web site that launched July 15, titled Memorial Stadium: 1924-1992. The site contains videos of games, as well as reproductions of photographs, programs, reports, correspondence, and blueprints scanned from the University Archives' collections. (See video below.)
At last count, there are almost 600 items in the site's database that were culled from the 18,000 cubic feet of material filed under a broad range of topics at University Archives. The Web site is about a year and a half in the making, says Beth Kaplan, head of University Archives.
"We're really excited about it," Kaplan says. "It's been a really fun project to work on, in large part because people have been so excited about it." The project has brought together a host of departments and people with a range of expertise, from digitization and Web experts to U Libraries staff and student interns.
The material is organized into five main sections: The Brickhouse, The Gridiron, The Pageantry, The Life Inside, and Your Stories. "The Brickhouse" provides an overview of the stadium from its inspiration and construction to its waning days as a desolate landmark. "The Gridiron" focuses on the nine head coaches and hundreds of players that roamed the stadium's field, including legendary names such as Bronko Nagurski, Bruce Smith, Paul Giel, Bob McNamara, Bobby Bell, Sandy Stephens, Tony Dungy, Bernie Bierman, and Murray Warmath. "The Pageantry" section highlights Homecoming photos and programs, the University of Minnesota Marching Band, and cheerleading.
While Memorial Stadium was synonymous with Golden Gopher gridiron glory—especially the six national championships between 1934 and 1960—its history includes much more. Much like the new stadium will, Memorial Stadium served the marching band, cheerleaders, other students, faculty, and the greater community. Says the site:
Beyond the battles of game day, Memorial Stadium bustled with activity throughout the decades. Groundbreaking research was conducted by renowned faculty members Dr. Ancel Keys (in the Laboratory of Physiological Hygiene) and Dr. Jean Piccard (on stratospheric balloon flight). People from Minnesota and beyond filled the stands for signature events: new graduates donned their caps and gowns for commencement ceremonies, the state's 100th birthday was honored, elephants and singers transformed the field for a production of "Aida," and Shriners from far and wide came together for the 1934 Shrine Imperial Council Session, all within the Brickhouse's storied walls.
You can check out photos of Piccard's stratosphere balloon experiment in June of 1936, which occurred about five months prior to the Gophers claiming their unprecedented third straight national championship.
The videos are a treat, offering a look at decades-old game footage that has rarely been viewed. Kaplan says that U Archives has an amazing and extensive film collection, but it's mostly inaccessible because it's 16 mm., delicate, and often has not been labeled correctly. To be viewed it needs to be cleaned and reformatted at the same time. "This project was a way to kind of chip away at that a little bit," Kaplan says.
The site uses Omeka, a free, open-source and interactive web-based publishing platform that allows visitors to share their own recollections of Memorial Stadium, which are captured in the fifth section, "Your Stories." Here visitors are encouraged to add their voices, videos, and photographs to create a more dynamic online shrine to the Brickhouse.
One fan recalls how his dad introduced him to Gopher football as a child, taking him to a game each year near his birthday in September. And another fan remembers the first game he attended at Memorial Stadium—a contest against Southern Cal in late October of 1955 that was played in snow, sleet, and a 20-mph westerly wind. His most vivid memory is of Minnesota quarterback Don Swanson's 65-yard touchdown run, "pretty much obscured by the snowflakes by the time he reached the far end zone, well after dusk. For the USC defenders it must have been like one of those bad dreams where the faster you try to run, the slower you go."
By Brian Zelickson, M.D.
Whether you just hit puberty or went through it 30 years ago, those pesky little pimples don’t care. Acne is an inflammatory disease, which is focused in the oil, or sebaceous, glands of your skin. Acne surfaces when dead skin cells and bacteria accumulate at the surface of the gland and plug the opening. The clogging generates a build up of an oily substance, sebum, and overgrowth of bacteria in these follicles create an infection. This infection causes an inflammatory reaction to fight the infection, thus resulting in a pimple.
Acne is caused by several factors. Genetic history, diet, hormones, stress, lack of sleep, and other environmental factors are among the most common causes of acne. Acne is most commonly found on the face and back, and it may significantly impact a person’s life. Face acne, for example, can result in extreme self-consciousness, particularly in adolescents, a time when self-image is fragile.
Despite the persistence of this disease, there are many things people can do to prevent acne. It all begins with practicing general skin care by washing your face regularly. Additionally, maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and taking time to relax may help prevent acne. Over-the-counter medications also are effective. Before purchasing skin peels or antibacterial creams, make sure the product contains benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid; these two chemicals help kill the bacteria and unblock skin pores.
If acne continues despite using over-the-counter medication, see a dermatologist for further action. Dermatologists prescribe acne medication based on severity of the disease and each patient’s personal needs. Commonly, dermatologists use topical antibiotics, topical retinol, oral antibiotics, and hormonal therapy in women for the treatment of acne.
After weighing the pros and cons of these prescription-based medications, other treatments are offered such as light therapy or laser therapy. Light-based therapy works by using a blue light treatment that destroys acne-causing bacteria. This therapy has best results for mild inflammatory acne cases.
Laser therapies treat and prevent acne by targeting the sebaceous glands in the dermis (thick middle layer of skin), by killing acne-causing bacteria and causing some damage to the gland itself. This treatment is typically done in four or five sessions over a three-to four-week period, and treatments last 15 to 30 minutes. While light-based therapy and laser therapy are FDA-approved and proven to be effective, these treatments aren’t typically covered by health insurance.
There is no one cure for acne and each person’s breakout is different. The best way to fight acne is by understanding the causes, taking steps at home to actively prevent breakouts, and meeting with a dermatologist to discuss further treatment options personalized for each patient and his or her skin.
Brian Zelickson, M.D., is adjunct associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School. This column is an educational service of the University of Minnesota. Advice presented should not take the place of an examination by a health-care professional. For more health-related information, go to http://www.healthtalk.umn.edu.
By Shirley J. Anderson-Porisch, Family Resource Management Educator
Newly married couples often ask the question, “Should we have a joint or separate checking account?” A checking account offers a safe, secure and convenient way to manage personal finances. The ideal result of a well-managed joint or separate checking account in any family situation is a long-term record of paying bills and saving money to build a positive credit history
For newlyweds, talking to each other about managing money with a checking account is crucial to meet family goals. Everyone has methods for managing money and each newlywed should be aware of their spouse’s method. If each spouse has an income, separate accounts can allow for personal spending and a joint account can allow for handling the shared expenses.
Family members, especially newlyweds, will usually have different attitudes and values about money, not necessarily right or wrong, but ideally, each person will realize they may not always agree about money, but they will disagree agreeably on their way to finding an acceptable solution.
It may take some time to understand each other’s attitudes and values – listening is the key:
1.) Listen for key points of the discussion
2.) Ask questions to clarify opinions and ideas
3.) Be careful not to criticize, argue or give feedback that prevents someone from expressing their true opinions about their money management
In a situation like choosing a joint or separate checking account, good listening can increase communication and help towards creating a workable solution.
If you choose a joint account, be sure that there is an ongoing source of income for the checking account from each party. Both parties should have access to an online account register for tracking spending and deposits. Each person should be aware of what fees the bank will charge should the account become overdrawn be confident that personal identification information is protected.
It is however becoming more common for married couples to have more than one checking account based on their needs and wants to share and separate spending. If each newlywed has had a long time relationship with a financial institution prior to the marriage, it may be to the couple’s advantage to maintain those accounts to insure success for later, more significant financial transactions. Long-term relationships with a financial institution usually enhance decision-making options. Being honest about how each party is spending money will help build the groundwork for the overall financial success of the household.
Know each other and know that there are options. It may not be a 1, 2, 3 recipe for every couple, but these strategies are likely to insure financial success in most households.
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Shirley Anderson-Porisch works as a family resource management Extension educator at the University of Minnesota and is an expert in family finance. She has long been a media contributor and is an accredited financial counselor.
Find more stories at: http://www1.umn.edu/news/features/index.htm