WSU History

1930-1939

1930-39 
Football Coach Babe Hollingbery recognized as one of the nation's top coaches. He was head coach of West team in annual East-West All-Star game. His Cougars did not lose a home game at Rogers Field from 1926-1935.

1930
Edward R. Murrow, ASSCW President, graduated.

1930
Cougar football team won PCC Championship with impressive victories over Cal, USC and Washington.

1931
Cougars lost 24-0 to Alabama in Rose Bowl.

1931
Cougar center Mel Hein and tackle Turk Edwards named first team football All-Americans.

1931-33
The Great Depression severely impacts WSU, with faculty and staff taking an average 25 percent cut in salary during two-year period.

1933
Philip Abelson graduated in Chemistry. Later recognized as "Father of Atomic Submarine." Editor of Science magazine; president of Carnegie Institution.

1935
Famous national debate scheduled between Claudius O. Johnson, chair of the WSU Political Science Department, and famous American humorist Will Rogers. Rogers canceled it to fly to Alaska with Wiley Post. Rogers and Post died in a plane crash in Alaska.

1935
West Coast radio broadcast sponsored by Alumni Association highlighted 45th Founders' Day.

1936
Marshall Neill graduated in Political Science. He went on to served as Federal District Judge, State Supreme Court Judge, State Senator and Representative, WSU legal counsel.

1936
General student strike protesting social regulations. Agreement signed by students and President Holland on May 8, 1936.

1936
New football stadium constructed.

1936
Construction started on Women's Gym and on Davis and Wilmer residence halls.

1937
Herbert Kimbrough served as Acting President while Dr. Holland takes leave in Europe.

1937
Roy Petragallo and Ed McKinnon won NCAA Boxing Championship. Cougars won national title - WSC's first national athletic championship.

1938
Weldon B. "Hoot" Gibson graduated in Economics and headed for Stanford Graduate School.

1938
Alumni Association celebrated 40th anniversary.

1938
School of Social Work established.

1939
Board of Regents established first retirement system.

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