This article was written by Carys Williams and Gabriel Mott.
Northern Review has been in circulation for more than a century. Over time, many parts of the content, tone, and style of Northern Review have changed dramatically, as has the university itself. In this ten-part series, we explore different aspects of Northern Review’s content over time, from the 1910s to the 2010s. In this entry, we explore the 1930s and 1940s at Ohio Northern.
Full disclosure, there is VERY little we have to share about Ohio Northern during the 1930s and 1940s. So far as we can tell based on the dates for which issues are available, the great depression and/or World War II likely affected our distribution. As such, the three narratives identified in this entry of Archive Deep Dive are possibly the most tenuous of the series (the 1950s will work with less source material, but clearer themes will be present).
Northern Review maintains an internal (but not complete) archive of the digital layouts of our reporting since 2010. Earlier content exists solely in print, and is available to all students through the archives at Heterick Memorial Library. We, the authors, extend our deep thanks to Archivist Matt Francis, Rank of Associate Professor, for his technical assistance to the development of this series.
Social Values (Women in Band)
The most distinct social issue of university-wide social discussion (that was reported by student media, at least) during the 1930s and 1940s concerned the inclusion of women to the ONU marching band. The earliest reference we found was an (uncredited, cowards) opinion piece published on September 16, 1942 explanatorily titled “Women In Band?” The author(s) make reference to prior discourse on the matter, opening “The question of whether or not women should be allowed to play in the marching band has brought forth a torrent of discussion altogether out of proportion to the dimensions of the issue.” It’s indicated that this discussion is at least somewhat progressive: “Student opinion is strong in favor of admitting women, many of whom are excellent musicians, into the band as an emergency measure.”
The author(s), for themselves, assume an extremely convoluted — and not even particularly progressive, even for the time — stance on whether to include women in marching band. The article does, ultimately, advocate for admitting female marching band members. But only on the grounds that overall enrollment is lacking; the article cites an unidentified “Mr. Davidson” as evidence that if women members are not admitted, the marching band would be unable to operate for that year.
Aside from admitting that many women are “excellent musicians,” everything the author(s) have to say about prospective female membership is negative. They argue, “Women, it is true, cannot exactly fill the place of the men who formerly wore band uniforms. They will detract from the appearance of the group in the field…” They also celebrate that the “school [] has frowned — and we are glad of it — on [female] cheerleaders and drum majorettes.” The use of subjects is confusing in this sentence; is the “school” doing the frowning intended to represent the student body, administration, or both? And is the “we” that is glad for the frowning meant to represent the authors, all of Northern Review, or the student body in general?
Needless to say, this sets a bleak standard of progress.
Only one month and 26 days later, on November 11, 1942, Northern Review reported that not only have women joined the band, but that they’ve been elected to Officer positions. Unfortunately, this accomplishment is subdued by the fact the female members were reportedly “barred from marching.”
Seven years later, the progress looks a little better. In a September 27, 1949 article, Northern Review reported that four “drum majorettes” were selected to lead the band; the article even frames this move as a part of “building the Ohio Northern University band into an active and representative organization of the university.”
The slow fight for integrity and betterment of Ohio Northern University’s core values did not begin with women in band, and it is nowhere near conclusion in the year 1949. But this snapshot of reluctant, caveated improvement is perhaps the highlight of its kind during the 1930s and 1940s.
Moral Panics (Smoking)
Our best pitch for a moral panic taking place in the 1930s and 1940s at ONU comes from an article published on September 30, 1943 titled “Smoke Screen…” In short, the author(s) argue about smoking on campus, and not in a form that is clearly pro- or anti- smoking.
For one, the article laments that “P. Lorrilard and the American Tobacco company [sic] have invaded even the sacrosanct environs of our campus,” saying the present form of the presence of tobacco is “not, however, a very pleasant sight to one who has not been conditioned to it by long association.” The article argues that buckets placed in front of Hill and Dukes are “menaces to the public health” and that using one’s pocket to extinguish a tobacco product is a fire hazard.
Conversely, the always-ambiguous “we” of the article say they “rather favor the army method of smoking them down to practically nothing, then shredding the tobacco and rolling the paper into a little ball…a little practice at the good old army custom will probably be good for us all.” This seems to suggest the upset is not with the presence of tobacco itself, but with how in particular students choose to use it.
Today, Ohio Northern is a tobacco-free campus (see General Non-Academic Standards of Conduct, Item U on page 20 of the 2025 University Handbook), and quite rightfully so. The authors do not deny the serious health effects of smoking. Instead, the fixation on strange and unclear objections to smoking at ONU during a time before the effects of smoking were known places this narrative in the realm of a moral panic.
Oddities (YMCA)
This one, to be completely honest, is a little weak. The most unique, interesting, and potentially unexpected narrative we found for this era was two articles from the 1940s mentioning activity at the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association).
One article, “YM to Hear Dean Tolf” (published November 11, 1942), indicated that the YMCA was to host Ohio Northern’s Dean of Women to discuss “Manners for the College Man.” The other, “ELECTIONS, PANEL TAKS FEATURED AT YM TONIGHT [sic]” (published February 3, 1943) announced a “panel discussion on the war situation.” References to two prior lectures on the ongoing second world war are made: “The Political Aspects of the War” and “The Postwar Situation.”
It isn’t much, but these fleeting pieces of evidence reveal the role of the YMCA to be significant in the lives of at least some Ohio Northern students during this time. Similar events today are generally organized by individual colleges or departments (or, oftentimes, student organizations). The interest — and need — for lectures, discussions, and other programming which engages students outside of their academics on a political level and on a moral level is clear. It was present in the 1940s, it is present today, and it probably isn’t going away anytime soon.
Conclusion
The 1930s and 1940s at ONU were mostly uneventful in the eyes of student journalism. Starting next week, each entry in the Archive Deep Dive series will cover a single decade, going into further depth on the evolution of life at ONU. As a decade, the 1950s betrays the clear student passion of the 1910s-1920s and, in good ways and bad ways, reflects on the tension over progress exampled by the inclusion of women in band during the 1940s.