Orville Nothdurft, the Dean of Admissions at Bradley University for 25 years in the sixties and seventies, lived in the 900 block of Maplewood. His former home was the second to last to be leveled on this block.
After the Nothdurft’s moved from this home, Bradley English professor Peter Dusenberry and his family lived in the house for 23 years. “Mim Orville was very short woman,” said Dr. Dusenberry. “One of the Nothdurft daughters was a carpenter and she made all the counters and cabinets lower,” something the Dusenberry’s had to change when the house became theirs in 1984.
When I would walk to school, I remember seeing Mr. Nothdurft in his dark suit, walking across Bradley Avenue to his office in Swords Hall. He always had a friendly smile and a greeting. My dad, who early in his career at Bradley was the Assistant Dean of Students, was friends with Orville.
Dad, Mr. Northdurft, Les Tucker, the Dean of Students, and Doc Norton, the Dean of Men and head of the Speech Department formed the disciplinary committee, which started meeting in 1959-60. The four men were big Bradley basketball fans and after they dealt with whatever issues misbehaving students presented them, talk turned to the Braves.
To make things interesting, the four men created a friendly contest. Before Bradley games, they would each predict what they thought the final score of the game would be. A complicated—to my mind—scoring procedure was developed and at the end of the season, the fellow who earned the most points through his predicting prowess was declared the Bradley Basketball Top Prognosticator. His name was engraved on the plaque pictured above. The plaque only goes until 1977, but the contest continued into the early 90’s.
I remember many times my dad phoning in his prediction to whomever’s turn it was to track the scores. I would ask him his prediction and was always disappointed when he didn’t pick Bradley. According to my dad’s recollections, three times in the history of the contest one of the men correctly predicted the final score of both teams, the equivalent of a prognosticating hole in one.
Orville Nothdurft was a wonderful man, educator, and promoter of youth athletics. He died in 2001. In 2002, my dad received the Orville Nothdurft Lifetime Achievement Award, for service by a former Bradley student/athlete to his profession and the community. I know it is one of the biggest honors he has ever received.
When I would walk to school, I remember seeing Mr. Nothdurft in his dark suit, walking across Bradley Avenue to his office in Swords Hall. He always had a friendly smile and a greeting. My dad, who early in his career at Bradley was the Assistant Dean of Students, was friends with Orville.
Dad, Mr. Northdurft, Les Tucker, the Dean of Students, and Doc Norton, the Dean of Men and head of the Speech Department formed the disciplinary committee, which started meeting in 1959-60. The four men were big Bradley basketball fans and after they dealt with whatever issues misbehaving students presented them, talk turned to the Braves.
To make things interesting, the four men created a friendly contest. Before Bradley games, they would each predict what they thought the final score of the game would be. A complicated—to my mind—scoring procedure was developed and at the end of the season, the fellow who earned the most points through his predicting prowess was declared the Bradley Basketball Top Prognosticator. His name was engraved on the plaque pictured above. The plaque only goes until 1977, but the contest continued into the early 90’s.
I remember many times my dad phoning in his prediction to whomever’s turn it was to track the scores. I would ask him his prediction and was always disappointed when he didn’t pick Bradley. According to my dad’s recollections, three times in the history of the contest one of the men correctly predicted the final score of both teams, the equivalent of a prognosticating hole in one.
Orville Nothdurft was a wonderful man, educator, and promoter of youth athletics. He died in 2001. In 2002, my dad received the Orville Nothdurft Lifetime Achievement Award, for service by a former Bradley student/athlete to his profession and the community. I know it is one of the biggest honors he has ever received.
No comments:
Post a Comment