Paul Valenti (1920-2014) was integrally connected to Oregon State University for more that seventy years, beginning with his arrival on the Oregon State College campus as a student athlete in 1938. A member of the Beaver basketball squad during his undergraduate years, Valenti later served as freshman baseball coach, freshman basketball coach, head basketball coach and head tennis coach, spanning a time period from 1946-1970. He continued on as Assistant Athletic Director until retiring in 1982, and remained an enthusiastic ambassador for OSU until his death in 2014.
John Finley Hinds, known as "Ol' John," ran a shoeshine parlor in the Memorial Union during the 1930s and 1940s. He received letters, pictures and samples of foreign money from Oregon State students, alumni and faculty from all around the world.
President Peavy (front row, right), Governor Charles Sprague (front row, center) Chancellor Frederick M. Hunter (second row, second from left) and members of the State Board of Higher Education attended the dedication of the building – one of a handful of buildings built at any public higher education campus in Oregon in the 1930s. Board member Beatrice Walton Sackett is in the front row, left. Linus Pauling (not pictured) was also at the building’s dedication.
Eason broke the gender barrier to become the first female member of the cadet band. However, by 1935, the band returned to its male- only status. Co-eds formed their own band in 1937; this band merged with the cadet band in 1946. The basketball pep band did not allow women members until 1973.