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Story Subject Category: University of Illinois
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Allerton Park is truly an oasis on the prairie. When you walk through the shaded canopy on a hot summer day, it is incredible to think that Robert Allerton built the entire park out of nothing. The place was the vision of one man and we are lucky that he chose to let us all enjoy it. Eleanore Stasheff’s story does a wonderful job of explaining the history of the park and lets people in on the behind the scenes stories of its creation. My favorite is that the Sun Singer Statue was to originally sit on the patio. But when it arrived from the sculptor, it was quite a bit larger than expected. If placed on the patio, guests would gaze out the parlor windows to be greeted by the Sun Singer’s private parts! I hope this story looking back at the history of the park helps people appreciate this wonderful gift to central Illinois and that all will help to keep the park around for future generation.
Segment duration: 05:41
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Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Historical Landmarks • Horticulture • Illinois Culture/History • Parks/Outdoor Recreation • University of Illinois • Champaign County • University of Illinois
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University of Illinois entomologist May Berenbaum tells Prairie Fire she was pleased to have a luscious entomologist named after her in a 1996 “The X-Files” episode, especially since the character was a great stereotype buster. “Entomologists are usually portrayed as having horn-rimmed glasses and wearing inappropriate clothes like pith helmets,” said Prairie Fire host Alison Davis, who profiles Berenbaum. Davis explores the activities of the real life Berenbaum and the history of her Insect Fear Film Festival, which Berenbaum has been using for 15 years to expose the mythology in insect films.
Davis said Berenbaum actually likes a lot of the films that aren’t scientifically accurate. “In fact, the worse the movie, the more entertaining she finds it. But she does like to point out where the movie differs from scientific fact,” Davis said. Berenbaum, a member of the national Academy of Sciences and head of the UI entomology department, began the festival as a fun way to educate people about insects.
Segment duration: 11:10
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Illinois Culture/History • Livestock/Animals/Zoology • University of Illinois • Champaign • Champaign County • University of Illinois • Urbana
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The Florida A & M “Marching 100” Band has performed at the Champs Elysee in Paris, at both of President Bill Clinton’s inaugurations and at this year’s Super Bowl XXXIX’s pre-game show Feb. 6 in Jacksonville. But last fall, they wowed U of I football fans with a performance at Memorial Stadium. And the Marching Illini took the field with them at one point for a dueling rendition of “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better.”
Segment duration: 05:10
Producer: Lillie Buck
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Music • University of Illinois • Champaign • Champaign County • University of Illinois • Urbana
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Segment duration: 7:16
Producer: Erin Anadkat and Dennis Belogorsky
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Sports • University of Illinois
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Prairie Fire visits the small observatory southwest of Champaign operated by the dedicated star-watchers of the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society. The 15-foot observatory dome, part of the original University of Illinois observatory, was built on the U of I campus in 1914 and salvaged by the club after it had been moved several times and abandoned. The society opens its observatory to the public once each month to help educate people about the night sky.
Segment duration: 08:09
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Science/Nature • University of Illinois • Champaign • Champaign County • University of Illinois • Urbana
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Prairie Fire looks at the history of barns in Illinois, including the University of Illinois round barns. Host Alison Davis said the three round barns were built between 1908 and 1912 for the university’s experimental dairy farm. “One is still a working dairy barn, while the other two are used for storage,” she said. Round barns were considered stronger than square or rectangular barns, cheaper to construct, and labor-saving in a variety of ways. The U of I’s round barns were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, she said.
“It’s been estimated that fewer than 60 round barns exist in America today,” said Davis. “They were popular until the ’20s when the mechanization of farm equipment led to their decline.”
Segment duration: 06:26
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Architecture • Historical Landmarks • Illinois Culture/History • University of Illinois • University of Illinois • Urbana
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Host Alison Davis goes on a tour of art at the University of Illinois with adjunct assistant art history professor Muriel Scheinman. Scheinman, author of “A Guide to Art at the University of Illinois,” takes Davis to see some of the notable sculptures and reliefs on campus. The tour includes Lorado Taft sculptures on the east side of the library, Lincoln Hall terra cotta reliefs portraying the life of Abraham Lincoln, Tom Otterness bronze sculptures in the Gelvin Garden at the Krannert Art Museum, and Christiane Martens sculptures at the Beckman Institute.
“Like many people, I went to school at the U of I, and walked right by many of these sculptures without ever knowing their history,” said Davis.
Segment duration: 08:09
Producer: Alison Davis
Advisor: Muriel Scheinman
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Historical Landmarks • Illinois Culture/History • Libraries/Museums/Cultural Centers • University of Illinois • University of Illinois
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Segment duration: 08:21
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
Advisor: Mike Jackson
This segment is filed in these categories: Architecture • Historical Landmarks • Illinois Culture/History • University of Illinois • Champaign • Champaign County • University of Illinois • Urbana
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Prairie Fire looks back at the history of sports for students with disabilities at the University of Illinois. Host Alison Davis looks at Tim Nugent’s establishment of the nation’s first collegiate wheelchair basketball team in 1948, and the growth of the UI sports program that has produced Olympic athletes and world record holders such as Jean Driscoll, Sharon Hedrick and Scot Hollonbeck.
Alison’s producer’s log:
I first learned about Tim Nugent in 1995 when I was producing on documentary on eight-time Boston Marathon winner Jean Driscoll. His accomplishments and vision never cease to amaze me. Producing this story, we did an interview with Nugent in his home office. Although it had been 50 years since he established the wheelchair sports program at the U of I, he remembered the events like it was yesterday. When he recalled that a letter written by a professor at the UIUC campus complimenting his disabled athletes, this great man who had accomplished so much was moved to tears. Every student that he has helped was like a brother, son or daughter to him. I was proud to do this story so that in some small way it reminds us of what one person can accomplish. And how one life can touch the lives of so many.
Segment duration: 08:31
Producer: Alison Davis
This segment is filed in these categories: Sports • University of Illinois • University of Illinois
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Prairie Fire looks at some of the most valuable items in the University of Illinois Library collection. The items, then on display at the Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion, include James Jones’ heavily hand-edited typescript of “From Here to Eternity,” the H.G. Wells and Carl Sandburg collections, and original photographs from the 1936 Olympics by controversial German photographer Leni Reifenstahl.
Segment duration: 08:57
Producer: Alison Davis
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • History • Libraries/Museums/Cultural Centers • Literature • University of Illinois • Champaign • Champaign County • University of Illinois • Urbana
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