As great theater goes, what Diane Pearse witnessed for one semester at the Auditorium was every bit as riveting as any act that played Krannert or the Assembly Hall.
“My memory is one that I am sure is shared by thousands of Illini," says the Hickory Farms CEO. "One of my favorite electives was Professor Richard Scanlan’s Classical Civ class. More than 1,000 students would pack into the Auditorium to enjoy his entertaining style of teaching.
“Fridays during football season were always the best, as Professor Scanlan would come out dressed as the Greek god of prophecy, Apollo, in a toga and laurel wreath.
"Upon his encouragement, I remember shouting I-L-L, I-N-I with my fellow students, and then he would predict an Illini victory. But, alas the predictions rarely came true, as the Illini football team wasn’t very good when I was a student.”
