History

1914

J-School established

J-School established in Army surplus tents on The University of Montana Oval; A.L. Stone named first dean. Eight students enroll. School moves to an enclosed bicycle shed in late November, then into a newly constructed wooden building in the back of Science Hall.

1921

School moves to Marcus Cook Hall

School moves to Marcus Cook Hall, formerly a World War I Student Training barracks. Students call it "the shack." This will be the school's home for the next 16 years.

1936

Robert L. Housman becomes executive head of the school

Robert L. Housman becomes executive head of the school. He is the first person in the United States to receive a Ph.D. in journalism.

1937

The Journalism Building is dedicated

The Journalism Building, authorized earlier in the decade by the Montana Legislature and completed in 1936, is dedicated.

1938

Montana Kaimin becomes a daily

Montana Kaimin becomes a daily, making The University of Montana one of the nation's smallest universities with a daily newspaper.

1939

Clarence Streit '19 achieves international renown as author of "Union Now"

Clarence Streit '19 achieves international renown as author of "Union Now," which proposes an Atlantic union of democratic nations to achieve peace and stability in the world. He is later nominated for the Nobel Prize.

1942

James L.C. Ford named dean

1942

AP war correspondent Vern Haugland '31 receives the Silver Star for valor

AP war correspondent Vern Haugland '31 receives the Silver Star for valor from Gen. Douglas MacArthur after surviving a five-week ordeal in the New Guinea jungles. Haugland, who had parachuted into the jungle from a disabled B-26 bomber, becomes the first civilian to receive the Silver Star. His book about his ordeal, "Letter from New Guinea," is published the following year.

1946

A.B. Guthrie '23, editor of Lexington, Ky., Leader, completes his first novel, "The Big Sky."

A.B. Guthrie '23, editor of Lexington, Ky., Leader, completes his first novel, "The Big Sky." It gets rave reviews.

1949

Pressure from the campus administration leads to confiscation and destruction of an issue of the Kaimin

Pressure from the campus administration leads to confiscation and destruction of an issue of the Kaimin, which carried a cartoon depicting the Montana Board of Education as rats gnawing at a bag of university funds.

1949

Carroll O'Connor, later to become television's Archie Bunker, and Bill Smurr resign their editing jobs

Carroll O'Connor, later to become television's Archie Bunker, and Bill Smurr resign their editing jobs in protest.

1950

A.B. Guthrie '23 wins a Pulitzer Prize

A.B. Guthrie '23 wins a Pulitzer Prize for his second novel, "The Way West."

1950

Clarence Streit '19 makes the cover of Time magazine

Clarence Streit '19 makes the cover of Time magazine, which compares him to William Lloyd Garrison, Henry George and Susan B. Anthony.

1953

Author Dorothy M. Johnson joins the journalism faculty.

1956

Robert Alkire '53, Ken Kizer '41 and Bob Blair '46 help the Salt Lake City Tribune win a Pulitzer Prize

Robert Alkire '53, Ken Kizer '41 and Bob Blair '46 help the Salt Lake City Tribune win a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the collision of two airliners over the Grand Canyon.

1956

Nathaniel Blumberg is named dean

1957

Dean Stone Night established

Dean Stone Night established. First speaker is Louis M. Lyons, curator of the Nieman Fellowships at Harvard.

1958

The Montana Journalism Review begins publication.

The Montana Journalism Review begins publication as the first journalism review in the United States.

1958

Montana Newspaper Hall of Fame is established

Montana Newspaper Hall of Fame is established in the Journalism Building.

1958

The radio-television program is established

The radio-television program is established in the old Women's Gym.

1959

Professor Dorothy Johnson's story "The Hanging Tree" premieres

Professor Dorothy Johnson's story "The Hanging Tree" premieres as a movie starring Gary Cooper.

1959

UPI reporter Aline Mosby '43 writes "The View From No. 13 People's Street,"

UPI reporter Aline Mosby '43 writes "The View From No. 13 People's Street," the story of her adventures as the only female correspondent covering Moscow.

1959

Chet Huntley is the Dean Stone Night speaker.

1959

Bill Forbis '39 becomes a senior editor at Time.

1960

Dorothy Rochon Powers '43 becomes the first woman to win a Scripps Howard Ernie Pyle Award for reporting excellence.

1960

The Kaimin wins the top reporting award in the SDX national college competition for the second consecutive year.

1965

Radio station KUFM goes on the air in the School of Journalism

1965

David Rorvik infuriates many in the state with his controversial Kaimin editorials.

1968

Warren J. Brier succeeds Nathaniel Blumberg as dean.

1969

Sterling "Jim" Soderlind '50 is named managing editor of the Wall Street Journal.

1974

James Grady '72 completes "Six Days of the Condor,"

James Grady '72 completes "Six Days of the Condor," a spy novel that will soon become a movie starring Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway.

1974

Al Madison '61, director of UM Printing Services, files what will become a widely publicized libel action against the Kaimin

Al Madison '61, director of UM Printing Services, files what will become a widely publicized libel action against the Kaimin. The suit eventually will be settled out of court.

1974

Professor Ed Dugan retires after 37 years.

Professor Ed Dugan retires after 37 years, one as acting dean.

1975

Kim Williams, begins her popular radio commentaries on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered."

Kim Williams, who will complete a master's degree in journalism and environmental studies in 1980, begins her popular radio commentaries on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered."

1979

Aline Mosby '39 wins International Bernard J. Cabanes Prize for Journalism

Aline Mosby '39 wins International Bernard J. Cabanes Prize for Journalism for her reporting in China in UPI's newly- opened Peking bureau.

1982

Warren Brier resigns as dean.

1982

Charles E. Hood named acting dean.

Charles E. Hood named acting dean, then gets the permanent job a year later.

1985

Performing Arts/Radio Television Center, with state-of-the-art broadcasting facilities, is dedicated.

Performing Arts/Radio Television Center, with state-of-the-art broadcasting facilities, is dedicated. Don Oliver '58, NBC news correspondent, is one of the speakers.

1986

Jonathan Krim '77 directs San Jose Mercury News reporting project that wins Pulitzer Prize for international reporting.

Jonathan Krim '77 directs San Jose Mercury News reporting project that wins Pulitzer Prize for international reporting. The stories detail the transfer of wealth out of the Philippines by former President Ferdinand Marcos and his associates, and are credited with having had "a direct impact on the subsequent political developments in the Philippines and the United States."

1988

School of Journalism identified as one of the two best programs in the Northwest.

School of Journalism identified in a Gannett Center Journal article as an outstanding program, and by Allied Daily Newspapers as one of the two best programs in the Northwest.

1988

Photojournalism students complete Montana centennial documentary project, "Focus on Philipsburg,"

Photojournalism students complete Montana centennial documentary project, "Focus on Philipsburg," and two students place in College Photographer of the Year contest.

1988

Broadcast students win Montana Broadcasters Association award

Broadcast students win Montana Broadcasters Association award for noncommercial programming for second straight year.

1989

Radio-Television faculty moves into new quarters

Radio-Television faculty moves into new quarters adjacent to Performing Arts and Radio Television Center.

1989

Journalism student Marlene Mehlhaff goes to Washington, D.C., as UM's 24th Sears Congressional Intern

1989

Debra McKinney '79 helps Anchorage Daily News win the Pulitzer Prize

Debra McKinney '79 helps Anchorage Daily News win the Pulitzer Prize for its articles on Indian alcoholism in rural Alaska.

1989

Robert C. McGiffert named acting dean

1989

Dean Hood spends year in Japan.

1990

Jonathan Krim '77 directs -- for the second time in four years -- coverage that helps the San Jose Mercury News win a Pulitzer Prize.

Jonathan Krim '77 directs -- for the second time in four years -- coverage that helps the San Jose Mercury News win a Pulitzer Prize. This time the story was the 1989 Bay area earthquake.

1991

Kurt Wilson '81, Missoulian photographer, places first in the National Press Photographers Pictures of the Year competition

Kurt Wilson '81, Missoulian photographer, places first in the National Press Photographers Pictures of the Year competition for newspaper sports features.

1991

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist A.B. Guthrie Jr. '23 dies in Choteau at the age of 90.

1991

Marjorie Nichols '66, one of Canada's most widely read and outspoken journalists, dies.

1991

A student-produced television documentary on Montana tourism wins the national SPJ Mark of Excellence Award for in-depth reporting

1991

Julie Sullivan '85 wins the American Society of Newspaper Editors award for best short feature stories.

1992

Native News Honors Project produces the first of many annual newspaper tabs devoted to Indian issues in Montana.

1992

Jerry Holloron ' 64 returns to the news business.

Jerry Holloron ' 64 returns to the news business after several years of teaching at his alma mater.

1993

Charles Hood resigns as dean.

Charles Hood resigns as dean; broadcast Professor Joe Durso takes over as interim dean.

1993

Professor Clem Work resurrects Montana Journalism Review

Professor Clem Work resurrects Montana Journalism Review after a 14-year hiatus.

1994

Frank Allen, a former reporter for the Wall Street Journal, becomes dean.

1994

KGBA goes on the air.

KGBA, a student-funded and managed radio station, goes on the air.

1995

Professor Dennis Swibold begins Community News Service.

Professor Dennis Swibold begins Community News Service, providing news and features for the state's weekly newspapers.

1996

UM's broadcasting students win the Society of Professional Journalists' National Mark of Excellence Award.

For the third time in the decade, UM's broadcasting students win the Society of Professional Journalists' National Mark of Excellence Award. The winning television program, "Staying Home?" examined the dilemmas young Montanans face in deciding whether to leave the state for better-paying jobs.

1997

Joe Durso again takes over as interim dean.

Upon Frank Allen's departure, Joe Durso again takes over as interim dean

1997

The school receives a $50,000 Knight Foundation grant.

The school receives a $50,000 Knight Foundation grant to support its minority reporting projects.

1998

Joe Durso dies unexpectedly; Professor Carol Van Valkenburg takes over as interim dean

1998

Former NBC news correspondent Don Oliver '58 returns to teach several fall semester classes.

1998

Formal photojournalism emphasis is launched with the hiring of professors Jackie Bell and Keith Graham.

1999

Dennis McAuliffe, night foreign editor at the Washington Post, is hired as the school's first Native American Journalist-in-Residence.

1999

NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw delivers Dean Stone Lecture.

1999

Jerry Brown is hired as dean.

After nationwide search, Jerry Brown of Auburn, Ala., is hired as dean.

1999

Professor Greg MacDonald, Radio-TV Department chair, announces his retirement.

2000

The Freedom Forum make the School of Journalism its national base for Native American journalism

The Freedom Forum make the School of Journalism its national base for Native American journalism and extends its financial support for the Native American journalist-in-residence.

2000

Professor Carol Van Valkenburg is named one of the three national winners of the Journalism Teacher of the Year awards

Professor Carol Van Valkenburg is named one of the three national winners of the Journalism Teacher of the Year awards, presented by the Freedom Forum.

2007

New journalism building, Don Anderson Hall, is dedicated.

New journalism building, Don Anderson Hall, is dedicated. All journalism programs are once again housed under the same roof.

2007

Peggy Kuhr named dean.

2011

Carol Van Valkenburg retires

After 30 years on the faculty, including stints as interim dean and print department chairperson, Carol Van Valkenburg retired and was named emeritus. Van Valkenburg continues to advise the Montana Kaimin after her retirement.

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