Featured Testimonial About Creighton University
OK, let’s start by debunking a myth. Students did NOT have to walk uphill both ways to class through mountains of snow. We can confirm.
But… here’s some validation for the those who insist that Creighton has gotten a little lenient over the years when deciding whether to close campus due to weather.
On Thursday, Feb. 11, 1965, it wasn’t until a call came from the Civil Defense Director that Creighton did end up canceling classes on the snowiest day in Omaha history. The decision to close was made at 11 a.m.
Harry Dolphin, the campus director of public relations, told the The Creightonian that it was “the first time in many years” that Creighton closed. Classes were canceled the next day, too.
Here’s why: 18.3 inches of snow.
It was the highest single-day snowfall in Omaha history (and Creighton history).
(Note: This story and stories like this are made possible by the great work of the University Archives and Special Collections, the keeper of Creighton’s history. Please consider making a gift to the Archives and helping us preserve these incredible stories for generations to come.)
A snapshot of what happened on Creighton's campus following that historic snowstorm 60 years ago:
>> In the days after the snow had subsided, an Omaha radio station offered up a contest to listeners: Who can build the largest snowball?
A few Creighton freshmen living in Wareham Hall gave it their best effort. It’s unclear if they won the challenge or not, but they sure had some fun on the football stadium’s field.
>> At the time that the Bluejay men’s basketball team was supposed to head to the airport on the snowy Thursday, it could not leave. Several players were missing. They were stuck in the snow.
The Jays did eventually make it to Eppley Airfield, and it was well past their plane’s scheduled 9:45 a.m. departure time.
But it worked out. The flight was delayed a couple hours. That gave the Jays enough time to trudge through the snow, safely navigate the slick streets and board their flight. They ended up beating La Salle 84-66.
>> The Rev. Frank T. Jelinek, SJ, a half-dozen maintenance men and three janitors led Creighton's clean-up efforts. It usually would take them a full day to remove snow from all the sidewalks, building steps and parking lots on campus. But this snowstorm required more work.
The Creightonian had some fun at their expense with an editorial illustration published one week later (see right). When students resumed classes the following Monday, it was apparently still a bit slippery out.
>> The Creightonian reported that the campus switchboards were overloaded on the day of the big storm. Tons of calls came in from students, dental patients and community members, and they had to be routed to the correct recipients. Said switchboard operator Mrs. William P. Sullivan: “That day, we were getting them so fast we just answered one after the other. If someone said, ‘Is there going to be school?’ we said ‘No’ and plugged into the next phone call.”
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Read about another major snowstorm: In 1997, there was a surprise October blizzard that caused incredible damage across the city. And Creighton students pitched in to help.
