Theodore F. Turner
Bill 53 was drafted by Theodore F. Turner, the “father of Idaho State University”. Turner served as an Idaho State Senator and as Mayor of Pocatello. His landholdings in and around the city were numerous. He donated Red Hill and a 160-acre farm to the Academy.
Swanson Hall
Swanson Hall was the first building built for the Academy of Idaho. It was named after Theodore Swanson, one of the members of the Board of Trustees for the Academy. It was demolished in 1973 due to safety concerns.
The original arch was saved and is now part of the March Through The Arch Tradition.
Campus buildings that are no more
The Bantams
Blossoming school spirit and loyalty required the selection of a team name. In 1906, an unknown person decided on the Bantams. A bantam is a breed of chicken characterized by its tiny size.
Apparently not thrilled with the Bantam name, the Academy’s baseball team decided to call themselves the “Tigers” in 1908.
Alumni Association established
Established in 1906 when the Academy of Idaho boasted only 14 graduates, the Alumni Association now has over 85k members.
Idaho Technical Institute
The Academy of Idaho was renamed the Idaho Technical Institute, referred to by many as "the Tech."
The two-year vocational collegiate institute was divided into two schools, the Technical School and the College Preparatory School, or junior college.
Student Army Training Corps
When the United States entered World War I, enrollment dropped by nearly 50 percent in just a few months. The Tech was saved by a contract with the federal government establishing a Student Army Training Corps.
Four Tech students were killed in the war. The sundial in front of Frazier Hall is a memorial to those who served in the war.
