Have you ever walked into a building on campus and wondered how it got its name?

An official university committee had the responsibility of naming buildings at NIU. The membership of the committee was founded in 1974, according to a 1981 NIU faculty bulletin found in the Regional History Center in the NIU Archives.

Swen Parson Hall

Swen Parson Hall was named after Swen Franklin Parson, a professor of mathematics for the Northern Illinois State Normal School — now NIU. Parson was born on Jan. 27, 1861, in Sweden, and came to the U.S. in 1875. Parson attended Illinois State Normal School and later went on to become the principal of DeKalb High School. Parson’s legacy is teaching math from 1899-1938. Parson was also active in civic affairs and was a member of the DeKalb Public Library Board from 1906 until his death on Nov. 27, 1949, in DeKalb, according to the Regional History Center in the NIU Archives.

Reavis Hall

Reavis Hall was named after William Claude Reavis, a life-long educator and philosopher. Reavis was born in Indiana in 1881. He quickly began his career in teaching at the age of 18. Reavis received three degrees in philosophy from the University of Chicago. He became the principal of the university high school at the University of Chicago in 1921. Reavis began teaching in the College of Education in 1927, until his retirement in 1947. The Illinois State Teachers College Board appointed Reavis to the board in 1949. Reavis died on June 2, 1955, according to the archives.

Zulauf Hall

Zulauf Hall was named after Romeo Maxwell Zulauf, a former dean of faculty at NIU. Zulauf was born on Nov. 17, 1902, in New London, Minn. Zulauf attended Carleton College, a private liberal arts college, in 1924 where he received two degrees from the University of Minnesota in 1931 and his doctorate in education from Indiana University in 1955. Zulauf became the dean of Faculty to Northern Illinois State Teachers College — now NIU — in July 1941 and later became dean of Instruction in 1951. Zulauf returned to teach social sciences until his death on July 22, 1957, according to the archives.