In 1957, NIU opened its doors to the largest freshman class in its history. The university admitted 1,400 high school graduates – bringing the total enrollment to about 4,500 full-time students.

Also, on Oct. 15, 1957, the Northern Star, then called the Northern Illinois, celebrated its 35th year of publication.

In an archive edition of the Northern Illinois, Maude Frost, former Northern Illinois editor, stated, “Every college has a newspaper or should. Even some of the larger high schools have very creditable weekly publications. Let every student make it his personal responsibility to see that the N.I. pictures will show that greatest show of all, our college life.”

In the ’50s, NIU held its first Christmas Queen pageant where Helen Anderson, a freshman, was crowned queen on the steps of the Swen Parson Hall Library.

Restaurants still around today were popular back in the ’50s. Pizza Villa, “The Finest Pizza in DeKalb,” served NIU’s campus. At the then-popular restaurant Lehan’s, 39 cents could buy a breakfast meal of fried country eggs, homemade buttered toast and coffee.

Cigarette ads were prevalent in the Northern Star in the ’50s. Ads for Sticklers Cigarettes were advertised in almost every issue. Other cigarette ads included Salem, Camel, C&M and Lucky Strike. Lucky Strike’s slogan was “Light up a light smoke – light up a Lucky.”

In the ’50s, fall semester final exams were in the last week of January instead of December.

Shows and performances at the Egyptian Theatre costed only 50 or 75 cents per event.

Also, in the ’50s, the residence halls were divided by gender. The men stayed at Gilbert Hall, while the women stayed at Adams and Williston halls.