Little 500

Question 1

What is the IU Foundation?

Answer 1

An IU organization that raises donations for IU

Question 2

What are/were the goals of the new Student Foundation?

Answer 2

To have students, who know most about attending IU, talk to alumni about why they should support the school with donations AND To get students involved in campus activities as undergraduates so that they will be more likely to donate money after graduation.

Question 3

What’s the “Big” 500?

Answer 3

The Indianapolis 500, an automobile race

Question 4

What are the advantages of calling the bike race “the Little 500?”

Answer 4

Recognition of the name “500” name would increase attention to the IU race around the state AND The name would connect IU to existing traditions of the state of Indiana

Question 5

How did national organizations raise money for charity prior to the Internet?

Answer 5

Telethons with celebrity performers, Merchandise and food sales, Musical concerts, and Door-to-door solicitation.

Question 6

Look at that commentator’s quotation again: “If the Little 500 bicycle race was primarily an athletic event with little showmanship, the Mini 500 was mostly show with just a little athleticism.” What is the main point of this remark?

Answer 6

That the men’s race was a serious athletic event and the women’s race was not

Question 7

Look at that IDS description of the event again: “a slick, professional spectacular put on by a hand-picked clique of the cream of the campus elite.” What does this statement imply?

Answer 7

The Little 500 no longer represented the interests of the whole student body AND A very small group of popular students now run the event

Question 8

How has student involvement changed since the last century, in the 1860s?

Answer 8

The Greek system is more dominant in campus life, Fund-raising is a concern for campus activities, and it was not in the 1860s, and There are more ways for students to be involved in campus activities

Question 9

Tesich said he first liked cycling because it “was not a mainstream sport.” What did he mean by that remark?

Answer 9

That cycling was not a profession, like football or tennis

Question 10

When did women first ride in the men’s Little 500 race?

Answer 10

Never; they now have their own race

Question 11

What is the theme of the film Breaking Away?

Answer 11

Determination and hard work can overcome obstacles, such as being economically disadvantaged

Question 12

Who was Howard (“Howdy”) Wilcox?

Answer 12

Director of the IU Foundation and Founder of the Little 500 bicycle race

Question 13

How are the IU Foundation and alumni giving (to IU) connected?

Answer 13

Wilcox got students involved–via the Student Foundation–and in turn these students became donors after they graduated

Question 14

What’s the “Mini 500”?

Answer 14

A tricycle race, first started for women riders

Question 15

Speculate about the signficiance of the Student Foundation. According to your text, why would it be important to the university to enlarge Student Foundation participation?

Answer 15

Students may be future donors if they feel connected to IU

Question 16

The text remarks that the creation of the women’s tricycle race indicated some progress. What does this statement imply?

Answer 16

Women had been left out of all other races and this was the only way to participate in the Little 500

Question 17

Consider the more recent history of the Little 500 race. According to the text, what is one of the drawbacks of making the race a nationally-known event?

Answer 17

As the number of non-IU student spectators grew, so did the number of violent disturbances

Question 18

What is the connection between the end of World War II and the first men’s Little 500 race in 1951?

Answer 18

Student enrollment increased because of government funding of tuition for veterans, but gifts to the university did not go up proportionally. The race raised money that was used for scholarships

Question 19

The Little 500 has been a rallying point for groups with social concerns larger than a bicycle race but also reflected in it. In 1968, African American students threatened to stop the race…

Answer 19

if changes were not made in the way traditionally white fraternities approved pledges