April 17, 1998 — Gov. Tommy Thompson signs a bill prohibiting the use of social security numbers as identification in educational institutions. The law – which will affect Oshkosh students beginning in 2000 – requires schools to assign random numbers for identification purposes. Advocates said the law helps protect student privacy and safety.

April 18, 1918 — Cooper Wells becomes the first Oshkosh Normal student to die from battlefield wounds during WWI. By war’s end, 15 students will lose their live.

April 19, 1996 — The Newman Center’s boiler malfunctions and creates an explosion, causing a massive blast to echo through campus at about 6:30 p.m. Newman’s chimney and boiler room sustain major structural damage, while the entire building suffers moderate smoke damage and minor water damage. The initial report indicates a natural gas leak was probably to blame. The only person in the building at the time was not hurt.

April 20, 1966 — WRST, the school’s radio station, performs a “dry run” at 6 p.m. for the first time after receiving its call-letter approval earlier that day. The first home of the 10-watt station is located in the former Fuller-Goodman Co. lumber office (now the south parking lot of the Kolf Sports Center). It aired four hours a week, five days a week. The call letters of WSUO were previously denied by the FCC because a ship’s radio station already had it. WRST stands for “Wisconsin Radio Station of the Titans.”

Source: University archives