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Milner Library

World War I Illinois State Normal University Service Records

Man in uniform writing a letter on a blanket

Explore the World War I service of Illinois State Normal University (ISNU) students, faculty, staff, and alumni through letters, photographs, questionnaires, news clippings, postcards, and other primary sources. This digital collection vividly illustrates the extent and variety of ISNU’s contributions during the war and expands access to its contents for research and teaching.

These WWI-era primary sources originate from the dedicated work of Angeline Vernon Milner (1856–1928), the university’s first fulltime librarian. Milner served as one of the members of ISNU’s War Service Committee established after the United States entered the war in 1917. The Committee’s activities were organized in five areas, with Milner leading the efforts in maintaining and arranging a permanent “war roster” and related files for all ISNU affiliates. Milner not only gathered sources documenting their wartime contributions, but also wrote hundreds of letters to ISNU soldiers and support service volunteers serving in the United States and overseas. She likewise received hundreds of letters in response, many poignantly describing the authors’ experiences and feelings. After the war ended, Milner created and sent service questionnaires to further document each individual’s contributions to the war effort. She compiled records for over 800 individuals; 685 of the files have survived to this day and serve as the foundation for this digital collection. The print artifacts, more than one hundred years old, continue to be preserved in the University’s Archives. Milner’s efforts in documenting, gathering, and organizing this history commemorate the service and sacrifice of the university community during the war.

This digital collection contains archival material previously published as A University Goes To War: World War I Women (later renamed Women of World War I). That collection was decommissioned in 2024.

How to Access

View the Collection

Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield Archives

Collection Contact

April Anderson-Zorn
University Archivist
aander2@IllinoisState.edu

Content Warning

This primary source collection reflects the ideas and beliefs of its creators, many of whom held bigoted views that were common during their era. Please be aware that you may encounter slurs and other offensive or disturbing content while using this material.

Three soldiers being held up by a fourth

Digital Exhibit - Over There: Stories from the Illinois State Normal University World War I Service Records Collection

Visit Over There to learn the context in which ISNU students, faculty, and staff participated in World War I. The exhibit walks readers through different topics about the war and highlights how the lives of ISNU service men and women intersected with the greater war effort. The project site features material about combat, the 1918 Influenza Epidemic, and lesser-known narratives, including those of the Pioneer Infantry, women, and noncombatants. Using digital humanities tools, the exhibit showcases illustrative essays, map journeys of individuals, a timeline, and map visualizations featuring data generated for the digital collection. Over There is an ongoing project that will feature more stories in the future.

Collection Highlights

  • Men in cots with masks over their noses and mouths. Image citation

    1918-1919 Influenza Epidemic

    Also known as the Spanish flu, this devastating pandemic claimed the lives of tens of millions across the globe, including 50,000 American soldiers – roughly equal to the number who fell in battle.

  • Propeller plane flying through the air.

    Air Forces

    The last major conflict to feature cavalry units was also the first to weaponize the newly-invented airplane. Glamorous aero squads captured the public’s imagination, fighting in daring dog fights in the skies above Europe while enjoying celebrity status on the ground.

  • Three men in uniform.

    American Expeditionary Forces University

    Following the end of the war, the United States faced the monumental task of bringing its troops home – and occupying their time as they waited to demobilize. Nearly 10,000 soldier-students spent this period taking free classes at the AEF University in Beaune, France, taught by 309 volunteer faculty members.

  • Men in uniform posing with a woman and two small children.

    Non-Combatants

    Volunteers serving with the YMCA, Red Cross, and Army Nurse Corps, including 34 women associated with ISNU, provided essential support for American troops during the war.

  • Illustration of a cat on top of a tank with the text 'Tank Corps Treat em Rough'

    Over There

    Unlike other nations who experienced years of privation and stalemate in the trenches, the United States’ involvement in World War I lasted a scant 20 months. Vowing that they wouldn’t “come back till it’s over, over there,” 2.8 million American soldiers (and 306 in this collection) streamed into Europe, determined to “do or die” for the cause.

  • Men in uniforms wearing helmets and backpacks.

    On the Front Lines

    Of the 685 ISNU affiliates whose war service are documented in this collection, only 70 reported engaging in combat. Many of this select group write of their experiences during the decisive final offensives of the war.

Related Materials

  • World War I Posters is an online collection of over 50 World War I posters held in Milner Library's Government Information World War Poster Collection. Federal agencies and national organizations created these posters after the United States entered the war in 1917.

  • McLean County in the World War 1918-1919 provides a broad overview of local contributions to the war effort. In addition to the sacrifices of soldiers and support workers, this resource honors residents’ contributions to liberty loan campaigns, food and fuel conservation, and even patriotic “sings.”

  • ISNU faculty member Elmer Cavins volunteered to teach spelling and penmanship in the American Expeditionary Forces University during the spring of 1919. His copious letters home, as well as other artifacts of his trip, paint a detailed picture of life for American servicemembers in war-torn France at the close of the war.

Transcription

Our enduring and heartfelt thanks go out to the volunteer transcribers who helped make this collection searchable and accessible, especially Carol Fitzsimmons and Koka Kliora. Want to contribute to future digital collections? Sign up as a collaborator at From The Page and start earning rewards – the more you transcribe, the more Milner swag you get!

Additional Links