Many famous men laid the bricks that built the University during the past 150 years, but 75 years ago, one man turned the face of the University toward modernity. This year marks the University’s 150th birthday and the 75th anniversary of the assassination of Huey Pierce Long, governor and senator of Louisiana  during the Great Depression era.”The history of LSU can be measured in its first 75 years and its second 75 years, which correlates to Huey Long,” said Audra Snider, Long’s great-granddaughter. “He was the father of the modern LSU, and he deserves much of the credit for creating the LSU we all recognize today.”Long became involved with LSU in 1930, and by 1935, his improvements increased enrollment from roughly 1,800 students to 5,200 students, Snider said. Long increased the University’s operating budget from $800,000 to $2.8 million. Long attracted more qualified faculty members and changed the University’s “C” rating by the Association of State Universities to an “A” rating, according to Snider.Long made sure both state and federal funds were given to students who needed assistance, said Paul Hoffman, history professor. He attributes the continued growth of the student body to what Long started in the ’30s.The Long Machine, Long’s political mechanism, dealt with multiple areas. Long increased the LSU Marching Band to nearly 250 members, introduced the purple and gold colors to the uniform and helped compose “Darling of LSU” and “Touchdown for LSU,” according to the LSU Department of Bands Web site. Hoffman said Long’s interest in extracurriculars shifted the University from a technical school to a more well-rounded university.Long is also credited for building landmarks on campus such as the Music and Dramatic Arts building, the Fine Arts building, female dormitories, the Huey P. Long Field House and Pool and a larger Tiger Stadium surrounded by dorms.Although Long more than doubled enrollment and created the Tiger-fan culture, some of the memorable buildings he established are in shambles today.Michael Barry, ’82 business administration alumnus, said it took him less than 45 seconds to realize he didn’t want to live in the stadium dorms when he arrived at the University his first year.The stadium dorms on the south end zone are now offices for the Art Department. Other Long-era dorms are either empty or used for storage, said Facility Development director Emmett David in an Oct. 15 article in The Daily Reveille.The Huey P. Long Field House and Pool aren’t in good condition, either.”The decay of the Field House is somewhat symbolic of the decay of Huey’s memory,” Snider said. “Both have been neglected and even vandalized … their value is no longer recognized.”In September 2008, The Foundation for Historical Louisiana added the Field House to its list of “Treasures in Trouble.” At the time, the crumbling building was No. 13 on the University’s restoration list. “The Field House was a social center,” said Nancy Wyman, ’41 education alumna. “We used to have mailboxes there, and there was a big room for dances. Every weekend there were four dances.”Only 50 percent of the building is still usable, including the front half which currently houses classrooms, David said in an e-mail to The Daily Reveille.Even though the Long Machine accomplished more at the University than Long himself, his legacy and influence should still be celebrated, Hoffman said.Long died of gunshot wounds on Sep. 10, 1935, assassinated by Carl Weiss.The University is a symbol of Long’s philosophy and progress within the state of Louisiana, and these anniversaries should be celebrated together, said Snider.”We can have no appreciation for the advancements we enjoy now if we don’t look back and understand where they came from,” Snider said. “Huey would be enormously proud of his legacy at LSU because his whole focus was about giving young people an opportunity … through education.”—-Contact Mary Walker Baus at [email protected]