Southern Illinois University at Ed­wardsville now has as its main campus 2,600 acres of gently rolling Mississip­pi River bluff land in the heart of the Madison-St. Clair two-county area, commonly known as Metro East, the opening of which in 1965 this book seeks to commemorate. The book pro­vides a view of the emergence of a major university in a 25-year period, 10 of these years on the Edwardsville campus. The more than 50 photographs chosen for this retrospective view complement the account of the educational philos­ophy, chief executives, faculty and cur­riculum, students and alumni of the University.