This recording took place in a classroom of Sociology Professor Emily Dunn Dale on December 3, 1987. At that time, Underwood, Class of 1937, was on IWU's Board of Trustees and in had been in private practice with Dr. Dunn's brother Richard in Bloomington since 1984.
From his March 31, 1988 Chicago Tribune obituary: "Robert C. Underwood, 72, chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court from 1969 to 1975, died Wednesday, apparently of a heart attack, in his home in Normal. He had served as a judge for 38 years, 22 1/2 of them on the state`s top court.....Justice Underwood, a native of Gardner, Ill., was graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University and received his law degree from the University of Illinois.
In 1946 he was elected a Circuit judge in McLean County and held that position until his election to the state Supreme Court in 1962. In his elections to the county bench, he never faced serious competition.
"At the Republican nominating convention for a Supreme Court vacancy, he outmaneuvered more prominent candidates and subsequently scored a big victory against the Democratic candidate in the 16-county court district."
