Albion's campus saw looser regulations in the 70s; Visiting rights granted to opposite sex dorms; drinking age lowered to 18
By Zach Loeprich
Staff Writer
As the United States rallied against Vietnam and argued about Watergate, Albion students tackled more important issues -- sex and drinking.
Yes, it was the 70s, a time of protests and growth for the Albion College campus. However, Albion students' ideas of protests differed from those of other colleges such as Kent State and California University at Berkeley. While those universities chanted "make love, not war," Albion's students ... mostly male ... chanted "we want to live with the chicks!"
At the start of the 1970 school year, Albion's administration dealt with students' demand for coed living. More than 1,200 Albion students signed an ultimatum, issued to President Bernard Lomas, calling for an open housing policy.
After several brief student sit-ins, the students were granted male/female visitation hours. Male students were allowed to visit Wesley Hall, the women's dorm, within certain designated hours on certain days and vice versa. There was one stipulation, though ... when a member of the opposite sex was in the room, the door had to be open and the light had to be on.
It wasn't long after the announcement of visitation hours that a Pleiad staff writer tried to rally support in his article for college issued birth control devices.
The next important event to hit campus occurred on January 1, 1972, when the words drunk, inebriated, sauced, tanked, tipsy, smashed, and bombed became quite familiar to anyone 18 years or older. The state of Michigan had lowered the drinking age from 21 to 18 ... a late Christmas gift to thousands of students across Michigan.
Albion students, who were primarily sheltered from the world of booze, quickly caught up with the national average for percentage of students who drank. According to a 1977 poll, 90% of Albion students drank at least occasionally.
Unfortunately for some, though, Michigan reverted the legal drinking age to 21 in 1978. Hundreds of enraged Michigan teenagers could be heard simultaneously uttering the phrase "son-of-a-bitch."
In the early 70s, Albion College tried an experiment of its own ... student taught classes. Albion's administration agreed to let students teach experimental courses, or as Julian Rammelkamp, professor of history, called it, "the blind leading the blind."
In May of 1973, Albion's campus was left in dismay as one of its students was shot and killed outside of Epworth Hall. The student was attempting to steal a calculator when a campus safety officer shot him in the head. No charges were brought against the officer by the college.
According to Frank Frick, professor and chair of religious studies, campus safety officers carried concealed weapons at this time. The incident prompted a restructuring of the department, including the elimination of concealed weapons and the utilization of students, rather than professionals, as officers.
Crime became a serious issue for Albion students, faculty, and staff. Throughout the 70s, crime seemed to plague the campus and fill The Pleiad. When the crimes, mostly theft, started to affect the college's enrollment, the campus safety program was further developed. Since then, Albion College's crime rate has dropped considerably.
Several of the buildings scattered about campus were constructed and dedicated during the 70s.
Gerstacker International House, Dean Aquatic Center, Herrick Center for Speech Communication and Theatre, and the science complex comprised of Norris Science Center, Putnam Hall and Palenske Hall, were all dedicated. The former bookstore and Sprankle-Sprandle Stadium were constructed, and the 125 acre Whitehouse Nature Center and its interpretive building were added to campus courtesy of an anonymous gift.
Throughout the 70s, Union Board brought in several top acts for the annual concert. This era saw Gladys Knight and the Pips, Duke Ellington, the J. Geils Band, Peter Frampton, and John Denver.
Later in the decade, Albion students had the pleasure of a Supertramp concert. REO Speedwagon and ZZ Top were also a couple of top name performers who played here in the late 70s.
The college also brought in some famous speakers during this time.
In 1972, Ralph Nader spoke to Albion students. Saving the planet became a serious issue for Albion students early in the 70s, as they worked to clean up the Kalamazoo River.
Perhaps the top speaker of the 70s was former President Gerald Ford, who spoke in Albion in October of 1978 when he dedicated the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Service.
Seniors' hard work pays off
By Amanda Ewing
Staff Writer
"Albion encouraged us to take our own path of creative development which reveals itself in our senior show, as it is eclectic and aesthetically interesting."
This is what Brook McClintic, Ithaca senior, had to say about the Senior Art Exhibition. The exhibit opened Sunday and will run through Friday, May 2 in the Elsie Munroe Gallery of the Bobbitt Visual Arts Center.
Doug Goering, associate professor and chair of visual arts, explained that the exhibit is a requirement for all senior art majors. The students select their works and submit them to be judged by a committee of the college's art faculty. Pieces chosen for exhibition showcase diverse art forms, including drawings, prints, ceramics, sculptures, photographs and paintings.
"The exhibit best exemplifies the strongest work and clarity of direction," said Goering. "The works aren't dictated by the faculty. Many people are struck by the range of expression which is not featured at the expense of sophistication and complexity, but rather in addition."
The featured seniors are Kimberly Browder of Brighton, Kelly Casterline of Northville, Kimmi Dukes of Livonia, Emily Goodrich of Portland, Ind., Nicholas Hall of Mattawan, Melissa Korte of Grosse Ile, McClintic, Jill Parsons of Plainwell, Kristen Rahn of Grand Blanc, Rachael Roberts of Midland, Paul Thompson of Quincy, Shannon Trudell of Marysville and Michael Zacha of Okemos.
"Everyone's work looks so good and it's nice to be able to see what everyone has done because there are so many of us and we all have different styles and aesthetics," Dukes said.
The gallery is open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and 6:30-9 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
Seniors' hard work pays off
By Amanda Ewing
Staff Writer
"Albion encouraged us to take our own path of creative development which reveals itself in our senior show, as it is eclectic and aesthetically interesting."
This is what Brook McClintic, Ithaca senior, had to say about the Senior Art Exhibition. The exhibit opened Sunday and will run through Friday, May 2 in the Elsie Munroe Gallery of the Bobbitt Visual Arts Center.
Doug Goering, associate professor and chair of visual arts, explained that the exhibit is a requirement for all senior art majors. The students select their works and submit them to be judged by a committee of the college's art faculty. Pieces chosen for exhibition showcase diverse art forms, including drawings, prints, ceramics, sculptures, photographs and paintings.
"The exhibit best exemplifies the strongest work and clarity of direction," said Goering. "The works aren't dictated by the faculty. Many people are struck by the range of expression which is not featured at the expense of sophistication and complexity, but rather in addition."
The featured seniors are Kimberly Browder of Brighton, Kelly Casterline of Northville, Kimmi Dukes of Livonia, Emily Goodrich of Portland, Ind., Nicholas Hall of Mattawan, Melissa Korte of Grosse Ile, McClintic, Jill Parsons of Plainwell, Kristen Rahn of Grand Blanc, Rachael Roberts of Midland, Paul Thompson of Quincy, Shannon Trudell of Marysville and Michael Zacha of Okemos.
"Everyone's work looks so good and it's nice to be able to see what everyone has done because there are so many of us and we all have different styles and aesthetics," Dukes said.
The gallery is open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and 6:30-9 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.