May 4th Class: Sept. 28 & 30
Dr. Barbato let us know that Alan Canfora is a go for our walking tour, which is slated for next Friday, October 9. It's Homecoming Week at the Kent campus, and the Visitor Center will be offering walking tours that day and Saturday - we're the first group out! I hope it's not too chilly that day.
This week we continued talking about the Port Huron Statement, compared it with the Scranton Report, and began a musical journey through the 60's.
Sept. 28
We talked about the Report of the President's Commission on Campus Unrest, aka the Scranton Report. We compared it to the Port Huron Statement, especially in terms of the role of the university, student dissatisfaction, and student activism. Here are the ten questions we discussed:
1. How does the Port Huron Statement characterize the state of American society? America is characterized by apathy, a paralysis in culture and thinking. It was also characterized by racial bigotry, a constant fear of dying brought on by the Cold War and the threat of attack, and the destruction of morality and virtue.
2. How does the Scranton Report view the role of the university? The university was changing into a hotbed of radical activity, and the governing bodies need to do more about policing them.
3. How does the Port Huron Statement view the role of the university? It felt that the university was an "overlooked seat of influence" because it was "in a permanent place of social infuence" where thinking can be shaped; it is a nexus of knowledge; and it is seen as a means for open communication.
4. Actually, this was a repeat of #3 from last week.
5. What social problems are seen as at the heart of student dissatisfaction in PH? The apathy of the country; racial inequality; the Cold War and the use of weaponry to spread fear; the way that man is treated impersonally, like an object; work that is undignified and meaningless; an end to violence.
6. What social problems are seen as at the heart of the student dissatisfaction in the Scranton Report? More university centered than socially centered - harsh treatment, poor food, poor living conditions, etc.
7. How does the Berkeley Invention (Free Speech Movement) compare to Port Huron's call to action? While both were based on the rights of students to express themselves freely, The Berkeley Invention involved the police being called in to break up the protests. Port Huron's call to action was more peaceful.
8. Does the Port Huron Statement confirm or refute the Scranton Report's view of student protests in the 1960's? It refutes it by taking a more peaceful view of student protests, whereas the Scranton Report viewed student protesters as radicals.
9. How do these two documents inform you about the events leading to the shootings on May 4, 1970? They set up a precedent for bringing in troops, and in a way the Scranton Report placed some of the blame on the students for their radical views.
10. Both PH and the Scranton Report talk about a transition in student engagement/activism. how does each characterize the change? Port Huron goes from silence to activity, while Scranton goes from students to radicals whose violence must be stopped.
Sept. 30
We talked about the songs of the 60's, and Dr. Barbato brought us cookies and flowers for our hair (even the lone guy in the class)! The first few songs were heavily activist, like "Eve of Destruction" and "The Time They are Changin'". Others were peaceful, like "Let's Get Together" and "Turn, Turn, Turn". We stopped at "San Francisco", and we'll continue listening to this groovy music Monday.
I made a playlist of the songs we're discussing, which includes four other songs that represent the Monterey Pop Festival held in 1967:
Blowin' in the Wind, The Times They are Changin', Mr. Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan
Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire
Turn, Turn, Turn - The Byrds
Let's Get Together - The Youngbloods
San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) - Scott McKenzie
Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
Street Fighting Man - The Rolling Stones
Ball and Chain - Janis Joplin
My Generation - The Who
California Dreaming - The Mamas and the Papas
All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
Abraham, Martin and John - Dion
Next week is Woodstock and the Civil Rights protests. Hey Em, Rahm should be a guest speaker next Wednesday, amirite?
This week we continued talking about the Port Huron Statement, compared it with the Scranton Report, and began a musical journey through the 60's.
Sept. 28
We talked about the Report of the President's Commission on Campus Unrest, aka the Scranton Report. We compared it to the Port Huron Statement, especially in terms of the role of the university, student dissatisfaction, and student activism. Here are the ten questions we discussed:
1. How does the Port Huron Statement characterize the state of American society? America is characterized by apathy, a paralysis in culture and thinking. It was also characterized by racial bigotry, a constant fear of dying brought on by the Cold War and the threat of attack, and the destruction of morality and virtue.
2. How does the Scranton Report view the role of the university? The university was changing into a hotbed of radical activity, and the governing bodies need to do more about policing them.
3. How does the Port Huron Statement view the role of the university? It felt that the university was an "overlooked seat of influence" because it was "in a permanent place of social infuence" where thinking can be shaped; it is a nexus of knowledge; and it is seen as a means for open communication.
4. Actually, this was a repeat of #3 from last week.
5. What social problems are seen as at the heart of student dissatisfaction in PH? The apathy of the country; racial inequality; the Cold War and the use of weaponry to spread fear; the way that man is treated impersonally, like an object; work that is undignified and meaningless; an end to violence.
6. What social problems are seen as at the heart of the student dissatisfaction in the Scranton Report? More university centered than socially centered - harsh treatment, poor food, poor living conditions, etc.
7. How does the Berkeley Invention (Free Speech Movement) compare to Port Huron's call to action? While both were based on the rights of students to express themselves freely, The Berkeley Invention involved the police being called in to break up the protests. Port Huron's call to action was more peaceful.
8. Does the Port Huron Statement confirm or refute the Scranton Report's view of student protests in the 1960's? It refutes it by taking a more peaceful view of student protests, whereas the Scranton Report viewed student protesters as radicals.
9. How do these two documents inform you about the events leading to the shootings on May 4, 1970? They set up a precedent for bringing in troops, and in a way the Scranton Report placed some of the blame on the students for their radical views.
10. Both PH and the Scranton Report talk about a transition in student engagement/activism. how does each characterize the change? Port Huron goes from silence to activity, while Scranton goes from students to radicals whose violence must be stopped.
Sept. 30
We talked about the songs of the 60's, and Dr. Barbato brought us cookies and flowers for our hair (even the lone guy in the class)! The first few songs were heavily activist, like "Eve of Destruction" and "The Time They are Changin'". Others were peaceful, like "Let's Get Together" and "Turn, Turn, Turn". We stopped at "San Francisco", and we'll continue listening to this groovy music Monday.
I made a playlist of the songs we're discussing, which includes four other songs that represent the Monterey Pop Festival held in 1967:
Blowin' in the Wind, The Times They are Changin', Mr. Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan
Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire
Turn, Turn, Turn - The Byrds
Let's Get Together - The Youngbloods
San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) - Scott McKenzie
Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
Street Fighting Man - The Rolling Stones
Ball and Chain - Janis Joplin
My Generation - The Who
California Dreaming - The Mamas and the Papas
All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
Abraham, Martin and John - Dion
Next week is Woodstock and the Civil Rights protests. Hey Em, Rahm should be a guest speaker next Wednesday, amirite?