2008 Woodie Awards
Hesburgh recalls, contrasts activism during Vietnam era, today
Alumni, University President Emeritus emphasize different natures of demonstrations from 1970s to present
Eileen Duffy
Issue date: 3/29/07 Section: News
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Editor's Note: This is the second article in a three-part series examining activism at Notre Dame: its current role on campus, how that role has changed and what those changes mean for the future.
As is the case with universities nationwide, activism at Notre Dame has redefined itself as an effort to steer the boat in a certain direction, rather than rocking it.
Many college students of the late 1960s and early 1970s turned to sit-ins, lie-ins and stone-throwings to get their point across, including those at Notre Dame - until then-University President Father Theodore Hesburgh told them, "Enough."
He established guidelines for protestors, allowing their voices to be heard while prohibiting any infringement upon other students' rights. Violent protests stopped and other universities attempted similar efforts.
While the heated, excited activism of the 1970s has subsided nationwide, there still remains a stereotype that Notre Dame lacks passionate protesting.
Is the climate today an extension of Hesburgh's influence, where the University's readiness to discuss problems makes activism unnecessary - and therefore somewhat invisible - at Notre Dame? Does today's lack of loud protest stem from apathy? Or is activism simply not what it used to be?
"Tough Times"
When the possibility of a war in Vietnam came to light, college students from Berkeley to Columbia staged violent protests, taking their anger against the U.S. government out on ROTC buildings, CIA recruiters and their university presidents - who, they claimed, were hiding behind closed doors and not listening to them.
At Columbia, students took over President Grayson Kirk's office, where they rummaged through his files, drank, smoked cigars and defecated on his rug. After a confrontation with protestors, Swarthmore College President Courtney Smith had a heart attack in his office and died.
"Whereas here, I was up there in my office [in Main Building] every night after supper," Hesburgh said Tuesday. "The lights were all on, the door was open. Anybody who wanted to could knock on the door and come in, and I had groups of students all night long coming in and out.
As is the case with universities nationwide, activism at Notre Dame has redefined itself as an effort to steer the boat in a certain direction, rather than rocking it.
Many college students of the late 1960s and early 1970s turned to sit-ins, lie-ins and stone-throwings to get their point across, including those at Notre Dame - until then-University President Father Theodore Hesburgh told them, "Enough."
He established guidelines for protestors, allowing their voices to be heard while prohibiting any infringement upon other students' rights. Violent protests stopped and other universities attempted similar efforts.
While the heated, excited activism of the 1970s has subsided nationwide, there still remains a stereotype that Notre Dame lacks passionate protesting.
Is the climate today an extension of Hesburgh's influence, where the University's readiness to discuss problems makes activism unnecessary - and therefore somewhat invisible - at Notre Dame? Does today's lack of loud protest stem from apathy? Or is activism simply not what it used to be?
"Tough Times"
When the possibility of a war in Vietnam came to light, college students from Berkeley to Columbia staged violent protests, taking their anger against the U.S. government out on ROTC buildings, CIA recruiters and their university presidents - who, they claimed, were hiding behind closed doors and not listening to them.
At Columbia, students took over President Grayson Kirk's office, where they rummaged through his files, drank, smoked cigars and defecated on his rug. After a confrontation with protestors, Swarthmore College President Courtney Smith had a heart attack in his office and died.
"Whereas here, I was up there in my office [in Main Building] every night after supper," Hesburgh said Tuesday. "The lights were all on, the door was open. Anybody who wanted to could knock on the door and come in, and I had groups of students all night long coming in and out.