May 15, 1970: School Closed
After five days of unrest following the National Guard shooting at Kent State University, Ohio University echoed other universities around the state and closed its doors. The closure came one month before the academic tern ended, meaning no commencement ceremony or final exams were held. The following timeline chronicles the events that led up to the closure through the eyes of The Post, Ohio University’s student newspaper.
Monday May 11, 1970
Seven days after the May 4 shooting at Kent State, Ohio University’s student newspaper The Post, with editors Andy Alexander and Tom Hodson, began to cover the unrest in Athens.
Monday’s edition of The Post focuses on the university’s refusal to allow two political figures to speak at a rally on campus that night. The Athens Peace Committee sponsored the speakers, one of whom was the executive director of the Ohio branch of the ACLU. Dean of Student Activities Thomas O’Keefe made the decision to bar the two speakers at the last minute, which was protested by students and faculty alike. An editorial in Monday’s paper questions the university’s decision and calls the reasoning behind it “insane.”
Others topics covered today are the March on Washington and Black Culture Week. The Post also notes that Ashland College joins Ohio State, Miami, Cincinnati, and Kent State as universities around the state that had closed due to protests.
Tuesday May 12, 1970
Tuesday’s paper reveals the university’s struggle to stay open, as it covers the occupation of Chubb Library and firebombing of Nelson Commons on South Green that happened overnight. Students occupied Chubb following the rally that was discussed in Monday’s edition of The Post.
Today’s editorial comments on the state of the university and urges that it stay open. Two other important developments featured today are state legislation that would punish students and faculty who participate in campus disruptions and an effort to increase communication between the university and the town.
Wednesday May 13, 1970
Today’s front page chronicles the university’s continued difficulties in containing students. As the protests moved into the middle of the week, bomb threats, false fire reports, and small trash fires were reported across campus.
Printed on page two are proposals that students presented the previous night to President Claude Sowle, including a list of possible classes such as “Drug Culture” and “Political repression of minority groups.” The students threatened to close down the university if Sowle did not respond within 24 hours.
The editorial, headlined “Dear Bombers,” both calls out the recklessness of those who firebombed Nelson Commons and calls for more information from the university about seven recent suspensions.
Thursday May 14, 1970
After students spent Wednesday night and early Thursday morning throwing rocks and bricks at Athens police and receiving pepper gas in return, the administration decided to place the university on a “24-hour basis.” The university would open Thursday, The Post reported, and then the administration would decide whether to open on Friday.
The Faculty Senate voted Wednesday to reinstate the seven suspended students until they could have a hearing, and today’s editorial asks for the same. The Post’s staff again pleads for an end to “senseless” violence, specifically the arson that had become rampant around campus.
Directly under the editorial, The Post printed “Your Rights If Arrested” and “Rights of the Police.” An ad for the class of 1971 elections appears on page 4, although the election was disrupted when the university closed the next morning.
Friday May 15, 1970
Friday’s newspaper announces “School closed” after another night of protesting and tear gas. The university closed a month early without finals or commencement.
Extra police officers had been brought in from around the area in an attempt to block students from entering the uptown area. After students again threw rocks, bricks, bottles, and firecrackers, the police fired tear gas. Nearby businesses also incurred damage during the “battle.”
Again including “Your Rights” and “Rights of the Police,” The Post also printed official statements from the OU chapter of American Association of University Professors and Thomas O’Keefe, the dean of student activities who initially
barred speakers from coming to campus for a rally on Monday.
View the newspapers from the week of May 11-15 in their entirety here: bit.ly/ou-ua-post-may1970
