Bona's looks back: life in the 1960s
Amanda Klein
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Features
Student protests weren't the only problems permeating the campus at the time. On occasion, the outside world broke through the "Bona bubble" and wreaked havoc.
On Oct. 27, 1967, two escaped convicts found their way onto campus and hid in the Shay/ Loughlen halls building in order to seek refuge from police, according to an Oct. 27, 1967 edition of The Knickerbocker News. Gary Ayres, one of the convicts, banged on doors in the dorm building demanding a hostage. He left the building by forcing a campus guard at gunpoint to take him to a nearby parking lot, the News reported. Ayres fired at least two shots. Police opened fire as Ayres tried to drive away. He gave up and turned himself in.
"We think of it as this safe, little campus in the middle of nowhere," Burke said. "It's one of those disconcerting moments because you're walking across campus, and you hear something. You do not have a frame in your mind to say 'Wow, that sure sounds like a gunshot,' and you don't think that way. Then everybody started running. It's so out of context for here."
The incident startled those on campus because of a lack of security.
"Those were days before you even thought about things like people with guns, having safety and security plans and emergency plans," Burke said. "No one had even thought about it because it hadn't happened very much."
Although student protests and other issues affected campus life negatively, the campus had little to no problems integrating African-Americans into the culture.
"I don't really think there was a lot of agitation on campus during the Civil Rights Movement," Geoff Culkin, '71, said. "I think we worshiped the black students we had on campus because they were our heroes. The people that were there were very well thought of."
Not only were they highly regarded, but the two groups of students interacted.
"A lot of the guys on campus came up from Philadelphia and New York City, and they were very much into soul music," Culkin said. "They introduced it to those of us who were from upstate New York and used to listen to The Beatles and the Beach Boys."
Burke said she also noticed few integration problems.
"It's always been a predominantly Caucasian environment, but African Americans were welcome here and could attend here, versus other places where they weren't allowed to play or get into the school," Burke said.
The basketball team experienced some problems abroad.
"When they would travel, they had African-American members who weren't allowed to eat in a restaurant with the team if they stopped at the wrong restaurant or had to drink from a different water fountain if they were traveling south," Burke said.
Even without integration problems, the '60s changed the campus dynamic.
"I think it changed campus life, that era," Stocker said. "It's like now with the economy ... Still, most students seem pretty happy-go-lucky."
e-mail:kleinaj@sbu.edu
On Oct. 27, 1967, two escaped convicts found their way onto campus and hid in the Shay/ Loughlen halls building in order to seek refuge from police, according to an Oct. 27, 1967 edition of The Knickerbocker News. Gary Ayres, one of the convicts, banged on doors in the dorm building demanding a hostage. He left the building by forcing a campus guard at gunpoint to take him to a nearby parking lot, the News reported. Ayres fired at least two shots. Police opened fire as Ayres tried to drive away. He gave up and turned himself in.
"We think of it as this safe, little campus in the middle of nowhere," Burke said. "It's one of those disconcerting moments because you're walking across campus, and you hear something. You do not have a frame in your mind to say 'Wow, that sure sounds like a gunshot,' and you don't think that way. Then everybody started running. It's so out of context for here."
The incident startled those on campus because of a lack of security.
"Those were days before you even thought about things like people with guns, having safety and security plans and emergency plans," Burke said. "No one had even thought about it because it hadn't happened very much."
Although student protests and other issues affected campus life negatively, the campus had little to no problems integrating African-Americans into the culture.
"I don't really think there was a lot of agitation on campus during the Civil Rights Movement," Geoff Culkin, '71, said. "I think we worshiped the black students we had on campus because they were our heroes. The people that were there were very well thought of."
Not only were they highly regarded, but the two groups of students interacted.
"A lot of the guys on campus came up from Philadelphia and New York City, and they were very much into soul music," Culkin said. "They introduced it to those of us who were from upstate New York and used to listen to The Beatles and the Beach Boys."
Burke said she also noticed few integration problems.
"It's always been a predominantly Caucasian environment, but African Americans were welcome here and could attend here, versus other places where they weren't allowed to play or get into the school," Burke said.
The basketball team experienced some problems abroad.
"When they would travel, they had African-American members who weren't allowed to eat in a restaurant with the team if they stopped at the wrong restaurant or had to drink from a different water fountain if they were traveling south," Burke said.
Even without integration problems, the '60s changed the campus dynamic.
"I think it changed campus life, that era," Stocker said. "It's like now with the economy ... Still, most students seem pretty happy-go-lucky."
e-mail:kleinaj@sbu.edu
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