WIDB History Chapter 23

The Need For News

   The hard-liners on the administration side had their way initially; they obtained more police and troops to punish student offenders (whose crimes were "unlawful assembly," "violating curfew" or "disorderly conduct") and force the students to obey the law. The hard-liners ignored the 1966 lessons; the results were much worse this time. Troops with weapons surrounded dorms, and gangs of police gassed dorms and attacked students. The actions of the police and troops became the more immediate "fuel" (but not the only fuel) for escalating defiance. More defiance led to more aggressive police action, and the cycle was on.
   Many felt that generally reasonable conduct by students led to generally excessive and violent conduct by troops and police. Those who felt this way had little faith that the justice system would be interested in police excesses. As the cycle continued, people began to realize that anyone could be in physical danger by being in the wrong place at the right time. That's what had happened at Kent State. At SIU, some students were gassed and beaten while they were trying to go to class, or just trying to go home. Tear gas canisters came crashing through windows into student's dorm rooms in some cases. Some classes proceeded during daytime hours, and dangers surfaced towards nightfall. When a class would end no one knew what they would find outside the door. One might see a couple embracing under a shade tree on campus, and find clouds of tear gas a block away.

   Ever practical, President Morris must have realized that the police conduct was the only part of the escalating cycle he could control. He also knew that as long as the police, troops, and students were locked together in that cycle, the university could not operate. So, at his order, the state police and troops were withdrawn. The next move was up to those who sought to disrupt the operation of the university. The protesting students persisted. It was painfully obvious that the protesters had the power to disrupt the university and the heavy presence of police and troops merely served to enhance the disruption. Either way, the university could not operate. The administration had to relent and negotiate with the protesters, who demanded the university close.

   It is astounding to observe the parallels to 1966. The initial issue in 1966 was rescinding the student suspensions. When students protested, it was the extreme administration and police response (expulsion and mass arrests) that fueled the uprising that ended in army vehicles burning as a backdrop to the final confrontation at the president's house. President Morris realized that the students had the power and continued efforts to punish them would be ineffective and only make things worse. He had to negotiate with the students. Less than four years later, the initial issue was an appropriate response to the war and Kent State. When the students protested in a nonviolent manner, it was the authoritarian effort to punish them (arrests, tear gas, beatings) that led to greater disruptions, culminating in the final confrontation at the president's house. President Morris again realized that the students had the power and continued efforts to punish them would be ineffective and only make things worse. He had to negotiate.

   Even 30 years later, this is heavy stuff. Though there were 5,000 or more participating in some of these events, there were 10-15,000 students who weren't. They may have been sympathetic, but many just wanted to stay out of the line of fire and survive this difficult period. Others devoted efforts to serving students in a time of crisis. Some of those worked at WIDB.

end of Chapter 23