C W Post College - Opticon Yearbook (Greenvale, NY)

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noticeable change, however, was the relaxation of required courses. Stu- dents were often left on their own to decide what courses could best serve them in their area of study. Just as the Sixties widened the public's involvement in the world affairs, the decade brought the expansion of our campus facilities. The Conolly Gymnasium had been built by our own maintenance men under the direction of Mal Ryan. C.W. Post also built a number of dormitories during the Sixties, paving the way for resident students and a larger campus population. The Quad dorms were the first to be built. Eventually, Post and Riggs Halls were added and lastly, Brookville. Academic buildings were constructed: Humanities l-lall, Roth l-lall, l-loxie l-lall and the B. Davis Schwartz Memorial Library, which also served as the home of the Palmer Graduate Library School. Post was still striving for acceptance from the surrounding community. This effort was greatly helped by President Conolly who instituted a policy of bringing cultural resources, such as art, music, theatre, radio and lecture programs to Greenvale. C.W. Post has since become a cultural hub for Long Island. In l963, Conolly started the Long Island Festival of the Arts, which has grown into the American Theatre Festival, Tragedy hit on March l, l962 when Admiral Conolly and his wife were killed in a plane crash. The Seventies found C.W. Post with a relatively new President, Robert Payton fl969l, and the first part of the new student center. The Dome, a 2,900 seat multi-purpose indoor concertflecture facility, soon proved to be a more versatile building than had been anticipated. ln l973, some other major changes took place on our campus. Dr. Edward Cook became President of C.W. Post Center and the award winning student union building, Hillwood Commons was opened. Stu- dents now had a place to hang their hats, eat a meal, play a game of pool, see a movie or an art exhibit, take care of their banking, buy a paper, talk, relax or study. New innovations and lifestyles take root in America by the Seventies. The college campus, as a reflection of the outside world, also adopted some new ways. The radical idealism that marked the Sixties melted into

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keel a kind of Stoic realism. People were once again more concerned with get- ting an education and a good job. The new school policy evidenced this and tightened up on its required course curriculum. January l978 marks the time of a major setback in our school. Under the weight of accumulated ice and snow, the roof of the Dome collapsed. This left a major void in programming at C.W. Post. In the past year though, plans have been approved and con- struction started on a new lecture! concert theatre. While having less seating than the old Dome, the new structure will be able to handle more elaborate productions than the old building. This will insure Post's place as the cultural center of Long Island. As we prepare to start the l98Os and as C.W. Post prepares for the next twenty-five years, one can only be optimistic for the future. C.W. Post Center of Long Island University has had a good start. We are blessed with a beautiful campus, dedicated staff members and a strong and enthusias- tic student body. Post is not a para- dise without problems, but if the past is an indication of the future, we will meet and beat the challenges with conviction and success. In the next few years we can look forward to the opening of the newly constructed ConcertXLecture Theatre. We hopefully await the end of purchasing negotiations in the Hickox Field land deal. Acquisition of this additional plot will allow for addi- tional parking. Also, we can expect some time in the near future to build a new Athletic and Recreation Center. lt will probably be built next to the Field House, which was expanded during the late l 9705. The addition of the second floor to the Field House was the last major building project on this campus. May the next twenty-five years bring as many advancements for this institution as the first quarter century has, and may we continue to gain national acknowledgement and com- munity respect in years to come.