Manhattanville College - Tower Yearbook (Purchase, NY)

Page 17 text:

1969 began with the Pres¬ ident encouraging and de¬ manding student interest in the policies of the college. There was general agreement on the inadequacy of the educational system as it then stood. The Prom Room and the cafeteria seemed shattered by shrapnel as little groups clumped around their tables and tore at each other trying to decide what they were dis¬ cussing and what should be done. That was SCULPT I and as a result the new calendar and other issues were conceived — a seed. The calendar only came into being after the rally in the fish-bowl, which nobody remembers especially since the scene is now converted into the Registrar ' s office. mm 13

Page 19 text:

At some point in the spring of ' 69 Manhattanville interest ricocheted off the topic of deep-tan and Copper- tone into a maze of black and white issues. The refusal to admit the failure of Share and hence the existence of a racial problem was pushed aside, as a meeting was scheduled by Student Government and the Manhattan- ville Afro-American Society for May 1. Real problems and prejudices were thrown under the glare of a surgical light and the decision to get together a set of demands P took the crowd until midnight. The Castle lawn stood silent observer to a morning sit-in when the demands were presented to Sister McCormack by 500 students. There followed the large May 12 meeting when the Administration announced its progress report in re¬ sponse to the demands. The issue of racism was blan¬ keted by assurances of practical solutions and mainly eclipsed due to the preoccupation with Mr. Plunkett, and intense student opinion on faculty tenures. The dedication of the yearbook to this popular man came at a supremely ironical moment as the school tossed in a state of furor over his status and departure.