University of Delaware - Blue Hen Yearbook (Newark, DE)

Page 10 text:

g L e pry e TR

Page 9 text:

Delaware students often read wild accounts of their swinging counterparts at other universities. Occasionally a frathouse might whip up a party or two which could approach the image of the swinging generation, but generally, Delaware bore the stigma of being a suitcase college. Student life seemed dull. Apathy was the cry of student leaders. Professors complained of the stale academic atmosphere. Lectures and cultural events were poorly at- tended. The student body seemed as still and placid as the tree-lined mall on a spring day. Life drifted along smoothly, and students muttered under their breath about lousy food, early women's hours and no cars on campus. Twice a week freshly shorn Freshmen and Sophomores would block the traffic on Main Street as they marched off to ROTC drill. Saturday night excitement would mean a flick at the State Theater since the movie at the Cinema Center had baen playing for the entire semester. A true thirst for culture and intellectual stimulation could be slaked at the Phoenix, the last stronghold of the dying Beat movement of the 50s. Stimulating conversation and instant intellectualism were served with draughts of cold cider at the only night spot open after 11 o'clock on a Saturday night, Conservative Delaware seemed the immovable Rock of Ages' amid the raging storm of controversies and problems of the outside world.

Page 11 text:

Delaware students reacted with fear and amazement at the founding of the Delaware chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society. Administrative bulletins warned that the FBI listed the SDS as a communist affiliated and infiltrated organization. Few thought that such a collection of malcontents could accomplish anything at apathetic Delaware. Few considered the un- known SDS candidate Ray Ceci seriously when he ran against the estab- lished power structure for SGA president in the spring of 1967. Campaign- ing for Student Power, the abolition of women's hours, and the abolition of compulsory ROTC, the SDS rallied a hard core of voters beneath the slogan We have nothing to lose but our chains' to narrowly defeat status quo candidate Steven Goldberg. With the conservative vote split among three candidates, Ceci had cleverly scored a victory by promising the student body what they wanted from the administration rather than what they thought they could get. A new spirit crackled across the campusone of defiance, one of power. Delaware had suddenly splashed into the stream of nationwide college movements.