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University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1970

1970-06 Iowa Alumni Review ""At the U of I and over the nation May was a time of Student Protest"" Page 5

Subj - Misc- Student Protest, 1968-1970

Kristen Schorsch, reporter
Phone 337-3181
E-mail kschorsch@press-citizen.com 

UI News

Page 2A
Friday, May 6, 2005
Iowa City Press-Citizen

UI's history marked with protests during war 
By Vida Brenner
Iowa City Press-Citizen

In the late 1960s and early 1970s student demonstrations across the nation against the Vietnam war turned violent. Many colleges and universities closed, but University of Iowa presidents Howard Bowen and Willard L. Boyd kept UI open, according to Louise Roalson in her book " On Iowa."
A movement already had begin in the mid-1960s with students enrolling in the humanities and social science courses thinking this training would help them understand and deal with human values. John Gerber in his " Pictorial History of the University of Iowa" reports that many faculty members changed the content of their courses to highlight current concerns. 
Bowen and Boyd often agreed with student objections and defended their right to assemble peaceably. During this time students demonstrated against beauty salons and barbershops that refused to cut black students' hair, they protested the cost of tuition, the price of textbooks and the war.
On Nov 1, 1967, a crowd of antiwar protesters blocked the entrance to the Iowa Memorial Union where Marine recruiters were signing up prospects. Other demonstrations occurred as students chanted antiwar slogans in the libraries and classrooms. Bowen said many of the ringleaders were non-Iowans. The frenzy of the demonstrations promoted the prominence of unstable people, drug pushers , opportunists and radicals among the student population and others in the community. 
Local and state police appeared on campus, more to assure students that they would be safe than to arrest or provoke agitators. 
In the spring of 1969, Bowen resigned to accept a position at Claremont Graduate School. Boyd became UI's president. Student demonstrators were common, and by 1970 the protesters numbered in the thousands. To protect the portraits of former university presidents and university furniture in Old Capitol, Boyd locked the building's doors.
On May 1, 1970, protesters marched to the ROTC Guard Armory south of town, then back through the business district breaking store windows. During the height of disturbances, the windows of Iowa Brook and Supply were broken by rocks and new smaller windows were installed. 
" The windows were broken three times. The riots would start on the Pentacrest and the students went across the street and downtown," said Pete Vanderhoef, co-owner of Iowa Brook and Supply. " They broke all the merchants' windows downtown," he said. 
On May 10 Boyd decided to allow all students who felt endangered to go home and accept a pass or withdrawal grade accept the grade earned so far, or complete their work at a later date. 
Bill Alberhasky, co-owner of the family owed business John's Grocery, found out about the demonstrations because of a Press-Citizen on his Navy ship. 
Alberhasky remembers the turmoil and tension.
" Basically it was a few people and the rest joined in for destruction. I think the police and university let it get out of hand, but confrontation leads to confrontation. Students blocking Riverside Drive (in 1968) was what got the police involved" he said. 
Good things came out of the demonstrations, Alberhasky said. The government became more responsible to people. However, LSD and a drug culture were among the negative aspects that came out of the period. 

[photo]
Special to the Press Citizen
Iowa Book and Supply's picture windows were broke by rioters three years in a row during the late 1960s. Many other stores on Clinton Street also suffered damage during those years.

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Subj - Misc- Student Protest, 1968-1970 Kristen Schorsch, reporter Phone 337-3181 E-mail kschorsch@press-citizen.com UI News Page 2A Friday, May 6, 2005 Iowa City Press-Citizen UI's history marked with protests during war By Vida Brenner Iowa City Press-Citizen In the late 1960s and early 1970s student demonstrations across the nation against the Vietnam war turned violent. Many colleges and universities closed, but University of Iowa presidents Howard Bowen and Willard L. Boyd kept UI open, according to Louise Roalson in her book " On Iowa." A movement already had begin in the mid-1960s with students enrolling in the humanities and social science courses thinking this training would help them understand and deal with human values. John Gerber in his " Pictorial History of the University of Iowa" reports that many faculty members changed the content of their courses to highlight current concerns. Bowen and Boyd often agreed with student objections and defended their right to assemble peaceably. During this time students demonstrated against beauty salons and barbershops that refused to cut black students' hair, they protested the cost of tuition, the price of textbooks and the war. On Nov 1, 1967, a crowd of antiwar protesters blocked the entrance to the Iowa Memorial Union where Marine recruiters were signing up prospects. Other demonstrations occurred as students chanted antiwar slogans in the libraries and classrooms. Bowen said many of the ringleaders were non-Iowans. The frenzy of the demonstrations promoted the prominence of unstable people, drug pushers , opportunists and radicals among the student population and others in the community. Local and state police appeared on campus, more to assure students that they would be safe than to arrest or provoke agitators. In the spring of 1969, Bowen resigned to accept a position at Claremont Graduate School. Boyd became UI's president. Student demonstrators were common, and by 1970 the protesters numbered in the thousands. To protect the portraits of former university presidents and university furniture in Old Capitol, Boyd locked the building's doors. On May 1, 1970, protesters marched to the ROTC Guard Armory south of town, then back through the business district breaking store windows. During the height of disturbances, the windows of Iowa Brook and Supply were broken by rocks and new smaller windows were installed. " The windows were broken three times. The riots would start on the Pentacrest and the students went across the street and downtown," said Pete Vanderhoef, co-owner of Iowa Brook and Supply. " They broke all the merchants' windows downtown," he said. On May 10 Boyd decided to allow all students who felt endangered to go home and accept a pass or withdrawal grade accept the grade earned so far, or complete their work at a later date. Bill Alberhasky, co-owner of the family owed business John's Grocery, found out about the demonstrations because of a Press-Citizen on his Navy ship. Alberhasky remembers the turmoil and tension. " Basically it was a few people and the rest joined in for destruction. I think the police and university let it get out of hand, but confrontation leads to confrontation. Students blocking Riverside Drive (in 1968) was what got the police involved" he said. Good things came out of the demonstrations, Alberhasky said. The government became more responsible to people. However, LSD and a drug culture were among the negative aspects that came out of the period. [photo] Special to the Press Citizen Iowa Book and Supply's picture windows were broke by rioters three years in a row during the late 1960s. Many other stores on Clinton Street also suffered damage during those years.