DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Campus "Unrest" Demonstrations, 1970 | 1970-05-07 ""A Description of Events Which Occurred on or About The Pentacrest Area on May 7 and 8, 1970"" Page 1

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Campus "Unrest" Demonstrations, 1970

1970-05-07 ""A Description of Events Which Occurred on or About The Pentacrest Area on May 7 and 8, 1970"" Page 1

[handwritten] These notes were dictated shortly after the events described here. 
Draft form (some notes added later by REE)

A DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED ON OR ABOUT THE PENTACREST AREA ON MAY 7 AND 8, 1970
AS OBSERVED AND PERCEIVED BY ROBERT E. ENGEL 
ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT

It should be kept in mind that beginning in mideApril a "heat-up" of student unrest began on this campus with the disruption of an ROTC event in the Recreation Building. By the time May 7 rolled around, nearly everyone was very tense and tired. Emotions were high following the Kent State tragedy and the Cambodian invasion. The setting off of explosive devices and attempted arson in the community had fed rumors that more of the same could be expected. Just prior to my leaving my office in Old Capitol late in the afternoon of May 7, a student came in to report that combustible materials were being put together pursuant to burning down Old Armory Temporary. [handwritten] I reported to Security
After dinner that evening I returned to campus to view the situation on the Pentacrest, and while several hundred students were gathered listening to speeches and music, the crowd seemed to be in control. About 9:00 p.m. I drove over to Dean Hubbard's house and visited with him and John Larson 
[handwritten] (Legal Asst to President) 
about events which had occurred and then with mutual concurrence that this would be a quiet night, went home.
About 9:45 p.m., Dean Hubbard called to say that he had just received a phone call that students had entered University Hall (Jessup Hall) and had started a fire and thrown furniture out of some of the upstairs windows. It was also reported that a group of students had broken into Old Capitol and were occupying it. I agreed to meet Dean Hubbard at the Security
[handwritten] Behind Gilmore Hall
shack and immediately drove to the campus. Dean Hubbard and I arrived at about the same time and ran over toward Old Capitol, stopping at the south-west corner of Macbride Hall to observe. A large group of students (I would

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[handwritten] These notes were dictated shortly after the events described here. Draft form (some notes added later by REE) A DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED ON OR ABOUT THE PENTACREST AREA ON MAY 7 AND 8, 1970 AS OBSERVED AND PERCEIVED BY ROBERT E. ENGEL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT It should be kept in mind that beginning in mideApril a "heat-up" of student unrest began on this campus with the disruption of an ROTC event in the Recreation Building. By the time May 7 rolled around, nearly everyone was very tense and tired. Emotions were high following the Kent State tragedy and the Cambodian invasion. The setting off of explosive devices and attempted arson in the community had fed rumors that more of the same could be expected. Just prior to my leaving my office in Old Capitol late in the afternoon of May 7, a student came in to report that combustible materials were being put together pursuant to burning down Old Armory Temporary. [handwritten] I reported to Security After dinner that evening I returned to campus to view the situation on the Pentacrest, and while several hundred students were gathered listening to speeches and music, the crowd seemed to be in control. About 9:00 p.m. I drove over to Dean Hubbard's house and visited with him and John Larson [handwritten] (Legal Asst to President) about events which had occurred and then with mutual concurrence that this would be a quiet night, went home. About 9:45 p.m., Dean Hubbard called to say that he had just received a phone call that students had entered University Hall (Jessup Hall) and had started a fire and thrown furniture out of some of the upstairs windows. It was also reported that a group of students had broken into Old Capitol and were occupying it. I agreed to meet Dean Hubbard at the Security [handwritten] Behind Gilmore Hall shack and immediately drove to the campus. Dean Hubbard and I arrived at about the same time and ran over toward Old Capitol, stopping at the south-west corner of Macbride Hall to observe. A large group of students (I would