Battle On Campus

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Battle On Campus Third of a series of articles By Robert W. Butche from University School Unforgettables Sereis Published in AAUS newsletters in 1999 The sixties were politically and socially tumultuous at America's colleges and universities. There was an unpopular war in Viet Nam, and unparalleled social change at home. That era left ugly scars at Ohio colleges and universities by way of National Guard shootings at Kent State and a student protest at The Ohio State University that closed the university. Early on in the 1960's struggle for control of Ohio State, a failed Presidential candidate made the University's legendary laboratory school a political issue for the Novice Fawcett administration. As a result, University School became one of many contentious battlegrounds in the war over control of The Ohio State University. Shortly after a proposal to close University School issue became a public issue in 1964, parents, faculty and staff joined together to mount a spirited defense against an unseen enemy. Little did they know the fix was in. The Fawcett administration put out the word: Anyone on the wrong side of the University School issue did so at their own peril. The effect was chilling. Many in the College of Education toed the line. Many, but not all. Outside supporters of the school, led by Palmer and Esther Sitckney, mounted a spirited defense. Some University School faculty members joined in the fray. Margaret Willis and Mary Tolbert were particularly outspoken attacking the proposed closing on academic grounds - but the Fawcett administration was not listening. When all appeared lost, and the decision to close the school had been officially anointed by Dean Cottrell, the Stickney led SUS group confounded the university by sidetracking the issue to the Ohio Statehouse. It was in this environment that one of the School's former Directors would refuse to stand down, refuse to go along, and refuse the direct orders of his Dean and his University to stay out of the fight. In a scene reminiscent of Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, one man stood his ground, put his academic career in jeopardy and publically accused his college and his university of wrong doing. Here's how it all began one cold morning so many years ago. Going Public By the early morning hours, a light frost had begun to crystalize on the Ohio Statehouse lawn. The darkness and calm of the Statehouse grounds were in stark contrast, however, to blazing lights and bustling activity across the street - at The Columbus Dispatch. There, as the city quietly slept, giant presses slowly, but noisily roared into action. In a matter of minutes, newspaper delivery men began loading the Tuesday, March 30 As the Sun began its climb in the eastern sky, the city slowly began to come to life. By 9 o'clock, the frost on the Statehouse grounds was shimmering brightly in the early morning sun. Along High Street, office workers, still bundled in winter coats, hurriedly made their way to work. Inside the Statehouse, in an overly heated hearing room, spectators began assembling for a public session of the powerful Ohio House Finance Committee. Growing Restlessness Behind the scenes, committee members sipped coffee and scanned the morning paper. Meanwhile, inside the small hearing room, spectators greeted one another, shed their heavy coats and made their way to their seats. A quiet titter likely arose when OSU President Novice G. Fawcett and Dean Cottrell entered the hearing room - for most of those present knew of the enmity between them. The hearings were an outgrowth of spreading restlessness in Ohio over the proposed closing of OSU's laboratory school. Articles concerning the proposed closing appeared in all of the Columbus newspapers that spring. One result of widespread media interest in the matter was a letter writing campaign that deluged state and university officials


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