1970-71

This Timeline is based on a portion of Tim Shary's A History of Student Activities and Achievements at Hampshire College and Susan Dayall's A Documentary History of Hampshire College. Anything not otherwise cited comes from one of these sources.

Images

 * The first Hampshire College Frog Book: [[Image:HCcomm1970-71.pdf|Photographs of the Hampshire Community from this year]]; Alternative versions [[Image:HCcomm1970-71 alt 1.pdf|1]], [[Image:HCcomm1970-71 alt 2.pdf|2]], [[Image:HCcomm1970-71 alt 3.pdf|3]]

Projects, Programs, or Initiatives Begun

 * The Hampshire Fellows program invites older students to join Hampshire in its founding year, acting as key support in this brand new, experimenting atmosphere

Documents

 * The Hampshire College Architectural Plans were written by Hugh Stubbins and Associates, Architects and Planners
 * The First Hampshire College Catalog is published

September
Sep 12


 * The first entering class begins arriving, moving into Merrill House, which is divided into cottages A, B, and C. [Course Catalog, Fall 1970]

Sep 22


 * The first Hampshire College classes begin. [Course Catalog, Fall 1970]

Sep 29


 * The student body shows up at a meeting to determine how to select their representatives to Community Council; a majority choose the random computer selection method presented by students Hall Powell and Michael Germain. [Community Council Misc.: 7OF-ZO2]

October
Oct 3


 * The opening convocation is held: speakers Archibald MacLeish, Henry Steele Commager, and Silvio Conte are awarded the first (honorary) degrees, with Lois Bailey speaking on behalf of the students and James Watkins delivering the faculty address. [Convocation Publication, Fall 1970]

Oct 4


 * The first annual Kite Flight is held, as students, faculty, and staff gather to fly kites over the open fields that will later contain more campus buildings. [Convocation Publication, Fall 1970]

December
Dec 1


 * The first community publication is printed, sans title, arising "from a concern with the directions in which Hampshire College is moving or not moving." Founders are students Hall Powell, Nicholas Callaway, Nicholas Bedworth, and Bill Vance. [First community publication (untitled): Dec. 1970]
 * Students struggle to find things to do on weekends as extra-curricular offerings are notoriously few: the library is only open during limited hours, and the pottery studio and farm are the only two on-campus activity centers open to students.

January
Jan 10


 * The Curriculum Policy Committee approves guidelines for fall registration: pre-registration for classes takes place in April, with 8 spaces (out of 16) in each Division I class reserved for new students; policy for Div. II classes is not yet complete.[The Paper People, Vol. 1, #6: March 15, 1971]

February
Feb 10


 * About 25% of the students show up at a meeting addressing the ratification of the Hampshire Constitution; primary response is that most important issues remain controlled by the Trustees, despite the governance structure proposed in the Constitution. [The Paper People (as yet untitled): Feb. 12, 1971]

Feb 14


 * The first Women's Week is held from February 14-20, organized into a symposium by students Ellen Fitzpatrick, Jan Arnesen, Jackie Fralley, and Gayle Hollander; it features lectures, workshops, and entertainment, inviting students from other colleges. [The Paper People (as yet untitled): Feb. 12, 1971]

Feb 15


 * 98 students out of 127 vote to ratify the Constitution with amendments: a two-thirds vote by the faculty is required to overrule actions of the Academic and Community Councils, and administrative staff membership on these Councils is increased. [The Paper People (as yet untitled): Feb. 22, 1971]
 * The School of Social Science votes to allow Bob Rardin, an assistant professor of linguistics, to teach a fall term course on the war in Indochina; controversies arise over his competence to teach such a course and its use toward Division I exams. [The Paper People, Vol. 1, #4: March 1, 1971]

Feb 24


 * The "All That Shit" Committee holds a meeting for "people in the community interested in telling about what's going on, or hearing about it, particularly in doing something about it." [The Paper People (as yet untitled): Feb. 22, 1971]

Feb 25


 * All the artwork from the library art gallery is stolen overnight, apparently without motive.[The Paper People, Vol. 1, #4: March 1, 1971]

March
Mar 8


 * Students are offered on-campus jobs for the summer. [The Paper People, Vol. 1, #5: March 8, 1971]

Mar 11


 * Franklin Patterson sadly announces that tuition will increase $500 (to $4,300) for the 1971-72 school year and financial aid will be reduced; Harold F. Johnson's donation to offset the school's early deficit has been spent on constructing Dakin House. [The Paper People, Vol. 1, #6: March 15, 1971]

Mar 13


 * Hampshire holds its first spring dance in the Gym (dining commons); bands that will be played include the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Lovin Spoonful, the Four Seasons, Sly and the Family Stone, and the Supremes. Admission is 25 cents at the door. [The Paper People, Vol. 1, #5: March 8, 1971]

April
Apr 13


 * Student Judy Stein encourages other students to write disclaimers on their self-evaluations protesting certain academic requirements, including the two common courses in Human Development and Language Communication and the three course minimum [The Paper People, Vol. 1, #7: April 13, 1971]
 * The Hampshire Gay Liberation group is holding regular meetings and planning to set up the Hampshire Gay Lib Reading Center; a Gay Lib dance is held April 16 in the Academic Building (Franklin Patterson Hall) lounge. [The Paper People, Vol. 1, 47: April 13, 1971]
 * Lacking any student residential staff, Merrill House advertises for a "key person" to handle weekend requests for keys, phone calls, and information at the House Office during the day.[The Paper People, Vol. 1, #7: April 13, 1971]

Apr 21


 * Earth Week is held, featuring films, lectures, and entertainment focusing on nuclear energy, pollution, and the environment; student Chris Roof is the key organizer. [The Paper People, Vol. 1, #8: April 18, 1971]

May
May 22


 * Franklin Patterson delivers The First Commencement Address