Susquehanna University - 1960 to 1969

The escalation of the conflict in Vietnam required an increase in the number of men being drafted into military service. This 1966 Crusader article alerts students who wished to postpone military service and continue a college career to a publication aimed at helping students score highly on the "Student Draft Deferment Test."

On May 10, 1968, the Lovin' Spoonful joined the ranks of other popular bands, such as the Doors, to perform for Susquehanna students. The band was known for such hits as "Do You Believe in Magic?" and "Summer in the City." In 2000, the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The 1960s saw "free thinking" make a foothold in American culture and most certainly campus life. Struggling to find their place in the world, students were choosing to be defined by their own generation's values and not by the standards of the previous generations. This 1966 flyer details student grievances with the administration and the desire to have the freedom to question.

In January of 1969, under the guidance of Professor Robert Schanke, "The Susquehanna Players", performed the protest play "Viet Rock" in the Benjamin Apple Theater in Bogar Hall. The bold language and sexual references of the play made it a "happening" event on campus. Although University President Gustave Weber didn't object to the play being presented on campus, he did object to the request to have Susquehanna University sponsor a tour of the production. Students responsed to this by holding a demonstration, as shown in this protest announcement. Later, permission was given to a touring production of "Viet Rock", but not as an official function of Susquehanna University.

The 1960s saw the dawn of a new and different social environment. Many of the old social norms were fading or had vanished altogether. Susquehanna University was not immune to this social shift and a drug policy was drafted for the first time in the University's history. This policy was published for all to read in The Crusader in 1966.

New student traffic regulations were instituted in the fall of 1966. All students were now permitted to operate vehicles but freshmen and sophomores were prohibited from owning a car. It was necessary for students to register an automobile at a cost of $5.00 and rule infractions were punished by fines or loss of driving privileges.

The United States' involvement in the Vietnam War began in the early 1960s and reached a high level by 1968. Many Americans disagreed with the country's role in the war. In the spring of 1968, General Edwin Simmons of the USMC, who had previously served in World War II and Korea, presented a program in Seibert Hall, on the U.S. military's role in Vietnam. Notice the plug for the light-hearted comic opera "Pirates of Penzance" sharing the page with this most serious topic.

The University's radio station was assigned its call letters, WQSU-FM, by the FCC on May 2, 1967 and broadcasting began on May 14, 1967. The station was located at 530 University Avenue and its schedule could be found on display in the library.