A Unique Environment: The Absence of Greek Life and the Student Body from Mass Demonstration in the Late 1960's and 1970's
University life throughout the 1960s and 1970s was the scene of demonstration, dissatisfaction, and sometimes, violence - as seen at Kent State. The youth of these times often found it their right and duty to fight the perceived wrongs that were being done upon them. Because university students were the ideal age for entrance into the armed forces at this time, refusal to fight in Vietnam was the prototypical illustration of these type of activities on campuses throughout America. While the rules of conscription changed throughout the 1960's, and deferments and exemptions became commonplace among university students and university graduates, nonetheless, many students still felt signifcant obligations to oppose a conflict which directly impacted their generation.
The timing of FTU’s inception was quite unique; its first students arrived in 1968, perhaps the most tumultuous year of public dissatisfaction in American history. With that in mind, the student body - including members Greek life - might have been inclined to strike out as students were doing elsewhere in the country. However, for the most part, the student body was silent. Greek life was silent? Where were the mass demonstrations, the verbally charged picket lines or mass sit-ins? As a matter of fact, members of Greek life were members of the FTU community just as much as any other student. For the sake of this exhibit, the question is: why was Greek life, and the student body as a whole, so absent in mass demonstration as opposed to schools throuhgout the nation? The answer to this is easy based upon available evidence; the unique environment this "brand-new" university brought, the lack of an oragnized campus which did not allow for mass organization in demonstration, and the realtively conservative stance of the students.
Testifying to the unique environment this infant institution brought, in an article from the Orlando Sentinel dated 26 February, 1969, it is stated that the “University has seen no protests or other troubles as have some schools.”[1] A university official responded to this inquiry stating, “perhaps the FTU students are just so busy trying to get an education and helping to put together a great new university to have much time for that sort of thing.”[2]
Furthermore, it is interesting to note the relatively ‘conservative stance’ of the students at FTU. Moreover, it is more curious to note how the environmental circumstances of the newly founded university contributed to this lack of significant student movement.
In an Orlando Sentinel article from April, 1971, the infamous Kent State incident is set side by side the situation at FTU. Journalist Al Cowan of the Orlando Sentinel notes the relatively quiet existence that FTU had thus far exhibited. The article begins with Cowan's input that, "Locally, students at Florida Technological University and Rollins feel a spirit of cooperation exists between students and faculty which has kept violence off both campuses."[3] To root out this cause, he consults the student body. One student, Steve Davis, notes that he hears “…very few students complain about the school and I can’t think of any complaints.”[4] Davis continued to uniquely claim that perhaps the physical environment and location of FTU made this peaceful environment possible. “On any large university, you have places you can congregate. But here, you're more or less isolated. Students come out for classes and once they're over, there’s no place to go. Everybody just goes their own way.”[5] Perhaps this geographical uniqueness created as a product of a brand-new university prevented the creation of widespread demonstration. Rollins students simultaneously pointed out that the upper middle class and “above” status of the Winter Park and surrounding area bred a nonchalant environment, one in which students were simply unaffected by things such as Vietnam or civil rights.[6] Another Rollins student also noted the smallness of Rollins and FTU when explaining the lack of campus violence or demonstration.[7]
While it is evident that FTU's "brand-new" environment ensured that no mass-demonstrations as seen at Berkely, American University, or Kent-State would occur, the relatively conservative and unique stance of the students in Greek life, and of the university as a whole, was actually opposite to what one might expect.
Surprisingly, in complete contradiction to participation in anti-war or anti-government protests, there is evidence of support and general sympathy for the soldiers overseas. Tau Epsilon Rho (TEP) in December of 1969 sought to spread the holiday cheer to those in South Vietnam by collecting “Yule Cards.” “We have had an excellent response from the general public and we are now appealing to FTU students,” Joe Griffin stated, a Tau Epsilon Rho brother himself.[8] The brothers all sought out to send each serviceman in South Vietnam a Christmas greeting card.
In another instance of general sympathy towards the military cause, or in this case, culture, students demonstrated their general support towards the ROTC programs throughout America. This is significant because the military culture on college campuses at this time were often under siege, the ROTC quite often being the target of such counter-culture attacks. As one FTU student noted, ROTC provides “training needed to bridge the gap between civilian and military life.”[9] Another student similarly expressed that ROTC would be a “good experience.”[10] Ultimately, out of the the 75 students polled at FTU , 84 percent noted that The Students for Democratic Society and its recent attacks on the campus military life (ROTC) is not the stance that most students have.[11]
All said, this is by no means meant to state that there were no demonstrations whatsoever at FTU during this time. In an article presumably published in the Orlando Sentinel during this period, a nation-wide collegiate anti-Vietnam war moratorium planned to occur was “subdued” by President Milican, however, if students so wished they could participate as a matter of personal reflection, rather than public demonstration.[12] Additionally, during the dramatic environment and climate control debates of the early 1970’s, events were often held to educate about such processes. In one of the few documented instances in photograph of a member of Greek life participating in such ‘demonstration,’ a member of the Sigma Sigma Chi fraternity participates in an an earth day event. An Orlando Sentinel article titled Air Polluting Car Takes a Beating…From FTU Students during earth day on campus, accounts the event perfectly, in which a Sigma Sigma Chi is photographed beating a car with a baseball bat.[13]
FTU, located just over 10 miles east of downtown Orlando, provided students with an innovative and unique learning experience. More so, it displayed unique tendencies, tendencies quite opposite to what one might expect from college students in the counter-culture era. In this environment, as evidence showed, demonstration and awareness of the political events of the day occured, however, due to the unique environment this "brand-new" university brought, the lack of an oragnized campus, and the realtively conservative stance of the students, mass demonstration seen elsewhere was simply not possible.
[1] “Class Break Show,” Orlando Sentinel (Orlando), February 26, 1969, accessed February 28, 2017, University of Central Florida Special Collections and Archives, University of Central Florida Scrapbook Collection, 1960-2009. Series 1: University History Scrapbooks, 1963-2009, Sub-Series 1: Catalogued Scrapbooks, 1963-1967, Item 2: Scrapbook, Volume 2, 1968-1969.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Al Cowan, “Campus Violence Tapers Off As Leaders Await Elections,” Orlando Sentinel (Orlando), April 18, 1971, accessed February 28, 2017, University of Central Florida Special Collections and Archives, University of Central Florida Scrapbook Collection, 1960-2009. Series 1: University History Scrapbooks, 1963-2009, Sub-Series 1: Catalogued Scrapbooks, 1963-1967, Item 3: Scrapbook, Volume 3, 1970-1971.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Dee D. Decker, “FTU Fraternity Collects Yule Cards For Vietnam,” Orlando Evening Star (Orlando), December 6, 1969, accessed February 28, 2017, University of Central Florida Special Collections and Archives, University of Central Florida Scrapbook Collection, 1960-2009. Series 1: University History Scrapbooks, 1963-2009, Sub-Series 1: Catalogued Scrapbooks, 1963-1967, Item 3: Scrapbook, Volume 3, 1970-1971.
[9] Greenwich College Research Center, “Local Collegians Rap SDS On ROTC Stand,” Orlando Sentinel (Orlando), accessed February 28, 2017, University of Central Florida Special Collections and Archives, University of Central Florida Scrapbook Collection, 1960-2009. Series 1: University History Scrapbooks, 1963-2009, Sub-Series 1: Catalogued Scrapbooks, 1963-1967, Item 3: Scrapbook, Volume 3, 1970-1971.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
[12] “FTU Peace Rally To Be Subdued,” accessed February 28, 2017, University of Central Florida Special Collections and Archives, University of Central Florida Scrapbook Collection, 1960-2009. Series 1: University History Scrapbooks, 1963-2009, Sub-Series 1: Catalogued Scrapbooks, 1963-1967, Item 2: Scrapbook, Volume 2, 1968-1969.
[13] Richard Williams, Air Polluting Car Takes a Beating…From FTU Students During Earth Day on Campus, April 22,1970, Orlando Sentinel, accessed February 28, 2017, University of Central Florida Special Collections and Archives, University of Central Florida Scrapbook Collection, 1960-2009. Series 1: University History Scrapbooks, 1963-2009, Sub-Series 1: Catalogued Scrapbooks, 1963-1967, Item 3: Scrapbook, Volume 3, 1970-1971.