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Special Collections and Archives
Students' Reactions · Keeping Kent Open
Special Collections and Archives
Students' Reactions · Keeping Kent Open
Students' Reactions
With the unexpected closing of the campus, students were forced to find their way home with classes left unfinished and grades hanging in the balance. There was a wide range of reactions to the end of the quarter; some were anxious about how they would be able to complete their coursework, while others were more concerned about the events that had just transpired on May 4.
Overall, a sense of confusion and uncertainty was felt after the sudden ending of in-person classes. Especially for those who were preparing to graduate, there was concern about how they would be able to complete their degrees, and whether or not there would be a commencement ceremony. There was a general lack of closure as they never got the chance to say goodbye to their classmates or professors.
"Goodbye Party"
In his oral history interview recorded in 1995, Arthur Koushel discusses the abrupt end to classes that left many students without a chance to say their goodbyes (00:29:38). He recalls that he and his friends came back to Kent three weeks after the shooting and rented a hotel room for a week-long “goodbye party.”
He also speaks about finishing his classes at home and how difficult his zoology final was, “even with the book” (00:30:48). He was able to commiserate with Dean Kahler on the challenging exam, who had completed the final from his hospital bed after being wounded during the shootings.
By Any Means Possible
In this letter dated May 8, 1970, a concerned student asks their professor if they will be able to finish their course and offers a local church as a suggestion for where the class could meet.
However, he says that he would be "willing to drive anywhere" to be able to continue the course. Many professors did choose to hold classes at churches and other community buildings during this time.
An Unfavorable Opinion
In his oral history interview recorded in 1995, Bruce Dzeda speaks about taking classes in a local church and choosing pass/fail grades (00:12:13). He says that the classes were “baloney,” and expresses his disbelief that students could still care about their grades when some of their fellow classmates had just been killed and wounded. He says that he thought his fellow students “would have been radicalized by this, but it doesn't seem to be the case.”
