Sproul Hall Sit-In Documentation 1968 (Part 2 of 2)

The night of a comment about us and science trying to make a statement. Now that you're all excited about getting arrested I want to say one thing I want to make a plea. I think you're making a mistake. I think you've forgotten something. I'd like to tell you what you're forgotten. You're troubled about the faculty are troubled about the administration you're troubled about the regions but you haven't thought about your fellow citizens in the state of California who need to be made to understand what we mean by academic freedom. I think that you can do it but I don't think the way to do it is to go to jail. I think the way to do it is to go and knock on doors and talk to people and make them understand you don't fit in there. You don't do this sort of thing. I'm very troubled that by doing this sort of thing you're out ahead of things and leave less room for doing it the other way. I. Do not think

that most people in Berkeley whose doors we could get to understand that you know I the reason I tell you this is I believe honestly that people don't understand it's a difficult concept. It takes a long time. You don't yet understand it. You think you do. We're going to talk about it. Let's call on people and let them make it you know. OK fine. I came before you with my heart and my mouth and with tears in my eyes. It is late but I thought nevertheless I would tell you I would plead with you and I will hope that you're going to do it.

How many of you would like to walk with me now. Anyone. The prize was for why don't you come with us. Things for us because we represent the people visiting with most of us your repair. Well. Now I'll not stand what you know to be true. That's a valuable second time recently. Now if you will make clear your manhood. Thing once and for this course you really have to really think students are right. Michigan first time this happens when you expand it with criminals I was once kept as. They stand the. Risk and. Take. Your administrator. You have certain positions having one serving.

I guess my picture is me with you with you know your position of meaningless aggregate now. It was because we think they're all right you support and willingness now Miles like yours that I would be arrested. Like they are directed to university theoretically what is the corrupt university that's racist. And it uses this very technique. You cannot have it just means when they should get a different course than accepted by everyone should have a body have the right to make that decision. And there's also a true university that is open. And it is free. That's the university and I believe you're working for here tonight. I respect and admire you for what you're doing but I think you are going to walk out of here. We are going to work that through university and I don't think it'd be nice. Maybe the show or anybody else will be able to show that a book we were the last year made that remembers the smart is here. I want to have to follow by not doing anything that's always been the art. Don't do things. That's how

you know I propose an alternative internet. The fact that the previous tape was by Sam Kaplan an assistant professor in English. Why don't you take your faculty member by the hand and say Come with me. I have come with that. Right. Why we're going out with people because it's harmless it assumes that the people who are probably very soon as it was. You'll want to know who you. Really. Want to go with your. Life and

this is not a pass for. Someone. For you. Thank you I was in Fred's confidence why did he then the night of the faculty the confidence that they granted that they have for the last 50 years it was me who proposed the resolution to the first one which limited guest speakers to two lectures or more the second one which actually deny credit for a course authorized by faculty committees in the academic senate his own faculty that he supposed to be the president not just the president of the university. He's supposed to represent the president of the faculty. Get rid of. These people will always tell you don't fight

for. You to be there. In this city you could even get a street corner and speak. And the union though they sent guys to jail until they want you to make one that right you're going to have to be for it because you receive it anywhere in the state. People find one good job with this struggle and sacrifice something. Yes members rest. Is true to what he says and where I went to what the people the stake think about 5 percent to begin with most people just. Justin. Bieber turn them against us to begin with the most people races are reasonable How many good intellects warriors we give to somebody ring the doorbell. They're never going to be for them the only way they can appeal the people of any candidate most people are dissatisfied with the people are oppressed even if people live in a suburb in the working class people who we think are so famished they are oppressed.

They are looking for some some way out. Your way to do that by finally winning something and by people the people are trying. To. We have your word for. That. It's my right wing doorbells I got Lyndon Johnson elected. And I want a bottom to. Give me time and if you drink doing anything all

right I'm Mary Matalin. Well you know everything they happen because they're right with me right now and that's OK with you. No one can be of direct action is very attractive but you arse beginning students of the university and you have got to warn me your theory of the beginning. If you think in terms of direct action then you are asking for direct action in return. If you want if you want academic freedom if you want to be treated like academics you have to act like my joy. I am and maybe I am young enough to drown in my whining about that. Oh and that's where you see what.

Really is was right. I am. Bored. Now. I said I think I have an important statement to make now. Much. This is important because we haven't discussed yet it was going to be the big issue hopefully and I hope it still is an issue. The night is very relevant to this. I'm waiting of course right now. With the help of a professor who is in the Education Department on the academic program. And the academic plan is designed to allocate resources for the University of California Berkeley there's different plans for different campuses for the next was it seven years. Seven years. And. The preliminary report that with that's come out in my opinion the opinion of a lot of other students and some faculty who know about most faculty don't even know about

it is unfavorable to the social sciences. And we feel it's unfavorable to this university. And if it gets passed and approved it will set you a step the way things are going to be done. And it also is very relevant to student initiated education courses because allocations have to be made for that because the gap is going to be closed and there are a lot of problems and there's a lot of political reason for the for this plan and I'm just what I'm saying now is that a group of students have already been working on this for a year are investigating. We're going to come up with a report. It would be a bad idea for the rest of you people to look into it. It would be a bad idea for you to start talking to faculty about it and I think it's of ultimate importance that the campus be informed completely that the issues be debated on on all sides because eight or five years from now after the plan is focus we don't want to have students being arrested or something and saying why don't we do something seven years ago. And the night isn't. You're in charge of that aren't you. I would also like to point out with respect to that that in the spring quarter we were

told that. A mere draft of the plan had been developed and that we get to see it. We did get to see it. We got several copies of it and then this corner when you got your red packets back you had a piece of paper telling you that departments on campus would be limited in their enrollment in the near future. As though the decision had already been made when we were told that we would have plenty of time to discuss the draft and that the whole question actually not even been decided yet that the faculty still had to consider it and various departments. All right you ready to go now. I am sure that you're an expert on something within your control and I think you've got a very viable point. We've got to get the man to lead it. What about the epidemic or what your problems when my problem my essential problem is that when I had a meeting that I went to last year on the act

to discuss the academic plan when that when I first got involved my statement was made to disorder. The psychology department is over and rolled approximately three to one. Maybe it's a lesson and maybe it's two and a half to one I don't know the exact figure there for the psychology I'm just using this is one example anthropology departments problem sociologists. Because their party is capable of handling 500 people the projection is to hold 500 people what do you what do you do if a lot of people want to become a psychologist. And the answer was simply the University of Davis is going to be taking over is going to become very big in psychology those people can go there and I said you know this is a bunch of garbage because we should have balance campuses. We shouldn't start specializing in separating people I think that's working against the general interest. And I'd like maybe you can start addressing that one aspect. The problem is to have the department capable of doing a good job on your education when you get there and if you just open the faucet and let everybody go they can't do it.

You've got to be happy you've got to balance you've got to balance the resources with what they've got to do. OK I guess I was reading that makes me want to I know a little bit of the academic plans general model which is that there are certain number of faculty in each department and you can't really disturbed that the number of fte. Which is the unit. But I do know you and part of the plan is that it can be changed but you can't do it like that. So you want to plan ahead with the possibility for flexibility anticipating what's going on so that you know what you're doing. It's a 10 year plan isn't it. Yeah revisable every year. Second this is it isn't as simple as he's making it out. One of the big issues is tenure. The reason you can't do is because there are a lot of tenured faculty in the engineering and chemistry department and because engineering teams have never complained that they have large classes. I had one engineering state physics student who was in with I know said Always class of 7 8 9 people. There's a 1 psychology class offered this quarter that has under a hundred separate Sansom turned away 200 so

it isn't that simple and it isn't as simple as saying you just need to stop people go to another campus because when they went in freshman they're going to they're going to ask you when you're freshmen to say what do you want to be. And then you're going to say well I don't you know when you have the mistaken idea as long as you ask yourself that all the time. Now the second that I see this is what. Struck me. Oh I heard that for a long time. If you don't feel like a human being my friend that your hands. On. I mean I'm still primarily going to school. There so. That's cool. I know you have some of both directions my own research.

Specialization every one is human. Would you like to join the way and you can participate my answer was you know this. Is what I. Think that people. Here. Most. People. Right. Now in choosing these are just recently raised its. Stance. That. If you think you know. It's. Me. But it isn't true for. Me. And I. Think they're. Right. My. Head. Goes. On. To say it's wrong just not there and. It was one of the last things accuracy. I've. Read through this a hit man that this is his inner circle because when he let

himself in this time it's a good. Thang. I want constructive proposal that can work for honestly believe that this is very this has been talked about by faculty members student initiated courses on this campus have to be sponsored by faculty member and as the regents ruling right now they have to participate in every class of that. Which of course we're working against and hopefully we'll get that back with you don't have classes. But there is one suggestion it's very pertinent that faculty members who do this do this on their own time. And it takes out of the research and takes out of their out of their classes. I know in the psych Dr course in a Psychology Department involving a class meant a complete month on this and he's very upset about it he had to read his meetings and that he's on the Board of Education Development and the suggestion is merely this that teachers who take on student initiated courses. Be allowed extra leave extra paid leave in let's say if they take I want to do

whatever the equitable thing would be so that this would encourage faculty members to sponsor courses initiated by students and so they will become more of our institution and so our faculty members can get this extra paid leave to take care of the research or whatever they were doing when they when they were participating in this other course. And I'd like to ask your help to help us through. I think you have to do that at the moment within the budgetary restrictions that we suffer under. By saying if they're going to do one course with this and that's beyond their capabilities then they ought to knock off another course that they might be getting. And there you have to ask whether or not the other one is a part of a program now that this is exactly the point we're trying to make. I think on this campus especially student initiated courses and what he's talking about about being a human being that we want to do something we're trying to make which is relevant and and what I'm saying that that should be given priority. I am saying that you have to make a choice you have to you have to decide a course and another one here and balance them if you want one

instead of the other then work that way. But I am sure that's a matter between you and your professors. I mean I am I am what I am I am my own. Research on this campus. Oh and. If there are some they are very remote from my hand I am. Na na na. Na. Na.

Listen. To me for my life. Why don't I know why you over there is very very

angry. But I'm telling you is that the effect of one of you. And two of you and ten and ten thousand. I am talking with people about what is meant by academic freedom. Here is what I need. Really you know I know that I don't know how much I don't know how much this is how much it got down there. It's very possible perhaps likely that they're waiting for our meeting to break. I mean plenty of curriculum. Well you know I don't know if people want to sit around here any longer I think. We want to get this thing over with. I'll say no I'll say just one more thing. You've raised a lot of good question. I would be glad to talk with you some more if you insist on going tonight. Come see me when you get back first. But I would I

think you should go crazy. I guess everybody is going to go there I'm sorry sit down it's just 10 o'clock. I've been told of people fair that some people outside of done thing the buses and cars are part of the way. Well you know and I've been told that people some people outside have done some things the boxes which might prevent them from making a fair way out. I've been told that light air out of tires and thrown rocks at the buses that may be funny but it means we're going to be here longer here. Think you can let me drive.

This ingestion was made this suggestion was made by one person outside that a statement from us you know with regard to that might have some effect on it if we wanted to discourage it. Now if you like us and you know I think it was OK I just talked to a policeman I just talked to the office and a policeman. The police estimate there are around 2 0 0 0 1 police officer estimate there are twenty five hundred people on the street. Some are throwing rocks and fucking up buses. Thank you I am sure there are and. There could be if you're guessing get me you know I am thankful.

I am not so and you know I am out on the door at the North End as barrel roll south into a sprawl I see that there's a large crowd out in the street. It's an Bancroft's way and they're blocking the street. That means no traffic is coming through. Someone just slipped through the door they heard a bottle being thrown. I just discovered that my watch was slow and therefore all the times on this tape are probably a bit off. It's really 10:45 my watch Septem to point i. Think I am back in the lobby and there's no way the cameraman or point of your. Mind. The

first policeman have a run on up to early here I ask you. Really thank you. While I was on the phone KPFA I I guess I missed the first two arrests this girl was the third one to be arrested and apparently there been three more already arrested at some point earlier in the evening. The. Police are coming in two at a time and escorting. The students down the hall. One of the time. So this promises to be a very long. Drawn out process. So far they're. All walking is as arranged.

My Thang. But. The number of students that are going to be arrested is very close to 100. Oh I don't know the precise number. Don't suppose anyone will until the. Whole thing is spent asst. There imagine. The lettering on. The door down to the basement is being not only locked but have locked. The chain through it so no one can. Get out down there. I'm standing in one of the administrative offices here and the public information office and looking at it. Ben Croft which is full of people in the street milling around. There are. Probably a thousand fifteen hundred. Looks like.

Most of the ones who were fronts steps of Sproul Hall have left that area now and I guess. Whether or not they have closed the street or the police have closed the street. In order to bring their buses in I don't know. But apparently no effort is being made to clear it. At this point. And and. And and. And. I am

thankful. To him was I am. Honored. That I'm still. Rich. Thank you. One of. The other members. Which I. Now. Was. My that was the second member to be arrested Dr. Sam Kaplan of the English department who was just escorted. By the police. Or. The police are now instead of two police escorting one person they're coming in one of the time asking a person if he wants to be arrested. Wants to leave. Office or escorts the one person down the hall. Speeding up the process.

I'm standing with a faculty member who says he hasn't decided whether or not he's going to be arrested. I think that's right Wolf thank you very much. Thank you. I think this event is not too much up to me I'm standing in front of a bus the president emeritus. And I was spamming. 10 minutes ago with. A friend from my we were talking together and two policemen approached him. And said you're leaving and he replied am I under arrest. They said yes and led him away. So I'm just standing here for me to remain under the bust until you get busted. Perhaps perhaps you could

identify yourself of course Charles Schwarz I'm a professor of physics. Thank you very much for. Avidly dwindling. Probably about 60 to 70 maybe probably no fewer than 60 students remaining in. Lobes of brain. Physics professors still standing under the bus to Robert Gordon. So far no one has approached him probably because I would imagine no one suspects that he is involved. Doesn't look like you would be involved here. Yeah I want to know you know. It's meaningless. This is that which I think.

And I recorded a young man who just told that story. Young man is now lying in the middle of the floor waiting for the next policeman to approach. He wants to be next. Was. It. Was. Done right. So I have one of my own was. Back in me. One of the offices here at the north end of the building looking out at the crowd outside. I see that the police are. Taking many pictures the flashbulbs popping all over the place. Taking on the face of this crowd that's sort of confronting them here. The crowd is

here comes the first bus here comes the first Alameda County Sheriff's Department bus down Bancroft. It's being directed into the. Street here that runs behind a hall. I presume it's the first posts first one I've seen. And I see that there. Is a bonfire still burning in the middle of Bancroft and telegraph I suddenly occurs to me that the report that I made. On the bonfire earlier I made over the telephone to the station I should explain that there's been rather an exciting. Time out here on Bancroft where I would guess Fifteen hundred people maybe more. Gathered and we're finally. Pushed back by the police away from Sproul Hall at which point they went back. And up and up Bancroft and down then coughed and built a better bonfire they're still burning and the intersection of telegraph and then across the way

the police have formed lines across the street. The people have formed lines also across the street and they're sort of standing there looking at each other. There are lots of pictures being taken as I said earlier fire still roaring merrily away. I hear Indian War hoops. The police have been nothing more than. Push the crowds back I thought I saw tear gas at one point but I must have been wrong because I saw no no gas masks. I can see a policeman on the building on the top of the building across the street. He was also taking pictures. That's about it for now. The. Statement has now been issued by the chancellor's office Chancellor Roger W. Hines. Again through the Office of Public Information The statement reads as follows. The Berkeley campus traditionally has allowed. And protected a wide range of dissent within within its rules in the law but action tonight of some

150 students who sat in this Brawl Hall went beyond that range in violation of both rules and law and could not be permitted to continue. The decision to arrest those who insisted on staying in Sproul Hall despite six hours of discussion with campus officials was made by me alone. The stated intention of the students was to obtain credit for social analysis 139 ICs. This issue is one which is being worked on by faculty administration and regions. It cannot be resolved by violations of rules and law but only by such efforts as are now underway by discussion and persuasion. And that was the full statement by the chancellor's office. It's just midnight now. I like to repeat the statement you just asked me if you could make it right. Oh well you know I K S am but we're going to call it KSAN and give them a lot longer. You know the earlier the earlier statement you were going to make. Oh I'm utterly bored. Thank you very much. When it's been over an hour since I last chatted with you you're an hour away from the bus them sort of

seated in a corner and you thought you'd like to do what you know I've just gotten a little weary here and now I'm sitting quietly in a corner instead of standing. Do you think that the reason they haven't approached you probably is because of the way you're dressed. Sure they probably assumed I'm some. REPORTER Or do you know or something like that. I must say Professor Sampson was dressed better than I when he was taken. That's true and I think that Mr. Kaplan also was wearing a tie and as I recall. Well I guess that when they get down to the last person and you're still sitting there they're going to have to come to some sort of conclusion of this. Just chatting once again with a. Faculty member from the physics department who's waiting to be arrested. First group of arrestees is being let out of the building and there's a crush cheer going up from the crowd outside if I can find a window to get to.

We'll. Be loaded onto the bus. And. Being cheered very heartily by. Those who are around the bonfire in the intersection outside. When your cry off the pigs is now. Coming in from outside. There's some kind of activity going on out here now with the probably with a bus and patrol cars. I see newsman lining up to get their pictures on the highway patrol cars are pulling up to the end of this short street that runs behind a sprawl hole as if they're preparing to make way to break the way for the bus which no doubt will go back up. Ben Croft which is I presume clear. Although I certainly can't tell from here. The bus is now. Now pulling out. Being escorted by. Two California Highway Patrol cars in front and. One following behind.

And as it leaves a great cheer from it's now 12:15. The first bus. Just left. People are still standing in the street although I'm not sure that there are as many there now as there were before the bus left. Just might be that. The police strategy of waiting until the buses. Leave. Will prove effective because maybe people waiting just to see the buses go. So a lot of people on the street. And the fire is still burning although not quite as. Brightly as it was before. Where is it. So basically both of you are not I'm not arrested is that right.

OK what was it that was kept telling me that Samson and Kaplan are not arrested. The Dean sprung them. Thank you. Dr. Kaplan at the door and the beating at the door makes it quite clear that he was not arrested. I guess you just heard why. Because this is probably mulling over this latest bit of information. It was he who just. Just spoke. As one young lady was being led down the hall by a policeman. She said may we please stop at a bathroom before we go too much further it's been a long time. And. The policeman said Yes we certainly may do that. It's about 12:30 now and the crowd here in the intersection of Bancroft and Telegraph. Hasn't thinned

appreciably beyond the amount that it thinned after the first bus pulled out there's a second bus now backing in. And with only about 20 to 25 students remaining to be arrested. It's probably just a short while now before. Both buses will have left and. The crowd will have to decide what it's going to do after that. There are two buses backing it now. And the fire is still burning in the intersection. About 10 people that now that have been arrested they're making quite a noise remark was just made by one of the young men here who's still waiting to be arrested the chancellor has said that they're only going to be two thirds arrested and they won't get any credit for it. Mayor Johnson of Berkeley has just arrived. He's now. Looking out the window here to figure out what's going on on the street outside. Probably to make some sort of decision about what their next action will be accompanied by several other

officials. Have a word with you are you rushing or Thank You know coming from a. Second bus is now being loaded. Another cheer from outside. The support outside the top of the pile the whole steps is still considerable. All the available door space is filled with faces smiling faces looking at the remaining 10 people and. I was beginning to wonder who is going to chair the last ones. The answer is clear. If you're on the outside. At about 12:45 looking at the wonders of the public information office once again the confrontation on Bancroft's remains the same. I don't seem to be any fewer people yet. Police are still standing in line confronting them. I see Mayor Johnson walking with his small group of officials looking over the thing from the

outside. Now apparently I just overheard another reporter phoning in his report that the bonfire was not the only thing in the intersection. A couple of sports guys were pushed out into the intersection as well at some point whether they're still there. I can't tell from here. I hope to go outside soon. Seven and one rather disappointed I think physics professor who's still leaning up against the wall. Six. By. 10 minutes to one of the morning this delay apparently downstairs or back up so they're not taking any more down yet we still have five in the lobby. I'm not a member of the brightness of. This place Sunday. Last. Thing actually that's when I. Finally made it and I guess now that they're not policemen here to take care of all the remaining

five students three of them have left. To those remaining sitting on the steps. And really haven't left out until the very last minute. Yeah can you figure out why you were discriminated against in this particular way. You know it's clear that it's only a matter of time waited in many lines it's probably a hole in your university career I mean is this unusual. When I was a student here long lines were not at all uncommon. It is one o'clock in the morning. Your escorts should arrive any moment. The final two have arrived and that was the final year under arrest for the.

On their way out and the final salute and the. As the final hand is raised clenched fist and. At one o'clock in the morning it's all over. At least this part of it all over. The buses are loaded it looks like both of them are pretty full is a great deal of foot stomping and catcalling coming from inside the buses and from and from the crowd here still in there. In the intersection of Ben Kaufman Telegraph. No noticeable motion of any kind on their part so far. They still have the area cordoned off around Sproul home now that its now Route 110 are only the last vises are falling out. Both of them are leaving. Question of now what the crowd's going to do I guess we'll know fairly soon the bonfire is still running rather brightly on coming out I have found out that there are now broken windows out here we can hear burglar alarms off in the distance apparently Wells Fargo bank windows are open and perhaps a few others.

Great crowd here probably around 500 maybe a few more. Glasses of garment. Everyone still standing right where they are so far. Now the police are apparently withdrawing its about one 20 now and the lines are moving back toward Sprowl hall. And the people are moving up. Bancroft's way. There's a report circulating through the crowd and I have absolutely no idea whether or not it's true. But if it isn't it gives us an idea of the kinds of things that tend to circulate through crowds and if it is it's very interesting. That Governor Reagan appeared on television tonight. And. Suggested that he might use the National Guard. In this situation. Crowd is probably down to around. 400 now. It's two groups

one up by the policemen that are. At the corner of the street that runs behind Sproul and Van crocked and the other group is back down in the intersection where the fire was earlier. It's about quarter to when the bon fire that was once a bonfire is now a pile of coal. Someone just tossed a few more sticks of wood on it but it's died down to sort of a large pile of glowing coals. Some police cars or a police car just drove by. Came down Telegraph and then turned down Bancroft's. Took a look at the fire the crowd standing around it which is probably only about a hundred people. And went on. We have three policemen now moving down the street towards the bonfire and the crowd that was standing around the fire is quietly moving off. There were only about only a handful of people left when they arrived. Probably no more than 20.

They've all disappeared. So. It looks like at 2:00 in the morning just about an hour after the last person was arrested on the inside. That. This particular confrontation is that end.