1990-10-19; Central Michigan Life

              A look at f65 reveals a different CMU
by KAREN EMERSON
l.IFK Specml IVoj^ls KHitor
Technicolor movies were in.
N. C.  Bovee was vice president of Business and Finance: Judson W
Foust was president   -
And ttie state Senate was investigating the relationship between CML)
faculty members and the administration.
The year was 1965
A look hack at CM I.IFF" issues published in fall 1965 offeis insight into
personalities and characteristics of Mount Pleasant's growing Univessity
t omniunity
■ Total enrollment reached about H,V(XI students in September, with
2,325 freshmen attending Central Later that year, administrators
predicted CMU's enrollment would reach a record number — 9.4(H)
students
■ The Pleasant l)iive In on 1 asl M 20 featured portable in car healers
for "radiant HEAT just like the sun's rays " Featured flicks of the week
included "Racing Fever." in breath-taking color, and "Blood and Black
Lace. "
■ The state Legislature denied CMU about $283,000 in state
appropriations Bovee said the University's budgetary operations would
become "very difficult."
■ 1 iomecominy elections brought out almost 3.7(H) students - - '10
percent of the student population Students voted for Homecoming
Queen, freshman class officers and off campus senators for the Student
Senate
aai Pam Bomsta was made Calkins Hall Korean Orphanage Queen
during a fund-raising drive
■ Students had to save their rainy day funds to buy umbrellas
Archey's Sporting Goods had a "Be Ready For Rainy Days" sale and the
store sold Central umbrellas for $8.95. The sairre sale featuied Converse
basketball shoes for $7 50 and sweatshirts for $2 95
■ CMU swimmers were considered one of the teams to beat, coming
off a fourth-place league finish in 1964.
■ The Student Senate began investigating overcrowded residence hall
conditions after several students complained because they lived in
overcrowded dorms and paid the same price as students who were not
ciamped.
The   Senate's   faculty   adviser.   C.   Milton   Pike,   said   the   only   two
residence halls completely paid for were Ronan and Sloarr.
■ Alpha Sigma Alpha social sorority had a "Switch arrd Stitch" party
The women went thiough their closets, found things they did not want,
and traded them with their sorority sisters.
aai Chicago's YMCA Hotel advertised a "swinging weekend" in the
windy city for $16 ■■— complete with 45 cent meals. 15 cent cover charge
for a dance, and $6 for two nights lodging, lhe $16 budget also called for
a $1 30 contribution to the Central Church of Chicago
■ Barnard Hall residents started publishing a three-page newspaper,
distributed bi-monthly. It was called "lhe Bull Sheet.
Bookless 'studying,' homecoming balls
favorite CMU pastimes in mid-1960s
CMU cheerleader co-captain Jim Vestal, Rochester
co-captain Barb Young, Grand Rapids senior.
Hills senior, leads the crowd in a cheer for the Chippewas. in the background is
Advertising pilot part of each CMU game
by NANCY SALLA
LIFE Staff Writer
Some people listen to CMU
home football games on the radio.
Others sit in the stands,
enduring everything from hot sun
to rain to rowdy fans.
Jack Irwin of Flint does a little of
both.
Well, sort of. For eight years,
Irwin has had a bird's-eye view of
CMU games.
Irwin, owner of Skyline Advertising Inc., pilots the plane that
tows advertising banners more
than 700 feet above ground
during football games.
"We can sometimes take a
pocket radio up to listen to the
o^me hut I usuallu have to use
my headset to talk to the ground
crew at the airport," he said.
Irwin said he can watch the
game on clear days, and occasionally he can see the scoreboard
from his normal altitude of 700 to
1,000 feet above the stadium.
Several things, including the
weight of the banner and the
weather, are taken into consideration when preparing for a game
flight, he said.
"If it's real windy it can make
for a bumpy ride, and if the
visibility is low I can't fly at all," he
said.
Irwin says he started towing
banners about 16 years ago to
help pay costs of owning an
airplane, which can top $3,000 a
year.
"I've always liked airplanes —
ever since I was a kid." he said.
"But it's a rather expensive
hobby.
"I started flying to help pay the
bills of basic maintenance, flight
insurance, hangar rental and
fuel "
Irwin owns two two-seat
airplanes, which he houses at
Dalton Airport in Rushing — a
150-horsepower Bellanca Citabria
and a 180-horsepower Bellanca
Scout.
Planes flying above college
football games is not unique to
CMU, he said.
"I do get requests to fly at
special games or events at U-M
and State, but not as much as I do
noni i'iuuin neaxii
On game days, he flies from
Hint to Mount Pleasant — about
100 miles — in about 30 to 40
minutes, Irwin said, adding he flies
at about 120 miles per hour.
Irwin attributed his popularity
with Mount Pleasant businesses to
the uniqueness of his advertising
method, which delivers to the
"captive audience of a arowded
stadium."
"Some advertisers are skeptical
about banner towing and won't
do it at all," he said.
Irwin said he usually flies for 20
minutes with each banner, which
means he can tow four or five
banners during one game.
a»» PLANE Paae 3A
by CORKIE FKIINIK
I.IKK SImII Writer
When John McAuliffe, director
of the Department <>f Public
Safety, was a student in 1965.
"chipping" was a pretty popular
pastime.
"Chipping" was the slang word
fi >r   a   Saturday   or  Sunday  after
tHvn  spent  on  the  hanks of  the
Chippewa River.  McAuliffe said
Couples would take a blanket
and go to the river to "study." he
said, adding the popularity of this
activity was probably due to the
fact that "not a lot of studying
to< >k place.
"Chipping" also was popular
because it gave couples a chance
for privacy, McAuliffe said Back
in those days, co ed residence
halls were unheard of. and female
students weie required to observe
a cuifew (>f 11 p m on weekdays
ami 12 a.m or 1 a.m. on
weekends. McAuliffe said.
Male students did not have a
curfew, he added.
McAuliffe said he has missed
only one home football game in
the last 25 years arrd has never
missed a 1 lomecoming game.
"I'm iii a unique position
because I've had to work every
home game." he said.
McAuliffe said he did not even
miss the 1963 Homecoming
game, which also was his wedding
day.
"We got married in the morning
and went to the game in the
afternoon," he said.
McAuliffe, who became director
of Public Safety in 1967, said he
has watched CMU grow over the
yeaTS, and added he expects the
changes will surprise classmates
who have not returned to Mount
Pleasant since graduation
In 1965. most social activities
were on campus, since most
students did not own cars.
McAuliffe said
Unlike today, bars were not
popular places to gather and
dance, he said instead, residence
halls organized dances and "social
mixers" at various ligations on
campus, he said
f lomecoming balls — l^rge
extravagant galas — were an
important part of Homecoming
festivities in the 1960s that
students today have little or no
interest in, he said
Various assemblies, a bonfire
and a pep rally with fireworks also
took place during Homecoming
weekend. McAuliffe said.
Bonfires and fireworks were
eliminated a few years ago
because of city ordinances and fire
risks, said Glenn Starrier, director
of the Office of Student Life.
Approximately 7,300 students
attended Central in 1965, Starner
said. Besides an increase in the
number of students, CMU's
campus has changed with several
new buildings.
This year's Homecoming
theme, "A New Addition to Our
Tradition," reflects those changes,
said Carol Hyble, director of
Alumni Relations. She said this
year's theme also reflects the way
things used to be.
""Things change, but they also
stay the same," Hyble said.
Students in 1990 who think
their 25th reunion is a long way
off better think again, McAuliffe
said.
"Don't blink — your 25th
reunion is just around the corner,"
he said.