Acorn

Drew University has, despite its size, been a center for progressive expression. [Click to enlarge]

At 200 acres and roughly 3,000 people, Drew University may not seem the imposing, influential voice of, say, the University of Michigan, where the first teach-in against the Vietnam War took place.

But as senior Jen Dugan will tell you, effective activism does not require a rowdy mob of protestors as its vehicle. Activism can be achieved by a single person so long as he or she has the will and conviction to be heard.

Drewids throughout history organized marches against racial discrimination, boycotted the Commons in the '70s and attracted notable activists like Martin Luther King Jr. and Pete Seeger onto campus. Drew also held the second ever "teach-in" protesting Vietnam in America.

It was those historical events that Act Out!, a student-run organization founded by Dugan, explored in Monday's event "The History of Activism at Drew."

At the event, a slideshow highlighted the cases of social and political activism in which members of the Drew community participated.

The presentation covered several decades, from the 1930s through the present. Most of their research was done by going through back issues of The Acorn in the library archives. Everything from protesting wars, to dorm curfews, to the establishment of a Drew chapter of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was shown. Act-Out! hoped to inspire and educate students to be more active.

It is an effort that Professor of English Merrill Skaggs finds encouraging.

"The key to being an activist is you have to believe it can make a difference," Skaggs said. "To my mind it is grand to see a new generation begin to assert itself [in Act Out!]."

Skaggs, who started teaching at Drew in the early '60s, took part in many of the events discussed at the Act Out! Presentation. They include the Drew 'teach-in' and a picketing in front of a barbershop that refused to give a hair cut to a theology student because he was black.

Skaggs' and her husband's involvement at the 'teach-in' put them on a government list of dangerous people in New Jersey. They were able to get their names removed thanks to a friend involved with the White House Secret Service.

Skaggs remembers protesting as scary and potentially dangerous.

"It was radically different in the 1960s," she said. "The conservatism of Morris County was very intense."

Because some of the speakers at the 'teach-in' were untenured faculty, they were potentially committing professional suicide speaking out against the government as they did, she said. A professor at the time, John Bicknell, assured them he would look after their jobs and that they would be protected.

Government 'spies,' as Skaggs called them, attended these types of events. According to Charles Courtney, a retired philosophy and religion professor, one 'spy' attended an anti-war concert in which Pete Seeger performed in the Baldwin Gym. The spy recorded Seeger with a large microphone that he kept shoved between his legs.

Courtney agrees with Skaggs that there was an air of danger whenever a demonstration or protest was held. When Courtney gave a public speech in front of the Morristown Draft Board, Drew students marched to turn in their draft cards to protest Vietnam.

"My convictions were really tested," Courtney said. "But I asked myself if I had to do this and the answer was, 'yes." It was risky. There were many attempts to fire Drew professors because of protesting."

One of Dugan's goals for Act Out! is to educate people to be progressive. She also hopes to integrate the existing clubs and organizations to establish an all-encompassing humanitarian cause for the groups.

Archives Associate Cheryl Oestreicher was among those in attendance at the Act Out! presentation. "People think of activism as the 1960s, [but] it's more than just rallies, marches and protests," she said. "Drew has always had a history of being progressive, even before the [College of Libral Arts.]" According to Oestreicher, former faculty members were known for their 'progressive" ideas. One was charged with heresy for teaching evolution.

Raising activism awareness and educating people to voice their personal concerns is a cause that junior Katy Fitzpatrick finds worthwhile.

"At the end of the day, activism can make a difference. That's why the program was so powerful," she said. "The little things do matter."

Fitzpatrick said students believe that as long as someone else is vocal about a given issue, then that is enough. This has not stopped her from getting involved with things that matter most to her.

"I felt strongly about helping with Hurricane Katrina relief," Fitzpatrick said. "Habitat for Humanity gave me that opportunity."

According to Act Out! and their research into Drew's archives, students can be active by advocating a change like instituting an official honor code or starting clubs based on common interests. Activism does not have to involve walk-outs during classes as was seen in 1937. In the 1970s, students boycotted buying candy from the vending machines because of a price hike.

Dugan is excited to see what this next generation of Drew students has in store. The campus, is very active, she said. Drew participates in Katrina relief efforts and the Honduras Project as part of Habitat for Humanity. There is a myriad of on-campus programs such as Sexual Assault Awareness Week, Take Back the Night and events sponsored by Theme Houses.

"[Activism] bespeaks of a faith in the system." Skaggs said. "And all things aside, it's a lot of fun. I regret nothing."

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