C.C. Reader By Bonnie Futch For any student who's ever been lost among the 150,000 volumes of the Heindel Library, it's hard to imagine a library without books. But Dr. George Wolf, professor of American Studies and history, recalls those first couple weeks without books when Capitol Campus opened in the fall of 1966. Capitol celebrated its 15th anniver sary on November 11 with a Convocation in the Multi-Purpose Building. This gathering marked many years of growth for a campus with a peculiar beginning. The sound of planes at nearby Harrisburg International Airport is a reminder of what the campus once was. For over 50 years, Olmsted Air Force Base stood on the spot where the Main Building stands today. The base employ ed over 10,000 people in 1964, when it was ordered closed for economic rea sons. Dr. Wolf says that the people of Middletown were resentful because they couldn't see a university as an appro priate replacement for the base. It was Governor William Scranton who asked Penn State University in 1965 Student Center. READER Photo by Steve Myers Photo Club The Way We Were if it would consider establishing a grad uate center in place of Olmsted. A study was done and state appropriations se cured before the University moved in. Capitol's first classes began in Octo ber of 1966, with 18 students and eight faculty members. Students had only two majors to choose from: humanities and social sciences. In the second year, enrollment jumped to over 500, and three more majors were offered. For a campus with over 2,500 stu dents and 130 faculty members today, it may be hard to imagine the Main Building as once being an Air Force headquarters. One alumnus who remembers is Ralph Furjanic of Harrisburg, who be gan at Capitol in 1968. He said that the campus had a cozy atmosphere back then. Students could easily talk with the faculty and "the profs were just as human as we were." Don't let that description fool you into thinking that all was quiet on the campus in the early years. Capitol didn't Peters (right) By Neil Gussman Following several weeks of deliber ation over the more than 260 entries in the re-name Vendorville contest, the results are in. Vendorville has now been officially re-named "The Lion's Den." The final selection was made by Dr. Theodore Gross, Provost and Dean of Capitol Campus, who chose from among six names submitted by the six-member committee in charge of the re-naming of Vendorville. Committee members included two students, Roberta Bronson and Jim Dickson; two faculty members, Dr. Bleau and John Harman; and two cam pus workers, Joe Kemp and Jean Egen rieder. They narrowed the original list of 260 entries to 20 "semi-final" choices and then narrowed those 20 names to the six finalists submitted to Dr. Gross. Monday, November 23, 1981 .C. READER EXCLUSIVE And The Winner 15... miss out on the campus unrest of the 60's. Around the time of the Kent State incident in 1970, a group of students staged an anti-vvar protest at Capitol. Dr. Wolf said that they tried to close down the campus and were "the most violent peacetalkers I ever saw." Capitol's fifth commencement is another example of disorganization, but for good reason. The graduation coin sided with the Agnes Flood of 1972, with the campus being converted into a temporary evacuation center. However, a group of students held a small im promptu ceremony known as the "Rump Commencement." Focusing on the campus today, Pro vost-Dean Theodore Gross said that enrollment is up 10 percent since last year. In discussing plans for the campus, he said he'd like Capitol to look more like a college campus, with more trees and buildings. Part of his goal includes a science technology building and a student acti vities building. Allied health programs such as nursing and radiology would be housed in the science structure. ft) and receiving an award from Ralph The final six from which Dr. Gross chose were: The Cub, Blue Floor . Lounge, The Cove, The Lion's Den, The Eatery, and The C.C. Feeder. There were no overwhelming favorites. Ceremonies to formalize the name change will be held at a later date to be announced in the C.C. Reader. •Editor's Note: The C.C. Reader has heard many other opinions concerning the new name for Vendorville. In fact. we don't like it either. We are therefore asking our readers to pick the name they Dr. O'Neill's presentation will be at 8 like best and send it to us. We welcome p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Building. It any comments concerning the re-naming will be the first of the Penn State Capitol of the cafeteria; we'll print the com- Campus 1981 Lecture Series, and is free ments we receive in the next issue. and open to the public. The campus today owes ite existence to many people. Last week's Convoca tion was a gathering of such people: faculty, administrators, alumni, and others. Former Governor Scranton was the keynote speaker and he received another honor when presented with a copy of Dr. Wolfs biography, "William Warren Scranton: Pennsylvania States man." Dr, Wolf had served as a special assistant to Scranton in 1965-66. The University was represented by President John W. Oswald, Dr. Robert E. McDermott (Capitol's first provost), and many others. Secretary of Education Robert Scanlon, U.S. Rep. Allen E. Ertel, and others from state and federal governments also attended. The accomplishments and goals of the campus are probably best summed up by the last commander of Olmsted Air Force Base, Col. Norman G. Morris, when he wrote, "I am confident that the future of Olmsted--with its new mission of purpose--will be a significant factor towards the continued growth of your fine community... space colonies, and projections on the major developments of the next century will be among the topics adressed at Capitol Campus November 30 by Dr. Gerard K. O'Neill, Princeton physics professor and author of "2081-A Hopeful View of the Human Future," and "The High Frontier." Page 3
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers