Dr. David Detzer (interview) (Oral History)

Dr. David Detzer (interview)

McNamara, Harold

Detzer, David

60 mins

Coverage: 1966-1990s
Topics discussed : (side A): Growth of WestConn; History of WestConn before 1966; had been just an education school and before that just elementary; Dr. Haas; she had been here for awhile; lived in Fairfield Hall as dorm mother prior to becoming president; Buildings; Old Main, Higgins, Berkshire, Fairfield, and Memorial; Liberal Arts; added by time he got here; changed the atmosphere of the college; Liberal Arts majors vs. Education majors; nursing program added; music ed was one of the best in the country at that time; women were now going into other programs than just education; Size of school; was small at the time; tuition was $50; "Baby Boomers"; many couldn't afford a private school; enrolled in state schools; Type of student; education minded students; women still outnumbered men; local residents; Dr. Haas in her role as president; had expectations of the students, especially the females; the girls were expected the wear certain clothes; New faculty; many of the current faculty were hired during this time; many were about the same age; some hired didn't even have their Master's degree yet because of need; was offered more money to come here to teach; College population; division of students and faculty could be seen; Traditional type of student; social life was gentle; Problems of the young faculty; many had troubles coping w/ difficulties of the time; use of drugs; sexual relations between students and faculty; ran and taught classes the way they choose to; Faculty senate; wrote the faculty constitution; things like this were able to be done because young faculty outnumbered the older faculty; couldn't happen today; members are elected (representative body); not sure of structure today; Liberal arts degree program; limited number of history majors at this time; majority of students were training to be history teachers; education majors pressured to "act professional"; Social issues; feminist movement; all his bosses at one point were female; civil rights and minority students; issues were talked about among students, but were very distant; Growth of faculty in History department; was called Social Science/History department in beginning; many were young w/ attitudes; none are at Western anymore; many in department were fairly conservative and quiet; he was fairly radical at time; there was one in department that was self; proclaimed Marxist; Radical faculty members; many were forced out or quit; attracted a student following; Dr. Bersi; Westside campus; the plans Dr. Haas had for the new campus; asked everybody if they wanted a new campus; all those who voted for it are still on the midtown campus though; Anti; war movement; Dr. Young would be best person to ask about it; teach; ins, discussions, and debates over Vietnam War; the conservative of the department was Dr. Roman; meetings were open to the public; the college was seen as a community center; Minority students; the creation of the Afro; American Club; students came up w/ list of demands they wanted from Dr. Haas; they decided to go to Dr. Haas' office and have a sit in

0-10 minutes: (side B) (Dr. Young joined the interview); Morality of students; school as a substitute parent (Dr. Young left) (interview interrupted on a few occasions); Students of the 1970s; sex, drugs, and rock' n roll; students living together as roommates; drugs on campus and first exposure to students w/ pot (a young female student showed him a bag of pot); Nationwide Moratorium; occurred in the fall of 1969; Kent State; some at WestConn reacted to the shootings at Kent State; more involved in national demonstrations of 1969; Typical demonstration organizer; most weren't traditional college students; tended to be older;

10-20 minutes: Students voting; conservatism in the 1972 election; it was in contrast w/ their attitude two years before; classrooms saw many discussions and debates concerning the war; Students of the 1990s vs. 1970s; seen a change in students of early 1970s and students today; issues today have made students more relaxed; Commune; reaction to the times; Drug culture; not many students were prepared to deal w/ drugs and alcoholism; How he relates to students of now and then; he was closer to their age in the late 1960s; early 1970s; his perceptions have changed; experimented w/ his teaching style during the 1960s;

20-30 minutes: Teaching cycle; sees another cycle of new teachers coming in next few years; those hired when he was are getting ready to retire; scares him in a way; History department; went from one person and increased; it is now at 6 w/ many close to retirement; David Driscoll; Jim Dyer; former student at WestConn and former mayor of Danbury; his political origins begin at WestConn; took photographs at Western; heavily involved w/ student body (was on Board of Trustees)

Recording has deteriorated significantly.

1991

Universities and colleges--Administration.

ms012_10_18_detzer