STAFF ANECDOTES
Do you have memories to share?
Send them to us! retiredfromjac@gmail.com
try to keep them short.
From Bob de Jean
In 1971, when the college first opened, there was a lot of confusion. Often I would arrive in a classroom and find no chalk. Other people teach without chalk, but I need to write stuff down. So I got in to the habit of always packing chalk and a blackboard eraser in my bag. I did that all the rest of my years at Abbott, in fact, I still have chalk in my briefcase.
In the Fall of 1972, Abbott needed more space, so Barton Barn was quickly converted into teaching space. When Macdonald rebuilt Barton they made it beautiful, but this was long before that. The fad of the moment was Open Classrooms, so the teaching spaces were “separated” only by cork boards that ran from about 2 feet above the floor to about 7 feet above the floor. Above and below was open and there were no doors. This lasted only one semester, for good reason.
submitted March 2013
from Patrick Tee
This event took place during the
early 70's: I was in one of the washrooms, when a student appeared out
of one of the stalls - stark naked! I asked him what on earth he was up
to. To which, he stammered he'd promised to "streak" across the campus
in his birthday suit (this being quite the rage then, along with mud
wrestling).
Anyway, the kid looked decidedly hesitant about his pledge, and
needed a little encouragement. So I half jokingly said, "Well, what are
you waiting for? Get on with it then!" Taking me at my word, out he
rushed, terror written all over his face!
I did feel rather bad sending this lad to his self-appointed fate.
submitted September 2012
