50 Years of Arizona State University - Sharing Memories

My family moved to Phoenix in 1953 from Baltimore, Md. I had graduated from high school in Baltimore and was undecided about where I would like to attend college. My mom told me about this charming small school in Tempe and suggested I check it out. I arrived in August. It was 117 degrees. I thought I was going to expire when I deplaned at Sky Harbor. (Also, a charming, small airport at that time.) Overdressed and armed with transcripts in hand, I arrived on campus to apply and register. I was made to feel welcome by everyone from the time I set foot on campus. I was in line, surrounded mostly by folks my age, all duded up in jeans, Western shirts with pearl buttons, white tee shirts and lots of boots. It was love at first sight! Campus enrollment was 3600. After I registered, I headed directly for Hanny's in downtown Phoenix to do some serious clothes shopping. Welcome to Arizona! My freshman year I rushed Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity and was introduced to the Greek scene on campus. Fraternity houses were spread all over town as there was no Fraternity Row at that time. I had to work while attending school and was fortunate to get a job as a janitor in the Art's Building. I think it paid $60 a month. It helped to pay for baloney sandwiches at Charlies Stadium Delicatessen and a few beers at the Hut on Mill Ave. In 1957 I was elected Associated Student Body Activities Vice President and served with Kim Rose, Pres., Bill Coles, V.P., and Gayle Berkenkamp, Secretary. It was a great year. The new Memorial Union building was about to be completed and we had big plans for the grand opening. At the same time, the push to pass Proposition 200 was well under way. The theme for Homecoming that year was "Yes on 200" and we at AEPi built a prize winning float featuring the "Peanuts" characters, extolling that "Everyone is getting the message". Obviously, they did. Unfortunately, I was unable to be present for the celebration in 1958 as I was fulfilling my military obligation as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. It gave me great pride and pleasure when the proposition passed and this wonderful faculty and school finally achieved University status. Those were the best days of my young life and I cherish those memories.

In September, 1958 I loaded up my 1953 Studebaker, complete with a canvas waterbag hanging from the front grill, and drove from Yuma to Saurao Hall and into the most dynamic and exciting experience of my then eighteen years. I matriculated, got classes, Air Force ROTC and Thursday setdown Steak dinners at Sahuaro Hall. Throughout that fall there was the last football game played in Goodwin Stadium, the excitement of classes and the Namechangemania. I was in a Church group and we built a float for the Namechenge Parade through downtown Pheonix. On "THE" historic night,"Our Finest Hour", Dr. Gammage said, as I stood guard about twenty feet behind him on the Menorial Union Terrace. Someone at the school had recieved some type of intelligence that U of A students may raid the party so all ROTC freshmen were "volunteered" for general campus guard duty. The night was filled with electricty and our "guard duty" went fast. After the general gathering at the Union we ROTC types were dismissed and we hurried to our individual group partys. I was still in my uniform when the our party brokeup. Someone handed my a firechraker, I had not had a firechracker in my hand in years. My friend Mickey backout of the church parking lot onto University Avenue, I thought, good time to use the firecracker. So I lit the pyro device and chucked it to the lane next to the driver's side window. Something caught my eye, an approaching Police car. He stopped, the pyro device exploded and that's how I blew up a Police car on Namechange night!

In the late 40's, I began going to ASC football games in Goodwin Stadium (to you newcomers - that's now a parking garage - your homework assignment: discover which parking garage). I watched Danny White's dad, Whizzer White, leave entire teams scattered around the gridiron - every one of them lying flat on the ground! I saw "Barefoot" Bobby Fuller kick PAT's with a bare kicking foot. In the 60's, I saw Curly Culp catch opposing quarterbacks - FROM BEHIND! At his 'official' 265 (and rumored 315) pounds, he was faster than many quarterbacks! Curly was perhaps the most exciting defensive player I ever saw! In the mid-60's, we worked to close a couple of streets thru the campus - to create pedestrian malls. We also worked very hard - uphill against quite a bit of scepticism - to buy & have installed, the carillon. I'm so delighted that it's been restored! I'm proud at how ASU has developed its Main Campus. I'm humbled to recall that I had a small hand in helping create it.

I attended ASU from 1957 until 1961. I worked in Dean Shofstall's office as a student typist and lived in West Hall with Mary Walkington Shuman. I was a member of Spurs the year the name change occured. It was a charged atmosphere. We took petitions around and talked about the name change with all the friends we came in contact with. Mrs. Gammage took a special interest in the Spurs group so we must have had some assignments. The video of Phoenix in the 50s shows the excitement of those times. I recognized several friends in that video. And Grady Gammage Jr. was an adorable little boy then and cared for thoughtfully by his folks. It was a sad and stunning time when President Gammage died. I have had many occasions to express my gratitude that my degree is from Arizona State UNIVERSITY. At 50th high school reunions, it is surprising to realize how many of my classmates also attended ASU. We thought it was big then - about 12,000 - and we never ran in to each other on campus.

My family moved to Phoenix in 1953. I graduated from Phoenix Union HS in 54 and enrolled in Phoenix College in 56. In 58 I started my Junior year at ASU. I received a BSEE in 1960 and an MSEE in 1961 while teaching EE labs on a Fellowship with ASU. I must confess my studies kept me too busy to help much in 58 but I have been grateful for those who did take the time to put the U in ASU. ASU provided me with a great engineering education. I retired in 99 and moved back to Phoenix two years ago.

I was a junior serving as ASASU First Vice-President during the 57-58 year when discussions were held leading toward the name-change campaign. In the 58-59 year I was a senior serving on the ASASU Student Court when we were concerned about legal challenges to the name change. Our Class of 1959 (1,352 graduates) was the first to have the word "University" on our diplomas and the first to hold Commencement in Sun Devil Stadium. Thanks to everyone who helped make history !

I came to Arizona state college in 1957 after almost 6 month at Walter Reed Army Medical Center recovering. As a disabled veteren I joined as a member of the class of 1958, the first graduating class from the Engineering College. It was fun because the Dean of the college actually taught classes in Mechanics. I have never been ashamed that my deploma says Arizona State College, nor that is is Signed by Grady Gammage and Earnest W. McFarland. It was a long time ago and time to get over the petty slight from an inferior school on the way to Nogales!

I was a freshman at ASU in 1958 and part of the campaign to be a university. We worked very hard and I remember the buttons we wore and signatures we obtained. It was quite a celebration when it was achieved. I was in the first pledge class of Alpha Phi and worked with my sisters to reach our goal.I graduated from ASU ( with a slight detour of a year at San Jose state) in 1962 with university status. Then student teaching in Scotsdale and off to teach school in Orange County CA.where I still reside. Next week Oct. 16-17 I will be celebrating my 50 year reunion from West Phoenix High School.I am looking forward to a wonderful time reminiscing. I cherish my Arizona experience.

I use to attend ASU for a summer program when I was about 8 to 12 years of age. Fast Freddy Williams, Woody Green and Mike Haynes were our youth counselors and role models. I wanted to be like them and go to ASU. But it took me some years to get myself together and ready for college. It was 1993 when my mother and I went for an afternoon drive. She had no clue where I was taking her. Once we arrived on Arizona State University campus she asked me a simple question, "What is this place called?" I told her it was ASU. She asked why we were there. I then inform her that one day I will graduate from this college. She gave me the stranges look and said, "You will be the first in this family, and may the Lord be with you". I must admit that I am the first but not the last to complete and earn a college degree. I want to thank a few professors at ASU who pushed me to do better whether I passed their classes or not. They are Professor Davis and Mrs. Brahard. Professor D was a no non sense teacher who was actually a good educator. Mrs. Brahard new how to work mircles to help all her students to become a better learner. I did not like Arizona State University, but it did help me despite my dislike of the school.

It was one of the saddest moments for me when I graduated from college in 1957 that the legislature refused to change our name. It meant that I forever had to put on my resume that I graduated from Arizona State College. I was bitter for many years about the way the state was run by U of A graduates. I still believe that a lot of that goes on. My own children refused to go to ASU because the students they grew up with considered ASU inferior. What a blow! Well, they mostly got to pay their own way to college. I remember that Felix McKernon had turned the Sun Devil Band into such a wonderful band that the U of A graduates demanded that a band director from Michigan be hired to match it. The Sun Devil Band is still a great band. The orchestra we had was better than U of A and still is. I find it difficult to connect with ASU now that it is such a big school. I remember with fondness being able to know my professors very well. I attended graduate school some 30 yrs. later and found it wasn't the same. Still, the faculty was excellent and I loved getting my Master's Degree from the school

1949 was the year I came to Arizona State with my high school friend, Mimi Hamel. The Devils Den (student union) was in a quansit hut close to West Hall, a girls dorm. We lived in Gammage Hall, an all girls dorm. I graduated in 1953 leaving behind many fond memories. In Oct.of this year we are having a reunion of Gamma Phi Beta sisters at ASU. I will check out the student union now. Think it has changed any???

When my class graduated from Arizona State College in 1951, at the State Press where I was editor we put together a news story boasting of an enrollment barely exceeding 3,000. I always suspected Registrar Al Thomas of cooking the books by counting part timers, groundskeepers, lost snowbirds, empty nest parents, dorm nannies, and visiting New Mexico State cheerleaders. Today at its new downtown Phoenix branch campus ASU nurtures an enrollment double our entire 1951 ASC student body. Vision and resolve of many over the years wrought today's miracle on the desert, but for my generation the indespensible inspiration was President Grady Gammage, beneath that thin veneer of formal, civil propriety, a daring, passionate warrior. Without him, early showing the way, I wonder....

I was 7 years old the year of the name change campaign, and it is one of my most vivid childhood memories. At first, there was a lot of activity and tension surrounding ABOR meetings. I remember my Mom and Dad staying up late at night talking about issues and strategy. I didn’t understand most of it, but listened in any way because it sounded exciting. Then when the public campaign got started, I went with my mother all over the state for campaign appearances. I’m not sure, but I think that’s still the only time I’ve ever been to Thatcher. I also like to think I remember being in the audience outside the Memorial Union the night the results of the election were announced, but I’m not really sure that’s true. What I do know is that famous picture of my father with his arms upraised and the election results in his hand, has been a constant presence in my life. It hung above my mom’s piano in two houses and ultimately in the care facility she moved into. It’s now in my office, right over my laptop. I look at it and feel that I was there that night. It still gets me choked up every time. [Posted on behalf of Mr. Gammage by the blog moderator]

I moved with my family to Tempe in 1952. After graduating from Tempe High, many of my classmates came to Arizona State College. I remember the excitement of Tempe having a University. The newspapers were filled with daily stories. Everyone was talking about what a big advancement having a University would be for Tempe. When the vote was in for ASU everyone celebrated. What today is Cady Mall, then it was College Avenue, a street that was open to traffic. It was wall to wall with town’s people and ASU students celebrating the name change. In remembering back to Tempe and ASU at that time there were very few buildings that are even here today. There was Goodwin Stadium, Spain’s Garage, Nevitts Service Station and many, many more. ASU and Tempe have come a long beautiful way!