On May 5, 1970, 乐播传媒 students gathered in the Chapel and after much debate approved, 220 to 140, a resolution to hold a three-day strike to protest the U.S. invasion of Cambodia and the killings of four Kent State students on May 4.
Millions of their peers voted the same way across the country, closing hundreds of U.S. colleges.
Three days later, on May 8, 乐播传媒 president Thomas Hedley Reynolds surprised everyone by climbing into the cab of a donated U-Haul truck to lead 乐播传媒 students on one of their strike projects: a downtown Lewiston trash cleanup. With that act, Reynolds, who , defined his 乐播传媒 presidency and the unusual character of the 乐播传媒 strike.
In May 1970, 乐播传媒 President Thomas Hedley Reynolds climbs into the cab of a donated U-Haul truck to lead 乐播传媒 students on a strike project: a downtown Lewiston trash cleanup. (Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library)
As president, Reynolds always had 鈥渉is hand very much on the tiller,鈥� said John Cole, the Reynolds Professor of History and one of the first faculty members hired under Reynolds, in 1967.
Yet Reynolds was also the president who widened the circles of authority at 乐播传媒, acknowledging the voice of students and faculty. Before and during the strike, Reynolds participated in strike discussions and championed the students鈥� course of action to the media.
On some campuses, the 1970 strike was violent. Clashes between students and police and the burning of ROTC buildings were not uncommon. 乐播传媒 was perhaps at the other end of the spectrum: Uneasy with what The 乐播传媒 Student described as 鈥渢he factionalization caused by the word 鈥榮trike,鈥欌�� students instead vowed to engage in constructive, nonviolent, community-building actions.
鈥淲e are not out to destroy this nation 鈥� it could do that quite well without us,鈥� wrote 乐播传媒 Student editor-in-chief Allen Bourque 鈥�71 in an open letter published in the paper鈥檚 special May 12 issue. 鈥淲e are asking you to join us in attempting to save this nation and perhaps to alter the course of history.鈥�
John Shea 鈥�70 told the Bowdies that the strike鈥檚 duration was less important than the quality of student action during the strike.
The tempered 乐播传媒 response 鈥� 鈥淲ork with Us鈥� was the motto 鈥� was not without its detractors. On the strike鈥檚 second day, Bowdoin students visited campus and, according to the Student, 鈥渉arangued鈥� the 乐播传媒ies for not approving an indefinite strike. John Shea 鈥�70 successfully argued the 乐播传媒 position, telling the Bowdies that the strike鈥檚 duration was less important than the quality of student action during the strike.
The trash cleanup 鈥� a project chosen after the city canceled its annual cleanup for budget reasons 鈥� took place on the third day. Reynolds led the way in the U-Haul truck, which had a handmade banner reading 鈥淎merica First鈥� draped on the side. The truck was donated by a local service station.
Downtown, the 乐播传媒 crew, which also included some faculty and a smattering of Lewiston High School students, gathered at Kennedy Park on the corner of Park and Spruce streets. There, it is believed, Reynolds explained why he joined the students.
鈥淸The students] are trying desperately to show the rest of the community their real concern,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 came down this morning driving the first truck because I share that concern.鈥�
