V23 #2 Spring 2002 - Archives - The Evergreen State College

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1972
* * students, in
hiking
to
Amid Vietnam War protests,
college dedicated to citizens
of Washington
in the
in the
21 receive diplomas at
first graduation
Maxine Mimms and two
Chuck McKinney came to Evergreen's student housing in 1974.
"The whole place was so new. Colors in the dorms were so '70s, too."
Long-haired students, clad in flannel shirts and hiking boots, were
welcomed to avocado green appliances, blazing super-graphics in the
hallways and orange shag carpeting in the Mods. "A-Building was the
place to be. The pool table on the first floor was active from early
afternoon until 2, 3 or 4 a.m." Some students constructed elaborate lofts
in their apartments. Others were simply content to get together in the
shared kitchens of A-Building. "The seventh
floor community kitchen was great in that we
had no real pigs living on the floor. People
generally cleaned up after themselves. The
community kitchen was a wonderful place to
talk about your program." Parties were stocked
with provisions from Peterson's Food Town.
Inconvenient spills were whisked away by the
Midnight Sponge. And high above it all,
hanging from the bough of a lone fir, a
handpainted wood placard extolled its cryptic
message—"More Sugar."
students begin a seminar
that evolves into the
Tacoma campus
McKinney is now Evergreen Housing's
assistant director for residential life.
Mary Ellen Hillaire establishes
Native American Studies
Dragon mural painted on
library stairwell
Rita Sevcik is Evergreen's
institutional memory. In
1969, she was among the
first dozen employees hired
by the college. Come this
summer, she'll close the door
to her office for the last time
after having served all five
of Evergreen's presidents.
"I never dreamed I'd stay
this long, and I never expected to be accepted
by all the presidents. But the change of
presidents energized me. It was like changing
jobs. It's been a marvelous opportunity and
vantage point, being at the top but not in the
spotlight, and privy to the thinking of
presidents and trustees.
"In the early years, there was intense
camaraderie. We were small and in this
together. Malcolm [Stilson, retired reference
librarian] wrote plays performed by the vice
presidents and support staff.
"The '70s were about planning, construction,
groundbreaking, opening and dedication
ceremonies. There was a high level of
adrenaline. People felt they were contributing
to something important.
"There were calls for the college's closure from
the beginning. In 1973, 40 people were cut,
including an executive vice president. The
crisis was budget-driven, and it was the biggest
one we've ever faced.
Dorms A and D, CAB and
Lecture Halls open
1973
KAOS-FM goes on the air at
10 watts. First song is "Success"
by Dan Hicks
"The '80s were a time of growth and struggle.
There were still calls for Evergreen's closure,
but we began to get national recognition for
our education system. The small but vocal local
opposition to Evergreen was endemic to being
in the state capital and having a philosophy
different from the rest of higher-education.
The '60s had been a time of unrest, but people
in Olympia had been insulated to some extent.
There was constant criticism of our being
so different, and yet we had been charged
to be different.
"The '90s were a period of growth,
acceptance and stability. Evergreen came into
its own with the 25th anniversary of the
college. It was also the beginning of a transition,
with waves of retirements and an influx of
new people. Of the 18 founding faculty,
only Dave Hitchens is left."
"We'll see a tremendous change in the current
decade. We won't have people who remember
the beginning. And if this year is any
indication, we'll have financial struggles. It will
be a hard time, I think. But Evergreen is
resilient and creative, and people pull together
when times are tough."
From Drawing Board to Chalk Board
Gov. Dan Evans signs into law legislation in 1967
establishing Evergreen. The college was in high
demand by Yakima, Snohomish County, Olympia
and other jurisdictions. "A number of places wanted
the college, and those legislators worked hard to
bring it to their area," recalls Don Brazier, former
Republican Yakima state legislator and co-sponsor
of the bill that created Evergreen.
CRC opens with Gov.
Dan Evans rappelling down
clock tower; Arts and Science
Annex dedicated
t
Come
close the to her
for the
having all of
Evergreen's • •
Rita Sevcik, administrative assistant to the president.
Her first office was in the current Twin County Credit
Union offices on Fourth and Eastside. She's ending her
Evergreen career in the small office on the third floor of the
Library formerly used by President Charles McCann. For
a brief history of the college's early days, see Rita's homepage
athttp -.//academic. evergreen. edu/individuals/sevcikrl
State Senator Brad Owen
proposes converting TESC to
police academy
1974
Evergreen granted full
accreditation a year ahead
of schedule; Seminar I
completed