Volu m e II - Purdue University Calumet

streets and infuriated many who up to now had done nothing wrong” (Michener, 1971, p. 54). Satrom also
made it clear that gasoline was permitted to only be sold if it was being put into a vehicle’s tank (Bills,
1988).
According to James J. Best, Mayor Satrom ordered a curfew effective for Kent that began at 11:00
p.m.; Kent State University’s curfew began at 1:00 a.m. on Friday (Best, 2010). Mayor Satrom attempted
to contact James A. Rhodes, Governor of Ohio. John McElroy, the administrative assistant to Governor
Rhodes, answered the call and Satrom informed him that part of Kent had been overtaken by the “radical”
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) (U.S. President’s Commission on Campus Unrest, 1970). Satrom
told McElroy that he did not need the National Guard’s help at that moment, but forewarned that he may in
the near future (Michener, 1971). McElroy contacted Major General Sylvester T. Del Corso, in charge of
Ohio’s National Guard, who sent a liaison officer to the city of Kent, to update him (Best, 2010).
Rocks were hurled at Kent’s local law enforcement by the irate crowd on the evening of May 1
(Michener, 1971). Local law enforcement utilized tear gas on the congregation, which resulted in people
scattering and students returning to Kent State. Students, especially those who had done nothing wrong,
were furious because they felt that local law enforcement officers were unjustified in utilizing tear gas on
them. This may have contributed to more students taking an active role in opposing authority figures, “and
society.” After being “gassed,” most of the students were off the streets in the downtown area, and were
back on the university’s campus.
The campus police were guarding the campus buildings, which were under bomb threats (Michener, 1971).
James Michener credits Michael Weekley as the one who launched a large brick at the window of the
ROTC building, causing the window to shatter (Michener, 1971). There was also some other miniscule
destruction of property on campus and a lot of tension between the students and the police. The students
who were on campus property faced off with local law enforcement officers who were standing on the
street. Then, something unsuspected happened, which distracted both the cops and the students from each
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