"INCLUDED LECTURES, DEBATES & MUSIC"

FIRST TEACH-IN HELD ON CAMPUS OF UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Ann Arbor, Michigan (JFK+50) On March 24, 1965. the first 'teach-in*' protest of the war in Vietnam was held on the campus of the University of Michigan here in Ann Arbor.

The event was attended by 3500 students along with 200 faculty members who were supported by the administration of the university.

The Teach-In was sponsored by SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) and included lectures, debates and music.

The primary speakers were Robert Browne of Farleigh Dickinson University (New Jersey), John Donahue of Michigan State University and Arthur Waskow of the Institute for Policy Studies.

Professor Waskow said...

"We have not yet learned the political freedom of the Vietnamese people cannot be advanced by...burning villages with napalm and torturing villagers for information."

JFK+50 NOTE

SDS was a national student activist organization composed of 300 campus chapters in the United States with 30,000 supporters.  SDS was considered part of the 'New Left.'

*teach-ins were a form of protest during the 1960s where issues related to the war in Southeast Asia were discussed by faculty and students of universities.

SOURCE

"First Teach-In Held In Michigan," March 24, 2011, JFK+50, www.jfk50.blogspot.com/

Student Protests

University of Wisconsin

Madison

January 1965

uwdigitalcollections

"INFECTIOUS ORGANISMS TRANSMITTED HAND TO MOUTH"

MICHIGAN DOCTOR SAYS A 'FRIENDLY HANDSHAKE' CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH

Ann Arbor, Michigan (JFK+50) On March 18, 1925, Associated Press reports that the "friendly handshake" has been blamed for the spread of respiratory maladies, commonly known as influenza, in a statement released by the University of Michigan Health Service located here in Ann Arbor.

Dr. John Sundwall* states...

"The infectious organisms...are present in the discharges from the nose and mouth.  These...end up on the hands and (then) are transferred from person to person by a handshake."

AP says there has been several "mild cases" of the flu reported at the University of Michigan in the past couple of weeks.

*Dr. John Sundwell was professor of Hygiene and Public Health at the  University of Michigan & served as president of the American Association of School Physicians.

SOURCES

"Handshake Blamed For Flu Epidemics By Health Expert," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., March 18, 1925, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/

"School Physicians Vote; Dr. John Sundwall Is Re-elected President of Association," The New York Times, October 5, 1937, www.nytimes.com/

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The University of Michigan

Ann Arbor

Photo by Ken Lund

www.flickr.com/

"IN PROTEST OF THE WAR IN VIETNAM"

FIRST "TEACH-IN" HELD AT UNIVERSITY OF  MICHIGAN

Ann Arbor, Michigan (JFK+50) On March 24, 1965, the first "Teach-In" in protest of the war in Vietnam was held at the University of Michigan here in Ann Arbor.

The event was attended by 3500 students and 210 faculty members with the support of the university administration.

It was sponsored by Students In A Democratic Society* and included lectures, debates and music.

Main lecturers included Robert Browne of Farleigh Dickinson University, John Donahue of Michigan State University and Arthur Waskow of the Institute for Policy Studies.

Mr. Waskow said...

"We have not learned that the political freedom of the Vietnamese people cannot be advanced by a military policy that relies on burning villages with napalm and torturing the villages for information."

*Students For A Democratic Society was a national student activist organization founded in 1960.  SFDS was conceived as an exercise in 'participatory democracy' including 300 college chapters and 30,000 members.

Cover of SDS Pamphlet

June 1, 1966

Students For A Democratic Society

JFK IN ANN ARBOR

JFK CAMPAIGNS IN ANN ARBOR

Ann Arbor, Michigan (JFK+50) Fifty-four years ago today, October 14, 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy, coming from his third televised debate with Richard M. Nixon, was welcomed here in Ann Arbor at 2 o'clock in the morning.

The Democratic candidate was greeted by 10,000 students at the University of Michigan. The Massachusetts senator did not give a formal speech but spoke for three minutes.

JFK said...

"Thanks to you, as a graduate of the Michigan of the East, Harvard University.  How many of you who are going to be doctors are willing to spend your days in Ghana?  Technicians or engineers, how many of you are willing to work in the Foreign Service? (Are you willing) to contribute part of your life to this country?"

This was the first public reference by JFK to his plans for a Peace Corps.

JFK Speaks at Ann Arbor

University of Michigan

Student Union

Photo by Ann Arbor News

www.michigantoday.umich.edu

JFK SENDS LETTER TO GERMAN CHANCELLOR 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The White House released 51 years ago today, October 14, 1963, a letter from President John F. Kennedy to retiring West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer.

The President wrote...

"You have created in your own land a stable, free and democratic society which stands in sharp contrast to the repression still enforced on so many of your countrymen."

Konrad Adenauer

February 25, 1955

Photo by Rolf Unterberg

German Federal Archive

TR SHOT IN MILWAUKEE 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin (JFK+50) Former President of the United States and Progressive presidential nominee in 1912, Theodore Roosevelt, was shot 102 years ago today, October 14, 1912, while greeting the public in front of the Gilpatrick Hotel here in Milwaukee.

TR was shot in the chest as a 32-caliber bullet passed through his glasses case and folded manuscript which were in his breast pocket.

Despite the wound, the former president went on to speak for 90 minutes and at one point pulled the bloody 50 page manuscript from his pocket, held it up for the audience to see, and  said...

 "It takes more than one bullet to kill a Bull Moose*."

Doctors determined the bullet did not penetrate either TR's heart or lung, and therefore decided it would be better to not make an attempt to remove it.

TR, who had broken with Taft and the Republican Party, made only two more speeches during the 1912 campaign.  Woodrow Wilson, the Democrat, took advantage of the split in the Republican Party and won the Election of 1912.

The man who shot TR, John Schrank**,  was found insane and committed to the Central State Mental Hospital in Waupun, Wisconsin.

TR in Milwaukee

October 14, 1912

*TR often would say he was as fit as a Bull Moose.  The Progressive Party, accordingly, was often referred to as the Bull Moose Party.

**John Schrank (1876-1943) was born in Bavaria and emigrated to the U.S. at the age of 9.  He turned to religion after the death of both parents and the aunt and uncle who had then cared for him as a youth.

After his attempt on TR's life, a note was discovered written by Schrank beforehand which indicated that he had been told by the ghost of President McKinley to "avenge" his death.

Schrank died of natural causes in Wisconsin.

John Schrank

Milwaukee (1912)

FIRST TEACH-IN OF VIETNAM ERA

FIRST TEACH-IN HELD 49 YEARS AGO TODAY

Ann Arbor, Michigan (JFK+50) The first "Teach-In" protest of the Vietnam War was held 49 years ago this evening, March 24, 1965, at the University of Michigan here in Ann Arbor.  

The event was attended by 3500 students and 200 faculty members with the support of the university administration.

The 'Teach-In', sponsored by Students for a Democratic Society, included lectures, debates and music.

It was the largest demonstration ever to be held at the University of Michigan.

The main speakers were Robert Browne of Farleigh Dickinson University (NJ), John Donahue of Michigan State University, and Arthur Waskow of the Institute for Policy Studies.

In his address, Waskow said:

"We have not yet learned that the political freedom of the Vietnamese people cannot be advanced by a military policy that relies on burning villages with napalm and torturing the villagers for information."

ELVIS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY

Memphis, Tennessee (JFK+50) Elvis Presley, along with his parents, left Graceland 56 years ago today, March 24, 1958, to report to the United States Army Induction Center here in downtown Memphis.

Mrs. Presley later would be diagnosed with hepatitis and hospitalized.  She died on August 16, 1958 just 4 weeks after Elvis left for Germany.

TRUMAN SIGNS PALESTINIAN REFUGEE RESOLUTION

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Harry S Truman signed a resolution 65 years ago today, March 24, 1949, authorizing $16 million in aid for Palestinian refugees who were displaced and facing starvation as a result of Israel's War of Independence last year.

The President said that he hoped that a permanent solution to the refugee problem could be worked out.

In 1950, Truman would request another $27 million to go to the United Nations relief efforts for Palestinian refugees.

Palestinian Refugees 1948

QUEEN ELIZABETH I DIED 411 YEARS AGO 

London (JFK+50) Queen Elizabeth I passed away 411 years ago today, March 24, 1603, after 44 years of rule.  King James VI of Scotland would ascend to the throne as King.

The Queen came to power in 1559 upon the death of her half-sister Queen Mary.

Known as the "Virgin Queen" because she never married, Elizabeth encouraged voyages of discovery including Sir Francis Drake's circumnavigation of the globe and Sir Walter Raleigh's expeditions to North America.

Queen Elizabeth I