The 1950s and 1960s: Prosperity and Protest
Thursday, November 17 from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Moderator: Carol Croxton, Director of Alumni Engagement
Historian: Ane Lintvedt, McDonogh Upper School History and Social Studies Teacher
Panelists: John Beever '50, Hank Chiles '56, John Sieverts '63, Mike Koppisch '60, and Tim Wright '66
The 1950s, often described as a period of conformity, stability, and prosperity gave way to the 1960s—one of the most tumultuous and divisive decades in history. The early 1950s witnessed the continuance of the Lamborn legacy as Doc Lamborn—the architect of McDonogh’s survival during The Depression and World War II—yielded his office to his son, Bob, who revamped the School’s academic program that would eventually eclipse the farm program.
In the 1960s, the war in Vietnam could not muster the national unity achieved by World War II. The heroic image of the American military eroded as did the perception of the uniform on McDonogh’s campus and in the community. Thus began a decades-long metamorphosis of the literal cloth uniform into a metaphorical weave representing character. Also during this time, the first Black student is admitted to McDonogh under a plan of gradual integration that completes in 1970. Join us to hear alumni from the 1950s and 1960s recall their McDonogh experience.
The dawn of this decade saw the height of anti-Vietnam War protests—epitomized by the 1970 Kent State massacre—that presaged McDonogh’s dropping of its semi-military tradition in 1971. McDonogh became fully integrated in 1970, and the first Black graduate walked across Childs Memorial Terrace. The economic challenges of the time helped fuel an equally major shift to coeducation in 1975. No other time in McDonogh’s history witnessed decisions so dynamically reshaping the School’s culture. Join us to hear alumni from the 1970s describe their time on campus. 