I read it in the News-Letter

You all read the JHU News-Letter every week, right? How else are you going to keep up with student affairs on campus? But did you know that the News-Letter has been published since 1897? While you could previously look at the paper copy of any issue by coming to the Brody Learning Commons, now you are going to get the chance to sample many older editions of the paper online. The Ferdinand Hamburger Archives has recently digitized about 200 issues from the 1960s to the 1990s and has plans to do the entire run. Following is a sample of some of the cool things you can find there.

One thing that really stands out is just how Mad Men the campus was in earlier days. There are four cigarette ads in the December 1, 1961 issue, including one on page 8 that asks the question, “Is it wrong for a faculty member to date a coed?”. Booze was also part of the JHU experience as you can see several liquor ads in the issue of November 21, 1986.

The News-Letter has always done well in reporting on cultural activities on campus. Did you know the Ramones played on campus in 1982? And Joan Baez lit up Shriver Hall in 1962 (and she is still going strong!). For a different aspect of culture, read about chess champion Boris Spassky defeating 26 players simultaneously in the Glass Pavillion in 1987. And, of course, lacrosse is always well covered. Check out current Blue Jay coach Dave Pietramala in his playing days (see page 4 of the LAX Special).

Hopkins students have always been serious about the big issues of the day. During the Civil Rights movement, JHU students participated in sit-ins at local restaurants to protest the fact that African Americans were not served (see page 3). This helped lead to integration of restaurants and other public facilities. Important people in the news like President Lyndon Johnson have regularly appeared on campus. The Student Council has often debated controversial issues like the US military involvement in El Salvador in 1981 (see page 3 for the story and don’t miss the picture of President Michael Steele, a later Lt. Governor of Maryland).

Enjoy reading accounts of Hopkins history as it happened. But don’t get too depressed over reports of $11,000 per year tuition. Those days are long gone.