Yale Kingman Brewster Jr.

1 yale

1.1 wallace affair
1.2 black panthers
1.3 vietnam war
1.4 admissions

yale

in 1960, brewster accepted post of provost @ yale, serving 1960 1963. after death of yale s president, a. whitney griswold, despite fact brewster considered griswold s logical successor, yale conducted lengthy, open, , agonizing (for brewster) search lasted 5 months. on october 11, 1963, yale corporation offered him presidency vote of 13-2; opposition came 2 senior members of corporation feared liberal republican push hard change in beloved institution. served president of yale university 1963 1977.

brewster known improvements made yale s faculty, curriculum, , admissions policies. president of university when yale began admitting women undergraduates. academic programs in various disciplines expanded. president when faculty voted terminate academic credit reserve officers training corps (r.o.t.c.) program in june 1971 due belief rotc program made university complicit in war in vietnam. alumni relations grew testy @ times, yet fundraising increased throughout tenure.

brewster s appointment of liberal theologian rev. william sloane coffin post of university chaplain described in coffin s autobiography, once every man. after appointment, coffin, former cia operative, williams college chaplain , skull & bones alum, became ardent anti-war activist. in 1967, along benjamin spock, yale 1925, organized mass protest in boston, massachusetts , sent hundreds of draft cards u.s. justice department in washington, d.c. when brewster defended coffin, arrested in 1968 spock encouraging draft resistance, did citing academic freedom. action complicated dealings increasingly wary alumni association.

brewster chairman of national policy panel of united nations in 1968. member of president s commission on selective service in 1966 , 1967 , of president s commission on law enforcement , administration of justice 1965 1967.

wallace affair

in 1963, governor george wallace invited yale political union speak @ yale. provost brewster asked yale political union revoke invitation security reasons. result massive outcry across campus. woodward report on free speech, commissioned brewster in 1974 issued in 1975. historian c. vann woodward chaired committee. committee labeled so-called “wallace affair” outright failure.

black panthers

on april 23, 1970, during new haven black panther trials, brewster spoke faculty @ yale. remarks, leaked press, made day follow him rest of life: “i appalled , ashamed things should have come such pass in country skeptical of ability of black revolutionaries achieve fair trial anywhere in united states.” remark, made 1 week before tumultuous may day protests of black panther trials, decried in editorials , speeches across country. vice president spiro t. agnew jumped fray calling brewster’s immediate resignation.

mcgeorge bundy, president of ford foundation, addressed yale club of boston days before may day demonstrations , assured fellow alumni 1 of things have observed friend brewster deal , surrender responsibilities nobody. brewster inevitably judged on may day s outcome because had opened university coming new haven support panthers, offering them food , shelter. brewster knew that, in face of potential catastrophe, had support of other leaders cast same mold, friends , colleagues shared background , outlook.

on may 1, 1970, @ ten minutes before midnight, bombers exploded 3 devices in yale hockey rink. protesters threw rocks , bottles @ national guardsmen , taunted new haven police. authorities responded tear-gassing demonstrators. yale chaplain, william sloane coffin, stated, of conspired bring on tragedy law enforcement agencies illegal acts against panthers, , rest of our immoral silence in front of these acts. fortunately, there no fatalities evening.

president richard nixon commenting on events of may 1, 1970 shah of iran, mohammad reza pahlavi, stated fair students, not entirely blamed actions day. can expect of students if person in position , of stature (brewster) engages in such acts? henry kissinger, sitting few chairs away mused aloud brewster 1 man assassination benefit united states. brewster s handling of may day demonstrations , actions after crisis made him target of nixon white house.

vietnam war

he known skillful handling of student protests on yale campus during vietnam war era, war openly criticized , opposed. never allowed such convictions disrupt university’s operations, classes. bold stewardship of university during era of political unrest regarded successful.

on may 12, 1972, brewster made public statement, printed in full on front page of yale daily news, prior campus visit richard nixon’s secretary of state william p. rogers. @ once uncompromising upholding free speech , unrestrained in showing discontent nixon administration. brewster, on 1 hand, threatened expel students might bar rogers speaking. still, said “expects” disciplined picketing , asked students appropriately protest rogers’ appearance. in end, rogers unexpectedly canceled appearance unknown reasons.

admissions

as yale s president, appointed r. inslee clark jr. ( inky ) director of undergraduate admissions. under tenure, established academic credentials in admissions process , proportion of undergraduate african-americans, jews, , public high school graduates @ yale rose. despite alumni outrage on these policy changes, clark held position 1965 1970.

no aspect of brewster s presidency stirred more anger , debate overhaul of yale s undergraduate admissions policy in 1960s. had made clear beginning of presidency not going preside on finishing school on long island sound. admissions became battleground on university s true purpose. outcome of battle, felt far beyond new haven, part of larger struggles in american society, thorny debate on race, class, gender , leadership.