PSU Magazine Fall 1995

I l 1950s-60s: Years of Prosperity C larence Porter '61, now dean of Basic, Applied and Health Sciences at Montgomery College in Takoma Park, Md., had three reasons for choosing Portland State Coll ege in 1959: It was near his home, it was affordable, and the professors were good. The campus of Porter's day was tiny compared to the present; in fact, when he graduated there were on ly four building ·, stretched across as many city blocks-the Park Blocks. The simplic– ity of even class registration in those days was mind-boggling: no computers. Students simply lined up for registration ca rd , we nt from build– time for," he recalls. ing to building and signed up for classes. The student cafe– te ria in Coll ege Center (later renamed Smith Memorial Center), was the big hangout with tab les that became social centers for students of similar interests. "At that time there were few African American students," ays Porter, but like the Jocks, or the Drama Club or what have you, they always dropped in at their chosen table. "We were all the community we had Then came 1961. "That was the era JFK came along," says Porter. "Civil Rights were important, but there was not a lot of student activism then." Porter subsequently got his doctorate at Oregon State in 1966, then came back to Portland State that year as a science instructor. The student body was larger and becoming more diverse-and more politically active. Looking back, Porter stresses the significance of one thing above all others in his education at Portland State: mentors. He names professors of long ago who, he says, steered him toward advanced degrees and opened up a world he would not have found on his own. Now Porter takes c.are to teach the professors of his depart– ment the same value of mentoring he learned as an undergraduate in Portland. 1970s: Times of Social Change T here were two '70s at the newly-renamed Portland State University: one of social change, barricades, and women's stud ies; and the other of budget-slashing attacks on higher educa– tion, class cutbacks, and reduced student aid. Kathleen C layton '75 first attended Portland tare in the 1960s when the University, born from a time of war, went back to the battlefield– this time in Southea t Asia. All the students had to be affected, says C layton, when so many young men "put on a uniform instead of go ing fo r their degree." It was a time when the student body came into its own as a powerful political force; the school has never been the same since. C layton went back in the early '70s to finish her English degree. The wa r was over but another social crisis caused ripples on campus: Watergate. Neverthele s, C layton kept her mind on home, school, and family, getting up at 6 a.m. to be in class by eight and at work by 1 p.m. She was home at 5 p.m. taking care of kids and homework until 1 or 2 a.m., then back up and ready for school a few hours later. It was the birth of the "Superwoman:" wife, mother, student, career professional. Women's liberation was an economic fact of life for many young couples; with fewer scholarships and grants available, more students worked outside jobs to finance school. Clayton's crack at higher educa– tion was part of the plan she and her husband drew up for their family's future . First she worked to put him through school (also at PSU), then he did the same for her. Today Clayton is human resources manager for Freightliner Corp. She and her husband recently celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. After all these years the they are college sports fans for the first time-something they never had time for as students. FALL 1995 PSU MAGAZINE 15