Anitwar groups urge boycott of classes (to commemorate deaths)
The Maneater, Tuesday, May 4, 1971

Local antiwar groups are urging students to boycott classes tomorrow and march 
to protest the Vietnam War and commemorate the deaths of students at Kent State 
and Jackson State a year ago.

The march and boycott are part of a nationwide antiwar moratorium on business as 
usual.

Student Mobilization Committee Co-chairman Paul Blackman estimated 1500 people 
will march tomorrow from the Columns to the Federal Building and back to 
McAlester Park for its renaming as Peace Park.

The commemoration will begin with a prayer service at 7:30 tonight in McAlester 
Park.  Elements of the Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist faiths will be 
included in the service.

Marchers will assemble at the Columns at 2 p.m. tomorrow and being marching at 
2:30 p.m.  The march will proceed to Elm Street, east on Elm to Ninth Street, 
north to Broadway and then west to Sixth Street and south to Cherry Street and 
the rally at the Federal Building.

Bill Marion, a local member of Veterans for Peace, and representatives from 
Another Mother for Peace and a local labor union will speak at the rally.

Marchers will then return to McAlester Park, where Bill Wickersham, national 
field director for the World Federalists, will preside over renaming ceremonies.

Wickersham, a former University assistant professor of recreation, and park 
administration, led antiwar protests at the University last May.

MSA President Chip Casteel is also trying to enlist a University administrator 
to be at the renaming ceremony. 

“Right now, I don’t think it has an official name,” he said.  “Anybody could go 
out there and call it whatever they want, but I want the University to name it 
Peace Park.”

He said that he expects action in the next few days on his request for an 
official naming, but Blackman said Interim University President Brice Ratchford 
told him the request would have to be approved by the Board of Curators.

Following the renaming ceremony, the Harrison Blues Band, Ramshackle Jam, Sound 
Farm, and Honey Child will give a free concert at about 4:30 p.m.

The peace activities have three aims: “To stop the war and get out now, to 
repeal the draft and to reorder national priorities from war to domestic 
problems,” Blackman said.

“We hope to call attention to the fact that the Vietnam war is not winding 
down,” he said.