Author Archives: Bill McDonald

About Bill McDonald

I’m a member of the Class of 1968. Came in as a physics major and left with a degree in another science, poli sci. Lived in Loyola, Kostka, and Williams for three years before “escaping” to an apartment in Brookline senior year. I joined the Heights as a sports writer freshman year and ended up as sports co-editor, along with classmate Tom Sugrue, for the spring and fall semesters of 1967. After Navy service and grad school, I later worked at BC for almost 20 years, in two segments, the most recent ending in 2011. As a member of the public relations staff 1974-82, I was founding editor of Boston College Magazine. I'm now retired in North San Diego County, growing blogs.

Pre-school welcome

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In August, 1964, those who were about to become freshmen at BC received a memo with instructions about the beginning of school. As a student in A&S, I received the memo from Henry McMahon, assistant dean.

A&S memo August 7, 1964, page 1

Early on in the memo, there was the somewhat momentous statement “Your career (sic) in the College of Arts and Sciences will begin on Monday, September 14, 1964.” We were instructed to be seated by 9 am in McHugh Forum, where we would listen to some speeches, break for lunch, and then “plan on being kept busy by Registration through the afternoon.”

August 7, 1964 memo, page 2

Among those offering us welcome on our first day was to be Rev. John J. Long, S.J., the new dean of A&S. A small sheet of paper accompanying the longer memo, however, told us of a recent sad event — the death of said Fr. Long. It reported that Fr. Long “died suddenly on July 17.” The longer memo, the short note explained, had been pre-dated and printed “weeks ago at the Press.” And BC staff were on vacation in early August. Thus, Dean McMahon said, “In the interest of allowing you to make timely plans I am sending you the memorandum as it was originally printed.”

Addendum

Fr. Long was succeeded by John Willis, SJ, who was to serve as dean of A&S throughout our time at BC.

In addition to warnings about prompt payment of tuition and other bills, which were to arrive later in August, Dean McMahon also advised us to bring: “1) a ball-point pen for the completion of various forms; you should have the pen and a pencil with you throughout Orientation Week. 2) $3.25 for class dues and for the purchase of the Boston College Handbook.”

He advised us, too, to be prepared to purchase our first semester textbooks, which would cost “approximately $50.”

Orientation, the memo said, would continue through Friday. Afternoon sessions, except for Friday, were to “introduce us to the spiritual and intellectual life of the campus and to acquaint you with the facilities and services of Boston College.”

At some point, we must also have received instructions on how to be a “card section” in the season opener against Syracuse on Saturday, September 19. But that’s another story.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

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Below is a composite of two aerial photos of the Boston College campus. The photos were taken approximately 47 years apart — the top photo in 1964 and the bottom one in 2011. With all the many changes that have made the University of today so different from the one we attended 1964-68, the physical changes to the campus rank pretty high.

Photos — Office of University Communications, Boston College

Buildings and locations gone, many new buildings and campus settings in place. And, in 1964, Chestnut Hill was the only campus. Since then, BC has added the Newton and Brighton campuses, expanding the total size of the campuses from Chestnut Hill’s 121 acres to 338 acres overall.

Remember the “barracks”? Roberts and McHugh? Carney was brand new in 1964 and Higgins was still to be built. The hillside was just that — a hillside, and we still had that little pond over by St. Ignatius. Is it too much to call the campus at which we arrived in September 1984 “pastoral”? Perhaps so, if only in comparison to the much denser site today.