ment for all women students, drop the “Students for a Democratic Society” from official recognition and, of course, improve campus parking (an issue neither born in the 70s nor yet resolved, I fear). placed self-confidence, agreed to schedule the Wildcats on the USU home floor. I recall being late for an important meeting because I sat in the parking lot and listened on the car radio as Weber State tossed in the winning basket at the buzzer. ® Weber State was in its basketball heyday under the tutelage of Coach Phil Johnson (now assistant coach for the Utah Jazz). It was during the early ’70s that Utah State University, with mis- Mr. Noel, Class of ’74, is director of public relations at Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City. He was director of public relations at the University from 1979 to 1990. by Howard Noel Long sideburns, bell bottom pants and short skirts were enjoying the last vestiges of popularity in the early ’70s at Weber State. We who walked the hallowed halls during those years saw the reins of authority handed over from the very popular William P. Miller to the controversial Joseph L. Bishop. And we studied in an atmosphere of social change and anxiety — a carry-over from the angry ’60s. We were enjoying our first years in the By Chris Hicks Deseret News movie critic Starring Weber Students, Faculty and Staff, with Special (Cameo) Guest Star Joseph L. Bishop as The Big Guy; rated NU-40 (not understandable for anyone who isn’t approaching or hasn't recently passed 40); Now playing (probably inaccurately) in our memories. new addition to the union building, where in each of the lounge areas, I remember, for a time, “The Edge of Night” and other popular soap operas were replaced on the television sets by a grizzled, but jovial Senator Sam Ervin and his Watergate hearings. There was standing room only to hear the likes of John Dean and Charles Colson bearing their testimonies concerning the infamous misdeeds of our president and his top aides. Consistent with the atmosphere of change came new buildings, programs and achievements in the early "70s. The campus began taking new shape with the addition of the current administration and education buildings. An ambitious drive to build a large arena was launched and ultimately added the Dee Events Center to the landscape. These were the years that first saw “Black Emphasis Week,” “Earth Days,” and the addition of the Army ROTC program, which marched onto the campus amid strong anti-military feelings spawned by the less-than-popular Vietnam War. A new form of entertainment was added among the pinball machines in the union building. “Pong” it was called — the first of a genre of video games. (Many updated versions of these early machines have been added to the campus since, I have noticed.) My student colleagues of the early ’70s were not shy about actively discussing the issues of the day. Among those I recall 14 My children refer to “The Seventies” Seventies” made important contributions. How could any 10-year period in history not make valuable contributions? And one of the most significant things “The Seventies” did was continue “The Sixties.” After all, you can’t simply isolate “The Seventies” as 1970-1979. Much of “The Seventies” was really just “The Sixties, Part II.” Think about it: The Vietnam War, as “ancient history.” They like to ask me what we did before VCRs and video games came along. I tell them movies were shown on rocks and we had a primitive video game called pinball. And when they occasional- part of “The Seventies.” But it was really just spillover from “The Sixties.” It wasn’t until the second half of “The Seventies” that the decade really came into its own, ly see photographs of me from those days, with disco, Donna Summer, “Charlie’s pictures taken when my hair was long (and dark), my sideburns were longer and my clothing was far more colorful, their usual response is disbelief. They want to know, “Who was it that played you then?” Yes, you’re right, my children see far too many movies. Then again, when I think about it, it’s hard for me to believe best was the construction of the Stewart Bell Tower. The first stages of this beautiful landmark were shaken by detractors who made unflattering comparisons and suggested the privately donated funds could better be used on campus. It took but a few years for that all to die down and give way to a beautiful and practical structure which provides a central landmark that is now accepted as the very identity of Weber State. Other issues stimulating the campus during this time included drives to establish co-ed dormitories, expand smoking areas in the union building, eradicate the “outdated” home living require- being overly cynical. Of course, “The that I actually owned — much less wore — a green leisure suit. Personally, I prefer to think of “The Seventies” as “nostalgic.” But, to quote the title of actress Simone Signoret’s autobiography, “Nostalgia Isn’t What It Used to Be.” The memory plays tricks on you. It’s distorted. Memories are both happier and sadder than the actual event being remembered. On the other hand, critics of “The Seventies” who see the decade as negligible, bland or without value are Richard Nixon, bell-bottom pants, paisley shirts, free love, drugs — all of that was Angels,” “Star Wars”— all that stuff Nickelodeon now makes fun of. But admit it. You kind of get tingly all over remembering, don’t you? And whether you were into “M*A*S*H” the movie, the TV series, “Saturday Night Fever” or “Saturday Night Live” (the Bee Gees or the Killer SEVENTIES: “The Man With the Golden Gun” SIXTIES: “Cleopatra” SEVENTIES: “Barry Lyndon” SIXTIES: “Beach Blanket Bingo” SEVENTIES: “Animal House” SIXTIES: “Psycho” SEVENTIES: “Halloween” SIXTIES: “Bob &Carol & Ted & Alice” SEVENTIES: “Kramer vs. Kramer” SIXTIES: “Easy Rider” SEVENTIES: Easy everything So, summing up, the decade of “The Seventies” was derivative, predictable and redundant. In other words, not so different from all those previous decades. Or the decade of change. one that followed. So, on the Deseret News four-star rating system, “The Seventies” gets four stars. Here are the seminal comparisons — the movies, of course: SIXTIES: “Take the Money and Run” their children, to keep them rooted in the present. Bees), it was apparent at the time that, like “The Sixties,” “The Seventies” would be a SEVENTIES: “Annie Hall” SIXTIES: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” SEVENTIES : “The Sting” SIXTIES: “Goldfinger” Parents should be accompanied by Mr. Hicks attended Weber State College from 1974-1976. He is a movie critic for the Deseret News, he reviews movies for KSL Radio and Television and is cohost of “The Movie Show” on KSL-TV. 15