March 20, 1970
Showdown over outside speakers and censorship
At about 12:30 on Friday, March 13, Pence walked into the high school office. Principal Johnson met him at the door. A crowd of more than 50 students, some wearing "Pence" name tags, gathered around. "Come in to my office and talk," Johnson urged. Pence refused, insisting that any meeting be open. "If you won't come in and talk reasonably, I'll have to call the police," Johnson warned. "Go ahead," Pence countered, "I'm not afraid of your trespassing laws. I've had to deal with them before."
As the principal withdraw to his office, perhaps to summon the police, Pence marched down the hall to room 244 where he addressed a waiting group of students. A few minutes later, Principal Johnson entered the room and their verbal standoff continued. The Johnson left and Pence continued his presentation.
The 5th hour bell rang and students dispersed for the next class.
A meeting in Principal Johnson's office followed with Johnson, District administrator Dennis Christenson, Pence and four Ramsey students. An agreement was eventually reached. Pence would tone down his language, which had concerned school administrators and some parents more than his socialist message. Principal Johnson would reconsider scheduling his course. The meeting ended with the exchange of phone numbers between Johnson and Pence and the shaking of hands.
Ramsey principal Curtis Johnson
Looking back decades later, the Principal's actions that day seem all the more remarkable. "Principal Curtis Johnson was put in a very precarious position," the student newspaper observed in an editorial. "He not only had to gauge the feelings of students and faculty members, but also had to deal with the wishes of the school board and the district administration. A job, we might add, that would try anyone patience."
What could have ended in arrests and chaos instead paved the way for a re-examination of the Ramsey "mini-course" program and guidelines for outside speakers generally. Johnson had navigated hazardous terrain and faced a challenge to his view of education with skill and restraint. The paper should have been more generous in its praise.
In this issue
Ramsey chemistry teacher and Minnesota Teacher of the Year Ted Molitor
Senior Di Westphal sews a maxi-coat
| and then they shook hands (cover) | 1 |
| Precarious Positions (editorial) | 2 |
| Holman's Heroes: The real drug problem | 2 |
| mcj: a guy named spiro | 3 |
| Reality gives way to faulty images | 3 |
| Pence: Blatant Censorship | 4 |
| Johnson: He wanted attention | 4 |
| David Pence back for open meeting | 4 |
| BP Referendum: Administratio asks course guidelines | 5 |
| Behind closed doors | 5 |
| A person first, a teacher last | 6 |
| Students grade teachers | 6 |
| Johnson reveals changing trends | 6 |
| Teachers evaluate their profession | 7 |
| Perfection prerequisite for contests | 8 |
| Old habits die hard (photos) | 9 |
| Students create (photos) | 10 |
| Passes: Studied, compromised, and reformed | 11 |
| VICA wins 1st in state contest | 11 |
| Review: Ghost of today haunt yesterday | 12 |
| Movie review: 'Horses' recreates marathons | 12 |
| Credence' solid rock | 12 |
That week in March
- Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon and Garfunkel's final album together, tops the Billboard charts (March 21).
- The first Earth Day proclamation is issued by San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto (March 21).
- The U.S. performs a nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site (March 23).
- The Concorde makes its first supersonic flight (March 25).
- Ringo Starr releases his first solo album, "Sentimental Journey" (March 27).
Quoteable Quotes
Teachers have to make education relevant to students. They have to know what is going on in the students' world.
—Ramsey English teacher Barbara Kallsen
There are some teachers who really go all out. It depends a lot on the teacher. Some really try, some don’t, and some don't know how.
—Ramsey sophomore Andi DeWahl
