By Kara French
1960s

The 1960s were a time for change at NSU, then named Northeastern State College. There were many buildings built and additions made to existing buildings around campus.  The men’s basketball team also made it farther than imagined.

The dorms many call home, Leoser Housing Center, was opened to students in the fall of 1960.

At that time, it was just a men’s and women's hall with a cafeteria between the two. During this time, ice cream was added to the menu. According to the Sept. 30, 1960 issue of The Northeastern, four new dorms were planned; the annex to Wilson Hall for women, the annex to Haskell Hall for men, two halls to Leoser, one for women and one for men. The women of Wilson Hall made a list of rules to enforce a quiet dorm life. Some examples were “muffle the alarm clock if it goes off” and “from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. do not talk at all.”

In 1962, the blueprints for the new Student Union were in place.  The Administration building as known today used to be the old Student Union. It housed a snack bar where students often went to dance, complete with a Jukebox. The UC was completed in 1968. Students were allowed to pick names for various rooms in the UC such as the bookstore, the ballroom, conference rooms, lounges and two snack bars according to the Feb. 23, 1968 issue of The Northeastern.

According to the March 11, 1966 issue of The Northeastern, the John Vaughan Library has grown a lot since 1966, NSU added on to the existing building.  Along with the addition, the Library Science Division was formed. This program split off from the Communications Division and then allowed students to gain a public school library certificate.

A variety of new courses were offered, such as a fencing course, aviation flight training and a photography course. According to the April 14, 1960 issue of The Northeastern, the photography course was originally offered as a Physics course and then was switched over to Journalism. Along with new courses, two new majors were offered, a Political Science major and a Journalism major.

Those interested in something outside of the classroom were in luck. The Amateur Radio Club was formed in the early 1960s. The Elite Collegians and the Young Democrats got their start later in the decade.

According to the 1968 Tsa La Gi yearbook, NSU basketball was number one in the nation under the head coach, Jack Dobbins. This was the first time in history of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics that any Oklahoma college was rated in the top position of the basketball poll.

Smoking seemed to be encouraged by the many cigarette ads in The Northeastern. The fraternities on campus, Phi Lamba Chi, Phi Sigma Epsilon and Sigma Tau Gamma held “smokers” which consisted of cigars, food and alcohol. Sadie Hawkins Week was a celebrated occasion. The men were asked to a dance by the women where they dressed up in attire such as overalls and straw hats.

Prices were lower for different things in the 1960s. Back then, the Tsa La Gi yearbooks, now known as the Tsa La Gi Online Magazine, were sold for $5.  Parking tickets have always been a problem for students. Today, a regular parking ticket is $20. According to the Nov. 4, 1960 issue of The Norhteastern, the tickets went up from $1 to $5.

Throughout the 1960s, a variety of performances made their way on campus. Acts such as Marshall Izen, a pianist and puppeteer, the Christy Minstrels, The Grass Roots, Gary Puckett and the Union Group, The Abbey Singers and The Varel and Bailly Chanteurs De Paris all performed on campus.