More than the historic moment that the article is titled for, this article reports on what was said by various figures at Hunter’s commencement ceremony that year. The outgoing president states that “liberal arts should create liberal persons – people who are equipped with principles – who are ready to act in accordance with these principles.” This, in combination with speeches about the war in Vietnam and free tuition, makes it clear that public education was an arena in which political and social battles were being fought, specifically in the eyes of the news coverage.

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