Professor Jack Hurley remembers a University of Memphis affectedby the Vietnam War, ravaged by the draft and struggling for civilrights.
"The students of the 1960s were extremely aware of the worldissues. On campus, both men and women were affected by the CivilRights Movement and the draft," said Hurley, a professor and chairof the history department.
In The U of M's 90-year history, which is being celebratedtoday, many professors have witnessed both the dynamic of thestudent body and the physical layout of the school evolve toreflect the climate of the era.
While for some students The University is another revolving doorto pass through before achieving total independence, professorsobserve changes in the faculty and students.
Hurley, hired in 1966 as a history professor, recalled a campusof 12,000 students and scarcely half the number of buildings thatcurrently stand. He contrasted the past and the present.
"It was a sleepy, little place," he said. "Now it has a hugelygreater impact on West Tennessee."
Over 37 years, Hurley has also born witness to numerous changesamong The University's administrators and faculty.
"Today we are a tremendously more collegial institution," hesaid. "We have vastly upgraded the facility, and I am very happywith the current administration."
Spanning nearly four decades, Hurley's career here has beensomewhat of a roller coaster ride.
"I've been angry with The University, I've been put out by TheUniversity, but I can honestly say I have never been bored," hesaid.
Like Hurley, professor Charles Crawford has seen trends amongstudents alter with time but said he believes today's students areno less determined than students in the past. Crawford is a historyprofessor and the director of the Oral History Office.
"The styles and looks of the students have changed, but theseriousness and desire to learn has not changed at all," saidCrawford. "I've seen administrators, coaches and faculty come andgo, but the quality of students remains the same."
Hired by The U of M in 1962, Crawford worked as an assistantprofessor while completing his doctorate at the University ofMississippi.
Throughout the duration of his tenure, Crawford has worked underseveral different administrators but said he is confident thatShirley Raines is the best.
"Historians like to look back, and I think that the future forThe University of Memphis will be greater than the past," hesaid.
