Photoessay #238 - Crown College 1973

A different neighborhood...different place and different time.

Since we have returned to Phase I of the scanner life cycle, I am taking this opportunity to scan the cover of a 'yearbook' put out by students at Crown College of University of California, Santa Cruz for 1973-4. I believe the credit for the photo should go to Mark Zemelman, the person behind this publication all those years ago.

The pictures in the book depict Crown undergraduate students in their college. Perhaps, I will feature some pictures, how likely do you think that people in the pictures will see them and scream?

A few months ago, Dennis, Ilana and I flipped through the pages. I remembered some of the people and the places and sometimes I could remember how I felt at that time. In that time and in that place. The young people in the pictures looked relaxed and at ease. Engaged with their peers, lots of social interaction going on. Very few electronics at that time, a phone on each floor seldom used. Communication meant face to face, directly personal. No hiding in your dorm room (or your basement) typing away or interacting with data, machines, networks, blogs. *with* people, ok maybe you were making out but *direct* interaction just the same.

As I now live in another state, most of my peers grew up here and didn't have the same experiences as I, attending high school in California in the 1960s and UCSC in the early 70s. A different cultural phenomenon. They did not see the same things as I.

This particular arty photo, c'mon it IS pretty handsome, shows one of the Crown residence halls at dusk. Is that moonlight illuminating the clouds? I would say it was Harvey House from the third floor balcony of the Library but the apartment is on the wrong side. I can't recall where else you would have such a high vista, but the mind dims. I like the juxtaposition of the light from the windows and the light of the moon. Likely done in a darkroom, no photoshop or other photo tools.

We took Naomi there just about two years ago in our 'tour of colleges you will not be able to attend'. We hit Crown College at dusk, she really liked it, she tried to hatch some ideas how she could go to UCSC. Cal and Stanford also featured, Pac 10 schools hosting the Oregon schools in conference softball that weekend. JJ accompanied us most of the time, of course, University of Oregon softball playing in the Bay Area, wouldn't everybody attend? What else could you possibly have to do?

As Susanna is likely coaching, Dennis talks about going down for that series even this year....