University of Virginia Library

Large Response Incited
By Black History Course

Photo by Bob Ware

"The response was so great, more than we anticipated, that we have
had to move all the equipment into a larger room," said Hugh Hammet,
instructor for the School of General Studies' new black history course
of Wednesday night's first meeting.

"The room was so small that many of the 70-75 people who showed
up were forced to stand shoulder to shoulder in the back, where they
could hardly see the televised lectures," he continued. "The rule is
that we have arranged to move the television viewing from its present
site, Cabell Hall 123, to room 248, which has a capacity of almost 100
seats.

Mr. Hammet was discussing the first of the two courses the one-hour
credit television viewing of Edgar Toppin's lectures from Virginia State
College. Mr. Hammet also conducts a three-hour course combining the
TV viewings with discussion that met last night for the first time.

Of the 75 students who showed up to see the lectures, 43 signed up
to take the course for the one hour of credit. The rest came as
spectators or to audit the course. "We are afraid," he noted, "that
many of the auditors became discouraged when there was no room, and
may not return; we want them to know the facilities will be better next
week. Mr. Toppin is an excellent teacher and is very qualified, and we
feel that the students were impressed with the program, certainly
enough to come back."

"One interesting point is the complexion of the class,' Mr. Hammet
said. "Of the 75 who attended, only eight or ten were black students;
the rest were white. I think this demonstrates an interest in the
University far exceeding what anyone in the administration had
dreamed."

Regarding the future of the black studies program, Mr. Hammet
said, "It will still take time to see how a sustained program in this area
will go, but for the time being, it appears this experiment is a success.'