THIS WEEK IN AMHERST HISTORY--March 2, 1971: Keg party thrown in Frost
By Ashley Armato, Arts and Living Editor
Thirty-four years ago this week, a crowd estimated at between 50 and 75 people gathered at Frost Library to drink a quarter keg of beer at what they called "Study TAP." The TAP (which was broken up within 20 minutes) was held "to overcome poet-weekend study depressions," according to The Amherst Student, and had been thoroughly planned out over the course of two weeks. A group of 16 men smuggled the alcohol into a typing room near the French history shelves on the third floor shortly after 10 p.m.

After the initiation mission was planned in the East dining room of Valentine, a "dry" run of the mission transpired one week prior to the "rushing bit." It was during this practice run that the students plotted out the strategic placement of stalled cars around Webster Circle as well as lookouts at each level of Frost to divert the attention of library officials while the beer was brought into Frost through the loading area that faces Webster Circle. The night before the incident, a candlelit dinner was held at which each rushing member received instructions for the following day's operation in a sealed envelope.

According to The Student, College President Calvin Plimpton was infuriated by the incident, deeming the students' escapade a "shocking act of violence which will outrage all Lord Jeffs." Dean of the Faculty Prosper Gifford was also quick to state his anger by condemning the operation as "a calculated act of outrage which will be neither tolerated nor condoned by Amherst citizens who value our system and its institution."

A spokesperson for the Amherst Radical Coalition expressed his belief that the act of noncompliance was more than just the fault of its executioners: "It is not possible to teach an entire generation to bomb and destroy others in an undeclared, unending war without paying a terrible price in the derangement of our society."

Campus police officer Bill Dion acknowledged that library security would have to be tightened, but added that "we must keep the building open to the Amherst public. It would be a capital crime if we didn't."

Issue 19, Submitted 2005-03-01 20:31:46