Friday, April 21, 1972, was the second day of a two-day Amherst strike against the escalation of the air-war in Vietnam. Class attendance varied from 60 percent to 10 percent as students took the opportunity to voice their opinions both on and off campus.

Ten students actually chose to join the 100 or more peaceful demonstrators at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, where they were all arrested for blocking the entrance. One student remained unfazed and compared himself to the "man who drives through a stop sign to stop a murder," reported The Student.

The decision to strike had been made by one-third of the student body on the previous Monday. By the end of the week, many of the additional actions proposed by students had been adopted. Over 200 students pledged to "fast from eating in Valentine," reported The Student, and busing was organized to the anti-war march in New York City the following day.

The faculty, meanwhile, met to decide what would be done about academic deadlines. With "scattered opposition," according to The Student, they agreed to grant individual extensions to students. If a student's conscience required that they participate in an activity that rendered them unable to do work, it was decided the faculty should encourage that.

Dean of the Faculty Prosser Gifford (who was in charge during President John Ward's trip to Paris) told The Student that the faculty hoped "that the next two days will encourage constructive concern and commitment in opposition to a brutal war which has now been senselessly extended."