Hugo Maynard's 1992 Convocation Address

MLC IS NOT KNOWN for its formality, but in Fall 1992, MLC had a Convocation, and—perhaps due to the influence of founding teacher Betty Mayther, beginning her final year before retirement, or of principal Pat Burk, starting his second year (he was tapped for higher position after his third)—it was Hugo Maynard who delivered the convocational talk, the lecture or keynote address.

Maynard, who died in 2015, was an MLC parent, and grandparent, and a revered professor of psychology, social psychology, and social movements at Portland State University, then later at Marylhurst University.

In his talk, the text thankfully preserved by Betty and her successors, Maynard brings fresh eyes to MLC's ethos, evolution, and importance.

"What you do need here," Maynard wrote, and said, "is some sense of excitement and healthy notions of authority and discipline." Goodness! "MLC was designed to promote all three," Maynard asserted.

If this sounds different from your own understanding or recollection ... read on!

In Fall 1992, in addition to Pat and Betty, founding secretary Mary Milestone was still at MLC, as were long-time teachers Gail Brooks, Lewis Holland, and Brice Pace, along with relative newcomers Susan Campbell, Leah Darr, Ruth Frankel, Craig Holt, Jan Moore, Barbara Stross, and Patte Sullivan (among the many other beloved teachers and staff).

As the MLC History Project gets the chance to hear these teachers' own recollections, we hope they will provide important context for the middle part of MLC's history—including 1992-93, MLC's 25th year.

[Thumbnail photo: screen grab from March 8 2012 PSU lecture by Hugo (du Coudray) Maynard on the Free Speech Movement of 1964, from his course The History of Social Organizing.]

The text of MLC parent, grandparent, and PSU psychology professor Hugo Maynard's 1992 talk at that Fall's MLC convocation, welcoming students (and parents). The original document was preserved by Betty Mayther.