Editor's note: This is the first of a weeklong series of stories detailing the connections between Ohio University and Athens as a snapshot of the student-resident relationship.
Donald Barrett, the mayor of Athens from 1972 to 1983, remembers the city he saw when he first came to Ohio University in 1965 to command its ROTC. Now 87 and still living in Athens, he looks over his wire-rimmed glasses and, with a bit of focus, seems to see a different town than the one out the window.
Undergraduate students who have transferred from OU have cited the lack of appeal of its rural atmosphere as a main explanation. But compared to the Athens of 40 years ago, development has added more businesses and updated the city - possibly making it more appealing to students, Barrett said.
Barrett said he remembers feeling that the city had great potential as he looked at a mostly residential East State Street and Uptown - or downtown, as he knew it - full of businesses and activity. What I sensed is that there is a community spirit here that you don't find in some small communities
he said. It makes Athens a very unique small city.
As mayor, Barrett wanted to push that potential, he said. It was the starting time for the city of Athens to move ahead he said, a move that included pursuing better associations with OU officials.
It was kind of like a marriage of the city and the university
he said. I think we came to be more appreciative of each other. They're a combination that's hard to separate.
Athens Mayor Ric Abel, who was a student when Barrett first came to town, said he remembers when Court Street was State Route 33 and anything past the (current) bypass was barely anything. The Ridges, then a mental health care facility, has been renovated and purchased by OU. The part of East State Street that once served as the university airport now boasts a Wal-Mart and other chain stores and restaurants. Parts of Race Street and the current South Green had residential homes, but now are occupied by student dorms. And the number of retail shops outnumbers what used to be a higher number of mom-and-pop stores, he said.
While the landscape has changed, Barrett said many student activities have remained the same, including alcohol consumption and partying.
Barrett said recent reports of rowdy student behavior remind him of Friday nights during his term as mayor.
I think Court Street was absolutely the same back then
Barrett said. In some cases
it was more activated than it is now ... It's not a mob
but it only took one individual to start yelling
to start hooting it up
to turn that crowd
he said, adding that he thinks the same type of situation happens today.
But Abel points out differences between 2005 and four decades ago - mainly that the atmosphere is more bar-oriented and the parties are much larger.
There weren't keg parties. If you had 15-20 people
you had a big party
