In the early days, there was no student union building. All we had was a concrete basement room with exposed pipes in the Physical Sciences Building. The room had a pool table and old chairs and couches that the students had scrounged from their parents. Though dingy in appearance, it was the most popular spot on campus to hang out, to study, or to engage in philosophical discussions that were very popular in those days.

I also started a music career at Cal State, singing and playing guitar at a concert held in the lecture hall. I remember being almost paralyzed with nervousness during my performance and kicking over a glass of water. Yet, I also remember the enthusiastic applause and approval I received from the students and staff. Eventually, I got over my anxiety attacks and I even wrote and performed the music for two one-act plays staged at the university. One was a play about World War I, which required massive research, and the other was an avant-garde piece. I'm still trying to figure out what it was about. -Dr. Patrick Ainsworth, '73.