1965-1969 Bernard Mayes

Bernard Mayes,  taught Humanities at SFAI in the mid-1960s, so a “Fellow-Traveler” with artists.  Mayes was from England where he was an Anglican Priest, became an Episcopalian Priest in the U.S., an actor, a radio announcer, and on the forefront of the beginnings of National Public Radio.  He CREATED the FIRST SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE in S.F. in 1962—a MODEL for the rest of the WORLD—Saving Lives. A Friend observed: “He was a faithful counselor and friend to all those who felt a little out of place.” His autobiography is titled, Escaping God’s Closet: The Revelations of a Queer Priest.

With permission, SFAA is re-posting the emails Jeff Gunderson Librarian/Archivist Anne Bremer Memorial Library has been sending out since March 2020. Please enjoy this magnificent archive.

SFAI Athletics Department c. 1989

Faculty member Paul Kos writes about the New Genres Department sports program in the late 1980s:  “My class of NG Beginners challenged Tony Labat’s class of upper division NG students to a game of broom hockey. He had all the Icelandic, Norwegians, Danish on his team, we had a hidden weapon, a semi pro from Minnesota. We won. I then wanted to place the ad in the SFAI recruitment announcements to potential incoming students to increase enrollments but of course the powers that be turned it down.”

With permission, SFAA is re-posting the emails Jeff Gunderson Librarian/Archivist Anne Bremer Memorial Library has been sending out since March 2020. Please enjoy this magnificent archive.

Dick Miller, Humanities Faculty Member 1956-1978

Richard Miller taught Humanities/History from 1956 through 1978 and would occasionally hold class at Vesuvios Café in North Beach.  He came to the School by the way of being a factory worker, gravedigger, merchant seaman, and journalist. The author of 13 books, William Burroughs described his writing as "deliriously serious." Miller was a WW2 Marine, lefty progressive, with a PhD in History, and dedicated pacifist…….so much so…….that when lecturing on the Civil War, Miller brought a Civil War musket into the class and fired it off to illustrate the horrors of war.

With permission, SFAA is re-posting the emails Jeff Gunderson Librarian/Archivist Anne Bremer Memorial Library has been sending out since March 2020. Please enjoy this magnificent archive.