Mario Savio

Re “‘Berkeley Accepts Rebellious Past, $3.5-Million Donation,” April 30: During the Free Speech Movement at UC Berkeley I was working for NBC News in San Francisco and covered Mario Savio’s activities every day. There were many charges against the students. The most serious came when they were accused of breaking in and ransacking the office of Dr. Robert Gordon Sproul, president emeritus and a beloved figure on the campus.

I went to his office and met a woman who was his secretary. The office was a mess; books, boxes, papers, files were all over the floor. It looked bad for the students. I got the secretary’s story, typed it up and ran down to the steps. Mario was addressing the usual mass of students. I interrupted him and said, “Mario, read this word for word.” He did. Then he came to the last line, which was: “NBC News asked Dr. Sproul’s secretary about the charge that the students had ransacked his office. She laughed and said, ‘Why, I’ve worked for Dr. Sproul for 30 years. Our office has always looked like this.’ ”

I will never forget the reaction; the students collapsed in laughter, which continued for minutes. Mario said, “Thanks, NBC.” It was all on tape and NBC, New York, put it on the national radio news. The students were vindicated.

BILL RODDY

Mission Viejo