ABSTRACT
While Beckett was closely associated with CalArts, he spent 2 years at Antioch College, from 1968 to the spring of 1970. This chapter examines the impact of that first college in terms of the courses that Beckett took and the sociopolitical environment there, as student unrest and protests infected campuses across America. Antioch College was an alternative institution, and instead of grades, there were summary reports. Reading Beckett’s entries in these reports gives us a glimpse into his personality and how he was interpreting his experience. There was a thriving film community, and it is here that he began to animate. His peers Bill Brand and Shalom Gorewitz recall Beckett at Antioch and help to paint a picture of what it was like then; both went on to become successful film, video, and media artists. These are also his last days with the traveling Hog Farm family.
