Ralph Petrozello:  

I attended New Paltz State Teachers College in the fall of 1969. I arrived there a bit early ( to escape home as fast as I could), and the first week there in my dorm everyone was talking about this "big concert" that was coming up soon. Needless to say it was ”Woodstock”, about 20 miles North of New Paltz,, along the Hudson. I asked “how do you plan to get there?” The traffic was gridlocked with 400,000 vehicles converging on the North East! They said they would “hitchhike or walk to get there”! I replied “it is supposed to rain, and I’m not walking over twenty miles !” So I didn’t tag along with them. However a few days later the concert was over and everyone tried to leave Woodstock. Once again “gridlock” ensued. In 24 hours the traffic didn’t get too far, and thousands of vehicles pulled over for the evening, on to the campus soccer fields and pastures in the surrounding area. The next morning the sun popped out, and many of the bands from Woodstock set up there on the fields. The yellow scaffolding and all ! I was able to see Jimmy Hendricks with his white fringed jacket open at this improvised “campus concert” with his version of “America”. Joan Baez, Janis Joplin, Country Joe and the Fish, and many others were there! I actually have some photos of what I call “Woodstock II at New Paltz.” A girl ran by me and handed me a piece of paper with an address on it and she said “dorm party tonight” and she continued on through the crowd randomly handing out invitations. That evening I made it over to the location indicated, and it was in Deyo Hall on one of the upper floors in the central common room. The dorm was sort of octagon shaped. I could hardly see anything through the “smoke” in the room and the flashing lights. I remember having difficulty trying to find a place to sit on the floor, as I stepped over bean bag chairs and bodies everywhere. It was very crowded. I managed to find the only spot open, up against half of a bean bag I shared with what I thought was a rather unkempt looking girl. We talked a while and she soon passed me a joint. I don’t smoke, so I faked it and passed it along to the guy on my right. Then she passed me a bottle of Sangria, and I thought “there is probably LSD in it”, ( and there probably was) , but I also didn’t want to risk a drink of it. So I faked taking a swig, and also passed the bottle along to the guy next to me. About 20 minutes later, someone passed a guitar to the gir...Expand for more