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Dr. Ira De A. Reid
After gathering up my wits, my sense
of humor and “Nervine,” I picked up
my camera and this time wandered down
to the Administration building to spend
a portion of the afternoon with Dr. Ira
De A. Reid, professor of Sociology at
Atlanta University.
As soon as I was seated uncomfortably
in the nice easy chair. Dr. Reid began
the interview by asking. “What do you
want to know?” For a second I was
confused because I had planned to ask
the first question myself and it really
was not supposed to begin like that.
“Well,” I started in a feeble tone, “I
want to know about you, your work and
your accomplishments.”
“Where do you want me to begin?”
asked Dr. Reid.
“Let’s start at the top and work down
ward. Tell me first about the work you
are doing in Washington.”
“I don’t work in Washington,” an
swered Dr. Reid calmly. It was here that
I took a second look to make sure that
I was in the right office. After reassur
ing myself, I continued — “But you did
work in Washington, did you not?” Dr.
Reid nodded his head. “Tell me about
the type of work you did when you were
there.”
“I worked in Washington for seven
years with the FERA, WPA„ the Na
tional Defense Program as an advisor on
problems of minorities and as a consult
ant on the staff of the Social Security
Board.”
After imparting this bit of information
Dr. Reid went back into his shell.
“Where did you work before you went
to Washington” was my next question.
“Oh, I was in New York as Director
of Research of the National Urban
League. Did that for ten years.”
After this statement Dr. Reid began
to chuckle. Watching the smoke from
his cigarette float to the ceiling but
knowing at the same time there was a
questioning look on my face, he shrugged
his shoulders and said, “Oh, don’t be
alarmed. I was only thinking — you
know, an interview is never as bad as a
reporter makes it or as good as the in
terviewee wants it.”
From this point on we moved on to
the subject of People’s College. “Tell
me, Dr. Reid, how did this movement
begin?” I asked.
“It was just that a group of teachers
here interested in adult education and
willing to sacrifice some time, came to
gether and started school.” That is all
Dr. Reid said directly about People’s
College, but in our succeeding conversa
tion the following facts came to light.
The People’s College, the school under
the sponsorship of A. U. for any of the
one hundred thousand Negroes in Atlan
C A M P US Ml R R 0 R
ta. directed by Dr. Ira De A. Reid, was
started October 19, 1942, with an en
rollment of 350 men and women. “The
subject matter,” according to President
Clement of Atlanta University, “ranges
from the a, b, c’s of daily living to the
philosophies of religion, encompassing
in its spread the arts and crafts and the
resources for leisure.”
Another interesting fact about the
People’s College is the number of broad
casts it has sponsored with experts giv
ing valuable insight into world problems
and situations. Dr. Reid appeared on the
program several times.
By this time I was sure Dr. Reid was
“cracking his shell.” so I next intro
duced the subject of his literary work.
The articles he has written are left for
the count of the Math student who knows
all the tricks in addition. Dr. Reid’s
books are Adult Education Among Ne
groes, Negro Emigration, his disserta
tion, In a Minor Key and Negro Member
ship in American Labor Unions. At the
present Dr. Reid is working on Manners
for Minorities. This book consists of car
toons and quotations, but what a story
they tell! The quotations are from a
fairy book we all read when we were
children — but have thrown aside with
the growing years. While discussing his
work “The John Canoe Festival,” and
the research he did on the subject, Dr.
Reid brought to light some of the places
to which he had traveled. London, Af
rica. Russia and the West Indies.
Recently Dr. Reid has been appointed
assistant director of the Southern Social
Economic Council.
Although Dr. Reid was quite stingy
with facts about himself, it is quite ob
vious that he is a distinguished per
sonality in the field of Sociology and
in any other field into which he desires
to stray as an outlet for his capabilities.
Japan’s Hope For Victory
Japan’s hope for winning the war
against the United States lies in her ex
pectation of internal dissension among
our citizens on all fronts, social, econom
ic. and racial, declared Robert Bellaire,
former United States correspondent in
Tokyo, in an address on March 21, at
Spelman College. He stressed the fact
that disunity would militate against an
effective effort on our part.
To a large extent, Mr. Bellaire feels,
the American sense of humor has helped
the 35,000 American prisoners to with
stand the physical and mental tortures
inflicted by the Japanese in their prison
camps. He told of many of the physical
tortures inflicted on the thirteen Ameri
can prisoners in his cell. He described
this barbarous treatment as a plan to
undermine the American morale.
Mr. Bellaire suggested that by sacri-
Packard Hall Girls Celebrate
Easter
Erkida Boatwright, '46
The Easter celebration by Packard
Hall girls was begun with the traditional
observance of Good Friday. The theme
for the day was the “Seven Last Sayings
of Jesus.”
The spirit of the season manifested it
self further on Easter Sunday morning
when the residents of the hall attended
a breakfast in the Fireside Dining Room
given in their honor by their house
mother, Miss Beulah Boley.
The simplicity but tastiness of the
meal was in keeping with the significance
of the occasion. Between courses Vivian
McFall supplied us with background
music. A short program was opened
with prayer by Miss Boley. MacDowell's
To a Wild Rose was played by Vivian
McFall and Pauline Shields played Herr
mann’s Petite Berceuse. Teach Me Thy
Way was sung by Yvonne Warner. Ida
Kilpatrick recited Paul Lawrence Dun
bar’s Spring Fever.
The faculty guests present were: Dr.
Henrietta Herod, the speaker for the oc
casion, Dr. Helen T. Albro and Miss
Julia Denham. Dr. Herod’s talk was the
climax of the morning’s events. She
touched on some of the significant as
pects and characteristics of the Spring
and Easter season and brought to her
audience some unique and refreshing
ideas to take away with them.
The deep appreciation that the Pack
ard Hall girls feel towards Miss Boley
is ineffable, and this pleasant Easter
morning will always have a place in their
collection of memories.
ficing — we who cannot take a direct
part in the battles can do our share in
the fight against the enemy.
The Japanese people are fanatical in
their willingness to undergo any depriva
tion that might assure ultimate victory.
They feel that they are fighting for a
world peace under Japanese domination.
The speaker was of the opinion that
we should not lose sight of the fact that
the Japanese are human and that after
this war (when we shall be the victors)
all their efforts will be concentrated on
seeking revenge.
Mr. Bellaire started on a world trip in
1936. hut ended his travels in Japan to
join the United Press. He became man
ager of the Tokyo Bureau in 1941. and
was in that capital when Japan attacked
Pearl Harbor. He was the first corre
spondent to relay the world news from
inside the country after that memorable
event.