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THE PANTHER
FEBRUARY, 1945
VOL. 1
Hhe panther
A Journal of Negro College Life
Published by the Students of Clark College
Atlanta, Ga., February, 1945
STAFF
■
No. 4 •
Editor in Chief William E. Thompson ’46
Associate Editors Ora Jeanne Bohannon ’45 * 1
Anna Marie Rice ’46 1
Feature Editor Marcella Cain Janes ’47
Sports Editor.. Jack Bell, ’48 <
> Literary Editor. Genevieve K. Ferguson ’46
Associate Literary Editor • Mason Wilkes ’47
Gossip Editor Peeping Tom 19?? •
Art Editor Cynthia Perry ’46
Associate Art Editors Emma Jefferson ’47
Jackie Adams ’48
Exchange Editor Benjamin F. Bradford ’46 '
’ Associate Exchange Editor ..Ruth Jones ’48
Business Manager Calvin H. Johnson ’47
Secretary To Editor Thelma Barnhart ’45
Staff Typist Katherine Johnson ’46
Advisors To Editor Ora Jeanne Bohannon
Marcella James Calvin II. Johnson George C. Allen
' Faculty Advisors...... Mrs. Stella Brewer Brookes
(Leave of Absence)
Miss Cecil C. Posey
Subscription $1.00 per year .
Published Monthly
Dedication
The fourth issue of the Panther is dedicated to the Pounders of Clarl
College. We the students, who are enjoying all the efforts of our fore
lathers, are looking - toward the day when we too will play an importan
role in the history of Clark. It will be our supreme effort to always hel]
Clark maintain its high standards and remain forever, the school that ii
Second to None.”
Editorial
Within a few days we will once more witness the celebration of the
founding of Clark College—the Seventy-Sixth Anniversary. Those of us
who were here last year cannot help recalling the masterful address delivered
by Mrs. Stella Brewer Brookes on “Some Outstanding Personalities Who
Have Helped to Make Clark College a Great Institution.” Our minds go back
to the leadership also of our Anniversary Chairman as he led us to financial
success and the purchasing of an organ.
Birthdays are common to all of us as we are reminded annually of our
birth date. The Anniversary of Clark College is significant because 'it is the
time when the attending students meet the individuals who “put themselves
into people” and the effectiveness of their work can be seen and shared by
hundreds of young men and women.
Regardless as to whether we remember or forget, the Anniversary of
Clark College will occur annually. This year as we prepare for the celebra
tion we can see the list of those who gave themselves unselfishly has in
creased. Will we students catch the spark that was started by the Founding
Fathers or will we let it go out? Students looked to Misses Abbott and
Mitchell, to Dr. Crogman and to Professor E. Luther Brookes for guidance
and tomorrok they will look to you.
—And so good bye—, “Parting is such sweet sorrow”—these words
quoted from Shakespeare express my regrets upon leaving Clark College. It
is sweet because of the pleasant memories accumulated over a period of two
and a half years. It is sorrowful because I cannot take with me the many
friends I have come to know and to love.
My duties and responsibilities as Editor-in-Chief have fallen to the
student body’s choice for “Miss Clark”, Miss Cynthia B. Perry. As I write
these lines of farewell to you I feel certain the same loyal support you gave
me you will now give to Miss Perry. I wish to remind you The Panther be
longs to you—its success or failure depends upon the support received from
the student body.
Faith
From the beginning of time man has needed spiritual guidance in his
pursuit of the cherished jewel, freedom. He has needed faith to sustain
him lest he falter by the way, lest that freedom never be secured.
From My Chapel Seat
G. K. Ferguson
More than once during the month
oi January have we realized how
significant the following words are,
“r reedom from tear, freedom from
hatred, equal opportunities, and a
lasting peace in tne post war world."
rnese are omy a few of tne ideals
vvnicn a true uemocracy strives tor;
out wime considering tne Negro, we
must acKnowiedge tnat many or these
ideais are yet mere dreams to him.
n tnrougn ruthless aggression these
meais do not become realizations for
tne iNegro, a victory on the Dattie
iront win still not nasten the com
plete anu lasting peace on tne home
i routs.
rtmong our educational leaders who
focused vividly tne immediate prob
lems or tne iNegro was Mr. Routs
tmandier, rrotessor or English at
iviurehouse college. Mr. ^handler
dramatically reviewed Howard Fast's
rreedom Road. He began Ins review
ny asking whether tne white man
and omen man can be educated and
nve together. His answer was, res.
xie stated tnat tins booh was not
based on events of history, but was
mstory itseii. The main character ox
the noon was Gideon Jackson wno
arose from ignorance and obscurity
to lead his race. Mr. Chandler cited
different passages to show the bru
tality of tne white man, and the en
durance oi the Negro.
President James P. Brawley, in his
speech “Whether Democracy Pan Be
made A Reality on a College Cam
pus," said tnat there was no such
thing as a pure democracy, it is an
ideal, and we achieve as much of it
as we can. He mentioned authority
m a uemocracy. Strict authority sup
pressed tne development of personal
ities, and the expression of self-will.
But, he said, tnat authority still can
not be discarded; it helps to direct
and guide the masses and it keeps
down the rise of chaotic conditions.
Dean A. A. McPheeters referred
to an editorial, “Atlanta's Rowdy
Citizens," at which time he gave sev
eral examples of the unnecessary ac
tions of many of our noisy citizens
of Atlanta. He also compared the
death toll of the whites from previ
ous years up to the present time with
that of the Negro. He revealed that
heretofore, there have been firm Ne
groes killed by their own fellow
brothers than by anything else. Many
obvious reasons for these facts were
cited.
Prof. A. B. Wright is his “Prob
lems of the Negro" definitely stress
ed this point throughout his mes
sage, “The Negro after this crisis
will no more tolerate a second class
citizenship, but a first class one, and
a first class living. The horrible
menace of segregation and discrim
ination must be stamped out.
Of equal importance to our chap
el activities vyere: Miss Vilder Van-
dersault, private secretary of the
Student Voluntary Movement, of
New York, and a diligent worker in
the Missionary field; Mr. Paul Riciea,
a native of Haiti, and a student of
Morehouse College. Mr. Riciea in
formed the student boy on the edu
cational system and schools of Hai
ti. The Kappa Theta Chapter of
Alpha Kappa Mu Honorary Society
presented Dr. H. V. Eagleson on its
initial program of the year. Dr.
Eagleson spoke on the theme, “Bet
ter Scholarship in the Negro Col
leges,” and during his discussion he
emphatically brought out the factors
which make for better scholarship.
The members of this organization are
Bernice Miller, Genevieve Ferguson,
Anna Rice, Eppie Johnson, and Effie
Johnson. Its charter member are
President Brawley, and Dean A. A.
McPheeters.
The Social Science Department was
well represented when Dr. Ira D.
Reid of Atlanta University compared
and traced the country’s social condi
tions after each major war this
country has witnessed. The main
topic for discussion was “Post-War
Conditions.”
That little group had faith when they landed at Plymouth Rock in
1602. It kept them alive despite ruthless winters, a scarcity of food, and
the loss of its numbers.
The Thirteen Colonies had it; they called it the “Spirit of ’78.” Wash
ington had it at Valley Forge. Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Benjamin Frank
lin, John Hancock had it, and their faith produced two of the greatest docu
ments the wmrld has ever knowm—The Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution of the United States. Booker T. Washington had it. Out of
his faith sprang the famous Tuskegee Institute and because of his faith,
he lifted the veil of ignorance from our people. Bishop Gilbert Haven had
it; Mrs. Augusta Clark Cole had it when out of her faith Clark University
emerged. Dr. Crogman had it, and we are ever thankful to these founders
of our beloved Clark College. Dr. Carver had it, and the nation as well as
the world will forever remain grateful for his miracles in agricultural
research.
We must have it as we commence, not end, our education in the school
of Life—Faith in ourselves, faith in our leaders, faith in our country, and
faith in a living God over all.
“You wall never be sorry for living a white life; for doing your level
best; for your faith in humanity; for being kind to the poor; for looking
before leaping; for hearing before judging; for being candid and frank; for
thinking before speaking.”
Miss Bernice Miller, president of
the senior class, gave interesting sta
tistical information on the roll of
the present senior class in the world
of tomorrow. Miss Miller showed
how her class will enter into the va
ried occupations after leaving college,
and made a survey of their future
plans.
Brain Teasers
How good are you? If you get as
many as one-third of the answers
correct, you’re above average.
1. By what means do scientists ar
rive at the conclusion that Niagara
Falls is about 2,000,000 years old?
2. Why is Flag Day celebrated on
the 14th of June ?
The W. S. C. S.
The Women’s Society of Christian Service is attempting to bring to
the students of our college a rich religious program.
.3 What is the reason for christen
ing a new ship by breaking a bottle
of champagne across its bow ?
4. Who is buried in Grant’s tomb ?
Lenten season services are being planned each Sunday morning after
the breakfast hour. Talented Johnny Colquitt will be featured at each of
these services.
The Planning Committee under the leadership of Miss Gloria Current
promises interesting series of activities.
We are asking full cooperation in making religion a vita] and living-
part of the life of the college.
o. For wdiat practical reason do
cowboys wear high-heeled boots ?
6. If you took five buckets of wa
ter from Great Salt Lake and evap
orated them, how much salt would
remain ?
7. If a New York Stock Exchange
Exchange Column
THE AURORA, publication of
Knoxville College, Knoxville, Tennes
see.
Anoxville College was host to the
x ort Benning boluiers' uhorus during
tne time of ns appearances in
xvnoxviue ana neighboring cities. Tne
cnorus nas been touring tne r ourtn
•service command to aid m the Sixth
war xjoan Bond urive. xnree songs
were rendered by tne cnorus and sev
eral individual solos, The accompa
nist and arranger or the songs is a
graduate or xvnoxviue Goliege.
The SHORESMAN, publication of
Morgan Brace (Joilege, Baltimore,
ivxaryiand.
Bishop Shaw paid tribute to the
founders or Morgan, who, guided and
equipped omy with a spiritual de
sire to enlighten tne Negro tnrougn
education, estaolished Morgan as a
ivietnodist School.
Bishop Shaw stated that college
training has been chiefly responsible
tor the advancement of science, me
chanics, and literature, wmen have
made what he calls a '‘good earth."
THE PAINEYTE, published by the
students or Fame Goliege, Augusta,
Georgia.
The C* J-. O. is concerned with
plans for tne post war world, includ
ing plans to maintain the security of
the “Diack worker." Thus the Negro
Goliege must consider not only rais
ing tne black worker to a position of
equality, but also raising the stand
ards oi ail workers.
THE FISK HERALD, publication
of risk University, Nashville, Ten
nessee.
There are three types of students
in tne college world: the “Wills," the
“Wont," and the “Cants.”
The “Wills” accomplish practically
everything they undertake. Tne
“Won’ts" oppose everything. Their
nook of accomplishments is blank.
Tne “Cants" are the type that fail
m everything. They fan to develop
tneir capabilities because they have
learned now to say “can’t" too thor
oughly.
THE CAMPUS MIRROR, publica
tion of Speiman College, Atlanta, Ga.
The Pan-American presented Miss
Alma Uakes of the Speiman college
.Department of Romance Languages,
wiiose theme was her recent visit to
Mexico.
THE BENNETT BANNER, publi
cation of Bennett College, Greens
boro, North Carolina.
Post-war conscription is no ade
quate guarantee for permanent peace,
it is fast becoming a bitter contro
versy. In this human world of the
middle of the twentieth century, there
is only one way to prevent war and
that is for civilized nations to be so
strong tnat the barbaric nations will
not dare to try to rape, pillage and
conquer.
Ruth Jones, ’48.
KNEELING AT THE THRESHOLD
1 am kneeling at the threshold,
weary, faint and sore,
Waiting for the dawning, for the
opening of the door;
Waiting till the Master shall bid me
rise and come
To the glory of His presence, to the
gladness of his home.
broker and his customer both want
to buy the same stock, which one
gets first crack at it ?
8. Was Adam banished from the
Garden of Eden because he ate of
the tree of life ?
9. Has any airplane yet been built
that can travel as fast as a bullet?
10. April 19, anniversary of Bat
tle of Lexington and Concord, is cel
ebrated as a holiday not only in
Massachusetts, the site of the battle
ground, but in Maine as well. Why?
THE ANSWERS
1. By measuring the rate at which
Niagara Falls is wearing away, ge
ologists estimate that it took about
2,000,000 years to cut its present 7
mile gorge. 2. Because the Conti-
nenetal Congress adopted the Stars
and Stripes on June 14, 1776. 3. It is
a survival of an ancient custom of
consecrating vessels to protecting
deities with a libation of wine. 4,
Not only General Grant but Julia
Dent Grant, his wife is buried there
in. 5. To keep thei rfeet secure in
the stirrups, and to brace the feet
against the ground when roping in
the corral. 6. One bucket would re
main from the Great Salt Lake which
is about 20 percent salt. 7. By rule
of N. Y. Stock Exchange, no broker
can buy a stock for himself until all
customer’s orders have been filled. 8
No. Genesis III, 22 and 23: “. . . and
now lest he put forth his hand and
take also of the tree of life and eat
and live forever; the Lord God sent
him forth from the Garden of Eden
. . .” 9. A bullet travels at 1,800
miles on hour and no airplane built
goes that fast. 10. Maine celebrates
the Battle of Lexington because in
colonial times Maine was a part of
Massachusetts.
On the Book Shelf
1. The Razor’s Edge By Maugham.
2. Earth and High Heaven By Gra
ham.
3. Forever Amber By Hinson.
4. Experiment Perilous By Carpen
ter.
5. Kate Fennigate By Tarkington.
6. The Philo Vance Series.
7. Best Loved Poems of American
People By Feileman.
8. Copeland’s Treasury for Book-
lovers.
Book Review
If time is precious, no book that
will not improve by repeated read
ings deserves to be read at all.
NEW WORLD A-COMIN’
ROI OTTLEY
In 1943 when Roi Ottley’s book
was published it received greater re
sponse tfian any book since Native
son. It was soon surmounted by
Gillian Smith’s Strange Fruit.
There was much controversy over
Lillian Smith’s book. Boston, Mas
sachusetts banned it on grounds that
it was indecent and vain. Many peo
ple read it for that reason; some for
other reasons. Of the 400,000 read
ers, how many Negro readers were
benefited or elevated ? How many
uaucasian readers were enlightened
m the Negro’s behalf? Doubtlessly,
not many, if asked how many of
them could give an intelligent rea
son why a civilized progressive lib
eral city as Boston should ban the
book. There are some reasons and
many of them are better than any
reason for reading it.
There is no controversy over the
worth of New World A-Comin’, no
vain indecencies, no ban. It has some
sex appeal but it is not ‘sexy.’ It
sold but not as well as Strange
Fruit.
New World A-Comin’ starts with
the migration of Negroes into upper
New fork City and the conquest of
the uptown district called Harlem. It
travels through many vistas of
“Black life in America.” There are
chapters on the “Slum Area”; “Fa
ther Divine;” “The Glamour Boy of
the Race;” “Cafe Society,” etc.
The chapter on the slum area gives
the arrogant southerner a strong
weapon to use against the northern
Negro, the glamor boy of the race.
A. Clayton Powell, who is making
quite a bit of news today is roman
tically and seriously described along
with other things, such as perplex
ing situations which he encounters
because of his complexion.
In conclusion, Mr. Ottley states
that when the war is over the lot of
the American Negroes will change.
The Negro is no longer a “handker
chief head” nor an “Uncle Tom,” nor
a “Smiling Sam.” He is not symbol
ized in the jitterbug.
He is seeing, thinking, and acting.
The recent race riots in New York
and Detroit proved that there will be
a change. How ? Which way ? Bet
ter or worse ? He does not know.
Mason Wilkes II.
An Anthology of Life
What is life ? When you get off
at the proper point where you can
grasp it as a whole, what is it? Let
us rummage in the library for an
answer. At random taken, here are
some views of poets and philoso
phers: Firdusi, “Illusion, cheat and
fraud.” Sophocles, “The best of all
is, not to be born.” Lycegus, “Life
is not to breathe, but to act.” Sen
eca, “Life is long to those who know
how to use it.” Plautus, “To live well,
live today.” Publius Syrees, “Luck
rules life, not wisdom.” Marcellus
Aurelius, “Life is brief, glory eter
nal.” Virgil, “A brief and irrepara
ble time.” Aleandi, “A fallen tear,
which the earth drinks up.” Rosetti,
“A point with a memory and hope.”
Tarchetti, “Many do not enjoy life
because they have never found its
point of equilibrium. Pope Clement
XIV, “Man’s life is like a day: his
birth as the dawn, his infancy, the
morning, his manhood the noon, his
death the night.” Dante, “Living is
a race to death.” Longfellow-, “Life
is real, life is earnest; and the grave
is not its goal.” Guerrazzi, “Like
water, life sweetens rising to heav
en.” Balzac, “Life is w-hat one’s sen
timents make it.” Lamartine, “Life
is a song and each soul a voice.”
Rousseau, “Life is to make use of all
our organs, senses, faculties, and
every part of ourselves which can
give to us the sensation of exist
ence.” La Bruyeres, “Most men
spend one part of their life making
the other part miserable.” Calderon,
“Life is fiction.” Pope, “All life’s a
sea.” Ary Scheffer, “To fight, and
ever to recommence the fight, is life.”
Erasmus, “Life’s a comedy.” Shakes
peare, “All the world’s a stage.” By
ron, “Life’s an interjection, an oh,
an alibi, or a bah!”
Perhaps best of all is this from
Thomas Overbury, “I like the reply
of that philosopher who, when some
one asked him wvhat he thought of
human life, said nothing, but shrug
ged his shoulders and walked away.”
C. Posey.