Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

2 NOVEMBER, 1965 The Panther The Clark Panther A journal of college life published from October to June by students of Clark College, Atlanta, Georgia. A promoter of school spirit by encouraging projects and ef forts among student groups and individual students. A medium through which an opportunity is provided for stu dents to obtain experience in newsgathering, reporting, review ing and writing. An instrument for fostering friendly and constructive criticism of campus activities. Carrell Smith Antonio Thomas Editor Co-Editor Alma Housch Millicent Bethea Secretary Proofreader Leila Marshall Ellen L. Magby Ivy Sims ban Hakeem Typists Adyisors Marie Banks William Hammond Wimberly Hale Feature Editor Rufus Hudson Jimmy Johnson Reporters The American Dream ... A Reality "On A Hill'' Franklin N. Powell The American Dream has become a reality. Never before have the less fortunate, the working man’s son, found it so difficult to advance both educationally and culturally than he finds today. The administrators of “our” institutions of higher learning—on whom most learners rely for encouragement and counsel—have all be come indifferent to the problems of the handicapped searchers for Enlightenment. The administrators have sought to discourage rather than encourage; to tear down rather than enhance the ambitions and aspirations of the less fortunate pupil. They say to the group of students assembled here that some are “too poor” to attend col lege. This is, indeed, a fallacy in thought. Surely, the degree elite must realize that anyone having the mentality capable of grasping and learning is not “too poor” to matriculate at any institution, i.e., of this nature or of a higher nature. The college official’s strict adherence to the “them that got” code of action is but another instance wherein they discourage am bitions and aspiring youth. These officials cater to the sons of the so-called, well-off. They cater to the son whose folks carry a little or much “weight” in the community, or whose mother plays bridge with their wives. It is these students, fortunate few, (the envious might make such reference) who receive the considerations and fringes of work-aid, the extra ten points at grade time so as to place them in that “honor” bracket. It is these sons who least need it! Other incidents could be cited in the same deplorable vein. How- ever, the aim, ultimately, is not to flatter the administration and faculty by citing their many and wondrous deeds which perpetuate the American Dream. Overtly, then, the less fortunate youth is greeted with the airs of willingness and dedication on the part of both administration and faculty, to give to him the consideration and understanding so es sential in his efforts to become a refined and knowledgeable person. The higher-ups of the college’s personnel create by their every action a situation quite to the contrary. This point needs no elabora tion. Kindly accept a first star for your crown. Consider, if you will, the experience of a former student. Jon athan or Samuel (it really makes no difference) come to college prepared to labor both manually and mentally to attain his goal of Enlightenment. So well prepared was he! As it turned out, how ever, Jonathan was ill-prepared to cope with the prejudicial whims of a college bursor, a dean of personnel or even a facutly member. For him it was impossible to crack the mighty men at the top. Jonathan was an unequal member of the college community. He sought in vain for the same considerations thrust upon Doctor So and So’s son. He became discouraged. Today, Jonathan has the desire for Enlightenment but he has not the inclination. You robbed him! Indeed, you have no hearts. These cold and detached inflictions are more than enough to make one wonder. Did the Black Elite cry for milk when they were babies? Evidently, they did not. Were they born human? They were. How then, did they grow to perform in such an inhuman manner? They suffer from the mental plague called prejudice. This great ill should not be found to exist in their positions. But it is found there. Unless the experience related by Jonathan was a lie or an illusion. It was no lie or illusion. It is the truth if there ever was truth. Were it otherwise, it would not have been mentioned here. Congratulations, you make real the American Dream. The American Dream is fact. Is this good or is this bad? Only the psychic know your reply. Most mortals are not endowed with this sense; therefore, it becomes necessary to weigh the obvious merits and products of your actions and efforts. It is agreed, then, that you have made real the American Sfeea&iny . . . Primitive Thinking In the Space Age Apparently, the space age in which we live has little, if any, alleviation on the continuous degradation of student values. Al though we live in a world of constant endeavors and progress, some students still tend to keep themselves orientated to primitive ways of thinking. Many students have also established ridiculous as well as unorthodox value systems. Attention is no longer given to pri mary goals and activities, but instead to secondary groups and in terests. Our main interests seem to be centered around those non-essential and fruitless values of life. It is very obvious that if a person is to be successful, he must secure those values that will be beneficial to him. While observing college life around the Atlanta University Center, I have noticed that a great deal of emphasis is placed on secondary matters. Too many students foolishly waste time and money on having a “good time” and being a “good old Joe” in hopes that this will add to his economi cal and social status. There is very little student concern about carrying on intel lectual conversations and expressing new less interested in creative thinking and an expansion of cultural knowledge. In order for the Negro student to become really equal on the intellectual level, and compete in a world of hostility, he must first give a long, but objective look at himself and think about what he value's* most in life. Students must realize that there are many meaningful g. als to be obtained and they must seek to secure them with a wholehearted effort. The time has also come when we must stop placing our greatest values on relatively insignificant matters as fraternities and sorori ties. There is a great psychological and social need for affiliation on the part of some persons with a fraternity or sorority. These may serve as a boost to a person’s morale, but one shouldn’t let his life be led by an organization of this type or any other organ ization. These organizations are of secondary importance, and should be treated in that respect. It is only a human reaction that all people like recreation and desire to have fun, but fun is not our basic purpose in college or in everyday life, therefore less emphasis should be placed on dances, parties and having an all out good time. We must change these secondary, distorted, and misplaced val ues to more constructive, mature, and realistic ideas. There must be a concern over the many apathetic students on the campus, the poor lectures, and poor classroom discussions. Talking about sex and petty experiences is fine, depending on the limit in which one carries the conversation. But when sex and petty experiences sum marize a student’s conversation, the student is out of contact with reality. A person's conversation should also encompass primary aims and objectives of life. In order to succeed in a fast pacing and changing world, the undergraduate must really begin to “think.” Don’t just read a book only to get the main ideas and to remember them long enough to reproduce at examination time. Think about what you read and question yourself as well as the author of the selection you are reading. Try to apply the knowledge, theories and ideas that you have previously learned to your conversations, classroom discus sions, and life in general, wherever applicable. Can a student really be said to be learning just because he can read a great deal of facts, memorize them, and recall them at the time of a testing period? Of course not. This type of ill-preparation for life can be very damaging to a student. A student should question what he writes on an examination and wonder why certain problems can only be solved by a certain solution. Today’s student takes little time to think and integrate knowl edge and many of the educational institutions aid in seeing that he doesn’t. Institutions place too much emphasis upon grades, and the passing of stiff examinations at prearranged times during the school year, resulting in much cheating in colleges and universities throughout the nation. I believe just as many psychologists believe that in the healthier personalities, the values in life and the ideal of conscience are hierarchically arranged, an order from the least important to the most important. A personal value system of this type provides the individual with a guide, not only in ethical conduct, but also the good life—one that remains zestful, satisfying and challenging. How are your values measuring up? ideas. Students are even Dream. You have made it impossible for the impoverished to rise above the impoverished. You have sown the seed of complacency, giving rise to social stagnation. You have deprived posterity of countless individuals possessive of potential worth. You have sown, also, the seed of hostility and anger, giving rise to social disorder and chaos. You, fortunate few, have failed to curtail the weed of ignorance which plagues the great Black Masses . . . You have been highly successful. You have done well. You have made real the American dream. Know Yourself Is there a Meaning in my ex istence? If ultimate values exist can they be obtained? What de gree of man is still a part of na ture? These are some of the questions which are being dis cussed by the members of the Honors Seminar as they consid er this semester’s theme “Under standings of the Nature of Man.” The theme is being ap proached with the aid of works by Viktor Frankl, Sigmund Freud, Robert Maslow, Carl Rogers, Albert Camus, and Martin Buber. Moreover, to aid in conceptulization, each stu dent is required to relate this material to his major area of concentration in a paper to be presented to the entire body. The seminar, which was be gun last year with the aid of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, has as its purpose the enhance ment of the scholastic atmos phere of the college and pre paredness for graduate study. It is composed of a selected num ber of upperclassmen from the academic departments of the college and Rev. William Char- land, a Woodrow Wilson Teach ing Fellow. Antonio L. Thomas WHY WE FLUNK .... the pressure of status-seek ing parents also results fail ure. .... vicissitudes of the human lots. .... hampering circumstances and low ability. .... immaturity of the freshman who has had little chance to handle personal respon sibilities in the past. .... overindulgence in social life. .... the cavorting, casual, cava lier time-wasters who do not have even the saving excuse of an “activity.” .... being good old Joe. .... chronic midnight oil burn ers. .... unrealistic dreams. .... rigid or unimaginative in stitutional policy. .... surreptitious rebel — lip service person or individ ual. .... an individual with demand ing parents. \ Smile! Why are flowers always known to be lazy? — Because they are, always in bed. * * The customs man poked through an. old gentleman’s lug gage and Located a flask of whiskey. “I thought you said you have nothing but clothes in here,” the inspector said. “I did, and it’s t,rue,” the old gent replied. “That, sir, is my nightcap!” * * i * Why does a frog vyear glass eye-glasses? — Because plastic fogs up underwater. i x