Newspaper Page Text
2 APRIL, 1966
The Panther
The Clark Panther
PURPOSE
A journal of college life published from September to June
b> (he yacuum 0 f l ac k and effective communication be
tween students and administration; students and students.
An instrument for fostering constructive criticism of activi
ties pertaining to college life.
Reporters:
Millicent Bethea
Earl Butler
Eddie Embry
Wimbley Hale
Alma Hosch
Carrell Smith
Antonio Thomas
William Hammond
Marie Banks
Elijah Solomon & Rufus
Roielle Poignard
PRESS
Hudson
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmye Vaughn
Jerrilyn McGhee
Lorraine Neal
Shirley Slocum
Editor-in-Chief
Co-Editor
Feature Editor
Greek Editor
Sports Editors
Cartoonist
Secretaries:
Lorraine Neal
Marie Banks
Proofreaders:
Millicent Bethea
Joethel Cooper
Betty Stembridge
Jimmye Vaughn
Typists:
Willie Lou Furges
Bernice Little
Teresa Thomas
Lelia Marshall
Ivy Sims
Advisors:
Miss Magby
Mr. Fishman
Mr. Hakeem
Miss D'Sousa
Mr. Black
INSTRUCTOR SPEAKS HIS MIND
The March issue of The Panther included a group of articles
which, taken together, present an interesting picture of Clark
College and the state of Negro colleges in general.
On one side is the attack against Marion Phillips (the incident
described in “Anything Can Happen,” anon.; “Confused Be
wildered . . .” by John D. Withers) representing the faculty-ad
ministration viewpoint. On the other side is the progressive Stu
dent Government Association program ("Change Has Come by
Carrell Smith; "Sunday Dress Frustration," anon.; “S.G.A. Is a
Farce,” by Antonio L. Thomas) representing the student view
point.
Dr. Withers states that “the College does not educate its stu
dents—they educate themselves. All that the college can do is
to provide the tools of learning, libraries, laboratories, etc. . . .’ If
this were true, there would be no point to the very existence of
colleges! Certainly the drive of the student to educate himself plays
a critical role in the education process, but this role can only be
carried out within the environment of academic and social freedom,
which it is the obligation of the college to nurture. Herein lies the
philosophy and purpose of Clark College—not within the college
catalog.
If the philosophy of the college is not to be molded by the
“transitory student, for obvious reasons," it certainly should not
be molded by a conservative faculty and administration completely
out of sympathy with the ideals of academic and social freedom, as
this freedom ought to exist on the college campus. The student’s
knowledge that he has the power to control his own academic and
social development, for better or for worse, is a prime requisite
for solid academic achievement and for success in later life.
The progressive programs discussed by Carrell Smith and
Antonio L. Thomas are excellent suggestions for placing Clark
College on the road to greatness. That these programs will result
in general student irresponsibility or preoccupation with revolution
is a myth of a sort often used to suppress freedom. Alice Walker
(“Negro Colleges Still Far Behind”) makes the sad comment: “I
doubt if the majority of the students at a Negro school could
adjust to the absence of rules at a school like Bennington or to
the endless flexibility and freedom of speech and action which
faculty and students enjoy at a school like Antioch.” They will
have to, in order to succeed in the modern world.
Norman Edward Kowal
The Dropout Problem
(ACP)—A Duke University professor who 15 years ago, as
a New York teen-ager, was continually sought by the truant officer
is now attacking the dropout problem with great zeal, reports the
Duke Chronicle.
Dr. R. Baird Shuman, associate professor of English, has
sought answers to why teen-agers leave school by visiting the
haunts of the dropout—the greasy-spoon restaurants and pool
halls. His trail has meandered from North Carolina to California
and has led the boyish-looking educator to conclusions which
offer radical ideas to his profession.
He believe English teachers should read comic books and cheap
paperback novels to understand what is appealing to the dropouts
and to reduce the large cultural gap between potential dropouts
and English teachers.
“I think a teacher must be aware of what's in a comic book
that interests the kids,” Shuman asserts. “Then it is up to the
teacher to find a related story in quality literature and present
it as a guide, as an inspiration to our problems today."
As an example, Shuman cites Melville’s classic “Moby Dick.”
“The story of Moby Dick is not about man’s quest for a white
whale. It is the story about the drive behind a quest and the extent
to which he will go in pursuit of his quest. For kids today the
quest might be for an automobile instead of a whale. But he can
understand the parallel if the story is presented to him in such
a way that he can relate it to his own problems.”
£cUto>i & ' ' •
Constructive Criticism!
Carrell Smith
Recently, the students have been expressing their grievances
openly through the newspaper. I feel that students must keep in
mind that they too must act intelligently, and logically concerning
school matters. Students are criticizing instructors, administrators
and personnel workers very frankly without taking into considera
tion that if we are to criticize and demand a better campus environ
ment, we must also make a change in
some of our thinking and actions. After
dormitory life is detested by residents of
Brawley Hall when some of these same
students continue to do such childish
things as taking down the mail list if the
dormitory director is not watching them.
It is also unfair on the part of a student
to call an instructor inefficient and not
suitable for teaching when this same type
of student spends most of his time in the
“student center” playing cards and never
turns the cover of a book to even read
an introduction.
In a one week observation made by
some students of sociology, it was ob
served that more people are found in the "Student Center ' playing
cards during study hours than there are in the school library. Sure,
you may say “So what?" My reply to this is think about the type
of environment you are creating for the present freshmen and the
incoming freshmen next semester.
An institution of higher learning is intended to help a student
grow mentally and socially, but when we take eithei of these to
the extremes, our lives then become warped.
Exchange students visiting Clark from Smith College pointed
out that “most of the students center their attention around social
activities.” If outsiders are immediately aware of the existing situa
tion around Clark, it must be said that we as students need to
include our academic growth into our social worlds. I suggest that
the students make a re-evaluation of himself along the following
areas:
1) What is my main purpose for being in college? Am I doing
this?
2) Am 1 interested in progress or plain rebellion?
It is O.K. to criticize the school and its various mechanisms,
but keep in mind that we must be just as critical of ourselves as
we are of faculty, administration, and personnel members of the
school.
Student problems with faculty and administrators are inevitable,
but we must also realize that if we are to accomplish any worth
while changes, we also must be equally eager to "change ourselves."
When students demonstrate by their actions that they are ready
to be acknowledged as adults and people capable of responsibility,
then 1 believe that a different veiw will be taken by various faculty
members and administrators toward the students.
What is your view on this matter? Do you believe that students
are doing their part? We want to hear from you — students.
PANTHER INTERVIEW
by Shirley Slocumb
QUESTION — As a college student, what is your attitude
about the changes in the draft regulations?
1. James Mays — “The issue of college students being drafted
into military service is paradoxically fair and unfair. It would seem
fair because I believe many students presently enrolled in college
would not come ordinarily but instead are using education as a
means of escaping compulsory military duty. But, then, there are
those who conscientiously seek a college education without selfish
reasons. These true students must suffer unfairly.”
2. Willie Brooks — “I think the change in draft regulations is
acceptable. The only way of preventing a war is to keep the nunj-
ber of troops constant. Although some college students face the
possibilities of being drafted because of their poor academic
achievement, if we are to be powerful, the U. S. must continue
to draft young men whether they be college students or mobsters.”
3. Ronald Fagan — “I disagree with the draft board in event
that college students will be drafted to cope with the Vietnam
crisis. The U. S. should limit the number of men being sent to
Vietnam. What will happen if they continue to escalate the war?”
4. Samuel Brown — “As a college student, and also an indi
vidual eligible for the draft, I feel that the changes in the draft
regulations governing the drafting of college students is both fair
and unfair. I feel that an individual who enters college only to
deter from being drafted is not being fair to himself or to his coun
try and therefore should be drafted as seen fit by his board; but
in direct opposition to this is the position of the student who is
enrolled in college with sincere interests toward obtaining a better
education and possibly a better position in life for himself. There
fore, I feel that the tests that are going to be given to college stu
dents are a fair test to both types of students.”
l iens of .. .
Exchange Students
Exchange students from Smith College
look on as Ronald Briggs and Al Rich
ardson explain their biology projects.
Claire Isaacson, Lee Han-
court, and Aileen Adams from
Smith College in Northamp
ton, Massachusetts visited Clark
during the week of February
6-13 and participated in a Stu
dent Exchange Program.
These girls were impressed
by the cultural activities offered
at Clark and the other colleges
in the Atlanta University Cen
ter. They were alarmed, though,
at the fact that only a few stu
dents take advantage of these
cultural affairs.
Their impression of life in
Holmes Hall dormitory where
they stayed was that it is char
acterized by “card games, dis
cussion of one’s social life,
dancing, and watching televi
sion.”
One of the exchange students
commented, “All students with
whom 1 have talked are trying
to get a job in a specific field
after college. It is surprising
that students who set high goals
for themselves seem unwilling
to study hard to obtain these
goals and at the same time pre
vent others from studying.”
Another stated, “The dormi
tories do not encourage study
ing; watching television, listen
ing to radios, and talking are
not good study processes.”
Letters To Editor
Dear Mr. Smith:
In regard to the article ap
pearing on page 2 of the current
edition of the Panther titled
"ANYTHING CAN HAP
PEN," I wish to state for the
record a fact which is well
known to most students, faculty
and administrators of Clark
College:
I accept full responsibility
for anything that I do or say,
and am willing to accept any
consequences thereof, even in
situations termed inconceiv
able.
1 would be happy to discuss
this or any other matter relat
ing to Clark College with you
and/or other persons at a mu
tually convenient time.
Alfred S. Spriggs,
Chemistry Dept.
A Texas rancher purchased
a new Rolls Royce, and a few
weeks later, brought the new
car in for servicing.
“Do you like it all right?”
asked the salesman.
“Oh. it's fine. I especially like
that glass partition between the
front and back seats.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, it keeps the cows
from licking my neck when I’m
taking them to stock shows.”
—International T earns ter.