Newspaper Page Text
2 APRIL, 1967
The Panther
The Clark Panther
PURPOSE
A journal of college life published from September to June
by students.
To fill the vacuum of lack and effective communication be
tween students and administration; students and students.
An instrument for fostering constructive criticism of activi
ties pertaining to college life.
Carrell Smith
William Hammond
Robert Allen
Jerry Allen
William Hammond
Clarence Carter
Cartoon Editor
Editor-in-Chief
Assistant Editor
News Editor
Copy Editor
Feature Editor
Sports Editor
Albert Tinsley
Reporters:
Gail Jordan
Jonathan Pointer
Hugh Farmer
Staff Editorial Writers
Rosemary Clark
Johnny Russell
Maryjo Clark
Harold Craig, Bernice Little, James
Widemon and Larry Mattix
Photographer
Social Editor:
Marie Banks
Exchange Editor:
Eddie Embry
Fashion Editor:
Jerrilyn McGhee
Advisors
Charles Smith
Typists:
Sonja Collins
Bettye Carter
Mr. George McMillan, Mr. Pat
Watters, Miss Ellen Maby, Mr.
Black, Miss D'Souza
Letters to the Editor
To the Editor of "The Panther":
Some Comments on the U.N.C.F.
The recently-ended United Negro College Fund campaign on
our campus was a disgrace to Clark College, as they all are. Here
are my reasons for making such a statement:
1. The U.N.C.F. campaign encourages a paternalistic re
lationship between members of the staff and students. Students
being chased after by teachers to obtain a $2.50 contribution is
extremely destructive of student independence and freedom. It
forces teachers into a role they should not have to play, if they
are to teach effectively.
2. The U.N.C.F. campaign encourages student antagonism
toward the Fund and the administration. Although the puta
tive function of the campaign is to stimulate student interest
and cooperation with the Fund, its effect is just the opposite.
The vast majority of students regard the campaign as but one
more mechanism by which the administration badgers the stu
dent body.
3. The U.N.C.F. campaign disrupts the academic atmos
phere of the College. Cake sales and amateur talent shows are
unbecoming to higher education.
Would it not be more appropriate for the $2.50 student con
tribution to be simply added on to registration fees, as is done at
numerous other schools? Staff contributions could still be solicited
in their usual fashion.
Norman Edward Kowal
Department of Biology
^7/te £cUt<n& (Z&ia&i . , .
"VIETNAM-
The Negro and
The Draft"
by Carrell Smith
The United States is engaged in a humiliating war that it is
incapable of winning and the American people are falsely led to
believe that the struggle is being prolonged for the preservation of
“freedom” and “democracy.” President Johnson often speaks
with feeling of America’s “commitment” to protect the “brave
little country” from its aggressive neighbor. All of this is mere
political window dressing. The matter of the fact is that the
United States is involved with imperialist foes for control of
world markets and sources of the world's
raw materials. This is the main reason
the United States is in Vietnam.
No matter what happens in this “hit
and run” war the United States will con
tinue to draft uninterested men and ship
them off to the Vietnam war, bomb and
kill babies, women and old people. Chil
dren are maimed for life but the United
States is still not winning the costly war.
American citizens are told that the United
States can not pull out now because we
are too deep. President Johnson is not
acting alone. He has powerful forces be
hind him, applauding his “firmness,” which is the president’s
supporters description for his reckless gamble with the lives of
mankind. This is the reason American people are led to believe
the United States “can not pull out of Vietnam.” Personally, I
do not see any reason why the “so called” Negro should be fight
ing in Vietnam when there is so much he should be fighting for
right here in the United States. White American continues to
exploit the Negro when he comes home from war. But yet his
purpose was to fight against exploitation in Vietnam. There is
a cause for freedom the Negro is suppose to be fighting for in
Vietnam but if he wishes to use a rest room in Hagan, Georgia
he is denied the right to do so. Although not being able to use a
rest room today, in a lot of small segregated towns he must go
to the army if drafted tomorrow.
It seems quite apparent to me that the war in Vietnam is also
aimed at getting rid of Negroes for the following reasons:
1. There are more Negroes in Vietnam percentage wise than
whites
2. With Negro males in Vietnam they can not def ythe gov
ernment plans of exploitation
3. By the draft taking those people that are mostly out of
school and not 35 years old, the Negro becomes a prime
target, because there is not a large percentage of Negroes
going to college.
There are many other reasons why the black man should not
be in Vietnam and until he is treated with human dignity and
respect as a man in his own country, he should never set foot on
foreign grounds to fight for what he is not receiving in America.
Faculty Apathy?
Mint julep-sipping ana
lysts who delight in the
dissection of the lethargic
temper of Louisiana State
University will find faculty
rather than students in the
limelight these days, says the
Daily Reveille.
Putting them there is the
proposed Faculty Forum, a
project to solicit funds from
faculty and administration to
bring two or three top speak
ers to campus each year with
the hope that they will jolt
students out of their apathy
and stimulate discussion of
current critical issues.
Reasons for the project
are not hard to find, the
Reveille continued. The only
big names that come to LSU
are brought to entertain, not
to enlighten. Secondly, top
speakers are often contro
versial and student invita
tions to such speakers are
often squelched by the wav
ing of the speaker policy
magic wand. The faculty
lacks this problem.
Forum membership costs
$5 to $30 depending on
rank. A deadline has been
set for raising the initial $2,-
500 needed, and many stu
dents will be watching to see
if the goal is reached. If it
isn't, cursed by the professor
who waves his flag about the
persistence of student apathy
if he failed to wave good
bye to a few dollars that
could have helped cure it.
"Those In The World's
Ghettoes"
The salts tumble down their
pale soft faces.
As they wonder about the world
in other places;
One by one they await each
day,
Hoping that someone will come
their way;
They are hungry no longer for
the pain is gone,
Now they have reached a place
that is truly “home.”
Christine Coleman
Protest Movement
A Twofold Incident
by Jerry R. Allen
The most obvious element of the Clark College protest move
ment was the lack of campus protection. However, there was exist
ing another element — lack of administrative communication —
which was not as evident.
On numerous occasions, students with complaints have been
constantly told to go through the proper channels. Yet, these com
plaints seemingly always dies somewhere in the lower administra
tive offices. For example, not too long ago, the Y.M.A. presented
to the administration a petition with some two hundred student
signatures complaining about the lack of campus protection. This
petition never reached President Henderson’s office — why? For
anything with some two hundred student signatures should at least
be read by the President; even if he should refuse to act upon it.
On the other hand, when the administration and student body
are communicating, the administration will approve certain activi
ties. For instance, the administration did approve a “Sadie Hawkins
Day.” Nevertheless, the students were refused dinner in the dining
hall while dressed in their festive attire. In so many words, this
act was like saying, “why of course you can celebrate Christmas
. . . just don’t sing Christmas carols.”
President Henderson has been quite instrumental in obtaining
more campus protection, I only hope that he will be equally as
instrumental in correcting the fallacy in his administration. For,
only then will Clark College become a member of the club of
success.
Should College Newspaper
Question Administration?
At the Southern Regional School Press Institute held in Sa
vannah, Georgia in February 1967, one of the main topics of dis
cussion was: “Should the college newspaper question the adminis
tration of the school?” It was argued that in many cases where
students have taken the initiative of speaking out against the ad
ministration or certain unfair rules through editorials, they have
been severely penalized for it. The college newspaper has, in many
instances, become the chief means of debate, which perhaps is
good because it calls attention to grievances. But should this be
the only purpose of a college newspaper?
There arc many bad (as well as good) things about every
school that many students are unaware of, and one of the most
effective means of informing them is through the college news
paper. But when students are discouraged from writing for the
newspaper because of certain “risks” involved, then everyone in
volved should stop and find out what is wrong. Do we as students
criticize for the mere sake of criticizing, or are our criticisms based
on unbiased facts? Should a student be treated unfairly in the class
room even if he is not justified in his criticisms?
Every phase of college activity can be improved if students
and administrators work together instead of against each other.
However, when something is wrong the college newspaper should
not hesitate to inform the students. But the facts must he known!
Under no circumstances, however, should a student be penalized
for voicing his opinion.
Freedom of the press must be preserved even in a college com
munity. But wc must realize that with any freedom goes respon
sibility, and even in criticizing through editorials, we have the
responsibility of knowing the facts.
Eddie L. Embry
"Dawn"
Little by little it rose exposing,
Sights of beauty never closing;
Rays that gave pale reflection,
Lost because of the day’s re
jection;
Hoping never to end its hold.
’Till its perfection had truly
been told;
Reaching low and soaring high.
With only beauty glowing nigh;
Little by little it faded away,
Until all its radiance melted in
to day.
Christine Coleman
Ever wonder who takes most of the pic
tures for the newspaper and yearbook?
Right — Charles Smith, a sophomore,
with a major in Social Science.