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JANUARY - FEBRUARY, 1968
The Panther
Valentine's Day
by Desdimonia Jones
On most calendars, days have been designated to celebrate
special birthdays and events. Among those outstanding days is
St. Valentine’s Day, February 14. I think it is a very important
day because this is a day when the custom of exchanging love and
appreciation between lovers is expressed.
Although Historians disagree about the identity of St. Valen
tine, it is the prominent belief that Valentine comes on the feast
day of two different Christian martyrs name Valentine. One was
a priest in Rome, and the other was the bishop of Terrni (Inter-
amna). Little is known about these two,
but Historians say they died on the same
day and were buried at different places.
However, the custom of sending “Val
entines” or love-tokens on February 14
has nothing to do with the life of the
sains or to incidents in their lives. This
romantic custom owes its origin to sev
eral conventional medieval beliefs, held
generally in England and France. One is
that at the start of the second fortnight
of the second month, the birds began to
mate. Another belief comes from a fes
tival that took place every February 15
f which honored Jono the Roman goddess
of women and marriage, and Pan, the god of nature. This ancient
Roman lovers’ festival for the young people was called Lupercalla.
Another old belief in connection with Valentine is that it was
bad luck to bring snowdrops into a house before Valentine’s
Day if unmarried girls were in the home and planned to be mar
ried before the year ended. Almost all the Valentines customs
dealt with romance and the choice of mate.
Valentine’s Day, as we know it, has a pleasing affect on
students at Clark. The following are comments and responses of
Clark College students concerning St. Valentine’s Day.
ft’s a nice day, for those who can afford it. I can.t
—A Clarkite
Almost every girl looks forward to Valentin’s Day. Some guys
enjoy this day also. The custom of males giving gifts, such as
cards and candy, is not going out of style. In this way affection
is shown between people who care for each other. However, if a
guy has more than one girl, he might consider this custom old
fashioned because of the finance. Right boys?
—Sandra Dennis
Valentine’s Day is the day all candy loving girls have awaited.
The day that extra girlfriends go sweetless and flowerless. The day
that even the most distant lovers become more distant.
—A Clarkite
I think Valentine’s Day is a day that everyone should discon
tinue manifesting animosity towards each other. I think it is a day
to love and to forgive, ft puzzles me, though, to think that we
should have to set aside a day for people to show appreciation.
Love should not be put away in a treasure chest, but should
always displayed in a free and uninhibited manner.
—Toni Price
I really like Valentine’s Day, or is it the candy I’m thinking of?
On this day the young at heart show their love and affection,
usually, by giving sweets. I know Valentine Day should be an
all-year-round thing, but it’s too expensive to give candy and gifts
every day of the year. I sometimes think I like Valentine’s Day
better than Christmas!
—Winda Akins
For those who like holidays, they should love Valentine’s Day.
However, since this is supposed to be a day for expressing love,
I think this does not have to be shown by gifts and candy, but
by being yourself and showing love for your No. 1. Therefore,
Valentin’s Day should be just another day in the lives of lovers.
—James Walls
CARVER WEEK PROCLAIMED—Pittsburgh, Pa., Mayor Joseph M. Barr signs a pro
clamation declaring George Washington Carver Week in his city the first week
of January. The celebration will be officially recognzed at a Carver Day Luncheon
January 5. With him are the two young ladies who sold him official Carver Week
stamps—Kim Smith and Linda Sue Kohler—and, from left, members of the George
Washington Carver Committee: Dr. Charles Hayes, Pittsburgh Public Schools; John
Cicco, Pittsburgh Diocesan School Board; Dr. J. T. Brennan, Principal of A. Leo
Weil School; Mrs. Lois Weissflog, Gulf Oil Corporation; William R. Maloni, editor
of the Hll House Gazette; Mrs. Roy E. Kohler; Mr. Kohler, Manager, Special
Projects, Gulf Oil Public Relations Department; Dr. Alma lllery, Founder and
National Chairman of Carver Week; John Jordan; Eugene Lesene, Administrative
Secretary of the Carver Committee; and Mrs. W. J. Monchief. Dr. lllery has also
received a Carver Week proclamation from Pennsylvania Gov. Raymond P.
Shafer. The celebration recognizes the greatness of George Washington Carver's
achievements in the fields of agriculture and education.
AFRO-Americanism
(Continued from Last Edition)
The Constitution of PRIDE
begins with the Declaration of
Hope. The Declaration of Hope
reads: “It is our hope that
through the efforts of this organ
ization, blackness will no longer
be a subservient quality. Nor will
blackness continue to remain in
the minds of Afro-Americans as
representative of inferiority, evil
ness, or undesirability. It is the
opinion of this group that our
objectives are in keeping with
the time and only through the
maintenance of such an organ
ization will an awareness of
blackness find its roots in the
minds of the masses of black
people in this country and the
world.”
The leader of P.R.I.D.E.,
called the Executive Chairman,
which is presently being chaired
by James Mays, is the official
spokesman for the organization.
Commenting on “black power”
and he organization of PRIDE,
Mr. Mays remarked, “The prin
cipal solution to the problem of
Negro personality and identity
is the acquisition of power: Po
litical, social, and economic.”
At one of PRIDE’s initial meet
ings, Mays said PRIDE and
black power,” It’s not a weapon
as such. It means hat if the whie
folks want to trample all over
us, we’re still gonna be proud
of being black. We don’t advo
cate any violence, but when the
need arises—.” That statement
was significant because it let the
members of PRIDE know just
what their position was o be.t It
was significant because James
Mays intends to execute the
major purpose of PRIDE—“To
instill within the consciousness
of Afro-Americans the beauty
of their black being, the strength
of their past, and the possibili
ties of their future.
Suggesting the struggles and
aspirations of those persons rea
dy to promote blackness within
black communities throughout
the world. PRIDE, under the
excellent and competent guid
ance of Mr. James Mays and
Mr. Prentiss Cook, will forever
remain a part of Clark’s herit
age. Not until its goal is accom
plished — “to function con
genially with campus and com
munity organizations, foster its
purpose and its identity with the
Black Cultural Revolution” —
then PRIDE’s mainstay on its
superior leaders will be un
hinged. “To instill within the
consciousness of Afro-Ameri
cans the beauty of their black
being, the strength of heir past,
and the possibilities of their fu
ture”, PRIDE must be that
source from which the souls of
black men spring forth to a
greater and brighter vision of
hope.
A Bit of Humor
A peanut was sitting on
the track,
It’s heart was all a flutter.
A speeding train was
coming by,
Toot, toot—peanut butter.
Boy: Are you the barber who
cut my hair the last time?
Barber: Couldn’t be. I’ve only
been here three months.
Alcohol: Something good for
everything but keeping se
crets.
A Message From The 1967-68 Freshman Class
by Geneva L. Ward
Despite the traditional (we have found) attempts by the ad
ministrative staff to lose a Freshman class, this year’s freshman
weathered, “under the frown of night/Starless exposed, and ever-
threatening storms/Of Chaos blistering around,” Orientation Week.
That mental anguish of “painful
lifted, with red and black brui
ses as the evidence.
And now just as Elias Hen
dricks and Johnny Bruce chal
lenged the Freshmen at the In
duction Services, academically
and socially, so are we challeng
ing the rest of the Student Body.
When the first official class
meeting had ended, we, the
Freshman Class, had elected our
class president and reigning 67-
68 class queen, Michael Rogers
and Gwendolyn Prikett respec
tively. Whether our high spirits
will be sustained until Spring is
a challenging question.
By the end of the fourth con
secutive class meeting, our re
maining class officer vancancies
had been filled by:
Quinton Griffin—Vice Presi
dent
Elizabeth Rushing — Secre
tary
Gloria Stubbs — Asst. Secre
tary
Michael Winston—Treasurer
Milton Jones — Business
Manager
Toni Price —- Asst. Business
Manager
School Spirit at Clark is un
doubtedly exemplified not only
by the four separate classes but
also by the entire Teacher and
Personnel Staff conjuncively.
Without this academic and so
cial interplay, we, the Freshman
Class would like a disjointed
sector of a centipede, struggling
helplessly to become a part of
the whole.
In addition to our expressed
desires of being a working part
of the whole, our first unified
display of this school spirit was
conducted at Clark’s first foot
ball game (Herndon Stadium),
where we sat together wearing
our skull caps to cheer our Pan
thers on to victory.
A class of “Firsts” we are try
ing to become. Miss Gwendolyn
Prickett is the first freshman
queen to be exhibited on a float
in Clark’s Annual Homecoming
Parade. We are the first fresh
man class to have a song, a
motto, and a poem. Though
our “firsts” are still few, we will
constantly try to outdo our pre
decessors, with the confidence
that our high aims will not only
be maintained but also ex
ceeded.
COMMUNITY ACTION
(Continued from Page 7)
nesday night, November 29,
1967. Its chairman, Miss San
dra Swans tentatively ejected
ideas as to the nature of the im
mediate and future projects of
the committee. And too, sug
gestions were given by several
of its members. She stated, how
ever, that “the efforts of the
committee members must be
sincere, whole-heartedly in
volved and faithful in order to
accomplish a rewarding end.”
The first endeavor for the
month of December is that of a
“clothing campaign.” We solicit
the full cooperation of both the
faculty and student body—(city
students included). Details con
cerning the campaign will be
posted by the members of the
CAC. Annie Washington
superstition and blind zeal” was
Just as any substantial writing
needs a plan, so do we,, need
guidance. And this year we’re
being guided by two friends and
excellent advisors, Miss E. G.
Hooks and Mr» I. P. Hakeen.
While this is already the
twelfth week of school, we are
still adjusting, yet all I’ve said
we are—WE ARE.
AMEN
by Johnny Bruce
In the last issue of the “Pan
ther,” I recall a young lady writ
ing about religion. She noted
that her strong religious con
viction had been shattered. In
this article, I will attempt to en
courage her and encourage re
ligious freedom at Clark.
I believe that our religious be
liefs, whether it be Isalm, Hin
duism or Christianty, should be
questioned. We are here to grow
intellectually and spiritually. If
our religion is questioned, in
light of the views of others, we
can become stronger believers.
Some might say “if you ques
tion may religion, I tend to lose
faith.” If one loses faith that
easily, I do not think there was
a strong conviction in the begin-
ing. Religion should not blind
us with complacences. Who are
we to feel that others can not
question our religious beliefs?
I do not feel that there is a
hierarchy of religion. They all
are relative to the society in
which you live. Therefore, when
our religion is quesioned, we
can see the good and bad in our
religions as well as other re
ligions.
Religion is an exclusive right
of an individual’s choice, be it a
love for Buddah, or Allah. On
the contrary, I do not think par
ents should refrain from teach
ing their children some type of
religion. Why? Because, chil
dren do not have the mental
maturity that adults have; as a
result some form of guidance
is needed. However, after chil
dren have acquired an astro
nomical awareness of the sur
rounding world, they should be
released from paternalism of this
fashion.
To me, this is analogous to
the manditory Chapel programs
at Clark. If college students are
seeking character self-hood, and
intellectual maturity, why would
it be mandatory to serve the
Lord as one wishes. We haven’t
any compelling forces saying we
should not flunk, or stay in Col
lege. Therefore, it is time Clark
gave students a choice as to
worship God or not. In that, it
is not psychologically whole
some for mature development.
NEWS DEADLINE
February
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