Newspaper Page Text
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November 12, 1968
THE PANTHER
Page 15
Student Power
(Cont. from Page 1)
on Spelman College’s campus just the other day. This incident
was witnessed by Robert Terrell, a student at Morehouse College.
On Wednesday, November 6, a small group of Black students
from the Atlanta University Center removed a young white speech
teacher from her classroom, because she allegedly called one
of her students a “jackass.” The action took place at the Spelman
Fine Arts building and the instructor, Mrs. Justine Gianetti, was
told by the students that she was being fired.
“Your statement was indicative of your racist attitude; and we
do not intend for you to teach here, anymore, ” said one of the
students.
The students seemed to be well organized. They began entering
the building in ones and twos, at 1 p.m. Each group went straight
to Mrs. Gianetti’s classroom. At 1:15, there were about twenty
present. The gathered around Mrs. Gianetti and suggested that
she leave. When she refused, they took her by the arms and escorted
her from the building.
She attempted to re-enter the building several times but was un
successful, because the students had stationed themselves shoulder
to shoulder in front of the entrances.
At 1:20, two officers (McCoy and Caine) from the Atlanta Univer
sity Security Patrol Force arrived. They demanded that the ■
students allow Mrs. Gianetti to return to her classroom. “If
you don’t want to go to class, you don’t have to—but, she’s going
back in,” said Officer McCoy.
“She doesn’t teach here anymore,” replied several of the students.
“You’re going about this the wrong way. You should go to Dr.
Manley,” said Officer McCoy who insisted again that Mrs. Gianetti
be allowed to re-enter her classroom. When Officer McCoy realized
that the students did not intend to heed his demands, he moved
away from them and began to speak into his walkie talkie.
At 1:25, a cruiser from the Atlanta Police Department pulled up
in front of the Fine Arts building. It was manned by Patrolman
J. T. King. Patrolman King got out of his car and conferred briefly
with the two Security Patrol officers. He, then, approached the
students and suggested that they allow Mrs. Gianetti to re-enter
her classroom. They refused to do so.
“You guys are betraying your own people,” said one of the stu
dents to the two Security officers and Patrolman King—all of whom
are Negroes. Another student told Patrolman King that he could
enter the building, but he would not be allowed to take Mrs. Gianetti
with him.
After conferring with the two Security officers again, Patrolman
King and Officer Caine entered the building — without Mrs. Gianetti.
They took positions in the lobby directly behind the students who
were still massed in front of the three entrances to the building.
By 1:30, there were approximately sixty students in front of the
building. Some of them were from Mrs. Gianetti’s interrupted
speech class. Others said that they were attracted to the scene
by the commotion and the patrol car. There were approximately
twenty students, blocking the entrances to the building.
Some of the students were passing out a one-page leaflet which
contained the following statement:
“On November 4, at Spelman College, a white instructor of public
speaking clearly displayed her natural inability to relate to Black
students, when she referred to a member of her class as a ‘jackass. ’
This incident clearly reflects the racist and oppressive character
of our institutions. For some strange reason, our administrations
are unable and/or unwilling to deal with this situation.
DO OUR ADMINISTRATORS REALLY RESPECT US AS BLACK
STUDENTS? IF SO, WHY DO THEY ALLOW RACISM TO CON
TINUE TO EXIST ON OUR CAMPUSES?”
With her arms crossed, Mrs. Gianetti was sitting quietly on the
wall enclosing the shrubbery about 15 feet from the entrance
to the building. None of the students spoke to her and though she
seemed to be upset, she didn’t speak to them. At 1:35, she walked
up to officer McCoy and told him, “I’m not going to stay here much
longer.”
McCoy urged her to stay and told her that she would be escorted
back into the building. “No, she won’t,” replied several students
who accused McCoy of being a “traitor” to his race. When Mrs.
Gianetti finished talking to McCoy, she approached the entrance
of the building and spoke to the students.
“Anyone going to class, go ahead. Anyone going any place else,
go ahead. All you other fellas take off, ” said Colonel Briscoe.
Nobody moved. The students told him that they intended to re
main in front of the building and “use any means necessary”
in order to keep Mrs. Gianetti from re-entering the building.
C olonel Briscoe did not force the issue.
Mrs. Gianetti decided to leave at 1:48. She walked slowly from
the campus unaccompanied. The students remained in front of'
the entrances, until they were certain that she would not return.
“This was purely a racial thing,” said one of the students, “We
don’t believe that all white instructors are racists, but there are
some others around here with whom we may have to deal in the
same way.”
At 2:00, the entrances to the building were clear and the students
were gone.
As you can readily see, the students are becoming more active
in the exercise of their newly sought goal, to be respected and re
cognized. They feel that the time to act is now. They want to be
justly recognized as a functioning part in the mechanism called
life. Allowances must be met and provided so that they may con
tinue to strive and achieve awareness.
Another search of awareness was perpetrated by the students
of Clark College. They sought an answer to the out-dated custom
of curfews, compulsory class attendence, and standardized dress.
The students organized a meeting that was held in Davage Audi
torium on Friday, November 8, where proposals were made to
remedy those given situations. The proposals were acted against
various instructors present and finally taken to higher officials on
Saturday morning, Nov. 9 at 10 o’clock. The proposals were to
eliminate all curfews governing the students, particularly the young
i
CAN YOU DIG IT?
SIMON SAYS “LEFT HAND ON HIP...”
Homecoming
(Cont. from Page 1)
Representatives of the various Greek Fraternities and So
rorities were the following:
Miss Omega Psi Phi-Peggy Noble, Miss Kappa Alpha Psi-
Barbara Hart, Miss Alpha Phi Alpha-Grenez Fretwell, Miss
Phi Beta Sigma-Jacqueline Hamm, Miss Archonian Club of
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority-Rose Marie Jordan.
The dormitory queens were as follows: Miss Brawley Hall-
Ruth Robinson, Miss Holmes Hall-JoAnne Adams, Miss Kresge
Hall-Brenda Myatt, Miss Pfeiffer Hall-Alma Smith.
ladies, to have no complusory class attendance - meaning the
students would have unlimited “cuts” in classes and accepted the
responsibility of passing the courses and finally to have their own
discretion exemplified by choosing their own casual wear to class
and about campus.
As a result of the student requests, the administration has
given tentative approval, provided some reasonal safeguards can
be provided concerning curfew hours for female students.
These are just a couple of steps in the movements for student
awareness and freedoms exercised by the fight for more student
power.
With a firm belief in themselves and the will to establish truth,
there will always be a way.
♦
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