Newspaper Page Text
By Tanya Latimer
News Editor
Everything that’s old is new
again, except the spirit.
According to Dr. Carson Lee,
1953 Clark College graduate,
they had more spirit then than
the students do today, because
their attention centered around
college and its activities.
“Football, especially home
coming, was a big thing
because we did not go
downtown or have other
attractions such as Under
ground Atlanta, clubs or even
cars,” said Dr. Lee. He
explained that cars symbolized
wealth, which was one of the
things they didn’t have. Dr.
Lee stated that they weren’t
allowed downtown and his
fraternity brother was one of
the very few to own a car at
school. Therefore, the student
body was closer, because they
did not have a means of getting
around to as many outside
activities as the students do
today and were almost forced
to interact. “Their focus is split
today and they aren’t as into it
(college) as we were,” added
Dr. Lee, director of Student
Assessment Program, chair-
man of Psychology
Department and professor.
Dr. Isabella Jenkins, also a
1953 graduate of Clark College
and director of the Honors
Program, confirms Dr. Lee’s
perception of homecoming. “It
was a great affair; the stadium
was full and the students were
actively involved,” stated Dr.
Jenkins. Homecoming wasn’t
merely an event for the
students, it was a family affair.
“President James Brawley,
alumni and students actively
promoted school spirit,” said
Dr. Jenkins. She added that
unity is lost today between
students and the faculty
members. However, she attrib
uted this difference to the
change in times.
“Students did not have a lot
of off campus distractions,
cars, charge accounts and
freedom. Today’s generation
is simply more affluent than
we were,” stated Harold
Hamilton, 1952 Clark College
graduate and director of
Alumni Affairs. He added that
Clark Atlanta University’s
(C AU) homecoming is not very
well attended, as opposed to
his days when attendance at
everything was better.
However, Dr. Lee said that
things are picking up. “Things
have gotten better in the last
two or three years,” he stated.
Although small in number,
but large in sound, the band
would help boost school spirit.
“We have always had a band
that executed well, regardless
of its size,” said Dr. Jenkins.
She referred to the present
band director as a product of
Waymond Carver’s continous
cycle.
According to Dr. Jenkins, he
is credited by experts with
introducing the flute as a jazz
instrument. “Carver was one
of the few band directors to
have an opportunity to direct a
Clark College band made up of
100 or more members,” said
Dr. Jenkins. She added that
coincidently, the present band
director, Dr. Alfred D. Watt
Sr., is a product of Carver and
Dr. Watt’s assistants are a
product of his teachings . . .
thus, the “Carver tradition
lives on.”
The size of the school has
increased significantly since
1951 when the enrollment was
500, but the size of the band
hasn’t kept up with the size of
the school. “We don’t have the
number of people we should
have,” stated Dr. Lee, “We
should have a stronger band
with more people.”
Whereas, somethings never
change, CAU’s football records
have changed. “We use to win
more football games back
then,” said Hamilton. Further
more, Dr. Lee supported his
colleagues idea that the
football team was very good,
which led to the support of
athletic functions. “As a result
of segregation, we had big, tall,
tough guys who were no compe
tition to others,” said Dr. Lee.
However, he believes that the
football talent is scattered as a
result of integration. “Many of
our young men who are good
in athletics, don’t attend Black
colleges,” he stated.
Although they didn’t have
the resources that the schools
have today, coronation was
enchanting and enjoyed. “It
was very regal and the
students were dressed,” stated
Dr. Jenkins. She added that
the students would not come in
shorts or jeans because it
would have been regarded as a
sign of no respect. Although
times have changed, there is
still a time and place to wear
everything. Dr. Jenkins said,
“Coronation is a salute time
and there is an appropriate
dress code.” She firmly beli
eves that girls should wear
their finery and boys should be
dressed accordingly. “I shutter
as the sight of inappropriate
dress, because this is a time of
solidarity,” stated Dr. Jenkins.
However, she did add that
some jeans are suitable, if they
can be worn as cocktail or
evening wear.
“There was no coronation
before 1948. Miss Clark College
was merely saluted on the field
at half-time,” said Dr. Jenkins.
Homecoming was such a big
event that it involved the
community. “What happened
at the college also happened in
the community. Even the
people in the community
would get dressed up to attend
the homecoming game,” said
Dr. Jenkins.
All three alumni agreed that
the answer to a successful
homecoming is high school
spirit. Dr. Lee stated, “If
students love their institutions,
it will show through home
coming.” He added that the
students should participate in
mass numbers and exhibit
more school pride in order to
better this year’s festivities.
“If the spirit is good, then
the attendance will be good,”
commented Hamilton.
“And they were sharp,” Dr.
Jenkins emphasized. However,
she agreed that times have
changed and the dress codes
were relaxed.
“Instead of fancy cars, the
queens rode on floats pulled by
tractors. However, we would
borrow Cadillacs and other
luxury cars from people in the
community,” said Dr. Lee.
Dr. Jenkins advised the
student to remember that
although times change, tradit
ions never change. Further
more, she reiterated that
homecoming is a time of
solidarity and should be given
its due respect.
According to her, it wasn’t
until the late 1940s or 1950s
that the queen was elected by
the student body. She stated
that prior to this time, the
queen was chosen by the
athletic group and belonged to
the football team.
There weren’t as many
queens back then, as there are
today. Dr. Jenkins stated, “We
only had Miss Clark College,
her 1st and 2nd attendant,
Miss Loyality, fraternity
queens, a few dorm queens and
Miss UNCF.” Furthermore,
she noted that Clark College
was the first to have a Miss
UNCF and later it spread to
surrounding Black colleges
and universities.
Dr. Lee said, “We all thought
they were the most beautiful
women in the world.” There
were no pageants and the girls
were basically selected for their
looks. He added that to be
asked to escort the queen was
an honor, not a task. “If you
escorted a queen, you were
considered big stuff,” stated
Dr. Lee.
“The ceremonies weren’t
long, but the script fit the
occasion. Also, after the Civil
Rights Movement, the themes
began to take on the African
American concepts,” said Dr.
Jenkins. For example, the 1974
theme was “Rainbow”, as
opposed to the 1990 theme
which strongly embraced
Africa.
Pep rallies and parades
served the same function then
as they do today, except they
were more spirited. “Alumni
were in full view at the pep
rallies and the kids stayed up
all night decorating the floats
and making sure that every
thing was perfect,” stated Dr.
Jenkins. .
The parades today are more
lavish with pretty cars, gowns,
decorations, etc. “We had
floats, stated Dr. Jenkins,
“unlike today where there are
more cars in the parade than
floats.”
By MARK V. OLIPHANT
Contributing Writer
SPIZZIRINCTUM. No, it’s
not a disease! It was the verbal
engine that existed in pep
rallies at old Clark College. In
other words, it’s pep talk.
This is one of the home
coming differences between
the old Clark and the new
Clark, aside from the school’s
name. Pearl Carter Oliphant
(CC ’57), reminisced the excite
ment of homecoming during
her years at Clark (College).
“As I remember home
coming, we had a week of
activities like those existing
today at most schools, except
they were in a different
fashion,” said Ms. Oliphant,
who is an elementary school
teacher residing in Augusta,
Ga. “The most exciting
homecoming activities were
coronation, the Spizzirinctum,
the parade, the dance and, of
course, the game.”
Ms. Oliphant, who was
active with campus organiza
tions such as the YWCA and
the college choir, described the
enthusiasm of the students at
Clark during her matricula
tion.
“Everyone looked forward to
the homecoming activities so
that they dressed up in their
best clothes for every event,
including the game,” said Ms.
Oliphant. “At coronation,
which was held on a Friday
night at Davage Auditorium,
everyone would wear their best
black and red outfit. President
(James P.) Brawley opened the
event with a moving speech
and the queens were
presented.”
The most esteemed campus
queens, according to Ms.
Oliphant were, Miss Clark
College, Miss Homecoming,
Miss Loyalty and Miss United
Negro College Fund.
“The homecoming queens I
can remember are Helena
Miller (Thompson), who was
crowned in 1953; Mary Ann
Cowser from Gadsen, Ala.,
who was crowned in 1955; and
Marian Anderson, who was
crowned in 1956,” said Ms.
Oliphant. “Helena, whom I’ve
seen recently, is in Augusta
and doing quite well. Marva
Nettles Collins, my classmate,
was Miss Loyalty in 1956.”
When asked about the foot
ball team, the first thing Ms.
Oliphant said was . . . Coach
Leonidas “Sonny” Epps.
She said that the whole
student body admired him very
much, including his players,
because of his strong dedica
tion to the athletic program at
Clark. Coach Epps, who
coached all sports at Clark,
came to the college in 1950
after graduating from Xavier
University, according to the
1956 Panther yearbook. He
was awarded as Atlanta Extra
Point club’s “Coach of the
Year,” according to the 1957
Panther yearbook.
“Not only did we admire
Coach Epps for coaching all
the sports (at Clark), but we
admired him for his concern
for the welfare of his players.
Whether we won or lost a game,
he was one who showed good
sportsmanship.”
Ms. Oliphant went on to
describe the most memorable
event during her years at
Clark, the 1956-57 home
coming game against
Alabama State.
“We won that game 13-6,”
said Ms. Oliphant. “There was
a player named James
Touchstone who was an
outstanding and well recogniz
ed player. I remember him
scoring many touchdowns for
Clark, including that game.”
She recalled her acquaint
ance with many of the football
players. Among those she
mentioned were Cornelius
Henderson, James
Touchstone, Jesse McClardy,
Raymond Harris, William
Richardson, Algia Barnett,
Ivan Mullins and Jasper
Kemp.
“When the weather was cold,
we had a long and difficult
time walking to Herndon
Stadium for the games, includ
ing the homecoming games.
But when we won, we forgot
how cold it was and the long
walk ahead of us back to
campus,” said Ms. Oliphant
jokingly.
The dress mode for the home-
coming game was a lot
different then that it is today,
according to Ms. Oliphant.
“Everyone dressed up for the
game, no one wore jeans,” said
Ms. Oliphant.
Another activity Ms.
Oliphant mentioned was the
homecoming dance, of which
everyone wore “after five”
fashions and the music was
rendered by a live band.
“I remember a very talented
young man named Lloyd
Terry, a fellow Clarkite, who
had a band called the Lloyd
Terry orchestra,” said Ms.
Oliphant. “His band rendered
the music for our homecoming
dance.”
She also said that fratern
ities and sororities only
sponsored dances for home
coming and not the present-
day “step shows.”
The halftime performance of
the marching band was also a
sought-after affair, according
to Ms. Oliphant. She said that
Raymond Carver, who directed
the band, had a very good band
with high stepping majorettes.
She named two of the
majorettes: Barbara
Lovingood and Mary Prather.
“President Brawley used to
invite alumni and the campus
queens to a homecoming
reunion at the dining hall,”
said Ms. Oliphant. “And on
the Sunday of homecoming we
would have worship services
led by Rev. Tate in Davage.”