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AN INTROSPECTION
TRUE SPORTSMANSHIP IN FOOTBALL
The Negroes of America are continuing unabated in
their fight to destroy the harriers of segregation. Although
moves to destroy segregation have existed since the issue
of the Emancipation Proclamation, there seems to he
but little progress towards success. This is due, I be
lieve, to the technique used by our race leaders who pro
fess to be leading us towards social equality. These rec
ognized leaders, for the most part, propound ideas, de
signed to alleviate the race problem, that tend to create
a conviction that the Negro is segregated because he pos
sesses physical characteristics totally dissimilar to those
of the whites. It is on these grounds that I disagree with
the mass of our race leaders.
It is a natural tendency for one to pay scant respect to
anyone whose economic status is disproportionately be
low his. A poor man is looked down upon by every one.
The truth is the Black Man is not hated so much because
he is black, but rather because he is poor,
he is black, but rather because he is poor. Those race
leaders who proclaim the genuineness and quality of
black inevitably realize from their efforts no consequen
tial effects. It is not as impressive to talk of what you
have done or what you can do as is it to do.
Let us produce on a larger scale our own material
wealth; let us raise the standard of living of the Negro
to a point of decency; let us contribute something essen
tial, even indispensable, to the civilization of America;
then it is inevitable that the greater portion of the whites
will cast aside their traditional segregation and admit us
into their folds. By enhancing our economic status, re
member, we are simply doing our duty. And when we
have done our duty we shall be respected. Clarence Dar-
row once said, “Beggers or tramps are seldom if ever
respected.”
—By D. George Sampson.
AN HONOR SOCIETY AT MOREHOUSE COLLEGE
By Samuel L. Thorpe, Jr.
I have been thinking rather seriously about this sub
ject since I have been here at Morehouse. In trying to
find some medium through which one might ascertain the
incentive for students to take a greater interest in their
school work, I came upon the idea of an Honor Society.
This honor society would have a certain standard, much
like our present honor system, but with more organiza
tion and a definite constitution to follow. These ideas,
laws and standards require quite a bit of forethought in
order that they shall be sufficiently effective. The fact
that the membership would be limited to those of a pos
sible “B” average would, of necessity, make the organi
zation the most exclusive one on the campus.
I think that we, as a group of students, matriculated in
a very democratic institution, should discuss this ques
tion with the administrative officers and among ourselves.
PATRONIZE MAROON TIGER ADVERTISERS,
THEY CHAMPION OUR CAUSE!
Listening to an informal utterance, in one of our chapel
exercises, relating basically to true sportsmanship in foot
ball, and at the same time bearing in mind a few facts
which John R. Tunis relates in his essay, “The slump in
Football Common,” I came to this conclusion: Football
is at present undergoing rigid censorship because of the
large number of casualties that have seemingly domi
nated its statistics for the past few years. It cannot be
denied that football is a “rough game;” and, at the same
time, no one can deny that quite a large number of cas
ualties could he avoided if (in the mind of the player )
there were as dominant a desire for true sportsmanship
as there is for fame. For myself, I have always been an
enthusiastic follower of America’s foremost sport; and
I have seen all sorts of displays of both good and bad
sportsmanship, hut I shall never forget some of the
games played in the Southwestern conference—one of
which won for its participants my undying respect. The
day had been a cold rainy one. The playing field was a
veritable “hog-wollow.” The players on the field were
representations of what had once been clean, vigorous
men. The strain was certainly telling on them, and it
could be plainly seen on all faces. There had been no
scoring. The game was far into the third quarter; finally,
out of a play that had been used a number of times came
the turning point of the game. Team “X” sent a man
scoring across the goal line at the precise moment
of the “game-over” gun. The followers of team “Y”
challenged the authenticity of such action; here
came the evidence of true sportsmanship! Team “X”
condescended to play the play over again, risking the
possibility of losing a game that was by technical ruling
“in the bag.” The play was made; consequently they
lost!
No matter what may be said in a case of this sort—
maybe they were foolishly eager—it is sincerely the sort
of sportsmanship that should dominate if football is to
remain popular and safe.
—Robert Deadmon, ’34,
By doing this, I am of the impression that both the merits
and demerits of such an organization may be viewed
objectively.
With the full cooperation of both the students and the
administrators, we can see no reason why this organiza
tion should not be functioning by the beginning of the
second semester and its membership determined on the
basis of first semester grades of the student body.
I hope you will give this idea some thought if you, as
I. believe it will tend to sway student opinion toward a
higher scholastic average.
Officials at the University of Oklahoma have started a
compaign against “Day Light Petting and Handholding.”
The student council president admits the charges, but
says the situation is not acute.
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