Newspaper Page Text
Page 2
January, 1948
MAROON TIGER
Student Government Must
Meet Present Needs
- By Robert E. Johnson-
On May 15, 1931 a set of regulations was drawn up by student
leaders of Morehouse College, approved by the administration and
adopted by the student body, thus creating an institution which
served as an agency of control over campus problems.
The administration, implementing its social philosophy which
recognizes the need and value of developing lofty standards ox
citizenship and the growth of character which would result,
granted the student body the power to exercise jurisdiction in
certain areas of our campus life.
During its infant stage, the student government began to
acquire a dynamic personality given it by such campus leaders
as Kenneth Days, first president of the student body, Emory O.
Jackson, W. N. Jackson, Charles Bonner, James A. Colston and
L. C. Archer.
But like all living organisms it began to grow and expand. In
the intervening years the college continued its growth.
A constitution which met the needs of our then small Christian
college no longer meets the demands since the conditions for
college living have undergone many alterations. But, although
we now have a different situation, we have neglected to modify
or change the rules and regulations that govern us. As a result,
the utility of the constitution both to the college and students
has become almost ineffective; yet it survives.
Although its right to continue its existence in such a listless
state may be open to questioning, we are not surprised that it is
still with us, for such is the characteristic behavior of any insti
tution. Moreover, the fact that it was created for a constructive
purpose is an argument for its continued existence. So it is the
responsibility of the student functionaries to revitalize and give
new direction to this important governing agency.
It is clear that a change in time necessitates a change in gov
ernment. This observation resulted in a study made by this writer
of the present governmental set-up. This study reveals that,
among other things, a definite weakness in our student govern
ment has been a lack of a standard operating procedure in regard
to using the money as the different approved budgets call for.
For the most part, the Bursar, in spite of having an approved
budget from activities participating in the student fund, has, in
his refusal to acknowledge bona fide requisitions submitted by
some of the activities, caused confusion, unnecessary delay in
expediting the payment of bills, mailing of correspondence and
increased the diffculty of getting immediate accounting service.
Such a condition not only reflects poor government; it renders
a hardship on those students holding office. It builds up a fallacious
conception in the minds of students that their part in student
government is limited to administrative “rubber stamps.” This
should not be so.
The time demands that we give redirection to our student
government!
Alma Mater Suffers From
Overdose Of Satisfaction
iBy BARNEY E. RUTLEDGEs
It has been rightfully said that satisfaction does more than
any other factor to retard human progress. One can easily fine
historical and current substantiation for such a statement by
reading authentic Negro history, and by observing the actions
and reactions of the present Morehouse student body.
Many of the better thinkers of today agree that historically,
Negroes have been classified as a group that is easily satisfied;
consequently, many of the so called learned people of the group
accept and are satisfied with inefficiency in religious, educational
and social leadership. And of course, the ultimate results of such
naive satisfaction will be found in the fact that our future leaders
—like their predecessors—will be of the group that will close its
eyes to the evils of society, and therefore, discredit the cause of
true leadership.
As one moves about the Morehouse campus, if he is alert at
all, he must be alarmed by the evidence of satisfaction and non
chalance on the part of Morehouse men with respect to the
problems around them.
It is logical to assume that the reader is becoming inquisitive
as to what constitutes some of these problems that should be
the concern of Morehouse men. Well, to begin with, we might
mention the very crude manner in which the men eat in the
dining hall. It is a common thing to be served uncut meat in the
dining hall, without being given a knife to cut it with. Then the
conduct of some of the men in the dining hall is so boisterous
and uncouth that it is deplorable. Another example could be the
condition of the recreation room in Sale Hall. The daily appear
ance of the recreation room is such that it should be beneath
the dignity of a Morehouse man to socialize there. As a matter
of fact, I know of few places to equal it when it comes to filth
It is very important that college men be constantly a part of a
environment, and of course, sawing meat with forks, drinking
water out of dingy glasses daily, and socializing in filthy recreation
rooms could hardly be considered a part of such an environment.
However, the shocking thing about it all is not the fact that these
conditions exist, but rather the fact that Morehouse men, who
are future leaders, aparently are satisfied with them. When we
mention these social maladies to most of the men on the campus
they simply pass it off with a shrug of the shoulders, or an in
different answer. One is also made to wonder why there hasn’t
been some official rectification of some of these conditions.
Most of our gripes are petty in nature. For example, we often
gripe about the quantity of the food, but seldom about the
quality of it. We gripe about the need for facilities in the recre
ation room, but never about the condition under which we mus +
use the ones we have now.
Yes, we all love Morehouse and her much cherished tradition
“Say/ Ole 0, did the Bursar say he would requisition some coal?”
Things Are Happening
Which We Should Hate
■By Robert B. James-
DO WE HATE MOREHOUSE?
This seems at first an unusual question to ask. We usually think
of hate as being a negative feeling. It is not with that kind of
hate that I am concerned—the dark, personalized and evil kind of
hatred. It is not directed at any person or groups of persons, but
at evil.
There are things happening to us here at Morehouse which we
should hat^. Whether you know it or not, delinquency on our
campusT has reached a very serious stage. What is still more
alarming is that we as students have shown such a marked in
difference to what is happening to us.
I am a member of the college Advisory Committee and what
I have heard and seen while serving on this committee has
prompted the writing of this article. Time and time again I have
heard fellows say that acts of delinquency are being committed
but they weren’t parties to them. It seems that fellows from the
city and from other schools use our facilities for gambling pur
poses. Does Morehouse mean so little to us that we will allow its
name and ours to be blackened by someone who has no connection
whatsoever with the school? They have little to lose. It is the
Morehouse student—past, present and future, who is the loser. I
have said this before but I think it bears repeating. Morehouse is
our school. It is only as good or as bad as we make it. Its more
than the buildings. It’s the strength and weaknesses of all the
people who have ever come here—the result of all the interest
and disinterest which have been manifested in it.
Hate what is happening to us. Let yours be a constructive hate
—a hatred of evils, of acts and not of individuals. That it is not
an easy type of hate, I don’t doubt, but the end result justifies
the effort to be put forth. Our objective is to develop ourselves
and our school as fully as possible. Hate all the obstacles which
hinder our attaining this end.
YOUR CHANCE
Dear Sir:
The United States Government is
earnestly requesting that the news
paper fraternity give its whole
hearted support to the accelerated
and intensified campaign for the sale
of Savings Bonds which is being
launched during the next two months.
The increased sale of Savings
Bonds is a most important part of
our nationals financial policy. The
continued success of the Savings
Bond Program will extend the own
ership of our national debt and con
tribute towards placing our debt
structure on a sounder and less eco
nomically hazardous basis. It will go
a long way towards absorbing the
excessive individual purchasing pow
er which is now adding strength to
the inflationary pressures.
As an economy measure, the Treas
ury Department has had to strictly
curtail its Savings Bond Division. To
a vital extent, we must rely on busi
ness and professional men, industri
alists, retailers, farmers, bankers,
and workers, to voluntarily cooperate
in the sale of these bonds. The news
papers of the nation have played,
both during and following the war,
a conscientious and extremely worthy
role in promoting and encouraging
these sales.
We ask you, by your continued
support, to insure the liberal Shar
ing of your community in this pres
ent program—a program designed to
widen the ownership of our nation
al debt, to build up our community
financial reserves, and to provide for
the security of the individual and
the nation.
Sincerely,
JOHN W. SNYDER
Secretary of the Treasury
but that love should inspire us to work hard to rectify the exist
ing problem at Morehouse, rather than accept them with a kind
of collective satisfaction. We firmly believe that the most pro
gressive people are the most dissatisfied ones, for satisfaction and
stagnation are synonymous.
Wake up men of Morehouse and become dissatisfied, or continue
to sleep, and remain stagnant.
Editor’s Note: James Mack, regular editorial writer, will resume his column in the next
issue of the Maroon Tiger. Barney Rutledge, associate editor, takes over Mack’s column space
this issue.
THE MAROON TIGER
The Voice of the Students of Morehouse College
FOUNDED IN 1898 BY TIMOTHY WILLIAMS
The Maroon Tiger is owned and published monthly by students of Morehouse College,
Atlanta, Ga. Telephone MAin 9970. Entered as second-class matter at Post Office, Atlanta.
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College Presidents .
Urge Students To
Apply For Grants
NEW YORK.—Presidents of 172
leading colleges have issued a call
for Negro students to apply for ten
thousand scholarships. These presi
dents comprise the Board of the Col
lege Scholarship Fund for Negro
Students.
The Fund helps Negro students
to finance their education at 968 in
ter-racial, non-segregated institu
tions. According to Fund officials,
few Negro Students realize that
thousands of scholarships are avail
able to them.
Students are urged to send theii
names and addresses to College
Scholarship Fund for Negro Stu
dents, Room 462, 360 West 122nd
Street, New York 27, N. Y. The
Fund is supported by voluntary con
tributions and therefore offers its
services free of charge.
Morehouse Wins
Highest Rating
At its annual meeting, the As
sociation of American Universi
ties, voted to place the names
of Atlanta University, More
house College and Spelman Col
lege on the list of approved in
stitutions whose qualified grad
uates are admitted to graduate
schools of the Association. This
is the highest accreditation pos
sible for an educational institu
tion to receive in this country.
The Association of American
Universities is an organization
of graduate schools. Before in
cluding a college or university
on its approved list, the Asso
ciation takes into consideration
the character and quality of the
student body; the faculty and
the conditions under which it
works; the administration of the
institution; its library, labora
tories and educational facilities;
its curriculum and its character
as an institution, and the schol
arly achievements of its grad
uates.