Newspaper Page Text
Sept. 15, 1977
Maroon Tiger
On behalf of the illustrious
upper-classmen, I would like to
From time to time, as the Maroon Tiger enters its 80th year, we
will publish stories of controversy from past issues. This Letter to
the Editor was published two years ago. All comments are THE CLASS OF "82
welcome.
Letter to the Editor
The
Spelman Myth!
This editorial is addressed to those warriors at Morehouse who
like to saunter through The Yard searching for a realization of
their expectations in asserting their manliness. Accordingly, it is
to inform them of the feminine fantasy they may encounter
which comprises the Spelman myth of black womanhood.
The social milieu of The Yard may be characterized as nos
talgic, southern aristocratic, and artificially sophisticated. A
thorough psychoanalysis of any randomly chosen number of
Spelman women will reveal that the feminine image they strive i
to project stems from an inner black identity escapism. Perhapste
this is due to the transmitted broad conceit to tune in thef§
freshman Spelmanites on what a ‘Spelman woman’ is. This is |
where the root of the problem lies for a ‘Spelman woman’ is not. *
The purgation involves a warping of the freshman Spelmanite |
mentality that she represents the ne plus ultra of black |
womanhood. She is supposed to be a sacred idol of worship in the g-
eyes of the black man - - an immediate ‘black goddess’incarnate.
Her social status, regardless of its previous state, rises to 212
degree F. indicative of her ‘high blood’.
At this point, she becomes a delirious Delilah whom no black
Samson should entrust his love to. The final catharsis is
expected to deliver (C.O.D.) into the sinewy arms of a black man
the essence of black womanhood. However, the only thing this
psychedelic plastic surgery accomplishes is a desexualized,
sterile, frigid and piebald female. Instead of receiving a fertile,
fervid pin-up to enhance his lonely walls, the black man obtains
a barren brassiere let down. From bulging breast to bulbous
boogie, a black man desires a real black woman with foxy ges
tures - - not a black mannequin to tailor his love to.
Many Morehouse men are migrating to Clark and Morris
Brown to do their black women watching and catching in pursuit
of genuine excitement and satisfaction. Actually, many
Morehouse men (particularly members of the Glee Club) consider
Bennett College their sister institution. They find it harder to
make an active play at Spelman against its nostalgic inertia.
They are not arthirst for the mercerized hairdoes, grease-paint
cosmetics, and stepladder shoes black female assimilationists
with obsolete values. They prefer to leave these black female
haunts in the attic where they belong. Instead, they appreciate
black women who have come home to blackness ready to cross
with them the threshold of the future.
Throughout the Spelman social milieu, a black man may en
counter Helens of Troy, somber Mona Lisas, and Scarlett O Hara
fever.
From being caught in the tenents of the southern aristocratic
tradition, some Spelman gals have created the epithet “House
Boy.” Presumably it refers to a Morehouse student who is
inexperienced in the affairs of a woman. However, these
Spelman gals fail to realize that Morehouse men are taught to
treat people the way they act. If they desire black men, then they
should conduct themselves as black women. These Spelman gals
are comparable to Southern Belles, well versed in Southern eti
quette, occupying the mantle of social grace. These cotton kittens
purr when not receiving ravenous looks from their blackmen.
That is because their black men can make out more realistically
with a prostitute than with'a plantation portrait. Moreover, these
black men want black women who will authenticate the orgas
mic ecstasy they achieve together as something more sen
sational than a Disney World fireworks display.
Evidently, the feminine masquerading a black man observes
at Spelman would make a good ‘cover story’ on black
womanhood. It is pathetic to know that many of the incoming
Spelman freshman will become black female harlequins under
the duress of a fictitious myth. The metamorphosis they will go
through will take them from the spring of their black
womanhood to winter. The only benefit they can reap from this
experience is isolation and neglect from their tall, dark, and
handsome brothers.
They can move into a finer state of black femininity by cater
ing to their love-starved brothers - - real black womanhood. These
realistic black lovers can engender together a sepia satin
skinned chrysalis from which will emerge the perpetuation of
their tomorrow.
A realistic brother
G. Battle
Looking for
A realistic sister
HELP"!
Cafeteria Turns
New Leaf
sincerely
freshmen
students.
As you
Morehouse
welcome all
and transfer
will soon learn,
College is an
experience surpassed by none
other. Enjoy yourself, have fun
and grow.
For those of you who have
not had the opportunity to eat
in the cafeteria you are in for a
pleasant surprise. We now
have plates and dishes to eat
from, real trays to carry them
on and honest to goodness
silverware.
Upon entering the serving
area one is bombarded with
“may I help you, sir?” or “what
would you like, sir?” To be
honest with you, I couldn’t
believe it at first, especially
since it is the same staff which
was here last year.
The cafeteria is under new
management and is trying
very hard to make things as
pleasant as possible. So as we
can all see, the cafeteria staff is
doing their job and now it’s our
turn.
As of the close of freshmen
week, not one single try was
left on the table by someone
who was to lazy or didn’t have
enough pride to take it back.
This is a very commendable
impression that the freshmen
have shown. The cafeteria was
so orderly that Wiley A.
Perdue, Morehouse’s business
manager, actually ate among
the students.
I hope and pray that the
upperclassmen will follow suit
and conduct themselves as
true Morehouse Men. Let’s face
it, we are only disrespecting
and hurting ourselvtes by leav
ing our trays on the tables.
It truly looks like the
cafeteria staff is turning over a
new leaf, so let us as students
keep up with the changing
times and turn over a new leaf
also.
Respectful^,
Dargan Burns III
Religion on Campus
Page 3
Letter to the Editor
Administration
Supports Parent
During the first day of
freshman week 1977, an in
cident took place which
showed a lack of understan
ding and brotherhood so
readily found in the black
college community.
The parents of an entering
freshman were unsatisfied
with their son’s roomate. The
father started an altercation
during which he overturned a
table and physically assaulted
the college administrator in
charge of housing.
I was proud of the way Mr.
Mac Farlin and his student as
sistants handled the tense
situation. Their actions
showed a bond of brotherhood
which Morehouse College
promotes and strives to main
tain.
The parents of the entering
freshman eventually took
their complaints to the ad
ministrators in Harkness Hall.
It is my understanding that
after hearing their grievances,
one administrator
immediately placed his sup
port behind the parents. If
there had ever been a time for
the administration to sieze the
time to back up the actions of
Mr. Mac Farlin, it was at that
moment.
It is difficult, to imagine that
an administration of a college
such as Morehouse, having
produced students, staff, ad
ministrators and alumni who
have in the past worked
together when in the right,
would show such a lack of
togetherness during the same
week used to emphasize and
instill brotherhood and the
Morehouse Spirit upon
the Freshman Class.
I mentioned this incident
solely to say that this is one of
the few times that the adage
“Do as I say do, not as I do,” is
readily applicable in the form
of “Do as the administration
says do, not as they do.” or did
in this case.
Just as the students and ad
ministration members in
volved in this incident worked
together, so must we the
students work as a united
group if we are to attempt to
have any say about the cam
pus situation this year.
by Claude A. Ford, Jr.
by Vincent Smith
Preachers are pimps.
Church people are hypocrites.
Deacons go to bed with all of
the women. These are just
some of the excuses that people
give for not going to church.
I am one of the first to admit
that the above statements are
true in some cases. God did not
make us perfect. Are are all
fallible to sin and we all make
mistakes. Each week we all sin
in thought word and deed. But
my trust is not in the preacher,
the deacons or in church
members. It’s in Jesus Christ.
If I believe that Jesus Christ
lives in me, which is the
essence of Christianity, I will
not be persuaded by what
others do. So those of you who
have stopped believing in God
for this reason, ask yourself
“Will I suffer eternal dam
nation because I let some finite
human lead me astray or will I
abide in eternal peace and hap
piness because I have a strong
rooted trust in Jesus Christ?’
If you have any comments
please drop me a line in Box
681.