Newspaper Page Text
Page 6 / Maroon Tiger / November, 1981
Letter to the Editor
Dear Mr. Editor:
“A Morehouse Man is intelligent.” “A Morehouse Man is
worldly.” “A Morehouse Man is a gentleman." These are
qualities I have heard many speakers use during assemblies to
describe the ideal Morehouse Man.
I agree, no doubt, that these are fine qualities for a
Morehouse Man to possess, but in addition to these I would
also like to hear, “A Morehouse Man is well-rounded.” It is my
feeling though, that before this statement can be truthfully
said, Morehouse must improve in an area essential to the
development of a well-rounded individual; this area being
recreation.
I feel that more recreational activities and facilities should
be organized and made available to, and for the use of, the
student body here at Morehouse. This would not only aid the
development of a more well-rounded Morehouse Man. but
also in the development of a healthier Morehouse Man.
The many pressures we face as college students, which
include: social, academic, and for many, economic, tend to
build up tension and anxiety in most individuals. This tension,
whether it be on the consciour or unconscious level, if kept
inside over a period of time can lead to both mental and
physical disorders. Most of us however, release our tension,
and in many different ways. Many of us exhaust our pent up
energy and frustration in forms detremental to ourselves or
others. Some of the most common of these outlets being:
rudeness, lack of concern for property, and use of alcohol or
drugs. There are however, alternative ways of releasing
tension which are healthy and constructive. A prime example
is physical activity, in the form of competitive or non
competitive sports.
Apparently though, the administration is not aware of these
facts, or either they choose to ignore them. These neglegent
feelings are exhibited by the amount of recreational programs
and facilities now available for use by the student body. For
instance, out of 7 days (168 hours) in a week, open gym isonly
offered on two days for an approximate combined total of 5
hours per week. Also out of these 7 days (168 hours) the
swimming is “supposed” to be open for 2 of these days, for an
approximate combined total of 2 hours per week. This
however, has not been the case, because for the past three
weeks, the pool has been closed for at least one of its
scheduled open days. In addition, I have yet to encounter a
functioning ping-pong or pool tableon campus, both of these
being relatively inexpensive forms of recreation which many
students could enjoy.
In conclusion, I would like to impress upon the
administration the fact that more recreational facilities and
activities need to be made available to the student body. It is
my feeling, that if it is the aim of the administration to create
healthy minds; they must also strive to promote healthy
bodies, for the two complement each other both in function
and development. I also feel that when physical fitness and
recreation are further stressed here at Morehouse, the man
who graduates from this institution will not only be:
intelligent, worldly, and gentlemanly, but he will also be a
truly well-rounded individual.
SGA
(Continued from page 6)
Sincerely,
Eric L. Brown
of an individual. The
Frederick Douglass
Commons is like a ghost town
on this campus and again —
student leadership ought to
be in the forefront in
correcting this serious
problem. The architects who
designed Frederick Douglass
Commons designed a game
room which now only needs
games. We ought to rent
games and pool tables and
perhaps even extend our
recreational outlets to
include various residence
hall lounges. Again, the SGA
ought to study and act
responsibly in seeing that the
on-campus and off-campus
students have an enjoyable
day-to-day collegiate lifestyle
which includes hard study
and recreation.
3. The Bowling Alley.
When I visited Morehouse in
1973, it was the first and last
time I actually saw inside our
bowling alley in the
basement of Archer Hall.
Again, student leadership can
and >st act on this problem.
Black Student Roles in the ’80s
by Clinton T. Lacey
The role of the black
student of the 1980’s must be
one of honesty, courage, and
thewill todoforself. Inorder
to understand and manifest
the idea of “Do for self,” we
must look beyond the
classroom. In order to obtain
a true knowledge and an
appreciation of the rich
history and majestic
civilization of Africa, black
students must seek to
educate themselves.
Unfortunately, the
universities of America have
failed to guide black men and
women into becoming self-
sufficient. T h e v have
succeeded in training black
people to get jobs working
for white people, but have
not trailed black people to
start their own businesses and
agencies in the black
community. They have
trained black students to
study at white universities
and at white funded, white
controlled, so-called “Negro
Colleges,” but they have
failed to produce students
who assume the
responsibility of setting up
their own institutions of
learning. The universities of
America have mis-educated
the black mind.
This mis-education is
manifested by the
dependence of Black people
on White America for
everything, from food to
ideas. They have trained
Black students to be
dependent on White
America for all things
necessary to sustain human
life.
Far too many potential
leaders and servants of the
black community have been
mis-educated into thinking
that black people are lost
without the white man.
Obviously, the United States
of America is a macrocosm of
the university, but the point is
that black students must
stand up and dare to bring
knowledge and skills back to
the Black community. Only
then will these so-called
“educations” have any
significance to Black people
as a whole.
The wav the Black man and
woman have been taught to
measure success has turned
out to be a position of
“comfortable lifestyle.”
based on material worth. This
“success” has continued to
support and work for the verv
people and systems that
oppress and exploit the vast
majority of black people. So
let us not seek to have
successful careers for
personal aggrandizement,
but let us become successful
at building up the Black
community for the benefit of
all Black people.
Black students of the 80’s
will have to come to grips
with the responsibilities that
they face. Black students have
the greatest potential to
begin a transformation of
society. The few vears in
college provide an
opportunity for serious study,
thought, and debate. At the
university the students have
the time and powers to
challenge the policies of
America by challenging its
microcosm, the university.
Organized students must . . .
serve as one of the armies of
the Black struggle. At the
university they must fight in
the name of truth and justice,
while raising the level of
consciousness, debate, and
discussion both nationally
and internationally. They
must demand and exercise
their right of academic
freedom. They must do
whatever can be done to
function in the interest of
Black people at large, and
upon graduation, practice
what they preach.
Historically we see a very
profound role for the student
in the struggle to transform
societies and to emancipate
those who suffer from
oppression. Algeria and
South Afrika are prime
examples. Students
protested, fought, bled, and
died in a relentless pursuit of
freedom. The Black students
must engage in a war for their
minds and thus foster Black
unity and organization.
The role of the Black
student in the 80’s must be to
take a stand against mis-
education, suppression of
knowledge, and self-hatred,
in order to become an
i n d e p e n d e n t B I a c k
community. No one else will
do it for them.
Understanding that the mind
of the Black man and women
was never allowed to develop
here in America to a capaicty
for self-determination,
should inspire black students
to take out of the university
what they need, as opposed
to eating up the training
which is dished out. That is. I
mean that they should apply
what they learn toward the
improvement of Black
people and Black life and be
able to discern true
knowledge from the
information on how to be a
“successful Negro.”
If Black students refuse to
work within and for the Black
community, they will all be
but failures at what they have
come to school for in the first
place! Millions of black
people have worked, bled
and died for the Black
students to manifest the
dream of the day when all
Black people, everywhere,
will be free. They must fulfill
the mission.
The role of the Black
student of the ’80’s must be to
live for their people, and die
if it's necessary. The role of
the Black student must be to
do for self, that is, the total
self of Black people. They
owe it to Martin and
Malcolm. They owe it to
those who have died and
those yet unborn. They owe it
to the more than 250 million
who perished on the slave
ships of the white man. The
Black students of the ’80’s
must wake up and be men
and women. They owe it to
themselves, and, yes, they
owe it to God.
Good leadership depends
on good followership. The
SGA this year, thus far, has
failed to lead because they
have not been able to follow
— students.
Ghandi would say: “There
go my people, I must catch
them, for I must lead them.”
It is pure nonsense that the
students cannot collectively,
non-violently change
conditions on this campus
right now.
At a recent General
Assembly, I was not surprised
at the sight of students
attacking the SGA leadership
for not having any decent
answers. Jimmy Hicks has not
told the student body where
he wants to lead us and the
student body out of obvious
ignorance cannot under
stand where we are being led.
Strong leadership must
learn to listen. Strong
leadership must reach out
and include students in every
aspect of student activity. The
blame for the “confusion of
direction” must be placed at
the doorstep of Jimmy Hicks
and Tony Clark who have
failed to reach out and
communicate. They have not
exchanged ideals in a social
setting which is convenient
and purposeful. Playing the
role of a leader to portray an
image is damaging: the image
will catch you and destroy
you if you are not really all
there.
The time for rhetoric is
past; the time for work is
now.