Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 58, No. 2
Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia
October 18, 1982
Frat House Controversy Boils Over
By Robert G. White
In a controversial move by the ad
ministration of Morehouse College, the
four Greek - letter fraternities, Pi Chapter
of Kappa Alpha Psi, Alpha Rho Chapter of
Alpha Phi Alpha, Psi Chapter of Omega
Psi Phi, and Chi Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma
have been required to cease use of the
housing units of Quarles Court.
A letter issued from the desk of Dr.
Brady Butler, Dean of Students, to the
presidents of the fraternities on
September 2, 1982 declares that “it is not
in the best interest of the college to
continue these buildings (the five Quarles
Court units) as fraternity houses; and a ...
decision has been reached to use the five
houses, beginning this academic year, as
general student residences without exter
nal fraternity colors and insignia.”
The fraternity men complied with this
decision but argued that their presence is
in fact beneficial to the school. The move
which has engendered controversy has
Massaquoi Elected Freshman Class President
By Van E. Hill
Nathaniel V. Massaquoi II, a business
administration major from Silver Spring,
Maryland, has been elected freshman
class president after defeating Sidney
Wood by almost a 3 - 1 margin.
Massaquoi pointed out that this year he
will “initiate any feasible projects deemed
necessary in the interest of academic
excellence.” He added that he would not
only like to see the freshman class have a
successful year socially, but will also do his
best to contribute to the betterment of
the school.”
"My ultimate objective for the year is to
promote class unity,” Massaquoi stated.
In this regard, Massaquoi will establish a
cabinet and appoint dorm liaisons. The
dorm liaisons will attend each freshman
class officers meeting, will relay the
agenda of the meeting to the students of
their assigned dormitories, and will take
suggestions from the members of the class
to make this year a successful one.
The cabinet will initially consist of 3
standing committees: The Freshman Class
Student Life Committee, whose purpose
Continued on page 8
its causes some years in the past.
Mr. McFarlane, Director of Dormitory
Life, and himself a member of the Kappa
Alpha Psi Fraternity, relates the history of
the fraternity houses leading to the
decision to reclaim them. The fraternities
signed a contract and began use of the
Quarles Court residences in the fall of
1968 with no real problems for several
years.
“The rapid expansion of the school
about the year 75 or 76,” adds Mc
Farlane, "saw what had been a m inor
housing problem to become critical.
Fraternity men preferred the more
modern and comfortable new dor
mitories, and the number of "Greeks”
actually residing in fraternity houses
eventually dropped below the requisite
eleven (of a possible twenty - two) per
house. Meanwhile there was an in
creasing shortage of available housing for
non - Greeks.”
Continued on page 2
F. D. Commons
Administration Reverses Decision
After hearing that four organizations were planning to protest the ad
ministration’s decision to convert the Fredrick Douglass Commons to a profit
making vending operation, Gregory Groover, the S.G.A. President, called an all
campus emergency meeting in front of the Commons.
Students led by S.G.A. President Groover, sang “Dear Old Morehouse” to show
their solidarity opposing the move by the administration.
The students in an angry mood vowed to boycott the commons if the
administration refused to reconsider its decision. But, Groover appealed to the
students to postpone the boycott and go through the proper procedures on the
matter and then if that failed more drastic measures would be considered. The
students agreed to this proposal.
The next day Groover met with Mr. Wiley Purdue, business manager of
Morehouse College, concerning the Commons. Groover said, "Mr. Purdue was
very understanding.” After an hour long meeting, Mr. Purdue agreed to return the
Commons to the students with two conditions. The first is that all organizations using
the Commons must be approved by the S.G.A., and the second condition is that all
organizations must deposit all monies made in the Commons in their accounts in the
business office.
After the meeting ended Groover said, "I am convinced that Mr. Purdue is
i concerned and interested in the students’ welfare.”
Black College Day Celebrated
By LaVerne Hawkins
The undergraduate institutions of the
Atlanta University Center presented Tony
Brown, noted journalist and host of the
lauded television program “Tony Brown’s
Journal”, as the guest speaker in a
program celebrating Black College Day.
Throughout his address at Spelman’s
Sisters Chapel, Mr. Brown focused on the
point that Black institutions of higher
education are in a constant "struggle for
the minds of our people.”
According to Mr. Brown, the founder
of Black College Day, black people in the
United States suffer from several
delusions which inhibit their success in
this society.
One such myth exits in the idea of
racism. Confusion and ignorance are
synonyms of racism according to Mr.
Brown. He also stated that we, as a people,
use racism as a “scapegoat” for our
problems too often. "We blame
everything on white people,” stated Mr.
Brown.
Another myth which blacks suffer from
is that integration is the key to racial
problems. In opposition to this idea, the
Charleston, West Virginia native said that
“we must love ourselves and help
ourselves before we can obtain
freedom.”
An additional myth mentioned by Mr.
Brown related to our perception or
ourselves as poor and a minority. Statistics
refute this claim. He said thirty million
blacks earned 157 billion dollars and spent
127 billion dollars last year. Despite their
strong economic power, blacks only
invest a small amount in the black
community, while whites invest their
income several times over. He said in
order to destroy these myths and to
survive in America, we must learn to help
our family, friends, and ourselves. Since
"white people like you when you have
something," we must assert our power
and use it in our favor.
Black colleges are the key to our
survival according to Mr. Brown. Educa
tion is something that can be used to our
benefit in this society.
Statistics show that Black colleges
educate more black people more effec
tively. Of the blacks who attend white
colleges only 3 out of ten graduate;
whereas, 7 out of 10 graduate from black
colleges.
In closing, Mr. Brown stressed the
importance of black students supporting
black colleges both spiritually and finan
cially. “Without black colleges we could
not carry on the legacy of our people,” he
said.
After the program, many students
expressed their satisfaction with the
statements that Mr. Brown made. "Tony
Brown’s speech was very enlightening,"
stated Spelman Freshman Nina Cobb.
The idea of Black College Day
originated in 1980 when black college
students marched to Washington, D.C. to
express their suppport for black colleges
throughout the country. Tony Brown was
instrumental in the establishment of this
day.
Photo by Edwin Williams