Newspaper Page Text
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Page 14/The Maroon Tiger/February 17, 1983
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F eatures
Mr. Blue And White
And The Winner Is...
Mr. & Mrs. Blue & White; Al
Vivien and Myla Churchill
(Photo by Frank Brevard)
by Terri Jackson
Al Vivian, a twenty-one year
old senior majoring in business
administration, was selected Mr.
Blue and White at the annual
Blue and White Pageant held
Thursday, January 20 at 8:00
p.m. at the Peachtree Plaza’s
Grand Ballroom. Nine con
testants, four males and five
females, vied for the titles of Mr.
and Miss Blue and White. There
were originally five males, but
one male contestant withdrew
prior to the pageant. Prior to
becoming a contestant for the
pageant a male had to be
nominated by a Spelmanite. Any
individual who accepted the
nomination was later inter
viewed by the Blue and White
Committee, who then chose the
top five males and top five
females to compete in the
pageant. This was the first year a
Miss Blue and White and her
Court was selected. Myla
Churchill was bestowed that
honor, while Deirdre Barrett and
Shawna Napper were named first
and second attendant, respec
tively. The judging criteria con
sisted of demonstrating a talent
and expressing yourself freely on
the topic of your choice. Par
ticipation in extra-curricular
activities was also a plus for the
contestants. First attendant to
Mr. Blue and White is Darryl
Fortson from Chicago, Illinois.
Second attendant is Robert F.
“Bobby” Lewis, III, from
Memphis, Tennessee.
A profile on Mr. Blue and
White would reveal a loving,
caring, and concerned person.
An Atlanta native, Al feels that
the title of Mr. Blue and White
symbolizes respect for
womanhood, Blackness and
seriousness. Al loves the idea of
pageants only if they are carried
out in good taste as this one was.
Actually for him it was time well
spent and if he had the chance
he would do it over again. At first
he was a bit hesitant about
participating, but with a little
prodding from his girlfriend he
finally relented. “Actually it was
a good idea and I had a lot of
fun,” said Al.
For his talent, Al entertained
the audience with an original
poem simply titled “Black Girl"
and accompanied himself on the
bongos. “Black Girl” dealt with
the struggles of Black women,
past and present. Reality was his
topic for the free expression
portion of the pageant.
Describing himself as a frater
nal person, Mr. Blue and White
expresses concern with the lack
of unity and compassion in the
Black community. He rejects the
“I got mine, now you get yours”
attitude so often voiced today.
APs philosophy for life is "Life is
what you make it, strive and
endure, God be willing, you’ll
succeed in whatever you do.”
Al Vivian is not only Mr. Blue
and White, but Mr. Alpha Kappa
Alpha at Clark also.
During his matriculation at
Morehouse, he has maintained
membership in R.O.T.C. Ex
ecutive Staff, Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, Cavaliers, and
Pershing Rifles Military Fraterni
ty and Drill Team. Photography,
karate, and gymnastics are just a
few of his hobbies. In addition,
he enjoys meeting people and
going to the movies. Upon
graduation from Morehouse, Al
will become an Army ad
ministrator and personnel of
ficer during his three year com
mitment. Right now he is
undecided whether or not he
will make a career of the military,
but he would eventually like to
have his own business in the
advertising and marketing
world.
First attendant to Mr. Blue and
White is Darryl Fortson. Darryl is
a nineteen year old junior major
ing in biology. Darryl voiced
pleasure and surprise in being
nominated, which was truly an
honor in itself. Although he has
been in previous pageants this is
the first time he has had the
opportunity to demonstrate his
singing ability. Darryl performed
a Larry Graham composition
“J ust Be My Lady” to a swooning,
largely female audience.
Darryl stated that people
should dedicate their lives to
helping and caring about others
during his chance to freely
express himself. Surely enough it
is very similar to his motto for
day-to-day living. Using only
three adjectives to describe
himself, Darryl feels that he is a
spiritual, caring, and analytical
person. He also expressed dis
contentment with the lack of
spirituality in the Black com
munity. Citing the move up the
socio-economic ladder as a
factor that caused a loss of great
things, mainly the church and
bond of the extended family.
Happy about his participation
in the pageant, Darryl sensed a
definite camaraderie between
contestants, both male and
female, and the Blue and White
Committee. He spoke highly of
Mr. Blue and White, Al Vivian.
Darryl said, "All in all the S.G.A.
worked very hard to make both
the pageant and ball a huge
success.”
Robert F. “Bobby” Lewis, III, j
second attendant, comes to i
Morehouse from the University '
of Houston. Bobby is a twenty
year old junior from Memphis,
Tennessee. Majoring in Inter
disciplinary Bachelor of Science
(IBS) with a concentration in
biology, chemistry, and com
puter science, Bobby is in- j
terested in pre-med. His long
range goals not only include *
becoming an anesthesiologist, i
but a millionaire as well. Both of I
which he is very serious about.
His hobbies include music,
tennis, and bowling. In addition
he enjoys playing football and
working with computers. Bobby
participates in the Computer
Science Club, Health Careers
Science Club and Alpha Phi
Alpha Fraternity. He enjoys
music so much that it would have
been a second choice for a
major. Bobby tends to prefer jazz
more or less, but his favorite
group is Earth, Wind, and Fire.
For a talent, he sang while
accompaning himself on the
piano "A House Is Not A Home”
with a personal introduction.
Success was his topic for discus
sion in the free expression
segment of the pageant.
Bobby describes himself as an
agressive, versatile, sensitive,
and most of all stable person. He
also likes for the people he deals
with to be stable. He feels that
whatever you do you should do
to the best of your ability. When
asked about his attitude prior to
the pageant he commented;
"Naturally I was nervous, but I
was going to do my best. I was
also going to be satisfied with the
results whichever way they came
out.” He later added that "I
thought as a whole the pageant
was very well put together,
1st Attendant Darryl Fortson;
Mr. Blue and White, Al Vivien;
2nd Attendant Robert Lewis.
(Photo Courtesy of Spelman
Yearbook)
classy, and well-planned. The
setting and contents were pure
class. I was glad to have been a
part of it all.”
The Blue and White Com
mittee set out to select a young
man who they felt would best
represent Spelman College. The
individual must represent
academic excellence, be well-
rounded, and demonstrate
socialbility. Emphasis was not
placed on looks, as in most
pageants, but on the person’s
ability to relate to others. It
seems the Blue and White Com
mittee got everything they
wanted and more in their selec
tion of Mr. Blue and White and
his Court.
For his efforts, Mr. Vivian won
a fifty dollar gift certificate from
Davidson’s Department Store, a
plaque and a photo package.
Runner up Mr. Fortson won a
bottle of champagne, dinner for
two at Red Lobsters, a plaque
and a photo package; while 2nd
attendant Lewis went home with
a plaque, photo package and a
bottle of cologne.
A*
Senior Chuck Miller Appointed Librarian Of Alex B. Brown Library
Charles Miller, the newly ap
pointed librarian at the Alex B.
Brown Library, the new Model
Library of the Boys Clubs of
Metro Atlanta, looks over the
library’s copy of Alex Haley’s
novel Roots.
To 150 hungry young minds, Charles
Miller is an important man. The
Morehouse Senior manages the Alex B.
Brown Library at the Warren Memorial
Boys Club, one of the 12 member clubs of
the Boys Clubs of Metro Atlanta.
Twenty-one-year-old Miller is a Detroit
native who came to Atlanta to attend
Morehouse College, where he is major
ing in English. Miller was a Boys Club
member in Detroit, and when asked
about his reasons for choosing library
work, he flashed a boyish grin and said,
"I’m just doing my part to prepare these
kids for life.”
On Tuesday, November 16th, at 4:00
p.m., the Alex B. Brown Library was
dedicated at the Warren Memorial Boys
Club. Donald Sobol, award-winning
author of the children’s book series
Encyclopedia Brown, will be attending
the dedication as a special guest of the
Friends of the Atlanta Public Library.
After the dedication. Chuck Miller has
returned to the serious business of being
the librarian. Imagine feeding 150 hungry
minds, savoring their first real involve
ment with books. That’s a lot of respon
sibility for a college student.
Miller looks forward to the challenge.
He can handle it. After all, he is a
Morehouse man.