Newspaper Page Text
September 26, 1984/The Maroon Tiger/Page 8B
Spotlighting Our Excellence
Morehouse Man Visits Korea
by Ray Henderson
Staff Writer
On August 2, 1984, Sanford E.
Watson II, a senior at
Morehouse, was getting off of a
plane at the Kimpo International
Airport in Seoul, Korea. Thanks
in part to Congressman Louis
Stokes (D-Ohio), Korean Youth
Association, Touri College,
which is located in New York
City, and, of course, Sanford’s
determination and diligence.
The Korean Youth Associa
tion, which sponsored the
largest portion of the trip, per
mitted 15 Congressmen
(Republicans as well as
Democrats) to choose a student
from several cities and states.
These students participated in
the Korea - U.S. Youth exchange
program.
Congressman Stokes, who
represents the 21st district in the
greater Cleveland area, publish
ed an article in the Cleveland
Plain Dealer, explaining in detail
what made a student qualified. A
qualified student would benefit
by partaking in such a program
which “promoted cultural ex
change between the young
generations of the two coun
tries.”
Sanford, who lives in Shaker
Heights, Ohio, saw the article
while going through the
newspaper one day. One had to
not only fill out the application,
but also present three letters of
recommendation. He took
everything into consideration
and got in contact with the
proper authorities and Sanford
was on his way.
He received two of the three
letters he needed from two
members of Morehouse’s dis
tinguished faculty. Dr. Marcellus
C. Barksdale, Professor of History
and Dr. Wendell P. Whalum, Sr.,
Fuller E. Callaway Professor of
Music and chairperson, Depart
ment of Music. His third letter,
from Dr. Clarence W. Mixon,
Executive Director of the
Cleveland Scholarship Program,
showed that he was not just an
intelligent leading young man
but also a Morehouse man.
On a Monday he filled out the
application with the letters in
hand. On Tuesday he was inter
viewed. On Wednesday he
learned he was the one chosen
to represent not only Cleveland
and the state of Ohio but
Morehouse College and most
importantly the Watson family.
Of the 15 students who
represented the United States,
one-third of them were black. Of
the five black students, three of
them attend predominantly
black schools. Two of the three
students attend Howard Univer
sity in Washington, DC.
From the first to the last day of
the three week trip the students
Former -
o
i
Department Head j
Honored
By Johnny Crawford
A proud but emotional Dr.
Clifton T. Tinsley Jr., former
acting department chairperson
of the Morehouse Psychology
Department, sat as members of
the Morehouse College Psy
chology Association and faculty
members showed their ap
preciation for his over four years
of dedicated service to the
Department.
The September 14 program
developed into a very emotional
ceremony as such Morehouse
students as Clyde Watkins, Kim-
bin Nesmith, Leo Lawerence,
and Kelvin Hardison spoke on
how Tinsley had influenced their
lives. Moreover, with comments
by Dr. Linda Price, Morehouse £
Professor, and Dr. Cynthia .§
Dozier, acting department B "
chairperson, the program
developed even more
emotional.
At the end of the speeches an
appreciation on plaque was
presented by Kimblin Nesmith to
Tinsley.
Tinsley received his Bachelor
of Arts Degree from Morehouse
College, Master of Education
from the University of Georgia,
and Educational Doctorate from
Atlanta University.
He is married and has one son.
Tinsley now serves as the princi
ple of West Atlanta Elementary
School.
wined and dined with some of
the most prestigious people in
South Korea. People such as
Hon. jong-chan Lee, Chairman
of the House Steering Com
mittee, Hon. Yong-Hyu Kim,
President of the Korea Youth
Association and Hon. Duwan
Pong, Chairman of Foreign Af
fairs Committee and many
others. They visited some of
Korea’s largest corporations
such as the Korea Broadcasting
System, which is “comparable”
to our Columbia Broadcasting
System (CBS), Hyundai Ulsan
Hzavy Industry, one of the
world’s largest shipyards and the
Samsung Electric Company, a
company which has contracts
with some of America's large
companies, with Chrysler
leading the way. South Korea is
one of the top 10 countries in
trade with the U.S.
The students also had the
pleasure of spending a night at
an assigned assemblyman's
house and meeting his family.
Wontak Parks, who ironically has
a Ph.D. in African Studies, was
chosen as Sanford’s
assemblyman. Once they arrived
at Wontak’s home, a house
which Sanford describes as “a
normal looking American
house,” they took off their
shoes. During dinner each
member of the family, along with
their guest, sat around the table
on mats. After dinner, Sanford
and Wontak did what most
Korean men do; they put on the
traditional hat, large with a wide
brim, and they puffed a large
pipe.
The students also received
lessons in the basic spoken
Korean Language at the Korean
Language Institute, Yonsei Un
iversity.
There was no “one" overall
event Sanford enjoyed more
than the other. But, gathered
from his conversation about the
camping and shopping trip, one
could tell he enjoyed them very
much. During the camping trip
each student was paired with a
Korean student. Sanford’s
partner was Hon-Ki Lee, 26, and a
sophomore. He enjoys hiking,
sports, and cooking. Besides
being asked a lot of questions by
almost every Korean student,
Sanford was fond of the
“closeness and togetherness”
they possessed. Everyone had to
walk around holding hands
everywhere they went.
The students went to a shop
ping center near a Korean Army
base, I Tae Won. When they
went shopping "you could feel
that feeling of togetherness by
the Korean people and that
feeling that they were all work
ing for a universal good,” said
Sanford. The students bought
many items because of the cheap
prices. Korea has a large problem
with counterfeiting.
As quoted from the Korean
newspaper Culture, Sanford
said, “We have learned so much
about the Korean people and
their culture, which can not be
learned from a book. Exchanges
such as this would bridge the gap
between the two countries and
give a good idea of what we can
gain from and give to the people
of Korea and vice - versa.” But,
more than this he says, "the most
valuable lesson I've learned is
that we have to let it be known
that we, black Americans, have a
different heritage than that of
white Americans, one of
struggle.” This view of Sanford’s
was widely acknowledged.
Sanford, along with the other
students received two medals at
the farewell address, which was
hosted by Duwan Pong. On one
side of Sanford’s medal, a dull
gold-looking medal, read
"National Assembly Republic of
Korea” with Korean inscriptions
on the bottom. On the back of
the coin is an imprint of the
capital building. The other
medal, which also has a dull gold
look, read “In commemoration
of your visit to the Korea Youth
Association, Sanford E. Watson
II, Kim-Young Hyu, President.
On the back of this medal is the
Korean flag and a pair of hands
symbolizing unity.
When Sanford returned
home, he did not have time to do
much except to get ready for
school. School started a few days
after his return. He received
from the President of
Morehouse, Dr. Hugh M.
Glosterand the Vice President of
Academic Affairs, Dr. Phillip L.
Redrick, letters of con
gratulations.
A young man who continues
to show leadership qualities and
abilities, Sanford E. Watson, II, a
history major, who is a baritone
and also the business manager of
the Morehouse Glee Club; he is
the President of the History
Majors Club, and a member of
the Alpha Phi Alpha Theta,
International Honor Society in
History.
We, the faculty and the
students of Morehouse College
would like to say once again,
Congratulations! But, more than
congratulations, Sanford, we’d
like to say, thank you. Thank You
for keeping that rich heritage
and that rich tradition going
strong by being among the first
to pursue what none of us
dreams of pursuing and then
pursuing them.
Sanford E. Watson, II, will be
an upcoming speaker in
assembly.
Thank you, Dr. Tinsley