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Volume 28 Morris Brown College, Atlanta, Ga., May, 1958 Number 7
TRIBUTE TO OUT-GOING EDITOR
By Curtis Jones
The Observer has come off the press, and two significant
facts make this issue unique. This will be the last issue of the Wol
verine Observer for the year 1957-58, and we are also facing the
grim fact that our beloved editor
Our editor for the past nine
months has been Miss Sallie E.
Smart, who has worked tirelessly
to make the “Observer” a better
paper. Miss Smart is a graduate
of the 1955 class of Alfred E.
Beach High School in Savannah,
Georgia. While matriculating at
Beach High, she participated in
many and varied activities. Some
of the activities were: Student
Council, Tri-Hi-Y, NAACP, School
Paper, Dramatics, Chorus, and
Public Speaking.
Miss Smart entered Morris
Brown in September, 1955. Since
joining the Morris Brown “fam
ily,” she has distinguished herself
through actively participating in
many activities. She is presently
a member of the following: Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority, Student
Congress, Alpha Kappa Delta
Honorary Society, Sociology Club,
and Editor of the Wolverine Ob
server.
During her sophomore year, she
was awarded a full tuition schol
arship for having attained the
highest scholastic average of any
student during the second semes
ter of the school year 1956-57.
Miss Smart has always been a
very conscientious person in re
gard to her class work.
Presently, Miss Smart is antici
pating finishing Morris Brown in
January, 1959. Her major is soci
ology with the equivalent of a
minor in psychology. After grad
uation she plans to enter graduate
school and enter the field of psy
chiatric social work.
is stepping down from her desk.
Photo Above: Miss Sallie E. Smart,
editor of the Wolverine Observer.
faculty, and administration for
supporting the Observer.
“Finally, I challenge the coming
Editor to make the Wolverine Ob
server better than the best of
college papers. I challenge the
student body, faculty, and ad
ministration to take a more active
interest in the Observer. For it
has been said, ‘the student publi
cation is the School in Print.’
“And so I shall humbly step
down from my position and bow
to the coming Editor with these
parting words: May God bless you
—and guard this honor bestowed
upon you with pride and humble
ness.”
In response to a request for a
statement, she said in an air of
humility:
“It has been an enriching ex
perience serving as Editor of the
Wolverine Observer. In the course
of my term in office I have learn
ed not only a little about journal
ism and the techniques of news
paper work, but I have learned to
respect the rights, privileges and
opinions of others. But what is
more important, I know that
credit for my success or failure
as Editor of the Observer should
go where it rightfully belongs—-
to the staff and advisors. I be
lieve that a leader is what the
group makes him, and although
we may not have reached our goal
this year, the staff and advisors
worked diligently to bring to you
“your school in print.” It is for
this reason that I should like to
particularly express my gratitude
to them for supporting me in our
effort to publish our college
paper.
“In addition, I am humbly grate
ful to those individuals—students,
Prior to being elected Editor,
Miss Smart served as Associate
Editor for two years. Therefore
it is only proper that we take this
time to express, in a small way,
our gratitude to her for having
worked so faithfully to help make
our paper a better paper. We are
very appreciative of her service
as Editor.
It should be noted that our Edi
tor, 1957-58, was always the guid
ing hand behind each and every
edition of the Observer. She de
voted much of her time to the
cause of the Observer. If for no
other reason, it is this which has
caused us to develop a feeling of
understanding and warm friend
ship with her. Truly it is with
extreme regret and reluctance that
we see her step down from the
office in which she has served so
diligently.
Finally, in behalf of the Staff,
I say to Miss Smart: It has been
a privilege and a pleasure to work
with you. And may you continue
to gain success in all your en
deavors.
Mrs. Jayme Williams Receives
Danforth Fellowship
Mrs. Jamye C. Williams, an associate professor of English at
Morris Brown College, has been granted a Danforth Special Graduate
Fellowship of $2400 which allow her a full year of graduate study in
1958-59.
Mrs. Williams joined the Eng
lish faculty of Morris Brown Col
lege in 1956. Before assuming her
present position she taught Eng
lish and Speech at historic Wilber-
force University for some four
teen years.
Mrs. Williams is a graduate of
Wilberforce University and earn
ed her M.A. degree in English
from Fisk University. She plans
to continue her study toward the
doctorate at Ohio State Uni
versity where she has already
completed the residence require
ments.
Mrs. Williams is quite active in
campus and community affairs.
She is on the executive publicity
committees and Chairman of the
Youth Work Committee of the
NAACP, and an active member of
Allen Temple A.M.E. Church.
The recipient of the Danforth
Fellowship is married to Dr. Mc
Donald Williams of Morris Brown
College, and they are the parents
of one daughter, Donna Margaret.
Student Body Prexy
Addresses Students
To be the student body president
is to assume heavy responsibilities
that are very demanding; but, the
sky is the limit for achievement.
The scope of activities gives the
president access to every area of
school life, from the school sta
tion wagon to the President’s of
fice.
The student body president finds
himself playing many roles. Par
amount are, as a student, he seeks
adult status; and as a student
leader, the liberties symbolic of
an ideal student body. He seems
to have a tense path to travel—
he must seem reasonable and
pleasant to the administration,
while he must not seem to the
student body to be a tool of the
administration.
Mr. McPherson likes to think
that the student body presidency
is a full-time job. He found that
it requires that such an officer
have no other major extracurricu
lar responsibilities and carry the
least possible academic semester
hours without jeopardizing his
college matriculation. Despite his
opinions, he says, “I was not
quite able to personify my ideals
of this important office.”
In retrospect, he further says,
“My dreams were not fully realized,
but I sincerely pray that my
successor will catch a spark of
the meaning and potential affec
tiveness of the student council.
After such a stimulus — if the
above may serve as such — may
he (my successor) strengthen the
present foundation and continue
to build an effective student coun
cil of Morris Brown College, for
it is very urgently needed.”
Prom Review
Spring is here. Get out your
formals and get the spirit. The
reason is obvious. The Junior-
Senior Prom is in the making.
The Juniors are already spirited
and are setting their plans in
motion. The date has been set
for May 30,. 1958. The music will
be furnished by a local band.
The theme for the Prom is
“Dancing in the Twilight.” Class
colors are lavender and white. The
class flower is the orchid.
Miss Maxine Walter is Presi
dent of the Junior Class. Misses
M. L. Waymer and E. S. Brooks
are the advisors.
Morris Brown Senior
Wins AU Appointment
ATLANTA, Ga. — Marian Ger
trude Brown, senior at Morris
Brown College, has been appoint
ed to the Atlanta University Staff
beginning June 1, 1958 as secre
tary in the Department of Soci
ology with specific reference to
PHY LON.
Miss Brown, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Epps Brown of Jackson
ville, Fla., is a candidate for
the A.B. Degree this June with a
major in secretarial science.
Recently, Miss Brown won the
Iota Phi Lambda Sorority typing
contest between the Morris Brown
and Clark business students.
The efficient young lady is one
of the few students who has never
made a deficient grade and has
constantly been on the honor roll.
She has been working as an
intern in the Personnel Office of
Morris Brown since the second
week in February.
She is a member of the na
tionally known Morris Brown
chorus, Junior Business League,
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and
many other worthwhile organiza
tions.
Melbahu Ross Elected “Miss Morris
Brown” for the Year 1958-59
“There she goes, our ‘Miss Morris Brown’,” is the song on the
lips of the Brownites after a very
suiting in the election of Melbahu
The spirit that went into this
election is something of which we
can be proud. Students swarmed
the polls, representing a greater
response in the Student Council
than has been shown in years.
Miss Ross was nominated from
the freshman and junior classes
as a candidate for “Miss Morris
Brown.” The two runner-ups, Miss
Juanita Gabriel, senior class
candidate, and Miss Mary Ann
West, sophomore class candidate,
stood a firm ground in the race.
On the morning of May 5 stu
dents were promptly at the polls,
eager to cast their votes for their
favorite candidates. As each hour
passed tension continued to mount
among the students. Conversations
ranged from low murmurs of
“Who do you think will win?” to
enthusiastic replies of “Of course,
I know my candidate will win.”
The story was told on the eve
ning of May 5 when the ballots
were counted. The word was in
the air: Miss Melbahu Ross is our
new queen. The next day the cam
pus was buzzing: “What’s the
Word?” The word is Melba, our
queen for 1958-59.
Miss Ross is a junior and is
spirited campaign and election re-
Ross as next year’s Queen.
Photo Above: Melbahu Ross,
“Miss Morris Brown”
majoring in secondary education.
A very dept and versatile person
she has remained one of the top
honor students since entering
Morris Brown in 1955. High
honors of course, were nothing
new to our new queen, for she
graduated from Washington High
School as valedictorian of her
class.
The very charming daughter of
Mrs. Dessie Ross, Melba is af
filiated with such organizations as
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Fu
ture Teachers Club, English Club,
and Alpha Kappa Mu Honor So
ciety.
Student Council Officers
Elected for 1958-59
The right to vote was eagerly expressed as the student body
marched to the polls to elect officers of the Student Council for the
year 1958-59.
With strong convictions that the
persons nominated to run for of
fice were “the ones,” individuals
and groups “politicked” and in
fluenced their friends to come out
to the polls and cast their votes.
David Blount Elected President:
Mr. Blount is a member of the
junior class. A close run between
him and his opponent Mr. Gadis
Nowell, resulted in Blount’s vic
tory. A secondary education ma
jor, Mr. Blount is a member of the
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and
present vice-president of the Stu
dent Council.
Curtis Butler Elected Vice Pres
ident: With an overwhelming ma
jority, Mr. Butler was elected the
new vice president of the Student
Council. He is a math major and
a member of the Omega Psi Phi
fraternity.
Others elected were: Way man
Shiver, Editor of the Wolverine
Observer; Maxine Walter, Record
ing Secretary; Barbara Cato, Cor
responding Secretary; Mary Ann
Smith, Treasurer; Bobby Schley,
Business Manager; Ronald Bas
kins, Sergeant-at-Arms; William
Hixon, Chaplain; Russell Elling
ton, Parliamentarian.
Annual Music And Art Festival
Held At Morris Brown
The Annual Festival of Music
and Arts was held in the Morris
Brown College gymnasium, May
5 thru May 11. The programs fea
tured art, music, modem dances
and drama.
The calendar for the week was
as follows: Monday, 10:00 a.m. —
“The Art of the United Nations”
under the direction of Mrs. Ruth
Hodges. A dramatic demonstration
by the Atlanta-Morehouse-Spelman
Players highlighted the Tuesday
morning activities. On Tuesday
evening the nationally famous
Mitchell-Ruff Duo was presented
in a jazz concert. The duo
aroused the cheers and applause of
estimately 700 jazz enthusiasts.
Students from Morris Brown and
Oglethorpe Elementary School
were presented in the “Modern
Dance,” Wednesday. Square danc
ing, interpretative dancing and
waltzes were all a part of the
program under the direction of
Mrs. Spriggs.
The nationally known Morris
Brown choir presented a Pop Con
cert, Thursday. The choir’s four
units consisted of the Male Glee
Club, Women Glee Club, the Male
Quartet and the entire chorus.
There was also an outdoor band!
concert by MBC band on Friday.
The festival culminated on Sun
day evening with an organ re
cital by Mr. Colonius Davis of the
MBC Music Dept.
Student Spring
RECITAL
By CURTIS JONES
Students of Mitchell S. Hopkins
gave their Spring Recital Sunday,
April 27, at 6:00 p.m. in the Morris
Brow College Chapel.
The recital was the result of a
project in piano teaching by Mr.
Hopkins, a Senior Music Major
here at Morris Brown. The recital
included vocal selections, piano so
los, piano duets, and instrumental
solos. From all expressions the
program was received very warmly
by the audience.
Mitchell S. Hopkins is a public
school music major and is a na-
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