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WOLVERIN OBSERVER March, 1968 -Page 2
WOLVERINE OBSERVER
Editor-In Chief
.Nathaniel Sheppard
Society Editor..
Circulation Editor-Business
Patsy E. Bell
Manager
.Don Graham
Feature Writers
Yolanda Lofton
Austine Parker
Typists
.Daisy Duncan
Patricia Jones
Advisor
.Dr. B.J. Farmer
From The
Editor’s Desk
Grades....
To Heck
With Them
Nathaniel Sheppard
Are grades really needed? In my opinion grades are
an atrocious materialistic goal for which many students
frantically strive just to be able to say that they re
ceived a good grade from one or maybe all of their
instructors. Some work just as frantically to meet the
minimum requirements of our rigid graded classrooms.
Many students, because of economic and other factors
that inhibit learning, are unable to make the mini
mum grade required to pass. These are then rewarded
grades that give them very poor self concepts and label
them as failures. Namely, failing grades. These students
are frustrated even more by having to repeat courses.
There is one alternative, however; at this point the
student can drop out of school and into the labor market.
The only thing is that here he receives even more
frustration for he finds that he is not qualified for a
decent paying job. The gifted student, on the other
hand is forced to stay in class that moer than likely
moves at a pace far lower than he is capable of keep
ing up with. He is also forced to slow his pace to that
of his fellow classmates. Once again. . . frustration.
A seemingly logical and practical solution to these
problems is the non-graded classroom. In doing re
search on the non-graded classroom you will find that
it is unlike the graded classroom in that a year’s work
in the non-graded classroom you will find that is unlike
the graded classroom in that a year’s work in the non-
graded one may mean much more or much less than
a year of progress in a subject area. This is dependent
on the student, of course. It is realized that a student
may spurt ahead in one course and lag behind in ano
ther. The adequacy of the students progress is deter
mined by comparing his achievements with his ability.
Slow progress is provided for by allowing the student
more time for given amounts of work. This would
minimize “failures.” Rapid progress is provided for
by encouraging bright studentsto move ahead without
regard to grades. The non-graded classroom is also
flexible in that it allows for easier implementation of
curriculum improvements. Several studies indicate that
the non-graded schools are more effective than graded
schools in raising and maintianing self-esteem in stu
dents.
Of course the non-graded classrooms will require
change on the part of instructors, and in the materials
(textbooks, etc.) used. Instructors must re-examine
their functions to effectively teach. Books designed
for grade levels can no longer be used. Books must
be linked to levels rather than grade. The whole busi
ness of change is probably the main setback in institu
ting the non-graded classroom situations. This re
quires more work on the part of the administration
and instructors.
Of course this wouldn’t be a problem here at Morris
Brown, ould it? Who knows, maybe we’ll be trying
it some day.
An Appeal For The Protection
Of American College Students
Black Student Alliance
— YOLANDA LOFTON—
TO; The President of the
United States , the United
States Attorney General,
the State Governors, and
the State and Local Police
Officials
FROM; The Presidents of
the Atlanta University
Center
The invasions of college
campuses by various police
powers in the United States
is a trend which can nc
longer be continued without
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Let’s
Look Collegiate
Patsy Bell
Hi everybody,
This year’s fashions, the
new look for ‘68, is called
the “Return of the
Thirities” and is really a
big turn in comparison with
the fashions of ‘67. This
year girls, fashion de
signers are making us look
more romantic and much
more feminine.
The change this is from
head to toe. Young ladies
I’m sure you’ve been glanc
ing through magazines,
newspapers and have been
observing the store manne
quins and have really gotten
an idea as to the thing for
this year.
With the hair, all of you
who have been putting a lot
of time and energy on hair
straighters, curl free, and
soft styles, can hang it up
because the straight, curl
free hair is out and the
curls are in. This baby doll
look is designed to give
us a more feminine look.
This look is not to be worn
in a tight frizzy style but
a more loose and bouncy
look. If it is preferred,
most of you can wear this
style and really compli
ment yourself with it.
The dresses for this year
has really changed. The
tent, sack, shirt and mi
cro-mini dresses are gone.
This year we’re showing
our waistlines and the fas
hions are designed with
some type belt or band to
accent the waist. The neck
lines are coming down and
the ruffles are very popu
lar this year. Young men,
I’m sorry to say, but the
hemlines are coming down.
The change isn’t really that
much in the length but in
stead of moving up a little
higher, they’re coming
down a little. Esquire ma
gazine says, “it isn’t very
feminine to show to much,
because then there is noth
ing left to question.”
The colors for this year
are also a big change. Last
year, the Psychodelic
colors were the thing. The
bright greens, loud yellows
and shocking pinks were
really in, but this year
the colors are much softer
and we’re using more fe
minine looking colors such
as soft yellows, baby blues
and pale pink. So all of
you who did all of the com
plaining about not being
able to wear a certain dress
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
The Black Student Alli
ance proclaimed Febru
ary 19 thru 24 as “Mal-
com X Week”, and on Wed
nesday, February 21, 1968
(the date of Malcolm X’s
assassination) there was
a program in commemo
ration of him at Clark Col
lege.
The Black Student Alli
ance is made up of students
from Clark, Morehouse and
Spelman. Each campus has
its own Black American
Group. Spelman’s is the
“Sisters in Blackness”;
Clark’s is “Persons Ready
-in-Defense-of-Ebony; and
Morehouse’s is the “Black
Consciousness Move
ment”. All of these organi
zations merged to form
the Black Student Alliance.
In a brief interview with
James Mays, president of
the BSA, he told this writ
er that the purpose of this
organization is to bring
about a proudness of being
black, to concern stu
dents with the Black Cul
tural Revolution, and to
acquire ‘Black Unity and
Pride’ in the A. U. Center.
Mr. Mays feels that the
students of Morris Brown
College are too apathetic.
He bases his opinion on the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Apathy Lake
School Spirit StudeHT
and image government
Student
Mewspap^R
Student
body
STUDEHT APATHY
Nathaniel Sheppard
Damn the business office ... the faculty ... the
John Birch Society. Phrases such as these are
often made by many of us but when it comes down
to doing something about the things we object to,
everybody seems to think it’s the job of the Editor
of the school paper to air their gripes or dissent-
ion. True enough the school paper is the proper
channel through which you can known your grievences
or things you might even want to give praise to, but
it is the job of the individual to write and submit
his feelings about an issue or situation. If you think
that your complaint is one of importance it should be
worth your taking a few minutes to write it down.
And for those of you who like to write fiery or radi
cal papers, if you believe in what you say and can
defend it you shouldn’t be afraid to sign your name
on the paper.
Many of you complain to me about the infrequency
of the paper. I’m frequently asked why the paper doesn’t
come out more often. I usually reply, “We need
more writers. Can I count on you giving me an article
or two each month?” The student usually says, “I
don’t have time, ” “I just can make it with all of the
work my instructors give me.” I think the situation
can be summed up by twisting the phrase, "Every
body wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die”
around to read “Everybody wants a newspaper but
nobody wants to white.” Nobody seems to realize
all if takes to publish a paper. The time, the amount
of material needed, the proofreading, the layout of
paper, the amount of typing involved, the lambasting
received for an article that doesn’t meet good, jour
nalism standards. These and many more things go
into making up a paper.
Unless there is more student support the paper is
doomed, and so are your means of airing your veiws.
The Wolverine Observer welcomes all articles, but
we reserve the right to edit or not publish any articles
that are slanderous or tend to cause defamation of
character or in other ways fails to come up to the
literary standards expected of a college newspaper.