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We’re Back! OCTOBER 1996 MBC Wolverine OBSERVER 3
Welcome
to the
Real World
by Alfred Edwards
Congratulations Freshman class of
Morris Brown College, you have
taken the first step in the path
towards success. By attending college
you have defeated the stereotype
that young blacks are lazy and lack
ambition. Now that you are here it is
crucial that you get your priorities
straight and work hard to get what
you came here for, a degree.
Remember, it is important to keep
focused and stay on schedule because
once you fall behind it is hard to
catch up. Understand that college is
unlike high school and although your
professors do care about your
progress, it is your responsibility to
do the work and know the material.
No one is going to pressure you into
doing your work or reading your
text; you either do it or you don’t.
Don’t get caught up in the social
life to the point where partying or
hanging out takes precedence over
your school work. It is in the realm
of all possibilities to have a good
social life and maintain good
academic standing. If you find that
you have a problem with budgeting
your time; there are many
workshops on campus that can help
in this area.
There are many study groups on
campus as well, if you are having
problems with specific classes, so use
all the resources available to you.
In addition to help from peers,
professors also have office hours
and will be more than happy to
help you one on one. Many student
problems result from not reading
the text or not attending class. It is
very hard to fail class if you attend
every session, read, and take notes
on what is assigned.
The stage is now set and you are
the center of attention. Your family,
friends, and community want to see
you do well and succeed, but it
means nothing if you don't want it
for yourself. Self-motivation and self-
discipline are the avenues to success
and remember the old saying, “If you
fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Good
luck Class of 2000, C-YA!
U nder standing
& Necessary
Skills
by Kizzy Stanley
This year I have learned that
effective time management skills an
important part of college life. I have
a very demanding schedule and if it
is not managed properly, I will suffer
from burn-out, not to mention just
plain exhaustion that can really
affect my health. I was able to keep
my job while attending school by
working mainly on weekends and I
was able to do very well in most of
my classes.
In this course I really didn’t learn
anything new, but the things taught
expanded what I already knew. These
were things that I learned or did in
high school especially in the area of
study skills. Community Service
taught me the need for helping
others who are less fortunate than I
or in the case of my community
service experience this semester, to
be a positive role model for young
elementary school kids who need
that extra boost in life to get them
on their way.
If I had only known that Morris
Brown College is like it is, I may
have chosen another college to
attend. I am referring specifically to
the requirements for my band
scholarship. I was told one thing
A Letter To A
Black Man
by Tamara V. Birdsong
Dear Friend, Lover and Confidant:
You have been on my mind a lot, I
worry about you. And I do this
because I feel as if someone is trying
to destroy you, and take you down,
but my lover, friend and confidant,
that will not happen as long as I
intake the air from this world that is
sometimes cruel to you.
I will always be by your side
whenever you need me. I will do my
best to keep you from being a
statistic and a number in our judicial
system. You may think I do not
understand where you are coming
from trust me I do. See, I am yours
when you are down or up, I am not a
part time friend, lover or confidant.
I know you are trying to make it
in this world that has depicted you as
a savage beast, but see baby, I know
the gentle side of your heart and
mind, and love every part of it my
strong black man. So please don’t say
to yourself you are in this race of life
alone, because I am by your side both
spiritually and physically.
With Love Always, Your
Black Women
during recruitment and then all the
rules changed once I became a MBC
student. What is being asked of you
is worth far more than the amount of
financial assistance given. Students
have to give up required classes if
they in any way conflict with band,
etc. The band instructors are only
concerned about the band and care
little about the student’s other
academic requirements. It seems to
me, like the band is entirely separate
from the school and this should not
be. All departments should work
cooperatively together to make sure
that students get the best learning
experience possible.
During my first year I also found
that some teachers could care less if
a student passes or fails. It seems to
be the “I’ve Got Mine” syndrome.
Fortunately this is not true of all the
teachers. Since I am here, I will now
do all that I can to learn as much as
possible so that I can be successful in
my chosen field of study. The quality
of my experience here as a student is
largely up to me and the efforts I put
forth. I plan to do the very best that
I can.
My community service experience
was very helpful. I had the
opportunity to work in a classroom.
It is not easy being a teacher and
especially if you want to be the best
one possible.
I feel that for my next three years
at Morris Brown, it is imperative
that I manage my time effectively, I
must also do my very best on all my
assignments for all my classes. I
must keep a positive attitude and to
the extent possible, go beyond what
is asked of me in order to become a
successful college graduate.
Attention Poets
Owings Mills, Maryland (USA)-
The National Library of Poetry has
announced that $48,000 in prizes
will be awarded this year to over 250
poets in the North American Open
Poetry Contest. The deadline for the
contest is September 30, 1996. The
contest was open to everyone and
entry is FREE.
Any poet, whether previously
published or not, can be a winner.
Poets from the ATLANTA area have
successfully competed in past
competitions. Every poem entered
also has a chance to be published in a
deluxe, hardbound anthology.
To enter, send ONE original poem,
any subject and any style, to: The
National Library of Poetry, 1 Poetry
Plaza, Suite 1989, Owings Mills, MD
21117-6282. The poem should be no
more than 20 lines, and the poet’s
name and address should appear on
the top of the page. A new contest
opens October 1, 1996.
The National Library of Poetry,
founded in 1982, is the largest poetry
organization in the world.
Auburn Avenue
Points of Interest
❖ Auburn Avenue Research Library on African - American
Culture and History-part of the Atlanta/Fulton Public Library
❖ APEX Museum - includes an art gallery, various history
displays and re-creations of business from Auburn Avenues'
heyday fifty years ago.
❖ Atlanta Daily World Newspapers - the nation’s first black
owned daily newspaper.
❖ Atlanta Life Insurance Company Building - America's
second largest African-American owned life insurance firm,
founded by a former slave, Alonzo Herndon.
❖ The Caribbean Restaurant
❖ Royal Peacock Club - Atlanta’s premiere club for reggae.
❖ Big Bethel A.M,E. Church - one of three venerable churches
along Auburn Avenue.
❖ Odd Fellows Building - named for a fraternal organization
and has been renovated.
❖ Butler Street YMCA - Past and Present focal.point for black
business and community activity.
❖ Herndon Building - original site of Atlanta Mutual Insurance
Association, which is now the Atlanta Life Insurance Company
❖ Sweet Auburn Curb Market - recently renovated
❖ The Elks Lodge and Daisy Kitchen - great food!
❖ S.C.L.C National Headquarters - Civil Rights organization
founded by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., This was the hub of
1994's Freedom Fest/Freaknik planning.
❖ Wheat Street Baptist Church - this bears the original name
for Auburn Avenue.
❖ Ebenezer Baptist Church - to see or be seen. The King
family church
❖ Fire Station Number 6 - recently refurbished by the city of
Atlanta.
❖ The birth home of Dr. Martin L. King Jr. - Visit the house on
historic Auburn Avenue where Dr. King lived as a child.