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THE SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
December 19, 1959
S/J,
man
Editor-in-Chief .....
Managing Editor ..
Business Manager
SECRETARY
Spotlight
.Norma June Wilson
Margie Durrah
Eva M. Lowe
Venecia P. Gardner
Typists: Patricia Smith, Eva Lowe, Marian Watson, Blondeli Dixon,
Mary J. Crew, Venecia P. Gardner
Staff: Josephine Jackson, Elizabeth Howze, Vivian Welch, Mary
Francis Watts, Jean Berrien, Patricia Brown, Lucille Brown,
Eleanor Hines, Betty Durrah, Elizabeth Bradshaw, Barbara
Adams, Ann Ford, Johnnie Price.
Faculty Advisor Mrs. Marjorie Spring
The opinions expressed in the SPOTLIGHT are not necessarily those
of the Editors or Staff.
3,
rom
or 5
By NORMA J. WILSON
Two questions have been asked
of me by two young women in
the freshman class. I am inter
ested in both of them; so I think
that J will indulge myself by
mentioning them in this column.
The first question was: What
are the characteristics that a Spel-
man woman is supposed to pos
sess? The freshmen are concerned
about this, so I will try to give
my thoughts on the subject. A
Spelman woman should be intel
ligent. By this I don’t mean that
we should know everything about
music, art, literature, or any other
subject. We should be broad
enough in our scope to be able to
carry on an intelligent conversa
tion. We should possess general
knowledge. We should be aware
of the things that are happening
in our society; these things make
for intelligence.
Spelman women should be well
rounded, as all persons should be
to live in a society such as ours.
We should be capable of making
average grades in classes. There
is no excuse for less than our best.
It is not good to study to the ex
clusion of everything else. Clubs
and activities should play a part
in a young woman’s life. A social
life is also needed. There are
dances, plays, art exhibits ,con
certs, and movies to attend, and
young men to escort us, if we so
desire. Let us not become book
worms to be intelligent.
Integrity is an important char
acteristic to have, just as honesty,
dependability, and reliability are
also good traits to possess. Spel
man young women should walk
circumspectly at all times. We
should never be without our
smiles and our even temperament.
Let us strive to live up to what
Shakespeare has said, “Women,
are the books, the arts, the acad
emics, that show, contain, and
nourish all the world.”
Now that I have talked of the
characteristics of a Spelman wo
man it may be well that I mention
the other question posed to me by
a freshman. She asked me why
is there evidence of apathy on the
part of the upperclassmen. I real
ly had no answer to give her.
Since that time I have thought
about her question. I am actually
concerned about this. Maybe oth
ers of you are also concerned.
When she mentioned apathy, she
was speaking from quite a few
angles. One is that of apathy in
the classroom. The students se
lected to attend Spelman are from
the “cream of the crop.” Most
times we are capable of doing
more than we accomplish. Why is
it that we give only the minimum
amount of work requested of us?
I really have no answer. Maybe
these questions will stimulate your
mind. Is it that honor roll stu
dents are not given enough recog
nition? Is it that too much empha
sis is placed on grades, thus mak
ing them obnoxious to the stu
dent? Is it that teachers discour
age the students? Whatever the
reason, the problem does exist.
Upperclassmen, our little sisters,
the freshmen, are watching us
closely. Please let us pull our
selves out of this apathy and set
the kind of example that they are
looking for. We have a freshman
class that will really go places
with the right guidance.
The inkwell is dry!
Letters To The
Editor
Dear Editor',
I would like to congratulate
you on behalf of the Spelman
Family for your remarkable work
on the Spotlight for 1959-60. The
newspaper has finally become
representative of a college. It
contained informative news which
was written in legible print. May
be I should not just congratulate
you on editing a newspaper but
also on being the first editor of
our College newspaper. The pre
vious conglomeration that we had
been calling a “newspaper” could
not have been called representa
tive! even of high school students’
work, nor was it informative or
legible. So you see, Miss Editor,
you have made history here at
Spelman.
Again, I say congratulations
and keep up the good work. I
doubt that you could fail now,
however, because of the interest
in journalism aroused in the
students.
Good luck,
Gwendolyn Eaglesgn
Meditation On
A Theme
It was in the beginning
That God created the universe.
And they that would dwell within
it
Were not created, all of the same
breed.
As time elapsed,
They who dwelled upon the earth,
Realizing their various ideas and
beliefs;
Became not of one creed.
There then grew in man
An evil vice built upon selfishness,
And founded upon the weakness
of man’s heart.
Since then, many a man has died
because of greed.
Advancing through many stages,
Man by man was bound and
enslaved.
From this came man’s greatest
desire;
To ibe forever freed.
Man’s cry to have freedom
Unheard did not go.
Through the vistas of the cosmos,
Justice and equality by the
Creator were decreed.
A P. Brinson
An Invitation
The Editor® and staff of the
Spotlight would like to extend an
invitation to our readers to write
letters to the paper. These letters
need not be of a complimentary
nature. They may be inquiries,
problems encountered on campus,
and generalities. We are striving
to improve our publication, but
this process can be promoted by
your citicisms and suggestions.
Thank you,
Editor and Staff
Spelman Spotlight
The Spotlight
Beams On
Ella Pearl Blackman, saluta-
torian of the graduating class of
1956, of Hutto High School in
Bainbridge, Georgia, and present
ly a senior at Spelman, is serving
as the Head Hostess and Assist
ant Manager of the Dining Hall.
While at Hutto, Ella Pearl was
the President of the Student
Body, the first Editor of the
Hutto Enterprise, President of the
N. H. A., and president of her
class from grades nine through
eleven.
Coming to Spelman has not
changed Ella Pearl’s concern for
student welfare and scholastic
achievement. These are some of
the responsibilities that have been
assumed by her while here at
Spelman: Vice President of her
Dormitory, Class Judicial repre
sentative for two years, Assistant-
Chief of the Ushers 1957-58, and
Secretary of the Sunday School.
She has consistently maintained
an above “B” average.
She is majoring in political
science and minoring in history
and secondary education. Upon
graduating from Spelman, she
plans to attend the Howard Uni
versity School of Law.
Among her main interests are
reading, cooking, and bicycling.
Her pet peeves include teachers
partial to particular students and
students Who filibuster.
Eva Lowe
What Happened To Her?
The weather was radiant, yet
the day seemed to have lost its
lustre. The trees surrounding the
Campus drives were magnificent
in their fall fashions of red,
orange, and gold. Yet, today they
seemed drab and colorless. On
many faces there was a smile, but
in their hearts was a feeling of
sadness and nostalgia. Little
groups gathered, and speaking in
hushed voices they tried to con
sole each other. Nothing could be
done. A companion, friend, and
mascot had been taken away, and
nothing could be done. “Poochie”
was gone. When they took her, no
one knows. Where they took her,
no one Will say. What happened
to her has not been discussed. No
one has been informed about her
at all. Her presence has been
missed by only a minority. For
there were some who didn’t like
“Poochie.” There were others who
only tolerated her, and there were
those into whose hearts she
wormed her way, as onily a pup
py can.
Recently it was discovered that
the Spelman Granddaughters
(unbeknown to them) Were to
have honorary members in their
club. “Poochie” was infanticipat-
ing. The word spread rapidly, and
we began to take on new interest
in “Poochie.” She was showered,
morning, noon, and night with
more fondness than ever. Each
morning upon leaving Abby for
chapel, those of us who loved her
most found her waiting faithfully
at the step, eager to share anoth
er day’s adventures with us.
“Poochie” had truly become one
of us.
Then one morning she Was
gone. No one knew where. But
Wherever she is, we wish there
were some means of letting her
know that though she’s left our
home, she’ll never leave our
hearts.
The Roommates
Do You Like Our
Masthead?
(If so) Thanks to Mr. Marion
Neal, an art major at Morehouse.
Mr. Neal is presently attending
several art classes at Spelman.
We take our hats off to Mr. Neal.
Editors and Staff
of Spotlight
Sororities . . .
An Advantage?
There has been much debate as
to whether sororities are an ad
vantage or 1 disadvantage on non-
coed campuses.
Some professors have pointed
out a few disadvantages of soro
rities. There are three that are
forever “harped” upon as being
grave dangers to institutions:
1. Sororities in female institu
tions would break the bond of
sisterly love which should strong
ly exist. If we look around this
campus, do we not find ourselves
associating with a particular
somebody or group?
2. Sororities on non-coed cam
puses are a waste of time, money,
and effort. A waste of time? So
rorities don’t always concentrate
on the social aspect of life, or
holding “bob” meetings, but their
whole program and goal is “to help
others, to help themselves.”
Special programs are developed
and carried out to raise funds for
needy people and so forth. Mon
ey? Well, we do spend quite a bit
of money for that Homecoming
outfit, that Maroon and White
Ball gown or the Junior-Senior
prom dress. Look at it more close
ly, it costs even more than Soror
ity fees. The effort spent is to
greater advantage than the ef
fort we put forth for some social
activities given.
3. The functions of sororities
would cause academic degrada
tion. That is the most fallacious
statement one could make. On all
campuses coed or non-coed, the
selected prospects for fraternities
and sororities have to have a cer
tain average, which is usually C
or better, before being admitted.
Regardless of whether or not we
intend to join a sorority, a C
average is required to stay in
college. High academic averages
are stressed considerably by such
organizations. Often fraternities
compete, to see which (frat or
sorority) can maintain the highest
average for a set time.
You can be assured that you
Will never be “alone” in this
cruel world as long as there is a
fellow sister in existence.
Educationally, sororities have
made it possible for many women
to receive a higher education,
otherwise impossible without
scholarship aid.
Sororities have helped to de
velop women in many ways: spiri
tually, socially and morally. And
through such contacts, sororities
have produced famous nation
wide personalities.
What do you think? Evaluate
each aspect more closely before
forming your opinion.
Marian Watson
Noble Thoughts
Everyday is a little life, and
ottr whole life is but a day re
peated. Therefore live everyday
as if it would be the last. Those
that dare lose a day, are danger
ously. prodigal; those that dare
misspend it are desperate.
Bishop Hall
The true way to gain much, is
never to desire to gain too much.
He (is- not rich that possesses
much, but he that covets no more;
and he is not poor that enjoys
little, but he that wants too much.
Beaumont
Nothing can be truly 'great
which is not right.
Johnson
All habits gather, by unseen de
grees, a's brooks make rivers, riv
ers rim to the seas.
Dryden
To be happy is not the purpose
of our being, but to deserve hap
piness.
Fichte *
From The Pocket of Peola
The Foolhardy
Mouse and the
Cautious Cat
Such sport there bad been that
day in the kitchen and the pan
try, for the cat was away, and
the mice were playing all manner
of games: mousy-wants-a-corner,
hide-and-siqueak, one-old-cat, and
mouse-in-boots. Then the cat
came home.
“Cat’s back!” whispered Fath
er Mouse.
“Into the wainscoting, all of
you!” said Mother Mouse, and all
of the mice except one hastily hid
in the woodwork.
The exception was an eccen
tric mouse named Mervyn, who
had once boldly nipped a bull
dog in the ear and got away with
it. Mervyn did not know at the
time, and never found out, that
the bulldog was a stuffed bull
dog, and so he lived in a fool’s
paradise.
The day the cat, whose name
was Pouneetta, came back from
where she had been, she was as
tonished to encounter Mervyn
nonchalantly nibbling crumbs in
the butler’s pantry. She crept
toward him in her stocking feet
and was astounded when he turn
ed, spit a crumb in her eye, and
began assailing her with a series
of insults.
“How did you get out of the
bag?” Mervyn inquired calmly.
“Put on your pajamas and take a
cat nap.” He went back to his
nibbling as blase as you please.
“Steady, Pouneetta,” said Poun-
celtta to herself. “There is more
here than meets the eye. This
mouse is probably a martyr
mouse. He has swallowed poison
in the hope that I will eat him
and die, so he can be a hero to
a hundred generations of his de
scendants.”
Mervyn looked over his Should
er at the startled and suspicious
cat and began to mock her in a
mousetto voice. “Doodness dwa-
cious,” said Mervyn, “it’s a posse
eat, in full pursuit of little me.”
He gestured impudently with one
foot. “I went that-away,” he told
Pouneetta. Then he did some
other imitations, including a pret
ty good one of W. C. Fieldmouse.
“Easy, girl,” said Pouneetta to
herself. “This is a mechanical
mouse, a trick mouse with a built-
in-voice. If I jump on it, it will
explode and blow me into a hun
dred pieces. Darn clever, these
mice, but not clever enough for
me.”
“You’d make wonderful violin
strings, if you had any insides,”
Mervyn said insolently. But Poun-
cetta did not pounce, in spite of
the insult unforgivable. Instead,
she turned and stalked out of
the butler’s pantry and into the
sitting room and lay down on her
pillow near .the fireplace and
went to sleep.
When Mervyn got back to his
home in the woodwork, his fa
ther and mother and brothers and
sisters and cousins and uncles and
aunts were surprised to see him
alive and well. There was great
jollity, and the finest cheese was
served at a family banquet. “She
never laid a paw on me,” Mervyn
boastOd. “I haven’t got a scratch.
I could take on all the oats in
the Catskills.” He finished his
cheese and went to bed and fell
asleep and dreamed of taking, a
catamount in' one minute and
twenty-four seconds of the first
round.
MORAL: Fools rush in where
angels fear to tread, and the an
gels are all in heaven, but few
of the fools are dead.
Venecia P. Gardner