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Page 2 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