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Page 4 THE SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT December 16, 1960 .5'rom the Editor 3 'ell \ IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS? (An Editorial reprint from the New York Sun, September 21, 1897) By Francis P. Church We take pleasure in answering at once thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun. Dear Editor: jg; . I am 8 years old. [ Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says “If you see it in ‘The Sun’ it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus? Virginia O’Hanlon 115 West 95 Street New York City. Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not be lieve except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, a nant, in his in tellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginia. There would be no childlike faith, then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoy ment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe, in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor man can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah! Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhoo. REPORT CARD BLUES I wondered why all of my friends were wearing “blue” so often. For not only was their attire “blue” but also their coun tenances. Let us not be a party to such “blue” masquerade. Save the “blue” for the teams that More house beats in the games! (Smile). Why are they wearing blue? Good question, but you know as well as I do. It is mid-semester time—Again. (You know, when the card report the blues). After you receive these bomb shells, please regard them as marks by which to set your standards. Do your very best, for you can’t afford to let yourself down! Dear sister, “Put the blue away and have red letter days from now on.” WVUVMAAAAWVMMAMVVVAAAn CHRISTMAS CAROLLING — at — 5:00 A. M. yVUWMWWMMMWMWWVVtA FROM THE POCKET OF PEOLA ES MEFOR PARECER TONTO QUE SERLO Roque tiene quince anos. Es el tonto de sue pueblo. Todo el mun- do se divierte con el. Le dan brornas inofensivas. Varias veces moneda, de diez centavos y otra de cinco. La mas grande! — contesta el. La escena siempre atrae un gran publico. Todos quieren ver lo que hace Roque. Qieren Saber cual de las dos monedas escoge. Cuando toma la moneda de cinco centavos todos se rien de el. To- dos estain seguros de que es un tonto completo. Cierta tarde una senora observa la escena. Como siempre, Roque toma la moneda do cinco centavos. Cuando desaparece el publico, y el muchacho queda solo, al dama lo llama y le pregunta: —Digame, Roque, no sabe usted la diferencia entre una moneda de cinco centavos y una de diez? No sabe usted que la de diez vale mas, aunque as mas pequena? —For supuesto que lo se! Pero, si you escojo la moneda de diez centavos comprenden todos que no soy tonto, y no gano mas din- ero. Estamos en tiempos muy ma- los, seniora. Y es memor parecer tonto y ganar dinera que ser in- teligente y perderlo. National Teacher Examinations To Be Held On Feb. 11, 1961 PRINCETON, N. J. — The Na tional Teacher Examinations, pre pared and administered annually by Educational Testing Service, will begin at 160 testing centers throughout the United States on Saturday, February 11, 1961. At the one-day testing session a candidate may take the Com mon Examinations, which include tests in Professional Information, General Culture, English Expres sion, and Non Verbal Reasoning; and one or two of thirteen Op tional Examinations designed to demonstrate mastery of subject matter to be taught. The college which a candidate is attending, or the school system in which he is seeking employment, will advise him whether he should take the National Teacher Examinations and which of the Optional Exami nations to select. A Bulletin of Information (in which an application is inserted) describing registration procedures may be obtained from college of ficials, school superintendents, or directly from the National Teach er Examinations, Educational Testing Service, 20 Nassau Street, Princeton N. J. Completed appli cations, accompanied by proper examination fees, will be accept ed during November and Dec ember, and early in January as long as they are received before January 3, 1961. S THE SPOTLIGHT By Eleanor Hinton This month, the Spelman Spot light flashes its beam on Miss Marsha Goodwin. She is a fresh man from Durham, North Caro lina, who is majoring in Psychol- gy and minoring in Sociology. Marsha is interested in singing, collecting coins and jazz albums. She spends most of the time listening to the “Great ” Ray Charles. To Marsha, Ray Charles is a true genius who expresses himself in music. Her favorite artists are Dave Brubeck, Ramsey Lewis, Ahmad Jamal, and of course, Ray Charles. Since she has been at Spelman, Marsha has adjusted very well and has made many friends who treasure her companionship. She was recently elected president of the Morehouse North Dormitory. Since she is interested in singing, she joined the Spelman Glee Club. When asked what she thought of Spelman, she said that she liked Spelman and hoped to re main at Spelman and earn her degree here. To this promising Spelmanite, as we dim our beam, the Spot light wishes you success and challenges you to fulfill your goals. “YOU HAVE CROSSED A BAY, THE OCEAN NOW LIES BE FORE YOU” MWWAMIMVWWWVWMWUVUW CHRISTMAS RECESS ENDS AT 10:00 P. M. JANUARY 2. 1960 UMmWUWUWIMWIWVMAAAM tfWWVUUVWVWWVWWIAAAAM ♦ Joyeux Noel El Bonne Annee ♦ f Noche de Paz (Silent Night) Noche de paz, Noche de amor Todo duerma en derredor. Entre los actros Que esparcen sus luz Bello, anunciando Al minito Jesus Brilla la estrella de paz Brilla la estrella de paz. Noche de paz, Noche de amor, Oye humilda el fiel pastor, Coros celestes que anuncian salud, Gracias y glorias en gran pleni- tud, Por miestro buen Redentor. Por miestra buen Redentor. —Joycelyn Daszelle McKissick THE ATLANTA SIT-INS The recent Atlanta Sit-Ins resulted in the arrest of over seventy students from the University Center, along with The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. The sentence which Dr. King received caused the public to become even more aroused and interested. Red China brought up the Sit-Ins in the United Nations General Assembly; Senator John Kennedy had to make a stand; Mayor Hartsfield and Dr. Manley spoke their opinions on the demonstrations. The general public opinion was that the Sit-Ins were executed in just the right manner to get results. Some people thought that Jail vs. Bail was drastic; others thought that it was the right thing today, and still others thought that some lesser means could have been taken to get the same results. As a whole, all the students at Spelman were for the movement. Here are some opinions in tne form of a symposium. I. How did the recent Sit-Ins affect you and your partici pation? Did your parents approve of your participation in the Sit-Ins? HOUSTON, TEXAS . . . Neena Shelton, Marcelite Jordon, Johnetta Anderson, Faye Jones: Even though our parents did not want us to become directly involved in the Sit-Ins, we all picketed. Ida Rose McCree: Being a Negro, an American, and a member of the University Center, I felt it was my duty to participate in the Sit-Ins because of their significance in the struggle for Human Rights. My parents felt that I should decide the degree of demonstrations in which I should partici pate. Louise Bell Steward: After having graduated from an integrated high school in Austin, Texas I was willing to participate in any form of protest to show that Negores are tired of being on the ground. I participated in the Sit-Ins and picketing at home, and my parents were naturally for it. Lorna Hosein: Because I have not received my citizenship papers to this country yet, I was unable to participate in the protest. I am for it all the way, and I hope to participate at another time. Elizabeih Parnell: I really sympathize with the Southern students, and I feel they are doing something worthwhile. I would like to have participated in the demonstrations, but for personal reasons, I was unable to do so. I feel that if our parents and grandparents had taken a forward step, as we are doing, there would be no form of segregation today. II. How did the recent Sit-Ins affect you? If you had a daughter in college, would you have let her participate? Mrs. Howard: I am very sympathetic toward the Sit-Ins. If I were physically able, I would not mind picketing. If I had a daughter. I would not mind her picketing, or sitting in, but I would not want her to go to jail. Miss Taylor I had quite a bit of anxiety. Some of the girls, I felt, were deeply concerned about what they were doing, but others were doing it to get publicity. I don’t think I would have let a daughter of mine go to jail. There will be occasions in her life when she will be asked . . . Have you ever been to jail? Have you ever served time? Have you ever been fingerprinted? I would like her answers to be NO. There may not be time on applications, etc., for her to explain that it was with the Sit-Ins, or in connection the principles behind the Movement. This might even prevent her from getting a good job. I believe that the Atlanta Sit-Ins are the climax to the great story of the Negroes Fight for Freedom. The Sit-Ins shook the nation and the world. They demonstrated how all the people, who are members of minority races, feel. Rich's and Davison’s are particularly feeling the pressure. It seems odd that Davison’s being a member of the same chain as Macy’s should not agree to integrate. The United States’ policy must be changed. Since this is an election year, this makes the issue more outstanding. Kennedy and Nixon must take a definite stand, and the peoples of the world must decide for themselves to be against all forms of segregation. Whether the Mayor’s committee will accomplish anything is yet to be seen. We can only hope for the best.