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The SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
Friday, Nov. 17, 1961
•Stpplman *Spot(ialit
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Editor Nelda J. King
Associate Editor Dorothy M. Myers
Business Manager Patricia A. Smith
News Department Alice Morgan, Editor
Priscilla Rowe, Lucia Holloway, Angela Owen, Ann Ashmore,
Lessie Jackson, Marlena Ray, Joyce White, Yvonne Weather
ly, Clara Prioleau, Ida Rose McCree.
Feature Department Cecile Marshburn, Editor
Lugenia Beasley, Gloria Willis, Burnette Joshua, Joycelyn
McKissick, Donnie Marie Pickett, Diane Matthews.
Circulation and Exchange Department Barbara Martin, Betty
Lane, Bronwen Unthank.
Lay-out Department Joycelyn McKissick, Editor
Bronwen Unthank, La Joyce Henderson, Cecile Marshburn.
Photographer Gwendolyn L. Eagleson
Cartoonists Mary Gaither, Marilyn Sweeting, Johnnie Price
Proofreaders ...: Josephine Dunbar, Alice
Morgan, Joycelyn McKissick, Patricia Smith, Jean Berrien
Typists Gwendolyn lies, Adye Bel
Sampson, Hattie Shannon, Nancy Fesson, Carol Barker,
Bronwen Unthank.
Adviser Mrs. Naomi Chivers
The opinions expressed in the SPOTLIGHT' are not necessarily those
of the Editors or Staff.
Editorial
Compulsion, Suppression,
And Censorship
Are compulsion, suppression, and censorship three neces
sary evils o fthe human race, of a nation, of Spelman ? Can we
exist without them? Would our lives run smoothly and fruit
fully minus these qualities?
I would have to say that they are necessary for
any society. Of course, we can exist without them, but not
for long. Suppose we went around doing exactly what we
felt like doing, without suppressing any desires; the world
would be full of vice and chaos, not fit for people of in
tegrity and intelligence.
At Spelman, we are always harping about compulsory
chapel, social inhibitions, and limited freedom to express
our opinions.
The administration realizes that chapel is a necessary
part of our culture while we are here. Even though the com
pulsory element seems to some not to be the most desir
able, this is one way of being sure that we will get this
integral part of our learning. Then too, there is the element
of compulsion in class attendance. If any student goes to
college with the intention of “goofing off” her time,
she is at the wrong institution and should not be a part of
the college community. The cut system will root out all
undesirables and make the community one in which every
one is working toward a similar end, that of obtaining the
best education Spelman can offer.
Of course, we have to suppress our desires sometimes, per
haps more than we’d like to. We can’t fly into a rage and
scream all over the dormitory. Consideration for others is
due sometimes. We can’t go through the dinner line several
times, because the food might run out, or we might make
ourselves sick.
If a matter is not false, immoral, or slanderous, but
rather valid, and the majority of us think it is worthy of
discussion or change, why must it be a closed matter or stag
nantly reserved until later? Any junior or senior should be
above reproach in social deportment. Why can’t we have so
many twelve o’clock permissions per semester ? Many of us
know very little about Atlanta, one of the largest cities
in the South.
Perhaps this is because of social pressures or universal
conformity as interpreted by the personnel. We can’t hurried
ly change the standards of our society no matter how we
try. This takes time . . . time which we don’t seem to have.
We see something and we want it, not tomorrow, but today.
I feel that this is justifiable, but we will have to wait until
later on today, for w$ cannot have it at this moment as we
no doubt demand.
Someone in authority has the right to ask us not to put
an item in the paper if he feels repercussions may develop.
But instructors should not have to censure or forego their
opinions in the classroom.
Why don’t we stop and think? Let’s ask ourselves what
the reasoning is behind a certain deprivation. Do we de
serve what we have ? Is it right for us ?
One day, (I hope), there will be no rules and regulations
written in a manual, per se. It won’t be necessary to say
a Spelman woman can not cut line or act boisterously in the
dining hall or dormitory. She will be so responsible to her
self and others that she will literally be on her own.
With such a diversified student body as we have, you
will probably be skeptical about such proposals. Perhaps
that’s why we have only a modified version of an honor
system.
It’s up to us. If we prove ourselves capable, deserving
young women, we shall find ourselves with as many social
and academic privileges as any Barnard student, and an
honor system characterized by little compulsion, suppression,
or censorship. Take it from me, that’s really saying some
thing. DON’T PROVE ME WRONG, OKAY?
Dorothy M. Myers
What Price
intellectualism
Spelmanites! Are we falling
blindly into a pit darkened by in
terests which are mediocre? Are
we guilty of endless chatter which
is trivial in nature such as, “Who
was that fellow who walked Sue
home?’’ or “Did you see what
Jane had on yesterday?” Do we
talk about these things so much
that we never engage in intellect
ual conversation? If your answers
to these questions are positive,
then, this article demands your
attention.
There is a lack of curiosity in
intellectual ideas on our campus.
Many of us feel that we will be
less popular if we participate in
intellectual discussions. We do
not read enough good books and
magazine articles outside the scope
of classroom work. This can be
remedied only by the rebirth of a
driving intellectual curiosity in us
for the world and for ideas of
universal importance.
Everyone is intelligent. His in
telligence may be exercised in
manual or -mental aptitudes or
both. However, everyone is not
intellectual, because often these
aptitudes are not made into habits
of discipline and chains of reason
ing. Yes, intellect is the true means
of the mind for communicating
truth logically, clearly, and mean
ingfully.
By now you are probably ask
ing yourself if intellect is worth
possessing, and if so, what you
can do to become intellectual. In
the dining hall and snack shop
begin to talk with your friends
about “great ideas.” Start read
ing about news events, not merely
for their current significance, but
also for the implications and ef
fects of these events- on the ac
tions and decisions of the people
involved. Be able to criticize writ
ings of past and present mu
sicians, statesmen, and cultural
writers intelligently, weighing
and comparing their values ac
curately and discriminately. Have
ideas which you can express in
telligently. Be exceedingly anx
ious to learn and to experience
activities of intellectual value,
such as plays, concerts, lectures,
and seminars, in order that your
intellect may grow. Exchange
ideas with others so that it may
flourish.
I hereby implore you to take
on the task of becoming an in
tellectual. Your rewards will be
unlimited when you do.
Ida Rose McCree
It s Up
To You
Have you ever thought of going
downtown and enjoying an after
noon of shopping topped off with
a delicious meal? If not, why?
With all of the new facilities at
your disposal, there is no need
for you not to take advantage of
them. After all you are a human
being just as everyone else is,
You need not let fear of the un
known, or being different bother
you, because many individuals
and groups have worked so that
you may have these rights.
You can pick up a hot dog and
coke at the dime store, ibut you
should put forth an effort to go
to a restaurant and eat. You say
“I’m- not hungry;” “I do not feel
like it;” or “I do not have time
to eat when I go to town.” How
ever, you should not, under any
News From M.B.C.
oCetterS ZJo ZJhi
In behalf of the “Wolverine Ob
server Staff” at Morris Brown
College, I would like to express
our thanks to the “Spotlight
Staff” for extending to us the
privilege of publishing an article
in their paper.
This year we have nine faculty
members added to the current
staff. They are: Dean Eleanor
Woodcock, Dean of Personnel; Dr.
Eugene Kavassey, Head of the
Department of Math; Mrs. J. B.
Ebanks, instructor of Human Be
havior ;Mr. Frabrizio, instructor
of Speech, Drama and Communi
cations; Mrs. Mae A. Roper, Home
Economics instructor; (Dr. John
son Hubert, Head of Music De
partment; Mrs. Spriggs, instruc
tor of physical education; and
Mrs. Ruth Hodges, Associate Pro
fessor of Art Education.
Our student council president
is Mr. Alton Robinson, and Miss
Sharron Strickland is the Editor-
in-Chief of the “Wolverine Ob
server.” “Miss Morris Brown
College” is the lovely, talented,
and vivacious, Miss Florence Wil
lingham. She was crowned Fri
day, October 22, and shall reign
during the school year of 1961
to 1962.
Our football team has won two
games and lost three, but we, the
student body, will continue to
give them all our support and
to encourage them to play their
best.
Now the student body is look
ing forward to “Hobo-Day,” the
day before Thanksgiving, and
“Turkey-Day,” Thanksgiving Day.
On these days, the freshmen will
show that they have become
“True Brownites.”
We cordially invite the students
from the A. U. Center to visit
us and to participate in our activ
ities.
Portia G. Roberts
Reporter
pretense, wail to take advantage of
these opportunities. There will be
no difficulties now, for the way
has been cleared for you. All you
have to do is exercise your rights.
There are other facilities and
activities (buses, cabs, rest rooms,
the ballet, and concerts) that are
offered to you if you will only
Dear Editor:
Should we build bomb- shelters?
I say, No.
The protection shelters would
give has been much exaggerated.
Yet I do not doubt that in the
event of a nuclear holocaust
shelters would save some lives.
I oppose building shelters be
cause I think it reflects a state
of mind which makes war more
probable. A man primarily con
cerned with saving his own skin
will be more suspicious and more
panicky and less able to dare to
trust than the man trying to
think of the welfare of all human
beings all over the world. In
building shelters I believe we will
help to bring about the very war
we seek to guard against. It is
still true that he who would save
his life, shall lose it; while he who
gives his life for others ,shall
save it.
But, it is argued, can one do
both? Can one build a shelter
and be a peacemaker as well?
Perhaps. I would simply like to
ask those who invoke this argu
ment a question. Are they putting
as much time and energy into
helping to save the peace, as they
propose to put into building a
shelter? Have they helped to en
dow cultural exchange between
the United States and the Soviet
Union. Have they contributed on
the same magnitude to the United
Nations. Have they volunteered
for the Peace Corps?
If there are persons in the At
lanta University community who
would like to put into peacemak
ing the time and resources others
are putting into shelter-building,
I should very much appreciate
hearing from them personally.
Instructor in History
Staughton Lynd
Spelman College
Desegrated!
The voluntary decision by three
major railroad companies to de
segregate all their facilities in
ten southern states was acclaimed
by Attorney General Robert F.
Kennedy as an example of “pro
gress in guaranteeing equal rights
under the law to all Americans.”
take advantage of them. Many
have worked in order that we
could have these rights, so do
not let their efforts go in vain!
The door is open; it is up to you
to go through it.
Bronwen Unthank
The three railroad companies
to desegregate voluntarily, were
the Illinois Central, Southern, and
the Louisiana and Nashville. All
facilities include waiting rooms,
rest rooms, restaurants, and eat
ing accomodations.
Bronwen Unthank