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The SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
Friday, Dec. 15, 1961
*Spe(man
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 Marsbburn, 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, 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
Too Many
Restrictions
At Speiman
oCetters
^Jhe £*diti
It is a shame that college administrators and teachers
cannot boast of large numbers of students who do extens
ive reading outside of classroom assignments. Although stu
dents are generally interested in the emerging new African
nations, the Peace Corps, and the possibility of a nuclear
war, there is strong evidence that little interest is mani
fested in reading reputable works of fiction, non-fiction,
drama, and poetry. If we do not somehow manage to bring
books back into the focal point of our college education,
our culture will become impoverished. What we, as
college students, must do, is to bend all our efforts toward
popularizing reading on our campus.
However, many of us may not be convinced that the
reading and interpretation of books is a valuable asset
to one’s college career, and indeed, to one’s life. Reading
can not only serve as a source of pleasure, but can help to
cultivate our minds. It aids in the development of imagina
tion, insight, and judgment, qualities necessary for critical
thinking. Whatever education is, it is at least the cultiva
tion of the power to think in an orderly and comprehensive
way. Can a college do better than help its students discover
the basic processes.essential for thinking? — «—
Many colleges are seeking methods to encourage stu
dents to read and are getting results. One of the first things
that can be done is to make books easily accessible. The
library should be every student’s essential laboratory fully
equipped with desired reading material. The bookshop should
also be an integral part of the college community. Inex
pensive paperback editions and sufficient opportunities for
browsing would encourage more students to spend part
of ther allowance on books. Given opportunity and encour
agement, many students would begin to collect books for
their personal libraries.
Secondly, there is a problem of selecting books. Students
usually prefer books by contemporary authors, literature
on current events, their hobbies, or their major field of
interest as well the clasics. Perhaps, suggested reading lists,
prepared by authorities, would prove beneficial to many stu
dents. In any event, books should be selected according to
the students’.interest and level of comprehension.
After books have been made available to the college com
munity and assistance in the selection of reading material
given, there should be opportunities for discussions, ex
change of ideas, and motivation to continue reading. Sug
gestions include informal discussions in dormitory and club
meetings, symposiums, lecture series, chapel services, and
independent summer reading programs.
These activities can do much toward stimulating interest
and enthusiasm, providing a common ground for discussion
on the campus of diversified interests, and developing stu
dents minds to think critically and analytically.
These are but a few of many possible ways of motivating
students to read. Conversely, only a small percentage of the
many possible benefits to be derived from reading have
been mentioned. No single method is effective for the en
tire student body, but from each method tried, students can
learn to love and to value reading. It is true that reading
can become a lost art on college campuses, but let us strive
to make it a very potent force in our lives. Winston Church
ill once said, “books in all their variety are often the means
by which civilization may be moved triumphantly forward.”
Any college that does not use its efforts, imagination, and
resources to cultivate a love for reading among its students
is not doing its job. Moreover, any student body that does
not seek to encourage the reading and discussion of books
is cheating itself of a valuable tenet of education. Let us
resolve, as we approach a new year, to become a reading
student body.
Alice M. Morgan
By Ann Ashmore
I was more enthusiastic and en
ergetic about my school when I
was a freshman than I am now.
To me the upperclassmen were
an apathetic group, and in re
turn I am sure they regarded me
as a naive freshman who would
eventually “learn.” I suppose I
did learn, if learning means ac
cepting rules and regulations that
you can complain about but can’t
change. And now, I suppose the
freshmen view me as an apathet
ic upperclassman — and so the
cycle continues.
It is my opinion that an excess
ive number of restrictions not
only prevent but are directly op
posed to relaxed and normal so
cial relationships. Rules and reg
ulations, I feel, should exist only
as guiding factors and not as re-
stricting factors. A college
should, as Speiman does, have
aims and ideals toward which it
directs the students; rules and
regulations should merely be
guideposts in the direction of the
ideal.
It has been pointed out to me
that most of the rules exist be
cause they are, unfortunately, ne
cessary. For instance, if Spelman-
ites refrained from indulging in
boisterous conversations, signing
out for one place and going to
another, and entertaining callers
in restricted areas, then rules
against such activities would not
exist. Perhaps not a reason for
strict regulations, but certainly a
contributing factor, is the atti
tude of many parents who send
their daughters to Speiman be
cause of its restrictions on privi
leges. And of course the misuse
of former privileges accounts for
the existence of many restrictions.
The rule requiring Speiman stu
dents to return to campus unes
corted from a study period at
Trevor Arnett and the denial of
first semester freshmen to attend
Morehouse movies are examples
of restrictions that exist because
of former abuse. It stands to rea
son that if Speiman students can
not conduct themselves as young
women, they cannot expect to
be treated as such.
Just as the misdemeanors of
some students give rise to many
rules, it should be pointed out
that strict regulations foster the
misdemeanors of many students.
I doubt that any of Spelman’s or
Morehouse’s walks would become
lovers’ lanes after a movie or
dance if students were afforded
reasonable dating privileges. Un
doubtedly some privileges have
been misused—this is one of the
dangers of the little freedom —
when students are restricted in
so many areas and are finally
granted a small privilege they of
ten seize it too readily and too
greedily; again rules can foster
actions. In my opinon, for a par
ent who feels that her daughter
needs close supervision and reg
ulation to choose Speiman for her
child is something less than a
compliment to the school. In some
cases the mother might be over
protecting, but in most cases the
mother simply knows her daugh
ter, and if the college continues
to retain the features that attract
the parents of such students, then
Speiman will continue to have the
difficulty of dealing with problem
daughters.
Admittedly some rules should
exist on a college campus, but
these rules should exist only, as I
or
Dear Editor,
Reading through your issue of
Friday, November 17, 1961, in
your article headed the “African
Students” I noticed a paragraph
where you referred to the West
African Students as coming to
Speiman to observe social prob
lems in the South. This I would
like to correct, and say that we
from West Africa are here to
finish our college education. Spei
man was chosen for us by our
Representative in Washington
who knew much about the high
morals and standards in Speiman.
We are here as private students
but are assisted financially by
Speiman.
We have enjoyed our stay so
far and we wish to thank all au
thorities who cooperated to make
it possible for us to be here.
I hope you’ll correct your last
article which was not any infor
mation supplied by us.
Yours truly,
Agnes and Caroline
have previously stated, as guides.
If Speiman feels that, “Knowledge
must be lighted with insight if
the student is to relate her learn
ing to the facts and realities of
life” as is stated in the “Aims
and Ideals” of the college, then
the rules should guide the stu
dent toward this goal. But how
can a student possibly learn “to
relate her learning to the facts
and realities of life” when Sen
iors, not to mention Juniors, are
not permitted to have an off-
campus date and return at a rea
sonable hour! Can a student re
late her learning to the realities
of life when denied normal social
experiences?
The problem of student regula
tion is a problem not unique to
Speiman, but one that exists on
every college campus. The admin
istration has to struggle constant
ly to maintain a balance between
too little and too much control.
This is especially a problem in a
female institution. At Speiman, as
well as any other college, the bat
tle between too little and too
much restriction can be won only
when there is effective commun
ication between the administra
tion and the student body.
I do not believe that Speiman
students actually realize just how
much the rules and regulations
that they resent and complain
about depend on their individual
actions. Rules that have existed
(Continued on page 4)
On Cheating
Cheating on examinations has
become increasingly worse on
university campuses in the past
few years. What can be said to
account for this increase? Why do
students cheat? Perhaps they are
engaged in so many extra-curric
ular activities that they neglect
their studies. Students of today
go to college for so many reasons
other than getting an education,
such as participating in sports
and “getting a husband”, that this
reason is feasible. On the other
hand, the older members of our
society may attribute this rise in
cheating to the “insecurity” and
lack of moral values by which
they assert that the young people
of today are characterized. Let
us, however, examine briefly the
student’s point of view.
In the eyes of the cheating stu
dent it may be assumed that he
feels that cheating is the only
way of making good grades in his
classes. He has become engulfed
in the extra-curricular activities
on the campus and therefore, he
has not studied profitably. The
great emphasis placed on grades
in our present educational system
is another factor which may cause
a weak person to cheat. He knows
that most graduate and profes
sional schools look first at the
student’s grades and that not
enough consideration is given to
the information that the student
has actually learned or what part
of his learning is incorporated in
to his intellectual stature.
Although these facts are frus
trating to all of us, something
must be done to stop the cheat
ing in our classrooms. We must
review our values in life. We must
determine if grades are the test
of a well-educated individual; or
if overall knowledge is the foun
dation of a person’s intelligence..
It is for us to make the distinc
tions and to define these values
in order that our fight against
cheating will not be futile.
After these suggestions have
been followed, the attempts to
dissolve cheating can be initiated.
When your “neighbor” starts to
look on your paper, politely, but
firmly ask her to stop. When
someone whispers to you, asking
for the answer to a question, po
litely ignore her. By showing
your classmates that you do not
uphold cheating, you may be tak
ing a step toward solving this
problem. Clas cheating on our
campus must stop immediately and
each of us is obligated to contri
bute to its elimination.
•10*4
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