Newspaper Page Text
October, 1962
THE SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
Page 5
Hyacinths for the Soul
(Editor’s Note: The foUowinc
article appeared in the August 12,
1962 edition of the Atlanta Con
stitution.
ANOTHER COUNTRY. By James
Baldwin. 436 pp. New York: Dial
Press. $5.95.
Reviewed by Renate C. Wolff
This is a savage book, a dis-
trubing, sometimes exasperating,
often beautiful and always ab
sorbing book. The “other coun
try” seems to be the utopia (in
the literal sense of “being no
where” of which all men, certainly
all the main characters in this
novel, are in search — a country
where love, friendship, and trust
can exist together and where no
one is lonely. But this our country
in which we live “isn’t a country
at all, it’s a collection of football
players and Eagle Scouts ... We
think we’re happy. We’re not.
We’re doomed.” These are the
words of one character, spoken
after a devastating experience,
but they seem to sum up the im
pact of the book.
The main theme is that, though
there can be love, passionate,
devoted, self-sacrificing love bet
ween black and white, men and
women, or men and men, there
can be no trust, no truce. Perhaps
James Baldwin’s outstanding gift
— a gift indispensable to the true
novelist — is his ability to make
the reader identify himself, by
turns, with each of the opposing
characters. We feel the fury and
resentment of the black girl who
has loved her brother — haunted
to his death by his blackness —
more than she will ever love an
other man; we feel, likewise, the
frustration of her white lover
who is brought to say (and let
us remember that a Negro author
makes him say it), “Suffering
doesn’t have a color.” We under
stand why the wife of a writer
on his way to success, is driven
to adultery; and we understand,
too, why the husband cannot
understand.
Another asset of this highly
gifted writer is his use of lan
guage, by which he can evoke r
piercing sense of lonelines bet
ween two lovers walking side by
side — “Space howled betwee
them like a flood” -- or create
an overwhelming sensation of th'
love act, whether between mal
and female or male and male
There is, perhaps, too much r
everything — too many fo»-
letter words lacing each bit of
dialogue, too many drinks poured,
too much love-hate, too much
perversion, too much cynical des
pair. If the first section is the
most profoundly moving, it is not
so much because the remainder
of the book is less eloquent, less
deeply felt, or less dramatic, as
because one’s capacity for com
passion, horror, and even indig
nation is limited. Taken as a ser
ies of separate stories, the various
episodes of the novel are equally
impressive; woven into one plot,
they tend to dwarf each other.
Yet, as it is, the book affords
a tremendous reading experience.
It ends on a masterstroke of grim
irony, as a young Frenchman,
sophistocated, thoroughly depra
ved, and still innocent, “more
high-hearted than he had ever
been as a child,” makes his first
landing at New York — “that
city which the people from hea
ven had made their home.”
Exchange Prog
The Spelman College Exchange
program was initiated three years
ago because it is generally acknow
ledged that travel and experience
make richer individuals. Students
who enage in the program return
with rewarding academic and
social experiences which will
benefit the members of the parti
cipating colleges. The foundation
for our program was laid by Dr.
Howard Zinn, -head of the Social
Science Department, and is pre
sently under the direction of Dr.
Renate Wolf of the English De
partment.
Several schools in the north
eastern and northwestern sections
of the country continue to parti
cipate in the semester exchange
Last year, the program was placed
on a yearly basis with Bethel Col
lege in North Newton, Kansas,
other colleges are expressing in
terest in the proram; thus, it is
continuing to grow.
ram Continues
The Spelman family is happy
to -have two charming young lad
ies from Bethel on our campus
this year. They are Charlene
Goering and Elizabeth Heath, both
sophomores, presently, two of our
sisters, Brenda Sue Hill and Flos
sie McKerson, are studying at
Connecticut College and Bethe
College, respectively.
Upon interviewing the students
here with us, we found that they
are impressed with Spelman Col
lege and the Exchange Program.
Elizabeth especially likes the ex
change of courses with other
schools in the Center, while Char
lene marvelled at the friendliness
of the Spelman students.
On behalf of the Spelman fam
ily, the Spotlight extends greet
ings to Charlene and Elizabeth
and wish for them a year that
will be challenging, resourceful,
and memorable.
Dorothy M. Myers
Nyasaland
(Continued from Page 3)
ship in the country, and only 40
miles from the capital, Zarnba.
summer. This experience was in
valuable to us in gaining insight
into some of the problems that
the African student faces when
he returns to his village after liv
ing away from home for nine
months in a European environ
ment.
My summer in Africa was more
than a summer of new places,
new experiences and new friends.
It was also a summer of new un
derstanding. It is only when one
stops comparing and starts ac
cepting — the people and the
country as they are — that he can
begin to understand. In Nyasaland
there is a visible remainder that
twelve Americans lived and work
ed in that country. Crossroaders,
however have no such reminder;
only a memorable experience, the
value of which it may yet be too
early to evaluate.
Ann M. Ashmore
Exchange Program
(Continued from Page 3)
Students who participated in
the program were: Edwina Pal
mer and Jean Berrien - Elmira
College for Women, Elmira, New
York; Barbara Douglas - Carleton
College, Northfield, Minnesota;
Lucia Holloway and Alice Mor
gan - Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois; Georgianne
Thomas and Jeanne Terry - North
Central College, Naperville, Illi
nois, Bemette Joshua - South
western College, Winfield, Kan
sas; Margaret Woodward and
Margie Price - Bethel College,
Newton, Kansas; and yours truly,
Dorothy Myers - Western College
for Women, Oxford, Ohio.
The idea behind the exchange
program is indeed a noble one.
The program was established with
the idea that it would not only
be beneficial to those students
who participate, but to the entire
college community.
LIBRARY
RECEIVES
GRANT
Faces shown brightly as mem
bers of the Spelman Family heard
that Spelman College Library has
been a recipient of a Kellogg
Foundation Grant. Being one of
the seven private, small liberal
arts colleges of Georgia to receive
the grant, Spelman’s library col
lection of books will have a stea
dy increase for three years. The
purpose of the $10,000 grant is to:
. . . improve the quality of the
teacher preparation program by
giving financial assistance for the
acquisition of needed books for
your library; and to give encour
agement for increased effective
ness of the library services gen
erally . . .
An effective condition of the
Grant is that the school maintain
the usual budget for general pur
poses not included in the accept
ed terms. The grants are given to
those liberal arts colleges which
have “regional accreditation, well-
organized education programs, and
a real need for financial assist
ance to improve their libraries.”
They provide funds for the pur
chase of books only.
The nation-wide three-year pro
gram is a result of constructive
thinking on what provides the
American public with educational
leaders. This project shows a rec-
nition of the importance of the
role played by small institutions
in American higher education.
The foundation, thus, is assisting
the libraries of these schools to
expand as their enrollment ex
pands.
Because it is felt that a library
grows only when its patrons are
responsible persons, students are
urged to treat the books with care.
The fines paid by the Spelman
students were used to provide a
paper back book collection. These
books will not only provide intel
lectual profit, but they will also
provide pleasure. To insure cir
culation, the paperback books will
be checked out for seven days
only .Promptness in returning all
books on the date due is urged.
Remember, the library belongs
to you. It can be most helpful
when you allow it
BEST SELLER LIST
Fiction
1. Ship of Fools. Porter
2. Dearly Beloved. Lindbergh
3. Youngblood Hawke. Wouk
4. The Prize. Wallace
5. The Reivers. Faulkner
6. Hornblower and the Hotspur.
Forester
7. Portrait in Brownstone.
Auchinclass
8. Another Country. Baldwin
9. Uhuru. Ruark
10. The Agony and the Ecstasy.
Stone
11. Act of Anger. Spicer
12. Franny and Zooey. Salinger
13. King Rat. Clavell
14. Magnificent Destiny. Wellman
Clara Prioleau
In the past, exchange students
have shared their experiences
through the media of chapel pro
grams, informal discussions, and
the Spotlight. This method seems
not to have been entirely effect
ive because some students have
shown a lack of interest and dis
favor toward the program gene
rally.
The Spotlight is interested in
learning the candid opinions of
the student body and faculty on
the effectiveness of the exchange.
Therefore, we invite you to ex-
prss yourselves in the next pub
lication of the Spotlight. We shall
be expecting to hear from you.
Dorothy Myers
New Faces
Eight faculty members and six
staff members have joined the
Spelman family 'for the school
year 1962-63. It is always
an advantage to the students to
know the new faculty and staff
members, they are as follows:
BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Mr. Leon Lemon — Teaching
Assistant in Biology - A. B., Mor
ris Brown College; further study,
Atlanta University with five years
teaching experience at the high
school level.
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
Mrs. Juanita Tootner — Eng
lish, A, B„ Spelman Colleges; M.
A., Atlanta University; further
study, Columbia University,
Northwestern University, and the
University of London. She has
taught in the public schools oi
Columbus, and Atlanta, Georgia
and also at Morehouse College.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPT.
Mrs. Elizabeth Burkley —
French, B. F. A., Carnegie Insti
tute of Technology; M. F. A.,
Emory University. She has taught
French in the public schools of
Cincinnati, in a U. S. Army high
school, in an Army Overseas col
lege, Oglethorpe University, and
to the members of an Officers’
Wives Club. While a student at
Emory, she held a graduate as-
sistantship.
Dr. Zygmunt Rukalski —
French, M. A., Faculte des Lett-
res, the Sorbonne, Paris, France;
Ph. D., St. John’s College, Uni
versity of Cambridge. He has
taught in England and Canada.
Mrs. Mercedes Sardinas —
Spanish, Doctorate in Education,
Havana University with further
study at Columbia University. She
has taught at the Instituto de
Artemisa and the Institudo de la
Vibora in Havana.
NURSERY SCHOOL
Miss Anna Marie Peterson —
Nursery School, B. S., Bethel Col
lege. She has taught on the ele
mentary level in Shawnee, Kan
sas from 1956-59 and during 1961-
62. Miss Peterson was one of the
On Campus
first exchange students from
Bethel at Spelman.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION DEPT.
Mrs. Ellem Hudson — Physical
Education, A. B., Tennessee State
A. & I. University and M. S.,
University of Michigan.
PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Mrs. Rena S. Craig — Counse
lor and lecturer in Psychology,
B. A. and M. A., University ot
Rochester; Professional Diploma,
Teachers College, Columbia Uni
versity. Mrs. Craig has been a
teacher of psychology at Rochester
Normal School; Asst. Professor ai
the University of Cincinnati,
Dean of Women Students ai
Union Theological Seminary,
1955-62; faculty wife and advisor
to students at Oberlin College and
Yale University.
STAFF
BOOKKEEPER
Mrs. Mildred Lyda — A. B.,
MorrisBrown with further study
at Atlanta University and Fort
Valley State College. Mrs. Lyda
has been secretary at Morris
Brown and Atlanta University.
SECRETARY TO DEAN OF
INSTRUCTION
Mrs. Dorothy M. Myles — A.
B., Morris Brown College and has
held several clerical posts with
the United States Army.
RELIEF NURSE
Miss Willie Turner
HEAD RESIDENTS
Mrs. Sadie Alexander, who stu
died home economics at Tuskegee
Institute and owned and operated
her own business, was receptionist
at Rich’s Children’s Nursery; se
cretary and assistant manager of
Lena Horne Cosmetics, Inc.
Mrs Carrie M. Gordon — A.
B., Jackson College, M.Ed. Atlanta
University, has taught for many
years in the public schools of
Newman, Georgia and in the
school for the Deaf in Mississippi.
Miss Priscilla Rowe, A. B., in
English from Spelman College. In
addition to her work in personnel
Miss Rowe will serve as Postmis
tress.
Bronwen Unthank
Atlanta Symphony Opens New Season
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, under the direction
of Henry Sopkin, begins its “Eighteenth Exciting Season”,
on Tuesday, October 23, 1962, at the Municipal Auditorium,
8:30 p. m.
This season promises entertainment, and excitement,
not only for the many Atlantans who can afford such en
tertainment, but to the Atlanta college student as well. This
year all seats in the balcony will be sold to students. For
$5.15 college students may purchase specially priced season
tickets, which will entitle them to twelve evenings' of fine
entertainment by some of the most outstanding and talented
artists.
The 1962-63 Subscription Series ;
Tuesday, Oct. 23—GLENN GOULD, brilliant young Ca
nadian pianist.
Wednesday, Oct. 31—-IRENE JORDAN, glamorous so
prano singing opera arias.
Thursday, Nov. 8—ALL TCHAIKOVSKY program, in
cluding piano and violin concertos.
Tuesday, Nov. 27—ALL ORCHESTRA featuring Dvo
rak’s famous Fifth Symphony.
Tuesday, Dec. 4—LEON FLEISHER, pianist, playing
Rachmaninoff’s “Variations on a Theme of Paginini”.
Saturday, Dec. 15—GALA HOLIDAY program details
to be announced.
Thursday, Jan. 10 PHILIPE ENTREMONT, pianist,
back by popular request.
Thursday, Jan. 31—PIERRE MONTEUS, 88-year-old
conducting genius, will be guest.
Tuesday, Feb. 12—GINA BAHAUER, pianist, playing
Brahms’ Second Concerto.
Tuesday, Mar. 5—NATHAN MILSTEIN, unquestion
ably one of the top six violinists.
Mondffy, Mar. 18—ALL ORCHESTRA featuring sym
phony principals playing Brahm’ Double Concerto for Violin
and Cello.
Monday, Apr. 1-“BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST” with
PETER HARROWER and THE CHORAL GUILD OF AT
LANTA.
Students are urged to take advantage of this tremen
dous opportunity to hear some of the country’s finest musi
cians. Subscription or single performance tickets may still
be purchased at the box office in J. P. Allen Department
Store. An identification card is necessary for securing sub
scription tickets at the reduced rate. Patricia A. Smith