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Vol. XXIV, No. 3 SPELMAN COLLEGE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA March, 1963
REW Observed
The study of science and reli
gion causes marked influences on
the college students’ religious be
liefs. Upon completing course re
quirements in these areas some
students have found their beliefs
lost to science. Others, on the
other hand, have strengthened
their faiths by successfully chal
lenging the facts which are con
trary to their preconceived beliefs.
Generally speaking, many peo
ple can not accept shocking truths
about their religious beliefs and
accordingly yield themselves to
frustration. As our campus speak
er noted, the recent Broadway
play entitled “Stop the World I
Want to Get Off” suggests to us
that we exist in a world in which
personal frustration is at an all
time high. In an academic setting
where such cases exist, obser
vance of Religion Emphasis Week
is well founded. Accordingly “A
Second Look at the Christian
Ethic” was a well Chosen theme
for discussion.
Dr. Norma H. Thompson, assis
tant professor, Dept, of Religious
Education, New York University
was Spelman’s campus speaker.
In her thought provoking pre
sentations, Dr. Thompson empha
sized the following basic needs:
1. Making one’s religion vital
and relevant in today’s world.
2. Making a realistic approach
to the Bible.
3. Challenging mass media’s
presentation of man as a totally
disrupted being.
4. Successfully relating science
to religion.
Mrs. Sadye Powell puts tools to good use under the watchful eyes of observers.
Up Jumps
By Gwen lies
Our struggle to eliminate se
gregation as it was found in
Atlanta, we knew, would be long,
hard, and sometimes defeating.
Each step was in some way pain
ful; each milestone reached only
at somieone’s expense; and each
victory was costly with concess
ions on each side. These strides
were made that Atlanta would
become known all over the nation
as the most “progressive city” in
the South.
The fight in Atlanta has sup
posedly reached the point where
the overt action that was once
used is no longer needed. It is
assumed that Negroes and whites
are at the point where they can
sit down together, discuss, and
work out solutions to problems
of segregation. This is being done!
There are no fanfares, no emo
tional outcries, and no publicity.
But there are calm and peaceful
negotiations going on in friendly
atmospheres.
The Southern Christian Leader
ship Council is working in the
area of equal employment. Its
first project, “Operation Bread
basket,” is an attempt to obtain
equal employment for Negroes in
the bread companies of Atlanta.
Southern and Colonial Companies
were very cooperative, but High
land Bakery was a bit obstinate.
In this case a “selective-buying”
campaign was immediately put
into effect against this company.
In cooperation with SCLC, the
Committee on Appeal for Human
Rights is also working in the area
of employment. Negotiations car
ried on between the committee
and the downtown merchants
have been rewarding. If you have
shopped at Rich’s or Davision’s,
in particular, during the last few
The Devil
weeks, you have seen some of
the results. There are other indi
cations of progress not readily
visible, but nevertheless, present.
Perhaps progress has not been as
rapid as we would like, but we
must realize the intervening pres
sure factors related to this touchy
issue. Let us take a look at some
of these factors: (1) The good
business man is always mainly
concerned with what is best for
his business. If he is content with
the progress of his business, then
he may deem it vital to maintain
the status-quo and unnecessary to
change. He has to be convinced.
On the other hand, if the request
will not cause a substantial loss
and the businessman is acting in
good faith, then pressure is not
needed. (2) The business man
may be a “die-hard” segregation
ist. If he cannot be convinced
that his business can be hurt by
not complying with the request
of the community, then he will
never change. In this case, pres
sure has to be applied, not al
ways visibly, but sometimes
through internal pressure in the
form of communications from
controlling or policy making firms
in other areas in the community.
No business can afford economic
ostracism. (3) The factual infor
mation concerning various firms
has to be gathered and compiled.
This entails finding out who the
“real boss” is, and who actually
makes the policies for the firm.
(4) The opponent has to be given
the opportunity to save face, es
pecially if he is backed up against
a wall. There is no need for both
parties to pull at extreme ends
of a stick, because of public opin
ion or other forces, and hope to
strike a happy medium. The pro-
(Continued on Page 5)
Dr. Thompson augmented her
presentations with several lines
from the works of Lawarence
Ferlinghetti, ia noted poet in beat
nik circles. She included also a
recording - namely “He was a
flop at 33”. This recording centers
around an evaluation of the
works of Jesus Christ in terms
of modem day society.
In terms of our theme, Dr.
Thompson’s over-all presentation
suggests that our every effort
must be directed towards inter
preting the Bible in light of the
needs of our present society. In
so doing, one must not only relate
to the people around him but he
must also see his religion in terms
of life in his society.
In keeping with this trend of
thought, our Religious Emphasis
Week Committee, directed by
Miss Edna Johnson, is to be com
mended on keeping our obser
vance of Religious Emphasis
Week attuned to the modern
channels of fine arts. Miss Marie
Thomas was presented in dance
(Continued on Page 3)
Dr. Snow Gives
Literary Treat
Morehouse and Spelman Col
leges were honored once again by
the presence of Dr. Wilbert Snow
and his wife. Dr. Snow is profes
sor of English at Wesleyan Col
lege in Middletown, Connecticut,
and is a very distinguished poet.
He appeared at the colleges as
the William Benton Lecturer in
American Poetry.
On Thursday evening, the 7th
of March, Dr. Snow spoke on
poetry in general, and also in
spired us by reading some of his
lyrics, free verse and character
sketches. Friday evening, March
8, the eminent lecturer paid tri
bute to Robert Frost, a great
American poet of this day, who
was also a personal friend of Dr.
Snow.
We, the students, always look
forward to Dr. Snow’s visit on
the campuses, and profit greatly
from his enriching lectures.
—Ernestine Brazeal
Mrs. Thompson has an informal discussion in one of the freshman
dorms.
Howard JoJhnson’s Restau
rant
On February 22, three Student
Non-violent Coordinating Com
mittee workers were refused ser
vice in the newly opened Howard
Johnson’s restaurant here in At
lanta. Similar experiences of ra
cial prejudices were experienced
in Marietta, Ga. and Nashville,
Tenn. As SNCC chairman, Charles
McDew, sent an unanswered tele
gram to Mayor Ivan Allen Jr.,
“Atlanta will never join in the
front rank of America’s cities
until every vestige of racial se
gregation has been removed.”
Voter Registration
Samuel Block, 22 year old chair
man of SNCC’s Leflore County
voter registration project, was ar
rested without charges on the 22
of February. Local segregationists
have, in the past, made an all-out
effort to dissuade Block from con
tinuing his work in that area.
SNCC appeals . to U.S. Attorney
General Robert F. Kennedy, de
manding investigation have as
yet gone unanswered due to the
infringement upon states’ rights.
Northwood Movie Theater
The Northwood Movie Theater
in Baltimore, Maryland, the scene
of protests since 1953, was suc
cessfully integrated on Feb. 21,
by 348 Morgan College students
and members of the Civic Inter
est Group. This success has won
nation-wide approval; particularly
in areas like Atlanta and Nash
ville, that have yet to overcome
racial barriers.
Lily-White Conference
According to an unofficial Fe
deral edict, high-level government
employees are prohibited from ad
dressing segregated groups. How
ever, recently, as in the past,
Robert M. Ball, Commissioner of
Social Security for the Depart
ment of Health, Education and
Welfare, acted as guest speaker
at a three day lily-white confer
ence of the Fulton County Wel
fare Dept. Twenty Negro em
ployees, were asked to attend, but
all withdrew when separate ac
commodations were made by the
owners of Atlanta’s much talked
about Dinkler-Plaza Hotel.
Field Secretary
Greenville, Miss, was the scene
of the tragic shooting of 20-year
old James Travis, a field secretary
for the SNCC. At approximately
11 F.M., three white men in a
white Buick, bombarded the car
and its occupants with bullets.
Travis was wounded in the should
er and a bullet is lodged at the
base of his neck, behind his spine.
The almost successful attempt to
take Travis’ life was because 150
Negroes registered to vote.
False Pretenses
In Montgomery, Alabama on
March 1, a 12-man all-white jury
was unable to reach a verdict
in the case of Robert Zellner, a
white SNCC field secretary, on
charges of “false pretenses’.
Originally arrested for conspiracy
on the campus of Huntington Col
lege, his Alma Mater, Zellner was
arrested on Jan. 8. Since that
time, charges had been switched
to “false pretenses” concerning a
check Zellner had written on the
day of his arrest.
For further information write
or call SNCC, 6 Raymond St.,
N.W., Atlanta 14, Ga. 688-0331.