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SPOTLIGHT STAFF
Editor-in-Chief Dorothy M. Myers
Associate Editor Georgianne Thomas
Assitant Editors r _ Bronwen Unthank, Wanda Waples
Business Manager Gwendolyn lies
News Department — Jean Berrien, Editor, Patricia Smith,
Marie Thomas, Clara Prioleau, Amy Holley, La Joyce
Henderson, Ann Carroll.
Feature Department — Lucia Holloway, Editor; Betty Lane,
Jessie Stith, Ann Ashmore, LeJune Hickson,
Henrietta Stocks, Gwendolyn lies.
Typists — Jean Berrien, Kercenna McChriston, Jewelene
Owens, Sonya Mixon, Patricia Smith, Dorothy Fu-
gua, Elinor Atkins, Katy Coleman, Jean Waymer.
Layout Department — Josephine Dunbar, B. Unthank.
Circulation Manager Bronwen Unthank
Photographer Camille Smith
Cartoonist Joanne G. Merry
Adviser Mrs. Naomi Chivers
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
Shortsightedness
Interrupts Truth
Too often our outlook is confined to such a small sphere that in
tellectual growth is lamentably hindered. Such shortsightedness
should be prevalent only in communities uninterested in the society
about them or in the overall great picture which this society along
with others presents to its viewing audience, the world. Certainly, a
college such as ours would, I hope, classify itself as a body of indi
viduals grasping and looking out onto the horizon for the truths
which may lie there, in contrast to the mere pursuit of a few facts
which may fly with the wind when college is over or even before.
Most of us are aware of this fact that shortsightedness is preva
lent, and yet we continue to limit our approach to problems on our
campus to the petty rather than to include also the stems from which
these pettinesses sprout. Such an attitude shows unereative thought
on the part of all who use this technique. One might ask who can
judge what is petty and what is not. The person who thinks, looks
and plans before leaping might be considered wise. However, if
his plans are fruitless, leading only to chaotic disorganization in his
community, his wisdom is to be criticized.
It is our duty as members of an academic society regardless of
our positions in this social structure, to aspire, it is assumed, to
achieve some proficiency in learning the art or science of problem
solving, to develop a method by which the problems which con
found, frustrate, infuriate our student body may be neutralized or
at least lessened in their impact on the concerned students’ miinds.
Doubtless, a complete reversal of technique is difficult, if not im
possible, to achieve. However, if this proposal, the broadening of
our vision, is seriously considered in the light of its optimum value,
one can hardly disagree to the fact that it deserves our attention and
consideration now. Why be so blind forever? Look beyond “the little
things” today!
Some step must be taken if we are to live in any sort of organized
manner which is agreeable to at least the majority of the individuals
involved. Furthermore, this step followed by others in the direction
of progress to decrease the amount of shortsightedness on our campus
in government, rules and regulations, facutly-student relationships,
and administration-student body relationships must be taken now.
Delay may be disastrous.
—Ida Rose McCree
I c-ot an ^complete m mathZ^U 1 ™;
DRAWN IN ENGLISH It-COWDITT0NAL.
in soc.14 ah' a ‘o' in pays eo-Wne*,
I OlOjN r PLONK A THING THIS TERM.
THE SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
Dear Editor,
Our main objective here at
Spelman College is to obtain
an adequate education in order
to prepare us for our occupational
obligations to our generation. The
obligation of the student is to do
her best in her academic en
deavors. She must, of course be
a young lady at all times.
The obligation of the school is,
and I quote from the Spelman
Bulletin, “to provide, within a
limited scope and with a relative
ly small number of students, as
good educational facilities as are
available in any college of liberal
arts. To that end, emphasis is
placed on courses in fundamental
subjects in the humanities,
science, languages, and fine arts.
Attitude toward life is considered
of more importance than the mere
aquisition of knowledge. Know
ledge must be lighted with in
sight if the student is to relate
her learning to the facts and real
ities of life. Added knowledge;
straight, courageous thinking,
with honest, clean living.” etc.
In chapel we hear speakers,
especially Spelman graduates,
who speak of the “outside world.”
Is our campus so different from
the world around us? If so, this
is a damaging factor. Here in
college, we are taking our final
step in preparation for the so-
called “outside world”. Here, as
was stated in our bulletin, we
are supposed to become acquaint
ed with the facts and realities of
life. I dare say that this small
community is able to do all of
these tasks sufficiently. For here,
we are urged to believe that we
are in Utopia. We are discouraged
from complaining about condi
tions, and unless this is Utopia,
there will be complaints. This is
a reality of life.
Is this a junior college or a
prep school? It is my opinion that
our parents have done a sufficient
job of training their young ladies
in the social graces. All that has
not been learned up to this stage
in our lives will come with mat
urity. When a woman leaves home
to go to college, she is interested
in becoming elevated academic
ally. If she has a desire to elevate
her social graces to the utmost,
she should enter a charm school,
not a college. Furthermore, any
school which tries to take the
place of the home and church will
weaken both. Would any school
dare to do much unless affiliated
with a particular church? This
is not a school of correction.
In order for us to meet our
main objective, it is my opinion
that we need motivation. Truly,
our dream of accomplishment
after four years is a motivational
force. I must say this much also,
if we work hard in our classes,
we will be awarded with at least
one dance a month. Then, after
a “brisk” walk back to our dor
mitory, we may shake our friend’s
hand at the door, under the eye
of our head resident. Since this
is a private school and the
grounds are private, I can’t say
that a good night kiss could be
considered a display of our af
fections publicly.
We have the privileges of daily
exercises in physical education
classes and strolls around campus
during restricted hours and in
restricted areas. Are these “off
limit” areas zones of evacuation,
quarantined areas, or areas that
would tend to make us forget our
moral training? Is it taken for
granted that we have no morals
or home training? The distrust
that is exhibited either proves
that the Spelman theory is that
we have had no home training
or that our trainers were not
adequate.
Freedom of the press is one of
the beliefs that managed to reach
us on the “inside”. However
censored or re-stated, we have
that freedom. Perhaps, we aren’t
paying enough for our paper to
print what we please. We have
enough respect for ourselves and
our school not to go overboard.
Each of us has had to learn to
take criticism gracefully. Howev
er, don’t you think that there are
faults concerning the school also?
There have been incidents
which have caused me to wonder
about the following things:
1. Who chooses our movies that
are shown in Read Hall? Does the
student body have anything to say
Letter From Carleton . . .
March, 1963
about the ones which are shown?
We would cater less to Morehouse
and the Ritz if we had more in
teresting movies here.
2. What is considered a decent,
yet an adult theatrical produc
tion?
3. Is the head resident our
“mother away from home?”
4. Is the school for the student
or is the student for the school?
Regardless of the answer, the
students’ happiness and content
ment is an important factor. We
pay to go to school. The school
sets the prices and we pay that!!
5. If this is supposed to be a
“family-like community”, why do
our “mothers” and “fathers”, com
prising the administration, cater
to the friendship of only a chos
en few on campus? I repeat, a
school cannot take the place of
the family! We must live or try
to live in harmony. But why try
to imitate family life?
Sincerely,
Evelyn Terry
Dear Editor,
“Open Sesame”! Ah, there lies
the gold — yet, all that glitters
is not gold, as you will see when
this tale unfolds.
I am a senior at Spelman —
a Speech and Drama major, an
aspiring actress, a dance instruct
or, the recepient of the 1962
Jerome Award, a native Atlantan,
an inhabitant of Abby, a victim
of circumstance — I am Marie
Thomas.
It has been my desire, my wish,
to relate to many people con
nected with Spelman, its faculty,
administration, and students my
feelings as a student of Spelman
on the outside looking in, that is,
as a city student, and as a stu
dent of Spelman within its cloist
ered gates, as a campus student.
For three years, I enjoyed what
one might call a “normal” kind
of college life. I tried to do my
best work in my classes, (the
result being an honor roll stu
dent for 5 semesters) participate
in extra-curricular activities, and
keep tuned into what many might
call that “college spirit.” Not only
was I learning in the classroom,
but I was learning in other as
pects also.
(Continued on Page 6)
Ida Rose Looks At Life
On Midwestern Campus
My dear friends,
After having spent three weeks
in new surroundings I have some
very definite first impressions
I’d like to share with you.
Carleton College is a small
(1200 students) liberal arts col
lege whose student body is large
ly composed of Midwesterners.
It is quite interesting to notice
the attitudes and ideas which
are characteristic, at least in my
mind, of this section of our
country.
Regarding race relations, for
example, these students tend to
be quite liberal in their actions
toward me and in their accept
ance of me as an individual,
without alluding to my skin color
or to my racial background. It
is pleasingly strange for me to be
accepted in an almost totally
white community as cordially and
as liberally as I have been ac
cepted.
Having lived in the South all of
my life I often wondered, at
first, if this congeniality would
be ephemeral. However, as I go
about the campus from day to day,
to classes, the library, and to so
cial activities I begin to feel that
the actions of these students to
ward me are sincere ones and
that Midwesterners, especially,
having never experienced the pre
judice which Southern whites
have toward Negroes, are unpol
luted, free thinking, rational hu
man beings who, if given a
chance, can understand anything
and anypne perspectively. This is
true of the students on this
campus at any rate. I like it here!
Carleton is a very casual edu
cational community. All of the
students seem to be very serious
about their academic achievement.
They read—all of the time, every
thing, and curiously hoping to
ferret out some new, daringly ex
citing, bit of knowledge at each
turn of the page.
The library which is very large
and very well-equipped, is the
center of this pursuit. “Going to
the libe” is just the thing to do,
I was told soon after my arrival.
Free access to the stacks by all
students, study carrels, several
lounges, audio-visual aid rooms,
all contribute to the comfort and
accessibility of materials which
any student desires when study
ing.
Another interesting feature
which has impressed me at
Carleton is the number of jobs
and activities which the students
operate entirely on their own. The
cultural and social affairs on
campus are planned and organized
almost entirely by students. Plays
are student directed and produced.
Publications are really voices of
the students, what they actually
think, criticisms of administra
tive policies or statements, as
well as criticisms of students’
opinions or group actions. It is
good to see that opinion can be
freely expressed so that the stu
dent may weigh both sides of
any question, disagree, or agree
as his rationality dictates.
Such policy is democratic and
is recognized by both administra
tion and students here as the
most truthful, straight - forward
method of dealing with problems
and for encouraging the mature,
thoughtful expression of ideas.
Such an atmosphere is a definite
advantage for any college whose
primary ambition is to promote
an unleashing of ideas—unbiased,
unpropagandized, free.
Now that I have given a slight
overview of my impressions of
Carleton so far I hope in my
subsequent letters to relate to
ypu some of my experiences which
will either defend or change the
opinions I have already made.
Until then I remain
Sincerely yours,
Ida Rose