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Page 2 THE SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT April 11, 1963 SPOTLIGHT STAFF Editor-in-Chief Associate Editor Dorothy M. Myers Georgianne Thomas Bronwen Unthank, Wanda Waples Gwendolyn lies Assistant Editors — Business Manager News Department — Jean Berrien, Editor, Patricia Smith, Marie Thomas, Clara Prioleau, La Joyce Henderson, Anne Carroll, Joyce Irvin Feature Department — Lucia Holloway, Editor; Betty Lane, Jessie Stith, Ann Ashmore, LeJune Hickson, Gwendolyn lies, JoAnne Merry Fashion Editor — Billie Joyce Mack Typists — Jean Berrien, Kercenna McChriston, Hazel Flowers, Sonya Mixon, Patricia Smith, Katy Cole man, Jean Waymer Circulation Managers Bronwen Unthank, Amy Holley Photographer Camille Smith Cartoonists Mary Gaither, Joanne G. Merry Adviser : Mrs. Naomi Chivers The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the staff. All articles must be signed. Names will be with held upon request. cjCetterd to the dddib FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK Editor’s Note: All letters to 'the editor must not exceed 200 words. Failure to comply with this limit will forfeit printing. Dear Editor, In answer to a letter published in the last issue of the SPOT LIGHT, I’d like to say that it is certainly a pity for us to use the newspaper as a sounding board for personal grievances and bitter ness. The newspaper is for news. though I or knew the instructors might not be as understanding. I pictured the beautiful campus and the famed Sisters’ Chapel. In a vision could be seen that it would be wonderful to be a Spelman young lady and that it would be even more wonderful to be an alumna of Spelman. Oh yes, I could truly see why Spelman was considered one of the best schools in the United States for the education of Negro women. All of these things I Certainly we should include pub- had pictured in my mind con _ lie opinion, but public opinion it cerning Spelman . anc^e o med 3nJt unde should be—not private. We should try to build up the paper through good journalism; otherwise, it will, rather than command the respect it deserves, become no more than a platform for radical harangue. Sincerely, Evelyn A. Carroll Dear Editor, Much to my dismay the rever ent atmosphere that existed in Vesper services during my earlier years at Spelman has slowly diminished. No longer do I see the respect which should be shown at these services. Quite often one encounters friendly chit chat and other fri volous fraternizing. I feel that this is unbecoming and mis placed. In the very near future, I sincerely hope that Vesper ser vices will once again become a place of manifested respect. Sincerely, Bronwen Unthank ance Many of you, both students and faculty, have remarked to me and to other members of the SPOTLIGHT staff that you were pleasantly surprised with the last edition of our college newspaper. Comments such as these are always appreciated, for it makes the staff feel that we are accomplishing what we set out to achieve, namely to publish a newspaper representative of ourselves. Conversely, we have gotten comments of unfavorable criticism. This, of course, keeps us on our toes and prevents the ever-lurking apathy,from seeping into our blood. Therefore, my conclusion is that we need both favorable and unfavor able criticism. Since our December edition, the SPOTLIGHT has undergone signifi cant changes. If you will look at the staff line-up on the editorial page, you will see that we have changed our editor-in-chief, associate editor, added assistant editors, dropped the lay-out department, and added, as well as dropped, reporters. Other obvious changes in the format of the paper need no explana tion. However, the change in the newspaper staff which I consider most significant is the establishing of an editorial board composed of all the editors on our staff. This board decides what is to be pub lished and what is not to be published. Any and all policy is either made by this board or must be presented to this board before it can be accepted. Our faculty advisor, Mrs. Naomi Chivers, is, of course, always present to give us the benefit of her experience through her well thought out advice. The final decision rests in the hands of this newly established editorial board. We realize that the college, through the voice of Dr. Manley, has a pre-established policiy regarding our college newspaper. It is our sincere wish that the SPOLIGHT staff and the editorial board, especially, will prove ourselves so responsible as students and as journalists that we will be given an entirely free hand in putting out our newspaper. I am confident that we have the ability, maturity, and integrity needed in such an endeavor. Our next and most impor tant step comes in getting this point across to the college community. For the remainder of the year, we plan to put out two isssues a month. This means that we have three more editions besides this one. Yes, we have hilgh ideas as well as high ideals. However, they will be futile without your spiritual and your physical support. Many of you have given us spiritual support through encouraging words, but more of you need to give us physical support by writing articles, informing us of activities, and giving us additional information and service. We need reporters especially now that we will have exchange ar ticles with other colleges in the University Center. The staff feels that one of the reasons that a close relationship among the colleges in the Center is virtually nil is because of the poor communications with them. Typists always have been and always will be in demand. We even have a different atmosphere with new equipment in the pub lications office. As you have perhaps guessed, this article is not only to inform you of our intentions as journalists, but to plead our Case to you in one grand sweep so that we can save just a little on shoe leather and useful energy. Thus, you see unveiled before you a whole new horizon, an un censored (except by the editorial board, of course) outlet of express ion. My advice to you is—USE IT. We all love Spelman. Let’s make the SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT one of the outstanding facets of our beloved school. Dorothy M. Myers Dear Editor, It seems that spring is here to stay and from here on we’re going to have nothing but beau tiful weather. As a result of'this, we, as students must sharpen our wits if we want to enjoy it. We’re all restless this time of year and eager to take part in spring acti vities. However, we must sup press our restlessness and con tent ourselves with evening strolls around the campus. True, this is good for physical fitness but we should be physically fit with all the walking (not riding) we do. We admit that Spelman is a good school and a beautiful cam pus, especially during this time of year. But. . .why shouldn’t we be able to enjoy scenery other than that of Spelman College? I understand that there are some beautiful parks, zoos, land sites, and other areas of interest that provide for intellectual and so cial entertainment. Why can’t we venture outside of “our world” into the “big world?” How do the people live in Atlanta? Are all the areas like this area? When I’m at home people ask. . .“Tell me something about Atlanta, Georgia?”. . .1 can only tell them about Spelman, Georgia. We sit and watch the birds and the squirrels as they seemingly enjoy life, while we, the most in tellectual specie, must sit con fined behind the Spelman Wall! HAVE WE SOLD OUR SOULS TO THE BARBED WIRE? Sincerely, Edith Dear Editor, Last summer I was eagerly making preparations to attend Spelman. I could picture in my mind how I would like Spelman and how I would enjoy college. There was even a picture of the rules and regulations that I would soon have to get used to. There was a picture of how understand ing the house-mothers would be, However, after spending several months at Spelman, my visions have been shattered with some incidents that to many may seem incredible. The physical portion of the campus is still beautiful but at this point I can’t say whether or not I am enjoying college life, for there are too many unnecessary rules that should be abolished. One of the main rules in two of the dormi tories is that, if a young lady has a late class and wishes to sleep late, she still has to get up, clean her room and lie on top of her made-up bed until after the house mother checks the room. This is utterly ridi culous. If a young lady wishes to sleep late, she should be able to do so. This harsh rule seems as though one has to get “special permission” to sleep after ail these years. Another problem which con cerns most of us is the dining hall. Most of the time, the meals are unfit to serve to. . .though they may be well-balanced. If we get a decent meal, there is only enough to get a taste. As a result most of us suffer from the same disease day after weary day, better known as hungryitis. As for me, I have steadily been loosing weight ever since I have been here. The infirmary is the most ridi culous and incredible situation on Spelman’s campus. If a young lady feels ill, she has to get sick between 6:30 and 7r00 in the morning, 11:30 to 12:30 in the afternoon, or between 6:45 and 7:30 in the evening. If you be came sick before or after these clinic hours, you are told its all in the mind. You have to suffer. Even if a young lady has cramps and can hardly bear the pain, she is told this is a psycho logical problem, she doesn’t really have cramps. No one, doctor or nurse, can tell me that cramps are a psychological problem; I have experienced them too often and I have received a gray pill that is supposed to help me; or if they are out of those, then a red or white, pink or green pill is used instead. In the meantime, a young lady could be dying. Of most importance to any college campus is its library. There are several general prin ciples or rules to be observed in the library regardless of its lo cation. The librarian is duty- bound to see that the library is quiet for those who wish to study. As to the case of Spelman’s li brary, the library most of the time is too noisy to do any ef fective studying; persons talk on the phone loud enough for the people in the hall to hear them. Yet, the library is supposed to be quiet. How can one study with such excessive noise, unless she is deaf? Whenever there is a scheduled activity on campus, every Spel man young lady is compelled to go or at least she might as well be, for if there is another pro gram on another college campus that seems more interesting to the Spelman young lady, she can’t go because of the program scheduled on Spelman’s campus. If a young lady should go, she is subject to possible punishment. (Continued on page 10) Letter From A Junior Dear Editor, I want to express a wholehearted thank you and round of applause to the Social Science Department for presenting the enlightening dis cussion, “Liberty at Spelman College”, March 11. The serious unrest that is bubbling on this campus must eventually come to a head, and I think it was high time for just such a discussion. I went to the meeting not at all innocent. For the grievances ex pressed are common to virtually all enrolled at Spelman, and those expressed which I had not heard before did not surprise me. Despite this knowledge, I left the discussion disgusted, sickened and revolted. Disgusted, sickened and revolted by the hypocrisy, the underhanded dealings, the evasive answers and lies, the deceit, the glaring discrep ancies, the treachery—in short, disgusted, sickened and revolted by the corrupt state of this school, Spelman College, as exposed by the victims under its intimidation and threats that various persons are now enduring as a result of their forthrightness in exercising their freedom of speech in discussing liberty at Spelman. It is a shame that college students, who go to college for academic advancement, should have first to devote their time and energy towards creating an atmosphere making such advancement feasible or possible at all. I was recently speaking with two students from a northern college who mentioned that the “great revolt” taking place on their campus over the two assemblies they are required to attend each week now seems significant in comparison with the basic issues for which we at Spelman are fighting. The thing is that these griev ances we hold are so very basic that we cannot wait ten or twenty years for change that is already long overdue. We want change to morrow in hope that somehow we may catch up with other colleges throughout the nation. I feel that more discussions of the same nature are very much in order. There are very many more questions for which we want answers and very many more grievances we want to air. It has been noted: They’re mowing the lawns; the trustees are coming. Therefore, since so many in the power structure here have the tendency to pass the buck, so to speak, where responsibility is concerned, I suggest that a discussion, such as took place in the Abby gameroom, be arranged with the trustees when they arrive this month. Although I do not know the trustees at all I have hope that at least they would not turn a deaf ear and would be sympathetic to our plight (Surely someone in a position to change things is.) This is the express reason why I expect this suggestion to fall like water from a duck’s back. I offer it, nontheless. Once again, cheers to the Social Science Department for helping to bring our cause to the open. The fight promises to be long and difficult, but, to close with a dear, familiar phrase, “We shall over come!”. Sincerely, Anna Jo Weaver