Newspaper Page Text
THE SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
May 15, 1963
Page 2
FROM
THE
EDITOR'S
DESK
Something Is Rotten In The State of Denmark
What is it that causes a college to lend itself readily to discontent?
Perhaps the answer to this question could fill a doctoral dissertation
with many phases of the problem still unanswered. However, one
conclusion is that a chaotic or otherwise corrupt state lends itself
readily to discontent.
This year can be called a period of awakening that must necessarily
lead to enlightment. We have been kicked in our apathetic seats and
we have been disconnected from our complacent, lackadaisical back
grounds. Our first step forward was the recognition that a corrupt
state exists. Thus, half of the problem has been solved. Only un
swerving determination coupled with cautious application of tech
niques devised to abate many of the atrocious findings of scrutineers
who have examined the present state of the union (our immediate
college community) will cause us to realize our ultimate goal. This
goal is, of course, the establishment of a union structured on demo
cratic principles of the people, by the people, and for the people for
whom this union is established.
In our all-consuming, all-enduring clean-up campaign, the most
recent publicized probe had been into the authenticity of our “bona
fide” constitution concerned with procedures of the election of offi
cers for the SSGA. It was discovered that the procedure being used
is contrary to the information specifically outlined in our constitu
tion. The legality of the procedure now employed seemingly stems
from policy adopted in 1960-61 by a student government organization.
Two years later, this policy has still failed to appear in our written
constitution. Thus, we have a discrepancy. Should we follow our writ
ten constitution? Too often have discrepancies been found in this
format.
It is the duty of every student to get the most out of her college
education and to give the most of herself to her college community.
Therefore, when an error is discovered, then is the time to act on
it, not later. We must depend upon our individual resources, not upon
those of others. I regret hearing students express unconcern for mat
ters which are vitally important to us all, simply, because they selfish-
Love Knows
No Conquerer
“What is this thing, love?”
may be incapable of any good
answer as long as it implies that
there is a single entity. Love,
being a feeling, an abstract thing,
becomes most difficult to define
satisfactorily. There cannot be a
standard definition for love be
cause I believe that different
individuals have different de
grees of experiences and feelings
of love —■ being in love.
Most people take it for granted
that there is an answer to this
question; many of them have
tried to give the answer, but the
most interesting feature about all
their answers is how thoroughly
erd
Do
Dhe C^dih
they disagree. Sometimes one s ^ u( j en ^ S) faculty and alumnae in
wonders if they could possibly be
referring to the same phenome
non. People have described love
as, “a misunderstanding between
two people”; “a mythical per
ception of another”; “the nearest
thing to heaven and hell at the
same time”, and so on, and so
forth.
We all believe that poets are
experts on love. But have you
realized how a poet will even
disagree with himself with never
a sign of discomfort. If you ask
ed a poet what love is he would
probably say something like this:
“Love is like a lizard
That runs up and down your
gizzard.”
I am sure our biology majors
are just itching to refute that
last line.
Moralists like Ortegay Gasset
and psychoanalysts like Erich
Fromn insist that love is not sel
fish, not jealous ,not a question
of desire to posses. But how of
ten does a young man (More-
[house man) tell his beloved
(Spelman young lady), “I want
you all for myself, not even to
be shared by that sweet and dear
lady, your mother.” Tell me,
Dear Editor,
In response to “favorable and
unfavorable” comments your new
editorial board asks for: I hope
it is policy, not accident, that
your April 11 front page devotes
the right hand column story to
the south-wide activities of
SNOC and the left hand column
to a well-written full report of
the Social Science Club’s notable
student-faculty meeting to stimu
late full discussion and mature
responsible action to bring Spel-
man’s dormitory and campus
policies up to date. I hope the
SPOTLIGHT will continue in
this way to highlight news and
issues of regional, national and
world importance to Spelman
the right hand column and chal
lenging, significant on-campus
topics, on the left. And I hope
you can budget your pictorial
and graphic material so that we
shall continue to see significant
pictures like the Founders Day
processional, the Fine Arts
Building going up, and the down
town shot of COAHR picketing
the Henry Grady Hotel, attrac
tively balanced the way this
issue in laid out.
May we expect the new editor
ial board to articulate policy
or
soon? Your Editor’s lead editor
ial (perhaps lengthy, for the
actual news and ideas it con
tains?) indicates that we are pro
gressing beyond the concept that
a college paper is a promotion
sheet made up of miscellaneous
favorable items. In Georgia,
where youth at 18 is granted
full voting and citizen rights,
may one hope for fresh writing,
accurate, full reportage (un
blurred by bouquets and epi
thets) of news vital to such
citizens? Will you have a truly
open platform for the practice
of free and responsible argument
and controversy? Will you con
tinue to devote a full page, as
in this (April 11) issue, to
theatre, music, and the arts?
What contribution will the scien
tists among us make: book re
views, articles on new develop
ments in the science to advance
the general welfare of mankind?
May we look forward to many
clarifying, succinct articles on
technical aspects of the Freedom
struggle, like Mrs. Lois More
land’s in this issue, and thought
ful studies like the one on the
grading system by Ruby Straw-
bridge? Will you run, regularly,
ads as helpful to campus job-
(Cont’d. on Page 3)
ly feel that graduation offers all answers for them. Where is their j what do you ca jj this? Is this
altruistic spirit? Where is their concern for the school? We live not 1
only for ourselves, but for others, as one of our poetesses has empha
sized.
not selfishness; is it not a de
sire to posses? It Is my strong
belief that he who is not jealous
cannot love.
Love is a very dangerous
thing. This is because of the
sublime idea we are apt to form
of it. But to speak the truth,
love, considered a passion, is
nothing but a blind instinct that
one must learn to appreciate
properly — as an appetite which
directs us toward one object
rather than another without our
being able to account for our
taste. Considered as a relation
ship of friendship, when reason
presides over it, it is no longer
a passion, and in fact, it is no
longer love. You must, there
fore, be convinced that the loss
. I of one love can always be re-
Now I wonder what the role of a constitution is. Is it to be in two i p a j red dy another, because this,
forms, written and unwritten? Legal and illegal? Valid and invalid? j ^ Relieve, yj e means of being
Are the two forms to be so flexible that they lend themselves readily dal pp y and agreeable,
to various interpretations at the discretion of their administrators?
Or is it supposed to be a defined, written set of procedures by which
an organiation gets its basis, its mainstream? Is it to serve as the
governing body of an organization? Should so many discrepancies be
prevalent? Perhaps you will answer these questions for me.
If a state is corrupt, if something is desperately wrong, if citizens
are terribly discontent, then somewhere along the line a drastic mis
take has been made ... a mistake which has caused years, even
decades of suffering. Every facet of such a situation must be examined.
No stone should be left unturned until the root of the problem has
been determined, and solutions have been applied.
It is my suggestion that we continue to investigate and to protest.
If we deal with concrete facts, with realities, regardless of the seem
ing trivialities, we must necessarily be appeased, propitiated, concili
ated. When an area is dirty the most expedient practice is to clean
it up—not to run away to another area, nor to turn backs in the
atrocity. Only with pin-pointed effort will we succeed.
Always, a very progressive step is the election of the most capable,
best qualified officials to serve as leaders. It is my sincere wish that
all SSGA candidates were considered with the utmost scrutiny and
that we now have the best qualified persons in leadership positions.
I have often wondered what is meant when one speaks of student
government. Does it mean that persons in authority attempt to solicit
candidates for student government offices? Does it mean that certain
students get a chance to practice in such capacities as assistants to
administrators? Does it entail the practice of certain students suc
ceeding themselves year after year in certain positions until they
become one-woman dypasties? Or does it mean that one becomes
a spy for the investigation bureau and thereby gets herself in such
positions that she is punished by having to become a chauffeur?
Yet, does it mean that one learns and lives a decent, wholesome life,
following explicit rules outlined in a written constitution? Does it
mean living in a democracy? In a dictatorship? Exactly what is the
xole of a student government association? Perhaps you know the
answers. As for me, I sometimes wonder.
Now, to conclude my short
treatise on love, I would Dike to
quote The Ladies Dictionary of
1964.
it? ’Tis
a thing
very
that
Society Fosters Conformity
As I see it, there are conformists and non-conformists. The con
formists are those who agree with and uphold the norms that society
has set up. The non-conformists are those who break the old social
norms and live apart from the rules and regulations of society. Para
doxically, I suppose, the non-conformists actually conform, that is,
they conform with the beliefs of the non-conformists.
Where then does true individualism lie? Naturally, it lies within
the individual. The only tragic thing is that it is suppressed. Anyone
can attest the fact that individualism is lost from day to day because
everyone wants to belong. People lose their personalities to the group;
the group controls the will. If someone wants to be something that is
different, he seeks first the sanction of the group; he asks, “What will
my friends think of this?”
With so many rules and regulations that society superimposes on
the individual, society is apt to govern the individual’s way of think
ing. Unfortunately, this is not individualism. One should feel that he
is able to do what he wants to do; if the act is in accord with the
rules and regulations of society—or if it is not—one should have the
right to do it.
Ironically, I think of the terrible state of chaos or complete disorder
that would prevail in our society without some form of rules. Basically,
I hold no objections to the rules of society that abet order; however,
I have very potent objections to the rules that society impinges on the
indivdual which make him think and act like a robot ... a man
without brains ... a man who is a product of society.
I must admit that I burn with contempt when I see people pray
because others pray ... eat because others eat . . . join fraternities
and sororities because their best cronies have done so . . . imbibe
because others do so, etc. I could go on with an enormous list of
things, but I hope the point is well taken. Why must we fear our
selves? Why must we suppress our inner beings? Why must we act
for the approval or disapproval of others?
I dare think that any of our inner beings are so repulsive that they
must be held back. I dare think that any man fears himself. I dare
think that our individualism would not warrant the approval of
others.
The world is as full of deceit as I am filled with contempt of such
deceit. No one is any better than another. Individualism should not be
suppressed; it, too, implores the being for freedom.
C. LeJeune Hickson
We have uncovered many discrepancies in policies, in principles and
in practices. The basis for much of the discord has been determined.
A counter-attack against corruption has been spearheaded and is rap
idly gaining momentum. Now is the time to act! We will win in the
struggle yet, for we refuse to accept defeat. The challenge is ours!
Dorothy M. Myers
“Love, what is
much like light,
everyone knows, and yet none
can tell what to make of It. ’Tis
not money, fortune, jointure,
jraving, stabbing, hanging, ro
mancing, flouncing, swearing,
ramping, desiring, fighting, dic
ing, though all those have been
are, and still will be mistaken
and miscalled for it — ’Tis ex
tremely like a sigh, and could
we find a painter who could
draw one, you’d easily mistake
it for the other.”
What is this thing, love?
Jennifer Adhiambo
(Ragwar)
SPOTLIGHT STAFF
Editor-in-Chief .... Dorothy M. Myers
Associate Editor — Georgianne Thomas
Assistant Editors Bronwen Unthank, Wanda Waples
Business Managers Katy Coleman, Gwendolyn lies
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, Jo Anne 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.