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rage 2 THE SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT October 17, 1963 SPOTLIGHT STAFF Editor-in-Chief—Ida Rose McCree Associate Editor—Georgianne J. Thomas Business Manager—Gloria Knowles News Department—Wanda Waples, Bernette Joshua, Phoebe Bailey, Bernice Dowdy, Yvonne Weatherly Feature Department—Joanne Merry, Nelda King, Charles E. White, Leronia Stokes Typists—Cheryl Pride, Betty Stokes, Eleanor Hinton, Gloria Knowles, Thelma Price Proofreading—Kercenna DVDcChristion, Eleanor Hinton, Betty Milson, Elizabeth Murray, Liz Murray, Juanita Price, Betty Stokes, Veronia Stokes, Nelda King Circulation Managers—Barbara Glover, Wilhemena Richardson Cartoonists—Carolyn Simmons, Mary Ann Gaither Advisor—-Mrs. Juanita Toomer FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK Creativity, Student Discourse A STATEMENT OF POLICY Positive action is our key. Intellectual stimulation is our goal. As editor of the Spotlight, I propose that the newspaper aim at positive expression in its coverage of all issues this year, non-controversial as well as controversial ones. It is my task, then, to encourage a positive attitude toward these issues, in keeping with the objective approach which all facets of the college have proposed to use this year in their programs of action. What is a positive attitude? Needless to say, we, as human beings, are naturally unsatisfied. Nevertheless, we, as intelli gent persons, as students, aspiring to grow intellectually and to become greater through this maturation process, must realize the necessity for offering not only negative criticism of all things, but also, simultaneously, positive suggestions for improvement and steps to be used in applying these .sug gestions. Any group which thinks negatively all of the time falls into a pit of negativeness, untouched by the light of in telligent pursuit of the excellent. Regarding controversial issues, particularly, it will be the policy of the newspaper this year to welcome student opinions both pro and con on any issue. In view of the fact that we are aiming at promoting greater proficiency among students in the skills of argument and logical discourse, and because our editorial space is limited, we must restrict the editorial section of the student newspaper to students. Such a battle of intellect is both stimulating and educationally challenging to any college community. However, in view of its larger goal, a goal of intellectual stimulation through positive ex pression, the newspaper reserves the right to limit the extent of this coverage, when the attainment of the larger goal is being inhibited. Unlimited student discourse and creativity are sanctioned and promoted by this newspaper which is the students’ voice. The newspaper solicits contributions from students and en courages these students to use their critical, analytical thought for producing articles and editorials worthy of being called, collectively, the work of a body of intelligent persons, anxious to know, feeling the anguish and pain which come from striving to attain the best that college has to offer; but possessing, too, the courage of conviction and the forth rightness to withstand these ills for the goals which they have set for themselves. Lomax says in his article, “Young Negroes Aren’t Ready,” which appeared in the Saturday Evening Post recently, that we, as Negro college students in the South, are ill-prepared to meet the challenges of today’s society, to fill the positions which desegregation in some places has already provided. Then, King says, “I have a dream that one day ...” freedom will ring all through this land. But how are we to bridge the gap between the challenge of King and the accusation of Lomax? One aspect of this solution rests with us now. It is up to us as college students to start now undertaking the task of becoming ready. It is up to us here, as college students, to play our siginificant roles in making this “dream” of a better nation, a nation true to her ideals, become a reality. It is up to us to deliberate no longer, to procrastinate no longer. One effective step in this direction (in this positive di rection, I might add), is effective, rousing student express ion. This entails much more than putting words down on pa per at random. It demands rational, decisive thinking on the part of the writer which will provide an incentive, a cogent invitation for the exercise of similar action on the part of the reader. To repeat, positiveness, in the sense of affirmative and constructive action, is our key; intellectual stimulation of our student body is the newspaper’s goal for this year. Help us to reach this goal through your participation and support. Ida Rose McCree cjCetterS to the Clclitor Dear Editor: I was very distressed to find upon my return to the campus this fall that Dr. Howard Zinn, to whom Spelman College owes so much of its present more modern and progressive character, had been dismissed quite abruptly and completely without warning at the end of the 1963-64 school year. In plainer terms, Dr. Zinn was fired and received notice of this fact on the very same morning that he and his family were to leave the campus presumably for the summer vacation. As one who watched with keen interest the developments of the movement for civil rights on this campus I cannot but wonder if this action on the part of the col lege against Dr. Zinn does not testify to what was said in many a stormy session last spring on “liberty at Spelman,” that free dom of expression and of dissent do not, indeed, exist at Spelman. I sincerely hope, as we must all hope, in order to justify our own presence on this campus that my conjecture is, by some miracle, the wrong one. Nevertheless, I can but conclude from the facts pre sented that the dismissal of Dr. Zinn at such an opportune and, in many ways, cruel time, after the students and faculty as well had left the campus for the sum mer, that the action against him was not only premeditated but also a direct result of his militant efforts to aid the student body in obtaining those same personal rights for which men have died. His competency as a teacher is not to be questioned; his character speaks for itself. His contract with the college had not ended — why then was he dismissed on the very date of his departure for the sum mer vacation? Is it true that faculty members are not to speak their minds as well? It was Dr. Zinn who was in strumental in instituting the ex change program and the Non- Western studies course. It was he who advised the Social Science Club and Spelman leaders like Herschelle Sullivan and Marian Wright during the time of the sit-ins in the Atlanta public libraries and state houses. It is the writing of Dr. Zinn on the Negro movement in general and the Negro student movement in the South in particular that is about the best in the country, being both intelligent and objec tive. It was to Dr. Zinn’s classes that all really serious and inquir ing students [in the social scien ces] aspired to attend. Finally it was to Dr. Zinn that each per son on this campus was truly an individual and infinitely more im portant than a new building or a smooth green iawn. I am not sorry for Dr. Zinn in the usual sense of the word; the world takes care of its own and history favors great men — the more injustices overcome and pro fited from, the greater the per sonality. I am sorry, though, for us, as a group of presumably ma ture and civilized individuals; if we can settle down to “business as usual” with only a second thought to what we have lost and to what we have become in the process of forgetting our loss too quickly. How many of us, I won der, are still familiar with the po em which begins—“I have to live with myself, and so, I want to be fit for myself to know . . .” Let us never exchange personal values and beliefs for complacency or comfort for conscience. Self gain comes to nothing if in the process of gaining the world one loses his soul. Let us not desert the battle because a leader has moved to another part of the field; it was for us, the student body, Spelman College itself, that Dr. Zinn fought. We have accepted a debt which is fast becoming over- SSGA PRESIDENT SPEAKS AN OPEN LETTER TO STUDENTS BETTY STEVENS Women of Spelman College, this is “a letter from a region in my mind.” There are many things that I would like to say to you. I will say only a few of those things now — the other things I will say later. Eventual ly, I will say them all. So far, I can honestly say that it has been a real pleasure to be your president. I have enjoyed planning your activities, articu lating your needs and even lis tening to your criticisms. The Spelman Student Govern ment is a means by which we give expression to the general will and improve the life we are now leading. Because our com munity government is composed of students, we have special goals due. Let us all, finally, stand to gether in some positive action to have him reinstated at Spelman. This letter is not meant as an accusation, though it will likely be taken as such; it is written not in anger, but from regret. It is my intention to rumple the complacency of my Spelman sis ters so that if they do not share my regret they can, at least, pro perly appreciate our loss. Sincerely, Alice Walker and responsibilities. The Council’s job is to define and articulate these goals and responsibilities. It is the responsibility of the Council to be sensitive to the body. The Student Council seeks to satisfy student intellectual and social interests by its program of activities, planned in cooper ation with the Men of More house. This year the student leaders have many plans, plans that can only move from the realm of paper to the realm of practice with your cooperation and faith. Let me emphasize this one point — the Student Council is a body with limited power. This you must keep in mind always. There is much that we as stu dents cannot do, yet there is just as much that we can do. We hope this year to work effectively in those areas of complete and par tial control. (Only the weak and the inse cure fear criticisms and we feel that our government falls into none of these categories.) This year, the student govern ment will be what you, the wo men of Spelman College, make it. It cannot succeed without you —and without you it will surely fail. There is something else in this region of my mind that I feel compelled to share with you. It concerns the question that many of you have posed to me. “Why was Dr. Zinn fired?” (To the members of the freshman class, Dr. Zinn is probably just a name. To the members of the sopho more, junior and senior classes, he is a brilliant professor who is admired, respected, loved, by all Spelman students.) You asked this question because you wanted an answer. I regret to say that I cannot satisfy your curiosity and concern. I do not hire and fire. However, I, too, have asked this question, but I have not been able to receive an answer either. Even though the student does not hire and fire the professor, the student is greatly concerned (Continued on Page 4) Exchange Article From Morehouse Strictly Speaking By CHARLES JACKSON, JR. Some may be reluctant to admit it, but college days are the best and probably the most profitable days in one’s life. In no other business can one invest so little and reap such grand benefits. In no other world than that of the college world can the individual profit unlimitedly academically, so cially and morally. Few people realize how power ful the weapon of education really is. It is more powerful than money, more powerful than pro perty or any other material goods such as these. I say this because in our day education is the basic means to these ends. And by edu cation I don’t mean just “educa tion” — I mean good education which can only be obtained by attending an institution intent upon demanding competence from its students. Lack of education is the prim ary reason why we, as Negroes, have made so little progress in the last century. The Civil Rights Movement is a good means of ob taining an end, but it is 1 triv ial when weighed against what we really need. We need to be educated — educated in every field and every discipline. Now don’t think that when I put the “-ed” on educate that I mean education at some point stops. No. This is the mistake of many students today — the high school graduate, the college graduate and on up the line. “Once a student, always a student” is the v/ar yell. One must never put a stop to learning, in school, out of school, or in the professions. So much emphasis on the word education is likely to cause a multitude of frowns. I am not advocating that one should mechanize himself and dedicate himself to the proposition that all men should become bookworms. This is hardly my point. The line of education extends far and wide and, because of its extent, goes far beyond the realm of books. In my mind, the well-educated man should strive for excellence in a three-fold manner: academic ally, socially, and morally. All three of these facets need to be integrated into the whole concept of education. The scholar who ex cels academically and morally is a failure if he fails socially. The moralist without education is an ignoramus even if he is at the top of the social level. The man who reaches the top socially, by inheritance for example, is a fail ure if he is uneducated or has no morals or both. The process of “being educated” is not enough. He who is educated must act. If he is a leader, he should lead with determination, with courage and with some material goal in mind. If he is a follower, he should follow with awareness, with good sense, and with the desire to achieve. He is (Continued on Page 4)