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Page 2 THE SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT February 29, 1964 SPOTLIGHT STAFF Editor-in-Chief—Ida Rose McCree Associate Editor—Georgianne Thomas Business Manager—Gloria Knowles Advertising Manager—Bernice Dowdy Circulation Managers—Barbara Glover, Wilhemina Richardson News Department—Wanda Waples, Bernette Joshua, Phoebe Bailey, Bernice Dowdy, Marsha Goodwin, Betty Stokes, Geraldine Davis Feature Department—Joanne Merry, Nelda King, Charles E. White, Judy Tillman, Jeanne Terry, Lucia Holloway, Jeannie Holloway, Gloria Knowles, Ann Graves Typists—Cheryl Pride, Betty Stokes, Eleanor Hinton, Gloria Knowles Proofreading—Kercenna McChriston, Eleanor Hinton, Betty Wilson, Nelda King. Cartoonists—Carolyn Simmons, Mary Ann Gaither Advisor—Mrs. Rosalyn Patterson Editorial opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the administration, faculty, or the entire student body of Spelman College. FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK "GETTING OVER"—BUT HOW Deep inside we all know that cheating is wrong. Our con sciences tell us that somehow this act is of no moral value. Then, if we consider the act teleologically, we again arrive at the con clusion that the end results of cheating are not favorable to us. Why, then, do individuals persist in such behavior when the long range ills greatly outweigh the immediate gains? Cheating on examinations is only one of the modifications of commercial graft which exists in our society today. Seemingly, there has been a serious fallacy committed in all such cases, namely that of mistaking true moral values for the immediate satisfaction of some want or the other. To offset failure in a class we cheat, we rob a student or a “pony” to pay off the teacher. We put off the present danger of failure by engaging in an even greater danger which involves the loss, sometimes momentarily and other times completely, of our moral duty and our moral sensibility. If this idea of moral sense, or conscience is too trite for us as intellectuals to rely upon, consider if you will, the role of reason in decisions of this kind. Our rational thinking should dictate that cheating is only the solution of an immediate problem which will only harm the individual in the long run. Our ra tional faculty should dictate that certain standards of moral action have to be met in order for us to preserve ourselves as parts of the human race? If our reason does not function in these areas we are seriously headed for destruction, because decision-making is the mainstay of our very existence. True, we can continue to fool ourselves, to deal in trickery and false pretenses forever, but is life really meant for this? Are we reaping the benefits of what we put into our endeavors? The answer, as I see it, is no unless we realize the significance of values in our lives, values, against which can be measured all of our actions and thoughts. Meaning then enters our lives. We find what we are living for, our purpose and the necessary means for reaching our goals. MASKING OUR ANGUISH Regardless of what racial leaders may think, self-awareness does not mean waking up one morning to dis cover that a Negro cannot exist in society unless he joins the move for freedom. There are Negroes who live successfully between the Negro and white community. My point is not to defend either one. My reference will only be to that person who thinks himself black (whether he be in actual hue or not) and trapped— trapped because the fight for free dom does not seem to be the proper answer. It does not take a race relationist to remind us of our strife, nor does ignoring the problem seem to help. Black is a color that needs no adorn ment ... it is also a color that is to be worn for a lifetime if it is written on the face of man. It does not exclude a brighter-complexioned Negro who thinks himself superior because he is not as deeply hued as other Negroes. Each wearisome day must pass when a Negro is reminded that he is a Negro; there are bitter and grue some experiences to be sought be cause of this fact. Moments after lonely moments creep hastily into our lives. One futile attempt after another is made to avoid the “misery of life.” And soon, all too soon some times, we find ourselves saying how cruel the world has been to us. The world has not inflicted the sorrow, but it is a dark world . . . too dark. We live in a land where hope does not seem to exist and where fighting seems vain and despairing. We live in a psychological zone where escape seems to be the only proven answer, but we are much too rational to ac cept this form of relief. The only resort is to mask our anguish. With all of the incessant reminders of white versus black, a sometimes bit ter repression of anguish helps more than a million demonstrations and protests. There are times when eternal dam nation seems to be more feasible. Race relationists, who seem to have lonely, personal wars, give blatant sounds; the man who ignores and lives neither with the white nor the Negro community is assured that his way is best. But to mask an anguish and be tolerant of both views seems to give us a pure and distinct equili brium. C. Lejeune Hickson COAHR Reorganizing The Committee on Appeal for Hu man Rights (COAHR) has recently been in the process of reorganization. This civil rights group, composed of the six institutions in the Atlanta University Center, was begun in 1960 and was instrumental at that time in initiating the direct action demon strations in Atlanta. In the past two years, however, the COAHR has failed to receive full support from the students in the center, primarily because of a lack of communication between the cen tral planning body and the college student bodies. The reorganization which is now taking place will at tempt to alleviate this vacuum be tween the planning body and the students. First of all, the steering committee is composed of the presi dents of the student bodies along with two representatives from each school. This committee is responsi ble for planning the program which the COAHR will undertake. Second ly, there will be set up on each cam pus subordinate committees compos ed of students. These committees will be responsible for carrying on the functional operations of the or ganization, including communications, clerical work, sign-painting, picket ing, voter registration drives, or what ever action is needed. Everyone, how ever, can help in some way, accord ing to his own desires. COAHR is a distinct organization; it is the channel through which the Atlanta University Center students can contribute their time and effort toward the civil rights movement. It is composed entirely of students and every student in the center can contribute his ideas and energies toward its success. Listen for further details. WATCH THIS SPOT NEXT ISSUE! Support the But, everything goes back to the standard of value, the moral duty. Cheating cannot be tolerated by persons who act and think according to standards of morality, no more than can murder, or adultery, or lying. In all these cases, if the coin were turned, if we were the objects of such action, the odds would be greatly against us. All of this can be referred to the Golden Rule. If it is not practiced strictly in all things that we do, soon we will have destroyed our standard of value and there will be no means of determining what is right and what is wrong. There will, undoubtedly, exist turmoil, chaotic random motion of be ings without morals, and certainly soon extinction of what we know as humanity. Consider this, if you will. Why add to the certain turmoil? Dismiss the fever which abounds here for “getting over” and consider the profit to yourself and to humanity which comes from the use of moral judgment and reason. I might add here that examinations of any kind may be taken successfully after sufficient study of the material. Try this. It works. We Need Reporters, Typists, Proofreaders Ida Rose McCree