Calendar of Events Dedication of Million Dollar Structure at Spelman
APRIL Marks Renaissance in Fine Arts
Sunday 5—Anniversary Vesper Service, Sisters Chapel, 3:30 p.m.
Speaker: The Reverend L. M. Tobin, Associate Professor of Religion
Morehouse College
Monday 6—Morning Convocation, Art Department, Sisters Chapel, 8:00 a.m.
Speaker: Hale Woodruff, Noted Painter and Professor of Art N.Y.U.,
and Former Art Teacher at Spelman College
Wednesday 8—Morning Convocation, Music Department, Sisters Chapel,
11:00 a.m.—Speaker: Mme. Hedy Roselaar, Noted Scholar in Music,
Literature and Music Appreciation, and a former Concert Pianist
Thursday 9—Know Your Spelman Quiz and Pep Song Concert, Howe Hall,
11:30 a.m.
Departments of Art, Drama and Music present an Original Folk Musical,
“The Rallad of Candy Man Beecham”, Fine Arts Theatre, Fine Arts
Building, 8:00 p.m.
Friday 10—Original Folk Musical, “The Ballad of Candy Man Beecham”,
Fine Arts Theatre, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 11—Decoration of Memorial Plaques Honoring the Founders:
Miss Sophia B. Packard, Miss Harriet E. Giles, Howe Hall, 9:00 a.m.
Rally and Report of Gifts, Howe Hall, 9:30 a.m.
Family Luncheon, Drama Department, Morgan Hall Dining Room,
12:30 p.m.—Speaker: Dr. Frank McMullan, Associate Professor of
Directing, Yale U.
Original Folk Musical, Fine Arts Theatre, 8:00 p.m.
Sunday 12—Formal Founders’ Day Exercises and Dedication of the John
D. Rockefeller, Jr., Fine Arts Building, Sisters Chapel, 3:00 p.m.
Speakers: Dr. John Hope Franklin, Chairman of the Department of
History, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York and Mr. John D.
Rockefeller, III, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Rocke
feller Foundation, New York City
Opening of Art Exhibit of the Works of Mrs. Fayga P. Ostrower,
Noted Brazilian Artist.
Guided Tour of the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Fine Arts Building fol
lowing program
Sunday 19—Spelman College Glee Club Concert, Sisters Chapel, 8:00 p.m.
CAMPUS PROFILE:
Meet the Artist—Fayga Ostrower
One of the most fascinating per
sonalities on the Spelman Campus
this semester is artist, Fayga Ostrow
er. A native of Rio de Janeiro, Bra
zil, Mrs. Ostrower has traveled
throughout Europe and the United
States. She is a self-taught artist who
has directed art classes for many
years in Rio de Janeiro.
As Mrs. Ostrower views the issues
raised by this reporter, art courses
in colleges are offered to give train
ing to persons with talent in art,
and to create “sensibility to receive
works or arts” in those without talent.
Art appreciation, she feels, is not on
ly for creative persons. It is basical
ly designed to give students a better
understanding of works of art. Art
appreciation is based on the familiari
ty of works of art. When one is
familiar with many works of art,
only then is he able to compare. The
more one is able to compare works
of art, the more refined his tastes
become and the more he is able to
get out of a painting.
Anything which helps people ap
preciate art is good, such as, the
“Mass Culture” program initiated un
der the Kennedy Administration.
However, art appreciation is always
an individual response. There cannot
be “Mass Culture” without taking
into consideration many individuals
whose level must be geared to high
er standards.
Biennial of Sao Paulo
Mrs. Ostrower’s eyes sparkled as
she commented about her native
country. Although there are few
museums in Brazil, every two years
there is an international show at
Sao Paulo. Fifty-two countries par
ticipate in this cultural event and
hundreds of people from all over
South America come to see the ex
hibition. This year will mark the
13th staging of the exhibition.
In Brazil there is no state subsidy
or specific encouragement of the arts.
However, interest in art runs high.
This is evidenced by the popularity
of free courses offered in Art. Mrs.
Ostrower taught such a course—The
Theory of Art—in Rio’s Museum of
Modern Art. She explained that in
such a course no examinations or
grades are given. Enrollment runs
high. About ten percent of the stu
dents are real artists, while the others
show considerable interest.
(Continued on page 4)
Spelman Crossroaders for 1964. Reading from left to right—Wanda
Waples, Geraldine Davis, Barbara Henry, Sandra Montgomery, Juanita
Price and Melba Davis.
New Theatre
New Music Studio
Death of Mrs. Powell
Shocks and Saddens
Spelman College Family
The Spelman College family was
shocked and saddened by the death
of Mrs. Sadie Lillian Harris Powell,
a trustee, alumna, and long time
friend of the college.
Mrs. Powell who received her
early education at Spelman Seminary
and graduated in the 1907 class,
matriculated in the area of nursing
at the Providence Hospital in Chica
go, Illinois, and further participated
in an extension course at Spelman
College during the 1925-1926 aca
demic term.
Always active, alive, and ably pre
pared to engage in new endeavors
and seek new horizons, Mrs. Powell
performed many and varied occupa
tional tasks during her lifetime. She
was an instructor at the Orchid Hills
School for six years, a bookkeeper
and a nurse. She conducted extensive
service and studies in health condition
and welfare of children. Mrs. Powell
conducted an Infant Welfare Station
for the city of Atlanta, and made a
special study of child health condi
tions in the community during the
period of 1927-1928. The William
A. Harris Memorial Hospital, which
was founded by her and her late
husband, Dr. C. W. Powell, has be
come a hallmark for its outstanding
medical service to children as well
as adults.
A versatile and out-going per
sonality, Mrs. Powell’s realm of ac
tivity and service extended from her
active participation in the NAACP,
and Links, Inc. to the dedicated
service she gave cheerfully and un
selfishly to the Friendship Baptist
Church. Mrs. Powell was a member
of the Board of Trustees of Spelman
College, and was the first life mem
ber of the Phyllis Wheatley Branch of
the Y.W.C.A.
Because her life was full and
meaningful, Mrs. Powell received
numerous awards and honors, among
them the “27” Club Award in 1963
(Continued on page 6)
MUSICAL NOTES
Alpha Brawner, Soprano
Concert artist, Alpha Brawner,
Spelman graduate, returned to the
campus on April 3, 1964 at 8 p.m.
in Sisters Chapel and gave her second
concert at her Alma Mater. She
sang in connection with the Found
er’s Day celebration and festivities
connected with the opening of the
new Fine Arts Building.
It has been through the exhibi
tion of such fine talent as Miss
Brawner’s that the college has fore
seen the need of better facilities and
equipment to encourage and increase
the rate output of personalities of
this calibre.
Her concert was certainly a fine
one.
On Sunday, March 15, 1964, two
former alumnae, Mrs. Josephine Har-
reld Love and Mrs. Carol Blanton
Diggs returned to the Spelman camp
us to present a duo-piano recital in
behalf of the college.
Their program was indeed a me
morial one and brought back fond
memories to many of the class of
’33 who were present. The scope of
the program ranged from Bach to
Rachmaninoff in terms of historical
dimensions. Of particular enjoyment
was their performance of “L’Em-
barquement Pour Cythere” by Pou-
(Continued on page 4)
When the $1,000,000 John D.
Rockefeller, Jr. Fine Arts Building
is officially dedicated at the Spel
man College formal Founders’ Day
exercises on Sunday, April 12, 1964,
a long-cherished dream of the col
lege will finally be realized and an
upsurge of creative endeavors in the
fine arts in this region will be under
way. Handsome in appearance,
unique in design, and equipped in
every particular, the new structure,
housing the departments of Music,
Drama and Art, will open up new
vistas of cultural opportunities for
a generally culturally deprived com
munity and region. Few buildings of
its kind are to be found in the South
eastern region, and its facilities, size
and program are being evaluated to
compare favorably with any work
being done in any similar fine arts
center in the country. It is the dream
of the college that Spelman will be
come a real cultural center with the
addition of this exceptionally func
tional and flexible building.
President Albert E. Manley, speak
ing at the ground-breaking ceremon
ies for the building, stated that al
though it became his duty to secure
funds for the erection of a Fine
Arts Building, the need for such a
facility at Spelman had long been
recognized before he became presi
dent of the college. His interest in
the fine arts program at Spelman,
however, gave this building priority
over other proposed program ex
pansions. The serious cultural lag so
(Continued on page 4)
Eighty-Third Founders'
Day, An Inspiration
As Founders’ Day draws nearer,
we all begin to feel a rekindling of
Spelman “spirit.” We are fascinated
by the idea that our school is 83
years old, and has carried a certain
prestige all this time. It is most in
spiring to think back over the his
tory of Spelman College to the two
courageous women who founded the
institution. Miss Packard and Miss
Giles worked bravely against numer
ous obstacles to keep the school in
operation, and were gratified to see
its steady growth and development
during those difficult beginning years.
If we take time now to think about
the work of these two women and
their friends, we feel deep respect and
gratitude. Where would we be today
if they had not been moved by the
plight of Negro women in the south
at that time? It is moving to think
about the dedication of our Found
ers and the many hardships they
must have suffered. And yet, we
seldom think of them except when
Founders’ Day comes around each
year. In the midst of grumbling and
complaining the students now have
a tendency to forget about the Found
ers, who withstood hardships and dis
advantages that make our complaints
seem very petty.
We can say thank goodness for
Founders’ Day because it does bring
Miss Packard and Miss Giles back
in mind. With all the activities going
on in their honor, we cannot help
but stop and reflect on the remark
able progress of Spelman College.
We can all be thankful that these
two women began the work that we
reap so many benefits from today.
Let us hope that we will engage in
the activities of Founders’ Day with
a deep feeling of respect and ap
preciation.
