Newspaper Page Text
Friday, November 20, 1964
SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
Page 2
SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
Editor Leila Potts
Associate Editor Andrea Williams
Secretary Carolyn Clark
Business Manager Helen Coleman
Cartoonist Carolyn Simmons
Reporters Judy Tillman,
Anna Belle Porter, Phoebe Bailey, Yvette Savwoir, Carolyn Camp
bell, Joyce Young, Melba Davis, Ann Carroll, Patsy Stevens,
Carol King, Jane Smith, Ruth Batey, Clara Priorleau, Alexis
Walker, Beverly Smith.
Leila Potts
It is the central purpose of
this edition of the Spelman
Spotlight to focus attention ob
jectively, on the problem that
exists here on campus - the city-
campus student hiatus. Many
students may not sense the pro
blem as keenly as others for var
ious reasons. For some no pro
blem may exist. But, there are
enough dissident voices on the
campus - and off - to warrant
an open discussion of the “so-
called” problem.
The problem itself^ on the
surface, seems simple enough
and a simple solution can be
worked out. The “so-called”
problem is simply this: there
exists a division between the
students that live on campus
and those who live off campus.
However, this division need not
be. There are no separate en
tities among students at Spel
man. We are all one. Where we
live need not affect our rela
tionships. Indeed, the city can
be termed as a “dormitory at
large”. There is a need for a
change.
Can a change be accom
plished? I believe so. We are,
for the most part, mature young
ladies who ought to know that
SUPPORT THE
A NEED
FOR A
CHANGE
a problem cannot be solved by
grumbling about it. This can
make it worse.
Much of the antagonism that
prevails, does so because of ac
cusations made by both “city"
and “campus” students concern
ing social regulation, mainly.
Has any one taken the time to
see if some of the rules that are
“supposed” to exist, do? Are
there really any discriminatory
rules? I doubt it.
Working from this we can
see that the problem is, because
of pettiness, the wording of an
nouncements and the use of the
terms “city” and “campus”.
If we think seriously about
this problem we can solve it.
At present our Student Govern
ment Association is trying to,
but it can do little without your
openminded, objective analysis
of the problem and the way it
affects you, if it does. Let’s
not be angry young women
making baseless accusations. Be
objective and think about it,
for you are the unhappy ones
and you do not need to be!
Spelman would be the better
for its annihilation, for “United
we stand, Divided we fall”.
Leila Potts
SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
STUDENT UNITY
THE DEAN
SPEAKS
Historically colleges, estab
lished in towns and villages, de
veloped as entities with em
phasis on the differences in
“town” people and “gown” peo
ple.. Traditionally, then, resi
dential colleges developed a col
lege subculture, maintained it
and perpetuated it through the
changing generations of stu
dents. The nature of the close
proximity of communal living
encouraged a greater reliance
and a close associatioin of the
residential students. This spirit
has prevailed in lessening de
grees. However, there appear
evidences again and again in
our modern colleges of the feel
ing that the day students are
“ overlooked ” . Unfortunately ,
here at Spelman some students
have felt that this spirit exists,
especially when governing poli
cies must be defined and the
college must assume the re
sponsibility of “in loco parent’s”
to the total life of the residential
students and the guardianship
during the class day of the day
students. How do students grow
and develop? What must be the
guiding principles when plans
are made for the total growth,
welfare, and well-being of all
students? The search tor the
answer to these questions must
lead to the inner core of all ac
tivities and the never ending
evaluation of their influence on
the climate of the college com
munity. Therefore, zealous con
cerns must not be misinterpret
ed. How can the body be dis-
There should, ideally, be no
division between the Spelman
sisters. We should be united in
a common love for our college
and a desire for great achieve
ment. But a problem does exist.
This problem can be solved only
by the realization of its pre
sence and a realistic appraisal
of its scope and its effects. A
feeling of animosity has some
how developed between some
students who live on the campus
and some students who reside
in Atlanta. This animosity does
not effect all students equally.
There are students who, when
questioned about this problem,
deny its existence; others are
actually aware of it. A diligent
effort must be made so that
ideal unity can be attained.
Much hope must be placed in
the freshman class, for if out
new sisters begin their college
years not as two separate
groups, but as an entity, new
standards can be set for our col
lege.
The barrier to complete uni
fication exists in the minds of
the students. Certain Atlanta
students have said that various
individuals on campus resent
their presence and that several
regulations are clearly discrim
inatory. It has been argued that
the administration, while seek
ing to allay the problem, has
issued rules which intensify it.
Girls who live on campus, At
lanta students say, travel in
cliques which cannot be enter
ed. Dormitory students have ex
pressed resentment about the
administration’s seeming lack of
restrictions on day students.
They, too, have accused their
Atlanta sisters of establishing
impenetrable cliques. Their views
are extreme, but they have been
membered and still be whole?
How can a third of ourselves
be less precious than the other
two thirds?
—Naomi R. Olivers
expressed. These opinions must
be combated, for extremism
can sometimes become quite
prevalent.
The crux of the problem is
communication. Any animosity
that exists is a result of a lack
of understanding among the
members of the Spelman fam
ily. There must be reciprocal at
tempts to establish strong bands
of communication, for misun
derstanding has led to incidents
which could have been serious
and done considerable harm.
Students who live in Atlanta
must realize that there are sit
uations peculiar to us which
call for particular regulations.
These rules should not be im
mediately labelled discrimina
tory or reactionary, but should
be examined and discussed.
We must, somehow, become
a truly integral part of the
campus, for to the citizens of
Atlanta, we are Spelman Col
lege. The fact that one’s home
is not on or next door to the
campus should not promote a
feeling of isolationism. If we
display our interest in the col
lege by attending its activities,
and supporting all its endeavors,
while striving to develop strong
friendships with our campus
sisters, much of the problem
that exists can be relieved.
But the Atlanta student alone
must not labor for unity. The
campus students and faculty
and staff members must also
rid themselves of any prejudices
and work diligently to create a
richer atmosphere.
(cont. on page 10)
C g, C bq C-iai'H* 5 —Naomi R. Olivers