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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