Newspaper Page Text
Friday, November 20, 1964
SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
Page 3
Is there a problem between the City and Campus Students?
IF SO, WHAT’S CAUSING IT? This is the question that we asked a cross-section of the Spel-
man student body. Here are some of the expressed views.
City Student: We aren’t appreciated in the
Yes, the boarding students
think they are better than the
city students, but the city stu
dents really don’t know the
boarding students.
I haven’t noticed any conflict.
Quite naturally the campus stu
dents are closer to each other
because they see each other
more; but I don’t think that
there is a problem.
The day students have noth
ing in common with the campus
students. They live in an entire
ly different enviroment because
when they finish their classes,
they are finished with the cam
pus for the day. The campus
students are here all the time and
are surrounded by the college
atmosphere.
I haven’t suffered any, but 1
have heard about the restrict
ions being placed on the girls
visiting dorms.
The gap is caused by the ad
ministration. The city students
have been accused of stealing;
we resent this.
I think the city and boarding
students should feel a relative
closeness to each other. I do
know that this year the fresh
man class does have a better
feeling of warmth and closeness
which the previous classes have
n’t emphasized.
There are really no conflicts
involved, but a big division—a
big wall and this will always
exist.
There are really no conflicts.
The city students are not aware
of the happenings and we are
sometimes treated as orphans.
There is always a line of distinc
tion caused by the administra
tion due to the fact that we have
so many rules and regulations
separating the city students from
the campus students. The ad
ministration set up these rules
as a measure of protection, but
they are really doing more harm
than good.
I haven’t seen any problem.
dorms, especially by the House
mothers. We have an inferiori
ty complex. We think the board
ing students think that they are
better. We feel very unwanted
because the activities are de
signed mainly for the boarding
students.
There are many problems.
City students are restricted from
visiting friends in the dorms; ac
tivities are not designed with
day students in mind; distinc
tions are made between campus
and city students; administra
tive heads are not cooperating.
There always has been a pro
blem and there will always be
one. The administration advo
cates two student bodies . . .
Campus Students:
Yes, I think that there is a
problem mainly because the city
and campus students are un
consciously creating it. City stu
dents don’t always want to make
themselves a part of this cam
pus by joining clubs and com
ing back to at least some of the
activities. Campus students are
so busy with studies and acivi-
ties until they don’t always try
to make themselves a part of
the city students. Both city and
campus students are to be blam
ed for the gap that exists and
both should exert more effort
to help solve the problem.
There should be more activi
ties between the city and cam
pus students.
I don’t think that there is a
BIG problem. The closeness be
tween the city and campus stu
dents that is suppose to exist
doesn’t always, but this is not
prominent.
I think that they think there
is a problem, but I don’t.
City students miss out on ac
tivities partly because they don’t
know about them and partly be
cause they don’t care about
them.
the two groups together. I have
n’t come in contact with any
conflicts, merely disageements.
We need more activities to bring
us together.
I believe that most of this
is gossip or lies. I really don’t
believe that there is anything to
it!
Problem? What problem?
I believe that there is no real
conflict. The city students can
get along with the boarding stu
dents. They are always welcome
in the dorms and are by all
means invited to participate in
all of the activities.
It’s just a matter of viewpoint,
though it isn’t as bad as it used
to be.
I think that the problem is
complicated and enlarged by
the reactions of people who
either overemphasize or under
emphasize it.
These are the views? NOW
WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?
—Carolyn Campbell,
Joyce Young
AN ATLANTA
STUDENT SPEAKS
Before going to college, many
students are told of the wonder
ful advantages that a school
such as Spelman has to offer
Students are told of the close
ness between the campus stu
dents, the excellent student-
teacher relationships, the social
activities and the association
with the Morehouse College
men.
And so, as high school grad
uates, we look forward to that
September day when we will
enter those wonderful and even
sacred halls of Spelman Col
lege. Before we come, some of
us are even told of the tradi
tions and memories which lie
behind the gates of Spelman
As a campus student, many
of us put these traditions and
habits into practice. On the oth
er hand, as a commute student
the chances of really feeling the
effects of college life are very
slim. Even on the first day of
school, there is a division. The
commute students usually stay
to themselves and the campus
students to themselves.
As Atlanta students living on
campus, after three years of co
muting there are many things
lying in the back of our minds
whioh have ohanged in many
ways. We once believed that all
oampus students would reject
us, but some of them except us
with open arms. Others still
classify us as “city students”.
Many Atlanta students now
living on campus are slightly
disappointed because they had
to wait three years before real
ly getting to know the other
members of their respective
classes. Often, the Atlanta stu
dents find it quite embarassing
because they somehow learn the
names of most of their fellow
sisters in their respective classes
when the same cannot be said
for the campus students, and
there are fewer Atlanta students.
There still seems to be a di
vision between the commute
student now living on campus.
There is still not a tremendous
amount of sisterly contact, per
haps because each clique sticks
together, even in the line of
eating, going out together, in
hen sessions, or in their rooms.
The tension which exists be
tween the campus students and
the city students need not be
On the whole, we all have the
same common interests. Why
then is it so difficult for us to
accept each other for what we
are and not what we can do
for each other? The problem is
perplexing—will it never end?
—Patsy Stephens
WE ARE AS ONE
A school is not what it is be
cause of the buildings, grass or
trees, but because of the students
and it is no more than the stu
dents make it. A united student
body vigorously working to pro
mote and uphold the goals, prin
ciples and ideals of a school, are
more valuable to it than an ab
undance of endowments. How
ever, an apathetic divided group
of students threatens the very
existance of the institution. Min
or schisms, splits or casts are the
deadly symptoms of a danger
ously unhealthy attitude which
eats the very heart of the school
and the school spirit.
For two years, I have watched
in desparation as this dread dis
ease of division slowly but surely
drew from the very life, blood of
Spelman College. The disease is
an easily contractable one, be
cause it thrives in the most nat
ural situations and conditions;
and then immunes itself to minor
treatment or cures because it
seeme to be only a natural de
velopment. In this attack upon
Spelman it made no exception
to the rule. It struck where resis
tance was lowest, where there
was an almost natural tendency
of division. It, herefore, suc
ceeded in remaining obscure
while camouflaging itself as only
a minor disease which naturally
evolves because of the situation.
This treacherous ailment then at
tacked the weak line of unity
existing among the boarding and
non-boarding students of Spel
man College, commonly called
the campus students and the city
students.
“Dividionitis” works subtly
at first and is sometimes unrecg-
nizable to the victims and even
to the treaters. But, before I go
into an analyzation of the prob
lem and the positive steps taken
toward correction, let me say
that I think I am well qualified
in the area of diagnosis and pres
cription for I was for three years
a city student and for one year
president of the City-Students
Orgtnization. At present, I am a
campus student and president of
the S.S.G. A. - that is the servant
and spokesman for all the stu
dents both campus and city. I
deeply believe that the adminis
tration of Spelman College was
not aware of its contributions to
the advancement of the disease
by -the little actions or words that
it did or said to perpetuate the
division. Little negligencies pre-
(cont. on page 10
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