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VOLUME XX
NUMBER 2
SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
SPELMAN COLLEGE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1965
SPELMAN MOURNS FIRST LADY
Mr*. Dorothy S. Manley
PORTRAIT OF A FRIEND
For three years I saw her
come out of the big house
every chapel morning and min
gle unnoticed among the crowd
of scurrying students making
their way to the morning as
sembly. She always looked so
pleasant, so radiantly fresh.
Even the smallest entities of na
ture seemed to claim her at
tention. One morning 1 can re
member seeing her lovingly
touch a shrub and remove a
dead portion that detracted
from its beauty. She never said
more than “good morning to
me during those times, but her
very appearance on those cold,
bleak, winter mornings radiated
warmth, understanding, and
sympathy. As we entered the
chapel and took our individual
seats she was always attentive
to the needs of others. She al
ways had a hymnal to give to
a student lacking one, or a pro
gram, if distributed, to a for
getful latecomer.
Sometimes I would see her
taking a walk around campus
or working in her beloved gar
den; but wherever or when
ever I saw her, she always smil
ed sweetly with a faint glint of
recognition. One day as I was
coming from my swimming
class in Read Hall, I saw her
working diligently with a some
what withered rose-bush and
was overcome with a desire to
just talk with her. Of course,
I had nothing especially inter
esting to say, and I therefore
decided to simply smile and
walk on. As I came nearer I
noticed that she had stopped
working and was literally star
ing at me. “Young lady,” she
said, “are you coming from
swimming class?” Stunned and
amazed I stammered, “Yes
m’am.” Then she smiled in her
familiar way and I knew that
whatever was to follow could
not be a judicial sentence. Then
she said, “Well, you certainly
need more than that sweater.
You’ll have a terrible cold!”
From that moment on I knew
that this lady was my friend.
I saw her only occasionally
after that, but I always wanted
to walk right up to the doot
of that big house and ring the
bell and just 9ay hello to my
friend.
I felt close to her from the
very first day that I saw her.
But my feeling of love deep
ened when I really came to
know the real person and not
just the lady I saw infrequently.
That real person was Mrs. Dor
othy Shepard Manley, one who
was deeply interested in the
growth and advancement of ev
ery Spelman woman. I had
many talks with Mrs. Manley,
and whenever I talked to her,
she was always acutely aware of
the needs, desires, ambitions,
and problems of the students.
She did not think of the stu
dent body as a mass of young
women with the same ideas,
goals, and general behavior pat
terns. Each Spelman woman
was to her a special person with
individual talents, goals, and
needs. She made a gallant effort
to know personally as many
students as possible. Thought
ful, kind, and considerate she
always planned unique and en
tertaining activities. For an ex
ample, the receptions held for
the class every year, and es
pecially the reception planned
for the seniors and given at
the Manley home. ^
Mrs. Manley became involved
with every phase of campus
life. Many were the days that
she would visit the dormitory
lounges and add artful touches
to the decor. Oftentimes she
would only rearrange the fur
niture or tie back the draperies
and fhe room would be effec
tively bright and different. This
was the talent and know how
of a special lady. I can remem
ber when one dormitory on
campus was frantically prepar
ing for a special program and
could not locate any serving
utensils. Mrs. Manley freely
and without reluctance provided
her personal belongings and
gave a wise word of advice that
preparations should begin sev
eral days ahead of time.
Every day to Mrs. Manley
was a day to be lived, used ful
ly, and given to service to oth
ers. Even when she became ill
there was never a time that
she was not ready and willing
to offer suggestions and help
with any project. During the
first semester she wrote to me
through campus mail an ex
cellent suggestion, and closed
by saying that if any resource
work needed to be done she
would happily do it. I used
to visit her as frequently as was
possible during her illness, not
from sympathy, but because I
gained so much from each visit.
She was alive, so aware of the
world and the people in it. I
could never paint with words
the life of Mrs. Manley, nor
what her friendship meant to
me. It was a personal privilege
that I shall forever treasure.
I am only grateful to have
known such a gallant, courage
ous and lovable lady.
He who is upright, kind and
free from error,
Needs not the aid of arms of
men to guide him . . .
Strong in his virtues . . .
God will attend him . . .
—Judy Tillman
Our Mrs. Manley
Mrs. Dorothy Shepard Man-
ley, the beloved first lady of
Spelman College, passed Decem
ber 18, 1964. She was a friend
of all of Spelman. We feel that
the loss of one so warm, so
radiant, so helpful can never
be regained.
Her funeral was held Sunday,
December 20, 1964, at 3:00
P. M. in Sisters Chapel. Grave
side rites took place in Durham,
North Carolina on Monday, De
cember 21, 1964, at 3:00 P. M.,
in Beechwood Cemetery.
Mrs. Manley was not only
loved by all of us here at Spel
man, but by many of those
who have trod this way. The
following are some excerpts re
ceived from alumnae at her
death:
—She was kind, understanding,
sympathetic, and thoughtful of
others.
—Always and ever I shall re
member her by your side, so
radiant, so lovely, so helpful, so
fair.
—In every way Dorothy radiat
ed such warmth and sincerity
of spirit that we feel grateful
to have been called her friends.
—The growth and advancement
of every Spelman girl was of
special interest to her.
All Spelman’s daughters, both
past and present, will remem
ber Mrs. Manley for she was
loved and respected by all who
were privileged to know and to
work with her.
Religious Emphasis
Week, A Brief Preview
Religious Emphasis Week is
a tradition in the Atlanta Uni
versity Center. It includes four
major services for all the Cen
ter on Sunday through Wednes
day as well as receptions and
other activities. The Sunday
service is held at three o’clock
in Sisters Chapel, and the week
day services are held at seven,
also in Sisters Chapel. Wednes
day’s service is Communion and
provides a climax to the week.
The receptions are held at vari
ous places around the Center
and immediately follow each
service. In addition to joint ser
vices, there are discussions, and
other activities sponsored by
each individual college. The ac
tivities are planned by com
mittees composed of students
and faculty and staff.
This year Religious Emphasis
Week begins on Sunday, March
7. The speaker for the Center
will be Dr. George D. Kelsey,
a graduate and former teacher
of Morehouse, who is now Pro
fessor of Theology at Drew
University, Spelman’s guest will
be the Reverend Kelly Miller
Smith, also a graduate of More
house, who is the pastor of the
First Baptist Church in Nash
ville. Recently he was mentioned
in a national magazine as one
of the ten best preachers in
(Coni, on pago 6)