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Committee meets 9
new trustee named
By bernadette weston
The Four-Way Committee
consisting of Spelman students
faculty, trustees, and
administrative representatives
met February 13 and 14. The
committee discussed problems
facing the college community and
made some recommendations for
the solution of those problems.
A new trustee, Attorney
Donald Hollowell, of Atlanta
attended the meeting. The name
of another new trustee, Dr.
Lynette Gaines, a Spelman
alumna and professor at the
University of Alabama at Mobile,
was released. Dr. Gaines was
formerly director of the A.U.
Reading Center.
Among the topics discussed
was the question of a campus
bookstore. The Committee
approved the idea of setting up a
bookstore by September, 1970.
Dr. June Aldridge of the
English Department, Mr. Dennis
Jones, Business Manager; and
President Yvonne Bryant of
SSGA were named to a
subcommittee to study plans for
the store.
The purpose of the bookstore
will be to accomodate students
and faculty as reasonably as
possible.
The question of sororities on
campus remains an open issue,
awaiting the results of a student
investigation of the issue.
The much discussed academic
climate at Spelman was reviewed
by the Committee.
The committee members
recognized that the academic
climate is not what they would
like it to be. The Committee
suggested that a study be done by
all aspects of the college
community to answer two
essential questions. (1) What do
we want the climate at Spelman
to be, a copy of Ivy-League
colleges or something unique?(2)
What are the things we must do
to realize this academic climate?
The problem of paying tuition
in a lump sum was given some
consideration. The official policy
requiring the full payment
remains in effect, but individual
cases will be investigated and
acted upon.
However, library fines and fees
must be paid before the
examination period begins.
Plans were discussed to aid the
trustees in learning more about
the campus when they visit in
April. Attempts will be m ade to
allow the trustees to acquaint
themselves with aspects of
Spelman that most interest them.
Georgia house kills abortion bill
By harriett geddes
On Tuesday, February 3, 1970
a committee hearing of the
Georgia House of Representatives
Health and Hygiene Committee
was held on the House Bill 1180.
The bill is co-sponsored by Rep.
Grace Hamilton and Rep. Kil
Townsend.
A decision was reached in
fifty-two seconds after ten to
fifteen people testified pro and
con in a debate that lasted nearly
four hours. House Bill 1180 was
tabled until this summer to be
studied.
The bill provided for a woman
to receive an abortion with the
consent of her physician, with no
other red tape up to twelve weeks
of pregnancy.
Under the present law there are
very few cases for abortions,
which are: rape, badly infected
fetus in the woman and
deteriorating mental and/or
physical health of the woman.
It was testified that many
women who fit into these
categories are unable to receive
an abortion. One such woman
testified that she is dying from
high blood pressure along with
the pressure of carrying a baby.
She was not granted a legal
abortion. Psychiatrists testified
that patients they recommended
were also unable to obtain a legal
abortion.
A well-known obstetrcian from
Emory Medical School said that
the Medical Association had not
been contacted because it was
not a medical decision but rather
a social and moral one.
On Friday, February 6, 1970,
the Georgia Citizens or Hospital
Abortions called a press
conference to announce its
dissatisfaction with the
legislature. They also announced
that they are setting up an
organization to help women to
obtain legal abortions.
Spelman Spotlight
february, 1970
SGA sponsors Sunday forums
By bernadette weston
The place to be on Sunday
afternoon around 6:30, if you’ve
got your mind together, is the
SGA office. That’s where uptight,
out-of-sight people hang together
and rap.
The tone varies from cool
intellectualism to heated
emotionalism and all
temperatures in between. Topics
selected for the weekly rap
session provide an opportunity
for Spelman chicks “to get on
down with it” with brothers and
sisters from the A. U. Center and
beyond.
SSGA has begun the weekly
series of forums in order to
promote a more stimulating
academic climate on campus. The
forums further provide a place
for students to freely- discuss
issues which are of vital
importance to them as members
of the black community.
The sharing of knowledge and
the expression of attitudes and
opinions should combine to make
the forums a social as well as an
educational experience.
The first forum was held
Sunday February 8, exactly two
years after the Orangeburg
Massacre robbed the black
community of four lives.
On that horrible day in 1968
four students were killed and 50
others wounded by state police.
This activity followed a
demonstration at South Carolina
State.
This tragic incident was
selected as the topic for a
discussion led by A. B. Spellman,
author of Four Lives and the
’Bebop Business ; Stanley Wise,
former SNCC employee; and
Yvonne Bryant, SSGA president.
Discussion on this topic lasted for
about two hours, marking the
beginning of what promises to be
a successful series for this
semester.
Forums scheduled for the
remainder of the year comprise a
list of pertinent and interesting
subjects.
Plans for future discussions
include a discussion of
Pan-Africanism; a review of The
Man Who Cried I An , hopefully
with author John Williams in
attendance; and discussions of
black art as experienced in the
Blues, the theatre and poetry.
The only ingredient needed to
season this intellectual soul stew
is the enthusiasm and support of
Spelman sisters. These forums are
“where it’s at,” and with the
seventies upon us, on the case is
where we need to be.
bernice ragan speaks to forum Stanley wise challenges group
group. with historical background of
orengeburg massacre.
Spelman students attend
EOA learning conference
By sandra mincey
Three Spelman students
recently participated in a learning
conference sponsored by
Economic Opportunity Atlanta
(EOA).
Doris Sims, Stanlie James and
Sandra Mincy, along with Mrs.
Cennie Chaney, went to the
University of South Carolina,
Columbia, S.C. for the
conference.
The purpose of the conference
was to give students from
southern universities and colleges
the opportunity to express their
ideas on volunteer services on
college campuses, as well as to
seek solutions to the problems
which are involved in such
programs.
The participants in the
conference found that students
from throughout the South were
trying to answer the muffled cries
of “help” which were coming
from the ghettos. These students
were dedicating their time,
energy and talents to better the
lives of those people who were
less fortunate than they. ‘“There
is entirely too much poverty and
unhappiness around us to pretend
that we haven’t noticed,” said
one of the participants.
“It should not be difficult for
us to imagine what our lives
would be like if we were from the
other side of the fence,” she
continued.
Many of the delegates at the
conference agreed that it is
important to remember that the
quality of work done in the
poverty areas is not evaluated by
quantity, but on the sincereity
and willingness to help.
There are children within
walking distance of Spelman who
have never had anyone to take
them to the park, on a picnic, to
the movies, or even to downtown
Atlanta.
The participants in the
conference agreed that these
children need someone who cares
enough about them to take them
out of the streets and provide
something constructive for them
to do.
They need someone to help
them with their academic
problems. They need someone ,to
just listen to them and to respond
to them on their level. The kids
need someone to put the joys of
childhood experiences in their
lives.
To do these thing wouldn’t
cost college students money -just
time. The conference closed with
a challenge to each delegate to
“prove that she was not too busy
building her own bed of ease to
help little Johnny.” “Show him
that you care, and for your
benefit carry the following song
in your heart...”
If I can help somebody
As I walk along,
If I can cheer somebody
With a word or song,
If I can show somebody
Who is traveling wrong,
Then my living shall not be in
vain.
Staff attends
eonferen ee
By majorie duncan
The Spelman Spotlight staff
was pleased to see a rating of
“very good” stamped on the
certificate presented at the
Savannah State College National
Press Institute and College
Communications Workshop.
The Institute was held
February 19-21 in Savannah,
Georgia. The certificate
culminated months of diligent
work by a staff that was thrown
into a job by a twist of fate; a
staff that was practically new to
newspaper business.
The Institute is an annual event
which brings together newspaper
and yearbook staffs, from
colleges and high schools in the
southeastern states, to discuss
ideas and problems experienced
by the various media. The
Institute is affiliated with the
Columbia Scholastic Press
Association and other
school-press agencies.
The Department of Health,
Education and Welfare provided
the Institute with the keynote
speaker Donald Wendell, Special
Assistant to the Assistant
Secretary of Administration.
Wendell pointed out the
importance of the role of black
college journalists in informing
black students of what is
happening in the “movement,” in
the outside world, etc. He also
spoke of the beauty of the recent
cry of blacks to be recognized,
and the desire and need of blacks
to identify.
The Institute’s speakers and
honorees were members of the
most prominent ranks of their
respective fields. The speakers
included Dr. E. Frank Ellis,
Director of Public Health and
Welfare, Cleveland, Ohio and
John Kimball, Senior Editor,
Office of Media Services,
Washington, D.C.
Those who received awards at
the Awards Luncheon were Carl
Stokes, Mayor of Cleveland, for
Outstanding Service in political
Affairs; Michael Collins, Assistant
Secretary of State for Public
Affairs; James Farmer, Assistant
Secretary for Administration,
HEW, for Outstanding Service in
Human Rights and Robert Joiner,
a journalism student at the
University of Michigan, for
Outstanding Student Journalist.
Members of the staff in
attendance were Joyce Horton,
Spotlight editor; Gail Charleston,
political editor; and Marjorie
Duncan, business manager.