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Page 2 THE SPOTLIGHT March, 1971 Founders Day Capable speaker will bring audience Founder’s Day is almost here and one can hear the same old mumbling and grumbling. Why are there so many antagonistic feelings about the activities? Why do students denounce the most pagented event of the year? One of the main gripes against Founder’s Day is the lack of rel evancy in some of the activities? Many feel that those activities which don’t give a sense of Black pride or dignity should be deleted. In all fairness, Founder’s Day should be celebrated. There is no shame in remembering the past because Spelman’s past is great. The only time that sha'me should arise is when the past bcomes an obstacle to an even greater future. One thing Spelman students should remember is that although Spelman founders were white women, the first Black students created the greatness which must be maintained today. All Founder’s Day activities should be made noncompulsory for students. For those who want to miss out on those activities which offends their Blackness, it’s their business. If a capable speaker is chosen there will be a captivated audience instead of a captured audience. —i A Sophomore Mr. Wonderful 1 talks about his new image A “Free Angela” (Davis) but ton pinned to the breast pocket of his sport shirt, Sammy Davis, Jr. was flaunting a'n image scarcely associated with the “Mr. Wonderful” of the 1950s when he faced a television camera in his Hollywood hotel suite recently. Unlike his other television ap pearances, Davis this time was speaking on a program produced by Blacks and oriented to a Black audience. Tony Brown, ex ecutive producer of NET’S “Black Journal,” was conducting the ex clusive interview for this month’s program, which will air Mon day, March 29, 1971. Reflecting on his position as a Black “superstar,” Davis re marked, “I do jokes, but some where along the line I’ve got to relate to wha't’s really happen ing.” Spotlight on the new dining hall Question: What do you think of the New Dining Hall? Freshmen • It’s awful, too hot, too small, and too crowded. • I don’t like it. It’s too much money for a temporary building that everyone knows is permanent. • It’s all right, pretty nice. The food is still the same. • I like it better. It seems more like a college cafeteria. There is more food variety. • It’s too small and service is too slow. • The eating atmosphere is improved. There is more of a variety in salads. It needs a little more room. • I feel closed in. It looks all right. Sophomores • The buffet a'rea is in a bad spot, it’s inconvenient. The floor feels like it might cave in anytime, also the walls. It’s attractive from the inside. It’s not as far for me to walk now — that’s good. • I believe it’s permanent. It is too small. • I don’t think it’s an improvement from the gym. It’s a waste of money for a temporary building. O I can’t understand the carpet on the outside and none on the inside. The floor and walls seem hollow. Waste disposal is awkward. • I can’t understand the large economy for a temporary building. It’s too small. • I don’t like it. It’s too crowded. Juniors • The ceiling is too low, the floor too hollow, the waste system poor, and we need a bathroom. • It’s not big enough. We need carpeting on the inside ahd a water fountain. • There’s too much congestion around the waste disposal area and the salad dressing area. The idea of a smorgasboard is a farce. • I don’t think it’s worth the money. Events of the 90th Founders Day celebration TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 24, 25 Black Film Festival—Films from 1917-1960 Howe Hall gangs.” “You’re evolving a new sense of self,” Brown interjected, “and most importantly, you’re going in front of the nation and you’re saying ‘I’m Black and I’m proud and I’m relating to my people’ . . . But where are the heads of a lot of the superstars? We don’t see them like we see you in Philadelphia with the street FRIDAY, SATURDAY MARCH 19, 20 8:00 p.m.—Center Dance Theatre Fine Arts Theatre MONDAY - SATURDAY MARCH 29 - APRIL 3 8:00 p.m.—GOD IS A GUESS WHAT by Ray Mclver Fine Arts Theatre presented by the Morehouse-Spelman Players SUNDAY, APRIL 4 11:00 a.m.—Decoration of Memorial Plaques Honoring Founders Howe Hall 3:00 p.m.—Formal Founders Day Exercises Sister’s Chapel Speaker: Dr. Effie O’Neal Ellis, M.D. Special Assistant for Health Services American Medical Association TUESDAY, APRIL 6 10:30 a.m.^—Original Song Conjtdst Read Report of Gifts 11:45 a.m.—Spelman Family Lucheon New Dining 1:30 p.m. Afternoon — Free Hall Hall “I don’t know how you can not get involved in it,” Davis replied, “because they are first of all Black and they are com mitted .whether they want to be committed or not. The very na ture of THEIR skin commits ME. I don’t read a script that I don’t weigh and say, ‘I wonder what the brother on the corner is go ing to think about this?’ How can I change it if it’s wrong, because the Black performer again has that obligation. “Now, I know a lot of people don’t like Flip’s (TV star Flip Wilson) doing ‘The Deacon,’ ” he continued. “I’ve heahrd a lot of talk about it. ‘eraldine’ they don’t like ...” Davis had hit upon an inter esting subject a!nd Brown seized it — television’s exploitation of Black stereotypes. For instance, there are television comedian Flip Wilson’s impersonation of “The Deacon,” a comic stereotype • You feel rushed, like you had to hurry and eat or someone would sit on top of you. It is like you had a time limit to eat. • It’ll do for the time being. • The money should have been saved for a permanent building. • I don’t like it. I’m not impressed at all. It doesn’t seem stable. The waste disposal area is too small. Where’s the bathroom? • I don’t think of it, don’t like it. It’s just there. Seniors • I didn’t think it would be as decent as it is on the inside. I don’t believe that Spelman has anything temporary. It’s small. • It’s nice. • The food seems worse than before. Too small. • It needs air. It’s too stuffy. It needs a clock. of the Black church layman, and “Geraldine,” the white man’s concept of the archetypal Black woman. The character imperson ations are highly controversial among Blacks. “Can you afford,” Brown ask ed, “to continually entertain white white people with shows produced by white men with a frame of reference of what we are?” “I think ‘Geraldine’ is funny,” Davis responded cautiously. “I feel a’ little funny about “The Deacon’ . . . but I think it’s still funny because I’m looking at it again through one eye that looks in two directions, first as a per former — it is funny, it is clev er; secondly as a man trying to relate to the cats on the corner. “First and foremost, I am a performer,” he explained. “That’s all I’ve ever done all my life, so I know I’ve got to weigh it, but what do you do? You’ve got to have the support of your people. I just love saying, ‘the number one variety show in the country and starred in by a Black man who is very, very funny.’ ” Toward the end of the inter view, Brown asked him about the Angela Davis button. “I don’t shahe her political be liefs,” Davis said. “I share her Blackness, and I share the in justice to any Black person . . . I think that she needs support both financially and morally and I thik that if a guy like myself wears a’ button, that’s letting somebody in that crowd that I go around with know where my head’s at.” While at A.U. DuBois By Waltina McElroy The great W. E. B. DuBois was regarded as “cold, reserved and haughty” during his years at Atlanta University. This characterization of DuBois came out at a Feb. 16 panel composed of AU faculty mem bers who knew DuBois. Those taking part in the discussion “DuBoiis, The Man,” were Dr. Clarence Bacote, Dr. Brailsford Brazeal, Dr. E. A. Jones, Dr. E. B. Williams and Dr Anna Grant. Dr Grant knew DuBois at Fisk University. The other instructors knew him while he was an instructor at A. U. from 1897-1901 and 1934-1944. Jones, in giving a brief de scription of DuBois’ character, said DuBois was a difficult man to understand. ‘cold, reserved and haughty’ “He was cold, reserved and haughty,” Jones said. Jones said he did not think DuBois’ cold exterior was a true reflection of his character. Ac cording to Jones, behind Du Bois’ wall of haughtiness was a warm heart. Jones said he felt that DuBois reacted to people in a cold man ner because he was tortured by the fact that he could not do more to change this culture.” Bacote discussed DuBois’ im pression on A. U. students and DuBois’ influence on A. U. pub lications. According to Bacote, A. U. students were awed by DuBois’ presence on campus. Because of his renown and his haughty car riage, students were afraid to register for his classes. Bacote said DuBois added to his fame by editing the school’s publication “Phylon.” “He (DuBois) made A. U. publications some of the best known publications in the world,” Bacote said. Brazeal described DuBois’ per sonality by saying, “If you met him (DuBois) on the street, you had to speak to him first. Then you only got a' stiff hello while he looked straight ahead.” Unlike the other speakers, Brazeal said DuBois’ coldness towards people was not only caused by his personality. It was sometimes caused by circum stances 'of his life. “He would get despondent about some deserved recogintion that he did not receive.” Brazeal sa'id. “He did not care who he took it out on, black or white.” Williams said his contact with DuBois was as a student, not as a colleague. The other three speakers were DuBois’ colleagues. “Towards us (the students), DuBois’ aloofness was expected,” Williams said. According to Williams, in the cla'ssroom DuBois stressed the formula of “get the facts, ar range the facts and present them logically.” Williams said this was the formula that DuBois expected his students to follow in their work and dealings with him. Dr. Grant described DuBois as “something of a snob.” She re called a' conversation with Du Bois in which he expressed sur prise at finding so many “good black families in Atlanta.” Ac cording to Dr. Grant, DuBois felt that he had to polish his manners to be received by some of these families. Bacote said DuBois’ attitude was not only haughty. His ac tions were sometimes rude. Ba'cote reminisced about a de bate in which DuBois partici pated. After the debate, a wo man in the audience gave a two minute speech on DuBois’ views. “Are you finished?” DuBois a’sked the woman. “You have displayed a great deal of ig norance.” The panel on DuBois will be televised on Chahnel 30 at 8 p.m. March 30 on Morehouse College’s show, “Where Do We Go From Here.”