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SPELMA JV THE VOICE OF BLACK WOMANHOOD SPOTLIGHT VOL. XLII, NO. 1 ATLANTA, GEORGIA SEPTEMBER, 1974 ATLANTA CENTER for BLACK ART by Shelia Venson Creative expression, a topical social phenomena that has been given a considerable amount of attention by the American press, radio and television has also reached the American college scene, as once creatively stifled students profusely “do they thang.” Needless to say, Spelman and AU Center students are no exception to this multifarious trend. Consequently, if you are a fledgling poet, a neophyte musician, a skilled, semi-skilled or on your way to be coming a skilled sculptor, painter, or photographer or maybe just a sensitive nobody who wants to give con scious expression to that somebody in themselves and are looking for involvement with persons of similar mind, then the Atlanta Center for Black Arts may be the oasis that you have been looking for in a barren Atlanta. The Atlanta Center for Black Arts, located at 850 Mason Turner Road, is a quaint unassuming hole-in-the- wall situated off of Atlanta’s famed Hunter Street. Walking, driving or dealing a toboggan, if you are not looking and happen to glance at an eye-catching sight, you may bypass its almost obscure structure. But once on the inside, the feel of creative colors saturate your vi sion as the nightclub-like atmosphere sweeps you into a Dolphy, Trane, Nikki, Hansberry rhythm, and the Black giants of traditional bumpin vibrations dance the neplus- ultra of black genius on your soul. The Atlanta Center for Black Arts is a self-supporting, community-based conglomeration of creative Black folks who have merged to form a viable and functional organi zation to give a much needed outlet for cultural activity in the Atlanta area on the grassroots, professional and student levels. In an interview with Mr. Ebon Dooley, Acting Direc tor for the Center, (and who prefers to be called Bro Ebon—an Aquarian, Bro Ebon expressed the need for the Center in Atlanta, saying that “in recent years there hasn’t been a systematic means of showcasing the young Black artist. There has been no place where fledgling po ets, musicians and artists can read, play or exhibit their works!” As a result, in the South’s leading metropolis, the Center for Black arts had its primal beginnings four years ago to meet this urgent need as a creative outlet source. The Center is funded by community donations and admission fees charged at the various functions held at the Center. Initially it began as an instructional operative, teaching courses in photography, dance and music. But in recent years performing and exhibitions have been its major project as the Center now moves meticulously into its fall/winter creative movements. The schedule for this year’s activitiesdncludes movies on Thursday nights, along Continued on p.5, Col. 3 From Beulah Land to Predominantly Negro Colleges and Universities in Transition, Dr. Eleanor Victoria Williams is a black woman of the past and present. Embellishing the shelves of her office are a modest se lection of books, some potted foliage and a silver mug hailing from Indiana University where, in 1968, a year after receiving an A.B. in Sociology from Spelman, she earned a Master of Science degree in Student Personnel Administration. 1972 witnessed an even deeper penetra tion into her professional field upon completion of a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the mid-western univer sity. Previously employed as Assistant Director of Reading and Study Skills Center at Indiana University, Dr. Williams returned this fall to Spelman as Associate Dean of Students and as Assistant Professor of Education. “I thought it would be very challenging,” stated the Asso ciate Dean when asked what motivated her decision to come to work at Spelman. The capacity in which the new Associate Dean will be working will be in the areas of program planning and developing activities for the SSGA. “The students are more verbal about their feelings,” stated Dr. Williams when asked what has changed about Spelman. “I understand that Spelman is leading in the AU Center as far as having open visitation. When I was here that would have been unheard of. That was just a few years ago.” “I think that there should be more involvement with more aspects of campus life; educational things that are extended beyond the actual classroom time. I under stand that not enough faculty participate or attend diff erent programs. I think we need to encourage more fac ulty participation and leadership in the area of educa tional, cultural and social programs.” Among the objectives Dr. Williams has set for herself this year will be to encourage participation and recom mendations on all levels of the college community. When asked if she still considers herself a Spelman woman, Dean Williams replied, “Yes, I am very much a Spelman woman and I’m very proud of it.” PUSH EXPO is the largest annual event for Blacks. Support Chicago's PUSH- SEPTEMBER 25-29 will honor the worker. | PEOPLE UNITED 'to SAVE HUMANITY FRESHMEN 1974 Freshman students are getting their first glimpse of college life at Spelman. Amid the perplexities and the fast pace of Freshman Week, conclusions are being drawn and opinions are being formed. To get an idea of how the Freshman are thinking, I asked Ms. Sharon Washington from Washington, D. C. what her impression of college life at Spelman consisted of at this point. Sharon likes the campus and finds the people here fri endly and cooperative. Sharon had anxieties over making friends before arriving but when she found that other girls felt the same way, the initial ice was easy to break. Sharon says that she has tried to look at coming to college in a realistic manner. She says that Spelman holds more positive attributes than negative ones to her but she takes everything in stride. Ms. Washington likes her dormitory, the way things are done, seemingly everything about Spelman College. She feels that a school is what you make it and that everyone has to work together. Concluding, Sharon said, “I like the moral attitude that the school tries to instill in its students. I think Spel man is a very good school.” Katherine Dowdell, an Economics major at Spelman College, discusses the functions of Mobil Employee Re lations Department with Leighton King of Mobil’s North American Division at the Mobil Oil Corporation head quarters in New York City. Chosen as oneoof 25 students for a trip to the New York metropolitan area, Ms. Dowdell said, “A week in the Business World gave me a chance to see the practical applications of the theories I’ve studied.” Ms. Dowdell’s visit to Mobil is part of a special pro gram offered to Black students so they can see how a large corporation functions and find out about job op portunities. NEW STAFF ALLEN, Mrs. Marsha-Secretary, Office of Special Assis tant to the President and Sociology Department. Re ceived the B.S. degree in Business Education from Georgia State University, 1972. CRAIG, Miss Rita L.-Secretary, Counseling Services DeLARA, Mrs. Helen J.-Staff Development Officer. Re ceived the A.B. degree from Spelman College and the M.B.A. from Stanford University. She comes to us from the Atlanta Urban League where she was Direc tor of the MDT-OJT Program. Continued on Page 6