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Page 2 Spelman Spotlight
EDITORIAL
Robyn D. Mahone
Editor-In-Chief
Are black people coming to face the very real and pressing
danger that for the first time in our history the inner forces of
black history are giving way? Are we, for the first time in our his
tory, threatened on the level of our spirit and soul, threatened as
we have never been threatened in this country before?
Lerone Bennett, Jr. thinks that we are and stated such in the
editorial in the Oct. ’77 issue of Ebony.
Bennett contends that A Great Black Depression and policies
of malign neglect are eroding the material foundations of our
communities, and the fallout from this is eroding the moral and
spiritual foundation of black culture.
Are we losing a whole generation of black people? Bennett
thinks so. According to Bennett, if we, as black people, do not
rededicate our spirits to the sacrifice and struggle which enabled
our forefathers to survive slavery and segregation, we will be a
loss race of people.
Bennett contends that black youth have given up hope and see
no reason for accepting the discipline required for achievement
and excellence. A great black depression has had a disastrous
impact on black mother, black father, and black child.
In my last editorial I pointed our quite a few things that we as
college students, as viable resources, could and should be doing
to utilize ourselves in a constructive manner to help others.
This time I want to concentrate on one area, YOUTH: in high
school, junior high school and elementary school.
Become a big sister to some youth in the surrounding com
munity. Help someone to grow. I know a student here at Spelman
who gives tennis lessons to children in the community. The Kap
pas, I am told, have a program in which they take youth out on
field trips to the movies, etc ... rap sessions can be an important
asset. Sisters In Blackness plan a college relations program with
youth in nearby communities this year. A college week-end
where community youth can spend a week-end on campus, get
ting a fed of college life would be ideal.
It is obvious that I feel that Youth today do need help. I would
not like to think that we as black people are losing our souls and
spirit. But, when I think of some of the youth whom I grew up
with, the 6orry turn that some of their lives have taken, I am
tempted to believe that perhaps it is true.
I know that there are many youth right here in Atlanta, who
could use the direction and guidance that we as college students
can give them.
Whether you work through one of the many (and seemingly
non-active) clubs here on campus, through some outside
organization outside of the Atlanta University Center, or on your
own, I’m asking you to concentrate on YOUTH. I think that they
can use our help. We should feel obligated to help them.
I ask you to read Lerone Bennett’s editorial. He says some
scary things that may ring a bell, that may bring a picture to
mind. After you’ve read it, send me a letter. Let’s get some FEED
BACK.
Advisor’s Editorial
The distinguished visiting
Woodrow Wilson Fellow, Mrs.
Dorothy Gilliam, stated, “I am
'repressed with the quality of
■students that I have come into
contact with in the Atlanta
University Center.” I
wholeheartedly agree with her
observation. However, I am
appalled with many students’
lack of concern regarding the
quality of their education.
Many students seem to think
that it is the responsibility of
their instructors to provide
them with all of the in
formation necessary to
critically evaluate a topic and
then to analyze that topic for
them. Students have not been
bold enough to ask instructors
to take the examinations, but
they do approach this level of
irresponsibility. Students fail
to realize that examinations
not only measure com
prehension but reflect
students’ efforts to familarize
themselves with available
materials that concern their
field of study.
Students must accept res
ponsibility for their education.
Students must take the time
and effort to read beyond the
materials that are assigned in
Speaking Plainly
6 'We Have Suffered Enough’
Pamela D. James
Associate Editor
Racial issues do not seem to
have the same impact on our
generation of college students
as it did ten years, or even five
years ago. After a blood
thirsty struggle in the 50’s,
60’s, and early 70’s, our
generation has become
somewhat dormant in its
concern toward issues about
racism and rights; in essence,
we avoid getting involved or
even finding out facts about
our destiny.
As a result our generation is
witnessing a high visibility
of blacks obtaining middle-
class standards of living. This
high visibility of professional
black people cannot be at
tributed to the vast influx of
black people in the profes
sional labor market; there is
still a very small group of
blacks who have been able to
penetrate the professional
labor structure. We are being
deceived into thinking that
times are truly ripe, that race is
no longer an issue, or that wt
are being accepted with open
arms. However, our generation
is being fooled.
For those of you who are be
ing brainwashed into sitting
back and being unconcerned
about obtaining opportunities
to enter the professional labor
market, you are in a sad of
state of affairs.
October is a crucial month
for minority students all over
the country. The Supreme
Court began hearing
arguments on October 11
about the “reverse dis
crimination” suit filed by Alan
Bakke. It is alarming to many,
what the ramifications of such
a suit, if held in favor of Bakke,
might be for affirmative action
programs for minority
students. Essentially, these
programs, designed to in
Work Study??
Why is there college work-
study on our campus or for that
fact any campus? We as work-
study participants don’t
receive any money for our
labor and grades decline
because of heavy work loads.
So why workstudy?
Student’s academics decline
because of workstudy. We are
so cluttered up with work as
signments, that homework is
soon neglected. Supervisors,
as the bossmen are known as,
may assign a student worker
as many as ten pages of
material to type for their next
class session. Work as
signments, however, can vary
depending on work sites. If the
worker is a secretary of recep
tionist, and most female
students are either, nine
chances out of ten you’ll have
typing and filing assignments.
After a full hour or so of tap,
tap, tap, all you’re able to com
prehend is what the numbers
say on the big and little hand
of your desk clock. This means
homework takes second
class and that will not be in
cluded in quizzes and
examinations. After students
are cognizant of the issues,
then they can intelligently dis
cuss the issues and perhaps
arrive at some reasonable con
clusions.
It is imperitive that students
realize that they are an
integral part of America’s
future. Unless students accept
the responsibility of becoming
aware of the issues that
surround the areas of their
interest, they will be less than
adquately prepared to meet the
challenges of a highly
competitive society.
priority. Who wants or feels
like books after all that
typing?
Study habits weaken as a
result of being overworked.
Habits that were once very
effective begin to weaken.
If you should happen to miss
an hour of work to finish class
assignments you will be asked
to make up those hours. And
students must, as instructed
by financial aid, make up for
lost time. There just isn’t time
to plan your academic
schedule with your work
schedule—academic studying
becomes a burden.
These situations may be
similar to a typical job setting,
but work-study is still
primitive and far from the
average job. Money, which is
distributed once a month, is
supposed to be a little token or
favor from the college to you in
helping a college student asses
his financial loads while in
college. But students never
even get to see the money that
was labored over so earnestly
unless an extreme emergency
arises and emergencies are
rare. Word has it that at
Spelman you sign your check
and pass it back to the cashier.
So where does the money
really go? Towards the school?
Towards the tuition??
The Federal Government
can do us students justice by
replacing the money that is
alloted us in work-study wages
in the form of a grant or let us
be more independent and seek
career related job sites off-cam-
pus.
Students need independence
in college and also more job
experience, so why campus
workstudy??
crease the minority represen
tation of students entering
professional and graduate
schools, will receive a severe
blow. This blow, in effect, will
tear-down 20 to 30 years of
hard labor, struggle, and loss
of lives, for the cause of racial
justice.
It seems ironic that after
hundreds of years of pleading
for equal justice, being denied
the right to hold a pencil or
read a word, blacks might
have to take a formal back
seat, once more, to a white who
claims that he was dis
criminated against because of
his race.
There is never a happy
medium when racial equality
is being attempted. Blacks
were hurt ten thousand times
over for being refused ad
mission to professional and
graduate programs. Realis
tically, someone is going to
suffer; and frankly we have
suffered enough.
Spotlight Staff
Editor-in-Chief
Robyn D. Mahone
Associate Editor
Pamela D. James
Feature Editor
Nancy West
Copy Editors
Roxie F. Hughes
Malrey Head
Avy Long
Advertising Manager
Renee Willis
Business Manager
Janet Griffin
Assistant
Melodye Means
Photographers
Terence V. Smith
Tamasha Ujuzi
Graphics
Tandra Dawson
Josette Cole
Rocita Diggs
Reporters
Valita Sellers
Tandra Dawson
Cassandra Clayton
Pamela Moore
Paula Manns
Sheron Covington
Dorothy Williams
Brenda Cleveland
Donna Williams
Tamasha Ujuzi
Advisors
Ms. Anne Thomas
Ms. Nora NcNiven
Spelman Spotlight
P. O. Box 50
Atlanta, Georgia 30314