Page 2 - Spelman Spotlight
Editor-In-Chief — Avy D. Long
Associate Editor — Malrey Head
Development Editor
Pamela D. Moore
Reporters
Angela Alexander
Sheron Covington
Pamela Johnson
Shelia Poole
Vllata Sellers
Nancy K. West
Donna Williams
Dorothy Williams
Photographers
George Balams
Ruth Cauthen
Randy Grier
Contributing Writers
Robin Barnes
Teresla Brooks
India Burton
Benita Clarke
Valerie Collier
Adele S. Newson
Rolanda G. Watts
Advisor
Christopher Reynolds
Clark Selects
First Woman VP
by Malrey Head
Dr. Gloria Scott became Clark
College’s first woman vice-
president on October 1. She had
just ended a three year term as the
first black woman to be president
of the Girl Scouts of America.
Dr. Scott is a woman who is
making numerous advancements
for black women. As the vice-
president of Clark College, it is
hoped that she can be an inspira
tion to all women in the Atlanta
University Center (AUC). Unfor
tunately not too many women hold
top positions in many of the offices
within the center.
Even at Spelman College, a
school that has produced may suc
cessful black women, only a few
top positions are held by women.
Of course positions should not be
given out on the basis of sex
because that is what the ERA is
fighting. It just seems that a school
that has educated many successful
black women, would be able to
find some one who would be able
fill some of its needs.
However, Clark is to be congrat
ulated as well as praised for taking
this step. They are making an
example well worth following, not
only in the Center, but in other
communities as well.
Does Unity Exist
In The A.U. Center?
by Robin Barnes
Is the Atlanta University Center
what you expected? Confiden
tially, my feelings were hurt. I’ve
interviewed a few students from
the four undergraduate schools,
and most, like myself, expected
unity.
Those of us who chose an A.U.
Center institution from reading
material and researching were dis
appointed. Students who were
encouraged by relatives and
friends who attended were a bit
better prepared. What really
turned me off was this constant
diet of stereotyping when I first
arrived (such as):
1. The women from Clark, Mor
ris Brown, and Spelman, won’t get
along. 2. Clark’s ratio (women to
men) is 5 to 1, and the women
won’t tolerate your talking to their
men. 3. Morehouse men, think
they’re God’s gift to the women at
the A.U. Center. 4. Spelman
women, are snobbish, stuck up and
high society. 5. Morris Brown stu
dents are wild. 6. If you’re a Spel
man woman, only a Morehouse
man will do.
Give me a break, before I even
get a chance to unpack I’m bom
barded with this mess. No doubt
you have been too.
You will find those same six ste
reotypes at all the college. Not just
one particular institution.
Before I get a chance to visit,
explore, and experience anything
for myself, I’m filled with miscon
ceptions.
Everywhere you go, there will be
those that want to build and those
that specialize in tearing down.
You’ll miss out on a lot of rare and
unique experiences, by letting oth
ers brain wash you. I salute you
Clark College, Morris Brown Col
lege, Morehouse College and
Spelman.
We’re going to get it together—
find out how in the next issue.
Center Attracts Opportunists
by Avy D. Long
Rich in diamonds, gold, ura
nium, and manpower to name a
few, Africa has been exploited for
centuries and centuries by those
who are greedy for wealth and
power. This is an example of the
delusions of power and granduer
that have driven men to pursue
incredible adventures into the
unknown for centuries. Even
though their motives and methods
are misdirected, these exploiters
must be complimented for their
recognition of quality.
It is easy to recognize quality
and potential but it is much harder
to strive to achieve this honestly.
Someone has said that “there are
two ways to be rich: 1) by increas
ing one’s possessions to match
one’s desires or 2) by decreasing
one’s desires to match one’s
possessions.”
History has proved that the sta
tus quo chooses the first method
resulting in wars, oppression, and
ambivalence. Today this ambival
ence is reflected in summit meet-
ings, peace talks, SALT
negotiations, the Panama Canal
Treaty, Southern Africa, Nicara
gua, the Middle East, and the
Atlanta University Center (AUC).
Conquistadors sporting their
delusions of power and grandeur
have invaded the AUC. In reality
there is enough wealth and power
for everyone to have as much as he
wants. True wealth and power
does not come at the expense of
anyone else. Nor is there a limit to
true wealth and power. But who
operates realistically anymore?
Recently the Atlanta Journal/
Constitution Magazine ran a
cover story entitled “Disco Dol
lars, An Adult Fantasy.” Disco
theques are the latest illusion, but
there are classic illusions which
hold a captive audience between
fads.
The AUC is a treasure chest of
young, energetic, talented, intelli
gent jewels. Our potential in
numbers and quality seem to be
recognized more by others than by
ourselves. Hence, we are targets
for everybody from professors to
politicians. The AUC attracts poli
ticians needing popular support,
activists needing mass movements,
entreprenuers needing business,
and professors needing jobs.
As I give imperalists in Southern
Africa credit for recognizing a “a
good thing when they see it,” I also
sugggest that we all should be flat
tered by opportunists who recog
nize our potential. The power we
possess in excellence and numbers
can be an extraordinary asset to
not only ourselves but also to oth
ers who are trying to progress rea
listically. However, beware of
those who advocate a cause
founded upon delusion and self-
interest.
Pageants Reflect Disrespect
by Rolanda G. Watts
A large number of the women at
Spelman College have articulated
their disgust with the class page
ants of Morehouse College. Many
of them feel that Morehouse has
taken the honor and prestige out of
pageantry and queenship and
made it all one big farcical endea
vor. The women often leave with
the feeling that they have been
taken advantage of by Morehouse
men. These “men” have left us
appalled by their ridiculous
twenty-five cents door charges,
their rude, crude comments and
cat-calls at the Spelman women
who wish to represent them as their
queens, their outrageous ques
tions, and their insignificant
bathing suit competitions.
During a period of two weeks I
have attended two of Morehou
se’s class pageants and both times
was aghast when the three-piece
suited gentleman at the door asked
for a quarter. As usual I had no
money with me and was even more
outraged at the fact that we were
not forewarned about there being a
charge before we made the long
hike across the campuses.
The question then arose in my
mind: why should we have to pay
to sit in this dump (Sale Hall) and
watch an amateur production of a
beauty pageant? After all, Spel
man provides Morehouse with the
women to represent their classes as
their queens. We offer them our
pageants as well as other SGA
activities such as discos every Fri
day night, picnics and forums
absolutely free. We share our ten
nis courts, snack bar, theater, T.V.
and athletic fields. Spelman
women make up one half of their
band, and all their majorettes and
cheerleaders. We are even the
women they get for their infamous
“dirty-thirty” list. So, we, the
women of Spelman College should
be strongly encouraged, not dis
couraged to attend free pageant
activities, and those women partic
ipating in the pageants should be
respected.
I can just imagine how the poor
girl that tries her hardest to enter
tain in the area of talent feels when
the “men” in the audience laugh
and begin talking during her per
formance. I can sympathize with
the girl who is heavily en
dowed and is embarrassed by the
storm of cat-calls, whistles, and
the crude comments of sexist men.
And it greatly angers me to think
that these women, who do so much
for the Morehouse men, are not
even respected by them.
This disrespect is even displayed
in many of the questions asked of
the ladies by the master of ceremo
nies during the pageant or inter
viewing sessions. I was appalled
when the M.C. of the senior page
ant asked one young lady how she
would respond to her inquisitive
young son who asked what the
“organ between his legs” was used
for. I was even further appalled
when I learned that these women
had indeed rehearsed these ques
tions and did not demand that cer
tain ones be omitted. Does this
reflect the mentality of Spelman
women? In other interviews for
courts, women have been asked to
state their opinions of premarital
and oral sex. Surely the relation
ships between Spelman women
and Morehouse men have not
become so lax that such questions
as these can be tolerated. Nor have
the sexual preferences of a person
and how they articulate the func
tions of the male organ become
criteria in the choosing of a class
queen.
Another aspect of these page
ants is the insignificant bathing
suit competition. What difference
does it make whether or not the
queen looks good in a bathing suit?
The coordinators of the pageants
should also keep in mind the kinds
of audiences they attract. The
bathing suit competition only
enhances the chances of more com
ments, cat-calls, and is oftentimes
embarrassing as well as unfair to
the heavier set or “not so pretty”
participants. It also stresses the
Morehouse man’s narrow, sexist
view of strictly phyical beauty.
These pageants have left many
Spelman women up in arms about
how Morehouse takes the honor,
talent, and above all, the feelings of
the participants so lightly. Spelman
women have done nothing to
deserve such public ridicule and
degrading treatment and should
no longer tolerate this abuse.
Counseling Can Be Rewarding
Dear Editor,
Although I couldn’t attend the
Academic Survival Workshop
which was held on Wednesday,
October 4, because of previously
scheduled activities, I was able to
meet with the associate dean for
counseling, Ms. Geneva Mosby,
individually. I would like to take
this time to thank Ms. Mosby for
her time, generosity and counsel
ing. This individual session helped
me more than I thought it would.
The session was very successful for
she accomplished her goal in coun
seling me on academic survival.
My goal of learning how to cope
with many obstacles that may and
do interfere with my academics
was accomplished, too. I would
recommend that everyone take a
few minutes and attend any other
workshop or to go and talk to a
counselor. They are there to help
us. Attend. It is very rewarding.
Thank-you,
Kimberly Darrett
