Ms. Jackson demonstrates Space Dust for Spelman audience.
Jackson Speaks
On Marketing
by Vicki Crawford
And besides the mayor, it is
packaging and advertising that
Ms. Jackson knows most about.
Being the first black to work on a'
major advertising product at Gen
eral Foods it seemed only proper
to have Ms. Jackson address the
subject of marketing.
Besides informing the Spelman
community about the concept of
marketing, which involves product
research development, and distri
bution, Ms. Jackson spoke about
the marketability of oneself in a
speech to the Spelman student
body in Sister’s Chapel on October
19. This topic proved to be most
beneficial as many of us are readily
approaching the job market or are
in the process of making a career
choice.
Ms. Jackson stated that one
must take her education serioulsy
in order that she may become pre
pared to compete with everyone in
the job market. Secondly, she
pointed out the necessity of think
ing and planning ahead. Ms. Jack-
son asserted that developing a life
strategy keeps an individual on top
of things. Most importantly, Ms.
Jackson emphasized the impor
tance of possessing a positive men
tal attitude and belief in oneself.
She explained that a positive atti
tude and outlook on life is reflected
to all those one encounters and
greatly effects one’s success in life.
Sophisticately attired and self-
assured, Ms. Valerie Jackson served
as an excellent role model in illus
trating success, intellectualism,
and attractiveness in one package.
Orientation Enhances
College Experience
by Valerie Collier
In 1976, after many years of
enforced mandatory freshmen
orientation, it was decided by the
administration, faculty and stu
dents to abolish the program. Now
two years later, the administration,
facutly and students have agreed to
reinstate freshman orientation.
The entering classes of 1976 and
1977 were not required to partici
pate in freshman orientation. Dr.
Jane Browning related the basic
reason for this as being a hatred of
the program by freshemen and
their subsequent truancy and fail
ure to do well in the orientation
procedure.
The recently established pro
gram is designed to provide an
experience for the freshmen that
will enhance their college expe
rience for the freshmen by expos
ing them to the cultural
community of Atlanta, to aca
demic information concerning
Spelman, and to any of the availa
ble services on campus that would
make the freshman’s transition an
easier one.
Southern Africa
(continued from page 4)
groups who want power—Joshua
Nkomo, Robert Mugabe, Sithole,
Muzorewa and Ian Smith. He can-
<ot be very optimistic because so
many lives have been lost which
makes it very difficult for the fac
tions to come to a negotiating table
and strike a deal. Being a historian,
he said, makes it hard to be opti
mistic about the future when look
ing at similar situations from the
past.
Page 9 - Spelman Spotlight
A & P Justifies Conditions
by Adele S. Newson
Picture senior women, packages
in a cart awaiting rides unable to
move further than eight feet away
from the store with their carts
because of preventive railing;
paper waste cluttering the
entrance; lines seemingly backed
up to the meat section; and old gen
tlemen interested in knowing if you
are in need of a ride. These scenes
depict the milieu of the West End A
& P store.
Often the Atlanta University
Center student shops at the A & P,
for lack of transportation to other
places and is met with a great many
disappointments. The greater of
these include long lines, high prices
and less than amicable cashiers.
Investigation of the West End A &
P has led to several interesting
aspects of these problems.
James Milton is the manager
of the West End A & P store.
He has been with the store for close
to two years. He is a black man
with a great responsibility on his
shoulders: The responsibility of
managing an A & P in a predomi
nately black area with only one
other competitive chain super
market to serve it and a consti
tuency composed of students,
senior citizens, and low income
families.
Milton attempted to handle
both an interview and the business
of the store while standing next to
school supplies.
What are some of the problems
most frequently encountered with
the Atlanta University student?
“Most come in with an attitude
that they have priority—this is a
very busy store and I have long
lines, they feel that they should be
waited on first. Also, I have a lot of
problems with shoplifting from the
students, especially in the higher
price health and beauty aids
products.”
Who are these shoplifters?
“Most of the ones caught are
girls.”
He then proceeded to point out a
video security system. A long plas
tic cylindrical shaped cover
encloses a television system. It is
located at the rear of the cash regis
ters and extends the length of the
store.
Looking at the system he com
mented “Evidently they don’t
know that it is there. I want them to
know that it’s here. I am not in the
business to catch thieves!”
“Excuse me do you sell pecans
already chopped up?” “Aisle 3”
Milton answered without
moments hesitation for thought.
What about long lines, why not
open more registers?
“Basically there are two factors
responsible for the long lines:
lunchtime and the after work rush.
$7.80 is the average minimum wage
of a cashier, as determined by a
union. I must schedule each regis
ter operator a minimum of four
hours. For a rush that only last 30
minutes to an hour, this is not
feasible. Anyone studying business
can understand this. But I do try to
keep short lines open for when stu
dents get out of school. Also you
can bet that the first of each month
there will be long lines. People get
Social Security checks and welfare
checks. Also, we are the biggest
food stamp volume store in the
city. Counting food stamps takes
of a considerable amount of time,
this too adds to long lines.
How would you classify the atti
tudes of your cashiers toward
students?
“Their attitudes are usually very
good until they get to work because
it becomes so hectic. They do get
nasty at times, but most of the time
they are nice or else they keep their
mouths shut.”
Sometimes the consumer cannot
help but feel that prices have been
inflated, would you care to discuss
this?
“Come with me,” he uttered as
he ushered me over to the dairy sec
tion where a thick black note book
lies on a basket. It contains prices
given to the store from headquar
ters. You see it is dated 10-1-78. It
contains prices for each food item.
Every store has a price zone, which
may vary a penny here and a penny
there. Let me show you how it
works.”
He then ran his finger down a
sheet and arbitrarily found A & P
margarine, adjacent to it was the
price 43c. He then proceeded to
the butter section of dairy and
found the item under considera
tion, the price was in accord to the
standard. He demonstrated the
same process for several other
products.
“If you’re ever in doubt pick up a
sheet from the book. You will find
that A & P sticks to these prices
and that prices are not inflated!”
In a normal week’s time, Milton
calculated the store’s volume aver
ages 20% students, 40% senior citi
zens, and 40% transients. In
addition, Milton expressed his
concerns over “rumors” that the
West End A & P receives discarded
meats and vegetables from white or
other stores. According to Milton,
“That is absolutely untrue!”
Questions About Security
(continued from page 8)
he has had no reports of any
serious attacks or rapes on Spel-
man’s campus since his appoint
ment as director and he said that
most crimes at Spelman are inter
nal such as stealing by students.
Hopewell realizes that one of the
greatest problems with the security
system is a lack of communication.
Many students are unaware of
what security policies are. To com
bat this problem, Hopewell plans
to hold “security information
meetings” on campus to inform
students not only of policies but
what they can do to help.
“I think that each student should
realize that she is an important part
of the security system,” Hopewell
said. “Suspicion should be re
ported, and students should
become more security-minded.”
In an effort to help get the
“bugs” out of the security system,
Ms. Jonelle Sweetner, student
advisory chairperson for the Spel
man Student Government Associ
ation (SSGA), met with
representatives from each class and
with Dr. Ronald Allison, the admi
nistrative head of the Security
committee to discuss security
problems.
Ms. Sweetner and Dr. Allison
drew up a list of proposals to meet
with approval of the students and
faculty and to be presented to the
Department of Public Safety:
•Only Spelman students,
faculty, staff and special visitors
can drive on campus.
•Ladies’ visitors can drive on
campus only in inclement weather
and after midnight to bring them
back to the dormitories.
•The parking lot next to the fine
arts building will be reserved for
seniors next year.
•The director of the Department
of Public Safety should come and
speak to the students during fresh
man week and periodically during
the school year.
•A student can present a letter
from her dorm director to obtain a
key after 6:00 a.m. (If the student
knows she will not return until
after 6:00 a.m., she can ask the
dorm director for a letter before
she leaves the dorm.)
•Students will receive one warn
ing for parking violations (not
including the towaway zones).
Ms. Sweetner said she will meet
again with the administration on
security, and she asked that any
student who has comments, sug
gestions, or criticisms of the secur
ity proposals write them down and
place them in the SSGA suggestion
boxes located around campus.
She stated that a serious prob
lem exists when students do not
lock the doors behind them or
place objectives in them to keep
them open. She also acknowledged
the need for more manpower in the
security system as well as the lack
of parking spaces or the need to
enforce the rule that only juniors
and seniors have cars on campus.
In sizing up the situation, I have
found that the major problems with
security on campus are a shortage
of manpower, a severe lack of com
munication, and a laissez-faire atti
tude on the part of students toward
security. Students should show
more concern for their safety by
asking questions and demanding
answers, reporting and suspicions
or incidents, and expression their
approval or disapproval of the
proposals of the security
committee.
Finally, a more consistent flow
of information would help to alle
viate the security “problem” and
generate less suspicion and a better
relationship between Spelman and
the Department of Public Safety.
