Newspaper Page Text
Spelman Spotlight February 25. 1980
Welcome Back Brenda
By LaRonda Morris
Page 8
Mardi Gras — A Masquerade of Fun
By Sheron Covington
Mardi Gras, the annual
highlight of New Orleans, is an
unforgettable celebration. The
word “Mardi Gras” actually
means ‘Fat Tuesday’ and is orien
ted with the season of Lent. It is
specifically the last day before
the religious observation begins
and marks a time for
masquerades, parties, balls and
parades of all types prior to the
start of the fasting and penitence.
The Mardi Gras is a part of a long
and glorious history including
the first parade held as early
as 1838.
New Orleans is a beautiful city
which springs to life during this
festive season of Mardi Gras to
embrace all of it’s visitors. In ad
dition to the Mardi Gras, New
Orleans offers numerous city at
tractions such as the French
Quarter, Dueling Places, Bour
bon Street and an abundance of
jazz musicians.
Often considered to be the
stronghold of Southern
By Sheron Covington
The 1980 Spelman College
Blue and White Coronation
marked the official crowning of
their ideal man as Mr. Blue and
White. The ideal man, selected
above all the rest is none other
than Mr. Mark D. Ford.
Mark, a junior accounting
major at Morehouse College,
hails from Chicago, Illinois. Mark
is a very versatile young man,
he’s a member of the Morehouse
Glee Club, the AUC Fashion
Troup and he is able to do all this
and remain an honor student. His
philosphy in life is that, “one
should never live one’s life to
please others, one should always
strive for self satisfaction at all
times.”
Mark is a dream. Com
plimenting his five foot ten inch,
148 pound frame, are a pair of
soft brown eyes and when
coupled with his boy-like smile
and his magnetic personality,
they all add up to an unbeatable
combination.
Mark is also somewhat modest,
as he kept his nomination for the
court quiet and refrained from
campaigning. Mark felt the
decisive factor which enabled
him to win the crown was that,
Hospitality, the feelings of
brotherhood are clearly demon
strated during this time, as
thousands of people pour into the
streets by the hour in frenzies of
festivity, donned in costumes of
every description.
New Orleans also provides an
exciting night life for the disco
side of you featuring exotic clubs
like La Masision Chic, Boudini’s
and the Rainforest.
Sister Spelmanite Sheryl Sut
ton, a native of New Orleans, can
practically be considered an ex
pert on the Mardi Gras since she
has attended about 17 of them.
When consulted on this topic she
excitedly rattled off a multitude
of exciting visions of home.
“To begin with”, she said, “the
population doubles to about 2
million”. “There are people
everywhere and the streets are
filled with venders, clowns and
all else imagineable,” she added.
“It is a wild event,” she said, “I
can remember the time I once
“the ladies really enjoyed my
presentation and I probably an
swered the questions just right,”
he said with a smile.
When asked how it feels to be
Mr. Blue and White, Mark
replied, “It’s a great honor and
pleasure to have been selected,
and it’s nice to know that people
think that much of you,”
Mark Ford
Sheron Covington
saw a whole family walk down
the street dressed like different
brands of toothpaste!” “It is a
thing that has to be seen to be
believed”, she concluded.
The Mardi Gras celebration is
scheduled from February 15 to
the 21st, so now is the time to
begin making your plans and
make the mid
semester... Getaway!!
“However,” he added “it’s been
somewhat of a dissappointment
also.” “After seeing all those Ms.
Maroon and White’s of the past
and noting the large differences
between the two schools’
(Spelman and Morehouse)
celebration of their chosen kings
and queens, it’s just not exciting
enough.”
Additionally, Mark’s main
criticism on the Blue and White
title is its lack of meaning and ac
tivity. “I feel that more respon
sibility should be appropraited to
Mr. Blue and White. The ladies
of Spelman College should not
just elect someone, they should
have a role for him to follow to
make him feel really honored and
important,,” he said.
Mark feels that Spelman
women are an entirely different
breed of women, “they are ever
progressive and totally goal
oriented,” he commented. And to
him the title of Mr. Blue and
White has not only been an
honor, “it has really inspired and
encouraged me,” he said “to go
on to higher goals in the future.
It’s a once in a life time ex
perience that only a very lucky
few will ever know.”
Two weeks ago Brenda Smith
returned to Spelman from her
study abroad last semester. She
was located in Nants, France,
west of Paris. Brenda was
enrolled in the University of
Nants and the Institute of Euro
pean Studies. The later program
in which she was enrolled offered
a wide variety of liberal arts
courses.
Brenda felt that her study
abroad was a cultural experience
as well as an educational one. In
comparing the two cultures of
study, Spelman vs. University of
Nants, she found that the stu
dents in the university were im
personal and had no desire to
communicate with one another.
Also they were rude in terms of
giving respect to the instructor
while he/she was teaching. There
was no fonn of student govern
ment or student participation in
extracurricular activities.
Comparing the University to
the Institute, she said she liked
the Institute better. It was a lot
more personal and the classes
were smaller.
Brenda says she had to make
adjustments. She was just unable
to speak the language fluently
for the first two weeks. “I seemed
to stick out, being stripped, being
on display...it took some getting
used to.”
Brenda was the only Black
American in her field of study
abroad. She said there were
African students, but they
distinguished themselves from
Black Americans.
When asked whether or not
she was subjected to any form of
prejudice she replied “It’s dif
ferent, not as blatant. It’s like the
French always want to take
things that are good and in
corporate them into their
society...they think Blacks are
exotic.”
Being an American student in a
foreign country during the time
of the Iranian crisis, Brenda said
she felt the pressure and it af
fected her personally. “I was
negatives ones. Incorporated
with his superb presentation,
were the unique talents of some
Spelmanites. There was singing
by Anita Taylor, Pamela George,
and Sherry Williams. A well per
formed dance was done by Paige
Johnson. Also, Galen Grayson is
complimented for his per
formance.
While awaiting the presen
tation of the Blue and White
court, it became evident that the
attendents would not appear in
the program this year. Questions
about their absence then began
to arise. In talking with Donna
Dunlap, President, S.G.A., and
Avis Bynum, Vice-President,
S.G.A., they interpreted the mat
ter as a “mix-up of com
munication.”- When asking David
Flowers, 2nd attendant on court,
about his absence he also com
mented that it was “poor corn-
scared, I felt isolated, felt
vulnerable, felt threatened.” She
says being in a foreign country
made her more politically orien
ted and aware of what was hap
pening nationally and in
ternationally. She says the
French people’s attitude was one
of ‘everybody’s day has to come...
so your day has come.’
Brenda says studying abroad
made her appreciate Spelman
more. She used to say how she
couldn’t wait to get away, but
found once gone, the sisterhood
at Spelman was unique. Brenda
says she gained a wide variety of
future attributes from the
program. They stem from a
broader view of Black peoples’
relations to the international
world, a wider perspective of dif
ferent educational systems, a sen
se of patriotism and a fluency of
the language written and oral.
Brenda was not scheduled to
return to the states until May of
1980. However, she returned for
various reasons, when asked she
replied...“My decision to return
was a totally selfish decision. If
nothing else my study abroad ex
perience taught me to make
choices logically and with my
best interests at heart. This
decision was made by and for
Brenda. I considered what was
best for me. I felt as if I had
gained as much as possible from
the program and that my talent
and expertise could be put to bet
ter us at Spelman. I missed being
understood when I wanted to be
understood. I also missed the
companionship of my people,
friends, and classmembers. All of
these factors influenced my
decision to return.”
In giving advice to students
who wish to study abroad, Bren
da says, “When you go, go with
your mind as a clean slate, try to
put aside your preconceptions
and your ideas of what should
and shouldn’t be, try to absorb
the culture, also don’t take too
much luggage.”
munication and confusion of un
derstanding.”
Victor Thomas, 1st attendant
on court replied, “It came about
at a hectic time...I had things to
do to prepare for the upcoming
semester,” He concluded, “I
don’t feel slighted, I know it was
my fault.”
It was quite unfortunate that
the court did not participate in
this years’ production. However,
with the time allotted for putting
the show together it turned out a
success. After the program, both
Donna and Avis commented; “I
was disappointed they (David and
Victor) were not in it (coro
nation), but I’m proud of the
outcome of the coronation.
In essence, the men this year
dazzled the ladies with their words
and moves, captivating and
containing their attention, which
made this years’ coronation a
SUCCESS!!!
"Little minds are interested in the extraordinary; great
minds in the commonplace." Elbert Hubbard
Mr. Blue and White
Mark Ford — The Idea Man Selected
CORONATION