Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Four Months From The Centennial! Vol. XXIV, No. 4 The Voice of Black Womanhood Atlanta Georgia-Spelman College December, 1980 Spelman Graduate Speaks At Southern Women’s Conference Bridgett M. Davis News Editor Many of the luncheon guests, forgetting about the food before them, stopped their forks in mid-air as they became totally engrossed in the astounding and dynamic words of Marian Wright Edelman who was speaking to them in Spelman College’s dining hall on Saturday, November 15, 1980. Ms. Marian Wright Edelman, chairperson of the Children’s Defense Fund, was the keynote speaker for the luncheon, one of the many events held during the three-day symposium entitled, “Southern Women from Myth to Modern Times”. Introduced by Ms. Isabel Stewart as a graduate of Spelman’s class of’60, during which time she studied in Geneva and Paris as a Merrill Scholar, and as the first black woman to obtain the bar in Mississippi, as well as being one of two blacks in her graduating class at Yale University, Ms. Edelman was received warmly by the audience. Titescribing herself to he one who, “never considered not serving; not being concerned about the community,” Ms. Edelman stated that she was inspired by her relatives, by “strong old ladies living in Mississippi during the ’60’s.” and by a white northern male teacher at Spelman, who taught her to remain “apart from the mold.” It was this inspiration that prompted Ms. Edelman, a distinguished challenger and a seeker of coalitions, to organize and head the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF). CDF exists “out of a need to help the poorest age group in America,” said Mrs. Edelman. She informed her listeners that there are 4.1 million southern children living in the U.S. below the poverty line; one million U.S. children presently not enrolled in school; two million U.S. children who have been suspended from school, and one half million of these children growing up without homes. She added that black children in schools in Georgia alone are four times as likely as white children to be labeled mentally retarded. Ms. Edelman expressed concern for child health care by sighting such examples of poor pregnant women whose physicians continuously refuse to accept Medicaid, thus forcing these women to forego primary pre-natal health care. She stated that millions of children are daily refused health care by hospitals, and eighteen million children have never been to a dentist and, thus, begin losing their teeth at ages as early as eight years old. In light of such concerns, Ms. Edelman’s Defense Fund has been fighting for a child health bill in the congress for three years. Such a bill would offer a health and dental plan for millions of children and pregnant women. Believing that “It’s all right to lose, but it’s not all right to give up.” she feels her fight has been worth it. “Because we can’t do everything, there’s no excuse for doing nothing.” Photo by Whitney Young Women Speak Out Against WIGO’s “Bad Girl” Contest F. Renee Darensburg Jr, Reporter The Bad Girl Contest sponsored by WIGOradio station has received negative responses from local female leaders and from several Spelman women. CHANGES IN CALENDAR Mid-Semester Examinations March 2-3 Easy day to make up work for “Incompletes” Spring Recess begins at March 3 end of scheduled activities Classes resume at 8:00 a.m. March 9 Mid Semester grades are due in Registrar’s Office Removal of "Incompletes” due in Registrar’s Office Ms. .Ian Douglas, director of the Community Relations Commission of Atlanta City Government said she was upset w ith the idea of such a contest and with other such contests as the "Behinds Contest” being held at various clubs around the city. She referred to these contests as "vulgar and disrespectful” and felt it unfortunate that during this crucial time, black women were being seen its sex objects. Ms. Douglas stated that the crime of rape is increasing and urged that women realize the negative impacts these contests have on black women and black men. SCI.C Women’s president. Mrs. 1 velyn Lowery. reacted strongly to the contest also. “Glorification of the body isolated from the mind, personality the total being, contributes to the ‘sex-object’ syndrome which disrespects the personhood of women,” she said. “While the body is a significant part of the whole person it needs to be appreciated in relationship to the whole not from!” she concluded. Jondell .Johnson, director of the Atlanta N AACP branch, feels that young people should not participate in this contest. She cautions young people against this type of contest for. “It is degrading . . . could be a front for a number of things.” Mrs. Johnson is planning to conduct a personal investigation into the contest. Continued on page 8