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February 1981 Spelman Spotlights Page 7 - FEATURES Former Spelmanites Annie Alexander Photo by Jo Moore Stewart A Promise of Greater Things To Come Esther Rolle’s Success By Allison Willis Contributing Writer Esther Rolle, star of the “Sty of the Blind Pig” as well as the star of the CBS series “Good Times” and former Spelmanite, has merged a successful career on TV and on the stage with her superb performances. Ms. Rolle admits she cares deeply about her career, and has consistently insisted on playing believable characters in meaningful ways. Speaking at the Spelman Fine Arts Bldg, earlier this school year in an informal setting with faculty and students, Ms. Rolle discussed various aspects of her life in the theater. She was a regular in two other series (Maude, One Life to Live) before her starring role in “Good Times” evolved. Born in Pompano Beach, Florida, Ms. Rolle was the ninth of eighteen children and her first vocational choice was to be a journalist. “I was very shy,” she recalls, “and writing was a way for me to express myself in a form that was comfortable.” Ms. Rolle attended Spelman College before deciding that “the arena of experience was the best teacher I could ever have.” So she moved to New York City, enrolled in creative writing classes where she was encouraged to act as well as write. While appearing on Broadway, Ms. Rolle was invited to join the cast of “Maude” as the Findlay’s housekeeper, Florida, and from there the rest is history. Starring in two television movies, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and “The Summer of My German Soldier,” Ms. Rolle feels that in order to successfully portray a role “one must bring a depth of personal experiences to those of the character.” When asked about the role of blacks on TV, Ms. Rolle responded by saying that it is “up to us to make our presence known,” she added, “You’ll never be as good as you can be as long as you wait for someone to do something for you.” “Good Times,” she explained, “was the most realistic portrayal of a black family that we’ve had on TV and for that reason, it was an important show.” Continued on Page 8 : They’re making it! A Tribute to the Past: Annie Alexander By Allison Willis Contributing Writer Annie Alexander is a small, quiet, white haired lady, who uses a lot of imagery in her speech. Much has been written about her lately due to the fact that she celebrated her 104th birthday last year and because she is the oldest Spelman Alumna. She recently was the guest of PM Magazine, a local program on WAG A, during which she reflected on her days at Spelman. Amazingly for her years she remembers much about her days at Spelman and enjoys recreating the image of Spelman’s beginning. “It was like a bright morning star what those women from the north had done,” reflects Mrs. Alexander. Those women were Mrs. Giles and Mrs. Packard. “My grandmother (Carrie Carter) was among the first eleven students to enroll in the Model School (circa. 1881) Back then they taught mostly the Bible and howto take care of your family,”she says. When asked about Spelman of today, Mrs. Alexander replied, “Spelman is like a new country today, but the girls are just throwing it away.” Indeed Spelman is quite different from the days of Annie Alexander, Giles Hall was still under construction. The Bible was mostly taught and considered a vital part of their education. And no one thought of becoming doctors, lawyers, engineers. Then, the emphasis was on becoming nurses and good homemakers. Mrs. Alexander is still agile and adept for her years, she still takes walks almost eight blocks away from the home her husband built for her years ago. She attributes her agileness and longevity to the Lord and just plain living right. Poetry Comer Evening in Bohemia A toast to the celebrated author. Gents all lift glasses of champagne, To the woman in white and pearls. Violins play some lover’s serenade. The gents all gaze at her, With one eybrow arched. The ladies all gaze at their gents. They whisper in jealous envy. She shall surely take our men. Her husband is handsome, By all respects. Wealth, intelligence is his. He is the patron of her desires. She repays him with her devotion. My husband and children come first. A young artist and his friends watch. She is Venus of Milo! I shall paint her on canvas, And dream of her in silk. His friend speaks in all earnest. One day I shall have her. BEAUTY Beauty is more than external features of a human being, Beauty is the inward emotions of a person, Beauty is enjoying your life the way you want to, Beauty is sharing your happiness with others both friends and foe, Beauty is caring for those that you hurt and those that hurt you, Beauty is reaching goals that you inspire to reach and not to let anyone or anything stand in your way, Beauty is YOU a beauty that 1 shared and I am proud that I was given the chance. Sincirae B. Smith Live, A Morehouse Man