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Page 5 Spelman Spotlight December 1981
Black Studies Program A Must?
By Karen Burroughs
News Editor
In 1969, at Cornell University,
100 black students demonstrated
for the right to have a “revelant”
Black Studies program at their
school. This demonstration led
to the establishment of a credi
ble Black Studies program at
Cornell.
In 1981, Spelman College still
does not have such a program in
its curriculum. There are courses
offered in: Afro - American
Philosophy, and Survey of Black
History, and a few others, but
there is no major for Black
studies, nor is there a depart
ment for such a subject at
Spelman.
"I think that the general
concensus is that students in a
Black school atmosphere are
getting a Black experience,” says
Dr. Bill Lawson, Instructor of
Philosophy at Spelman. “This, we
are finding, is wrong. Unless
students take Black history
courses, there is little emphasis
on the experiences of Black
people.”
Most colleges and universities
across the country provide no
Black studies program for their
students. There are several
reasons for this absence. Internal
disputes involving the question
of how activist or how scholarly
the departments should be is
one problem facing the
program. There also may be a
general feeling that the study of
Blacks should not be set apart
from others as a separate dis
cipline. Black studies advocators,,
however, resent the lack of
automony — which results from
inserting Black studies courses in
By Valerie Peete
According to the United
Negro College Fund Govern
ment Affairs Report published in
October, the National Direct
Student Loan, the College Work
Study Program, the Supplemen
tal Educational Opportunity
Grant, and State Student Incen
tive Grants will face drastic cuts
in fiscal year 1982.
Low income families who
make less than 30,000 a year will
not feel the pinch like the middle
other departments creating such
courses as Black Psychology.
“There should be greater
emphasis placed on the ac
complishments of Black peo
ple,” says Dr. Lawson. “It’s nice
to know about Bach and
Beethoven, but we also need to
know about Bessie Smith and
Betty Carter.”
Dr. Lawson, who teaches the
popular Afro - American
Philosophy class at Spelman,
believes that more courses
class family who makes over
30,000 a year. Middle class
families who have been denied
basic government grants turned
to their banks and received a
Guaranteed Student Loan with
little or no problem. The GSL
allowed the family to borrow up
to $2,500 for the student’s educa
tion. However, President Reagan
has now issued a Need Report to
be attached to the GSL applica
tion. In the need report, assets
must be listed, and it must be
should be geared toward Black
studies, not to the exclusion of
world issues, but to give students
a sense of self - identity.
“In my Afro - American
Philosophy class, I try to give my
students a history of Black peo
ple and then examine the
philosophical questions in
volved,” says Dr. Lawson. "It’s
hard to discuss philosophical
issues if students are not aware of
the history.”
“I don’t know if it would be
shown that there is a definite
need to borrow the allotted
money. If the financial aid office
at the school feels the need is not
adequate, then the family can be
turned down. For some students,
that is the difference between an
out of state school and an in
state school.
Over half of Spelman’s
students are on some type of
financial aid whether it be BEOG
or a bank loan. However, finan
cial aid is not the only way to
necessary to have an entire
department dedicated to Black
studies,” says Dr. Lawson. “I do
think that while students are
being taught basic disciplines,
such as psychology or sociology,
they should also be taught how
theories from these disciplines
relate to Black people,” says Dr.
Lawson.
“We need to encourage the
exploration of the Black
heritage. Not to do so would be
doing a terrible disservice.”
fund a college education. There
are many scholarships,
fellowships and grants given by
private citizens to students
which would allow them togoto
school at the college of their
choosing without the burden of
the cost. Int he library, there is a
book called, "The College Blue
Book,” which lists such oppor
tunities. It is up to the student
therefore to research for other
resources, knowing that
governmental aid will be reduc
ed.
Severe Cuts Promised In Education
How Relevant Are Grades Today?
By Karen BurroughsNews Editor
Grade. A mark indicating a
degree of competence in school.
A very simple definition for
something that causes most
college students much anguish
at one time or another in their
college career.
How important is receiving a
letter of the alphabet on a sheet
of paper? Much more important
than the question would imply.
“I used to think grades were
unimportnat," says Dr. Martin
Yanuck, History Department
Chairperson atSpelman College.
“I don't anymore. I think grades
are a great motivational factor, as
well as a learning experience, as
strange as that may sound.”
Dr. Bill Lawson, instructor of
philosophy at Spelman, agrees.
“Grades are very important,
because the system places so
much emphasis on them. They
influence both academic and
social standing.”
But do grades really reflect the
abilities of a student? “I don’t
think so,” says Dr. Lawson.
“Grades are just a reflection of
the ability of a student to com
plete assignments in a particular
class in a particular semester. All
people do not learn the same
way.”
Some instructors at Spelman
inject no flexibility in their
grading, while others are more
subjective.
"In grading, there has to be
flexibility, but only in some
cases,” says Dr. Celso Cofino,
professor of Spanish. “I know
that many companies and
graduate schools pay close atten
tion to grades. That is why I give
students every opportunity to
get the best grade possible."
“I don’t think we (instructors)
do students a favor by “giving
away grades” or by “grade
inflation”, says Dr. Yaruick.
“I don’t believe in giving away
grades,” says Dr. Cofino, “but if I
have a decision between giving a
B plus or an A, I would rather
give the A. Similarly, if a student’s
grades amount to an F, but she is
really trying, I will try not to give
her an F. When there is a need,
maybe one has to look at
different aspects that will benefit
the student.”
Many students prefer their
instructors to grade test papers
on the “curve”. In this system,
the highest test grade is used as a
basis for the remainder of the
grades, often making grades as
low as 60 or 70 into an A grade.
"I don’t grade on the curve,”
says Dr. Yanuck. “I grade on
individual performance. If a
student deserves an A, she will
receive it, if not, then she won’t.”
“There is no reason to grade
on a curve, at least in my class,”
says Dr. Lawson. “The work is not
that difficult. If you do the work,
and come to class, you should
make an A. The fact that you are
in college should indicate that
you have some degree of in
telligence."
In spite of the queasy stomachs
that develop around the end of
every semester, grades are, and
will continue to be, an integral
part of the educational system.
“Grades are a part of the cruel,
real world,” says Dr. Yanuck.
“You might as well accept it.
When you think about it, you’re
graded thorughout life, in one
way or another.”
Dr. Hayes Impressed With Spelman’s Growth
By Angela Jackson
Reporter
Spelman alumna, Dr. Maxine
Haynes, was the speaker at
Sisters Chapel December 2,1981.
Currently, Dr. Hayes is the
Executive Director / Medical
Director for the Hinds - Rankin
Urban Health Innovations Pro
ject, and an instructor in
Pediatrics at the University of
Mississippi School of Medicine.
Dr. Hayes graduated from
Spelman College in 1969; she
obtained her MD degree from
the State University of New York
in 1973; and received her Master
of Public Health degree from
Harvard University in 1977.
Throughout her career, Dr.
Hayes has held many positions.
She was co - director of the
Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
Program at the University of
Mississippi, and the visiting lec
turer of Maternal and Child
Health at the Harvard School of
Public Health. Dr. Hayes has held
many other positions in addition
to those above.
Dr. Hayes stated that Spelman
is the best liberal Arts college in
the United States. However, she
didn’t realize that until after she
had graduated. She continued
saying that the students sitting in
the audience probably wouldn’t
realize that Spelman women
were special until they had
graduated too.
She said that four years is a
short time to spend at a place.
However, she stated that those
four years can have a great
impact on one’s life if that person
takes her education seriously.
Dr. Hayes was very impressed
at the changes and growth of the
Spelman college Science
Department She said that the
students studying in the natural
sciences today will achieve more
than she has because they have
more to start with.
Dr. Hayes noted that many of
the people she treats don't have
access to adequate health care.
She felt compelled to share her
knowledge with those people,
she said she couldn’t be selfish
with her knowledge and she
hoped future Spelman graduates
wouldn’t be either.
She continued saying don’t
man. The object of Spelman
educational experience is not to
leave with a Morehouse man.
They have their goals and you
must not lose sight of your own.
Dr. Hayes concluded saying to
the students in theaudiencefind
your own talent, be confident,
be honest, live with enthusiasm,
don’t let your possessions
possess you, look down to no
one and pray consistently.