Newspaper Page Text
February 1982
Spelman Spotlight
Page 5
Birth Of A Nation
Genocide Of A People
Ohio State University:
Visiting Day For Minority Students
by Karen Burroughs
On February 3, 1982, in Howe
Hall, Dr. Leroy Davis and Dr. Bill
Lawson presented a showing of
the movie, "Birth of a Nation,"
made in 1915.
According to Dr. Davis, the
film was shown for analysis
purposes. "This film is overtly
racist,” says Dr. Davis. "It
represents the majority of white
attitudes toward blacks at the
turn of the century. I feel that
blacks have a tendency to look at
movies without understanding
the underlying tones.”
I n the film, a note was added to
the credits stating that the movie
makers wished to show “the dark
side of wrong,” and that the film
is “not meant to reflect on any
race of people today.”
Despite the latter statement,
the movip contained such
references as “crazed negroes”
and “helpless whites.” The Klu
Klux Klan was shown as heroes
and were referred to as “a
veritable empire of the South.”
Blacks were depicted as evil,
wild, and reckless, and whites
were portrayed as good and
innocent.
"It is very clear in this film that
the good guys are white and the
bad guys are black,” said Dr.
Davis. “It implies that all
problems experienced by
America were caused by the
presence of blacks. In addition,
the movie was used to justify
unbelievable horrors committed
to blacks. Consequently,
lynchings in the South increased
55 percent after the release of
the movie.”
"Still today the image of blacks
on the screen is not very
favorable,” said Dr. Lawson.
“Shows such as ‘The Jeffersons’
and ‘Good Times' are simply
mocking blacks. The movie
'Birth of a Nation' itself was
laughing at us.”
Dr. Davis added, “I think that
students need experience in
analyzing contemporary movies.
Many movies have very serious
implications as far as white
attitudes are concerned. People
too often get caught up in the
story line without looking at
these implications.”
Dr. Davis offered a final
suggestion for black students.
“When you look at the things
and the people around you, look
at them carefully and analyze
situations that affect you.”
by Veronica Peggy Green
The Eleventh Annual Graduate
and Professional Schools Visita
tion Days at the Ohio State
University included four of
Spelman’s top seniors.
The program was formed in an
effort to attract more minority
students to attend Ohio State
University. Students got a chance
to visit the campus, talk with
students and staff members, and
make up their own minds. The
program included some two
hundred and seventy eight
students from sixty Black
colleges around the country who
presented applications.
Professor Laura Althemeir of
Spelman’s Biology department
states, “The Office of Minority
Affairs at Ohio State University
each year invites students to visit
the campus. I think that the
Minority Affairs Department
provides the same sort of sup
port system that the
predominantly black college
provides, only in a different
setting.” Professor Althemeir
added that the “closeness with
each other that you would find
on a predominantly black cam
pus between faculty and
students is active with this office.
The support system provides a
chance for the primary potential
of the student to be realized.”
The Spelman seniors who
visited Ohio State University
.were Lisa Crawford, Pamela
Fryer, Emily Black, and Lavern
Byas. Lisa Crawford, a pre- dental
major, said that Ohio State
University is "giving away a large
amount of money. The most
important thing is being able to
visit and obtain professional
contacts. I feel that the program
should be continued." Pamela
Fryer, also a pre- dental major,
stated that they are "still pushing
affirmative action and a lot of
preference is given to students
who attend this sort of
program.”
by Karen Burroughs
Housing Process Begins
February. A month for Valen
tine’s Day, President’s birthdays,
the observance of black history,
and the start of Spelman’s hous
ing selection process.
The process will basically be
the same as was used for the
1981-82 school year, which
brought many complaints.
Although Spelman is unable to
guarantee housing for all
students, several revisions have
been made to improve the
selection process. "Most of the
complaints we received last year
were concerning rooms and
roommates,” says Mrs. Sandra
Cummings, Administrative Assis
tant for Residential Life
Programs. “We revised that
portion of the process in hopes
that students would be more
satisfied.”
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According to the process for
1982-82, each applicant for hous
ing receives a rank-order
number assigned by the com
puter. All rising seniors will be
guaranteed on-campus housing,
and their applications will be
processed first. Except for
students in the Honor program
and a limited number of Atlanta
residents, both of whom are
guaranteed housing, all rising
juniors and sophomores will
"compete equally” for the
remaining upperclassman
spaces.
Unlike the process used last
year, the new system allows the
student to choose her own
room, rather than having a room
assigned to her based on her
application. Based on their rank-
order numbers, students will be
given a time to sign up for a
room. If two students want to be
roommates, the student assigned
these reservations, but they
cannot make any guarantees.
“This is because a student who
has a higher number than the
student in a tentatively reserved
space, may insist on selecting the
reserved space,” says Mrs. Cum
mings. “I ask students to please
try to honor the system of
reservations. Just using common
courtesy so people can get to
roommates if they want to."
As Spelman still does not
guarantee on-campus housing
to all students, many Spelmanites
will be placed on the waiting list
and assigned rooms only if they
become available. Spelman
offers several alternatives for
students who are placed on the
waiting list. The school offers
“block housing” in the Perkin-
son Woods units. Seventeen
students were housed in these
duplexes during the 1981-82
school year. Spelman also offers
listings of private homes and
apartments that rent to students.
“I try to help students individual
ly to secure housing off-
campus,” says Mrs. Cummings.
"Most of the students placed on
the waiting list last year have now
received on-campus housing,
the higher rank-order number
may tentatively reserve a space
for her desired roommate,
provided that the desired room
mate has also been selected for
housing. The housing office will
make "every attempt” to honor
Photo by Whitney Young
most before second semester.”
Students will receive instruc
tions on the room sign-up system
in late February, and the sign-up
process will take place during
the week of March 22.