Newspaper Page Text
Page 10
by Kimberly Harding
Every Friday evening, the
sound of bells ring through out
the campus playing a prelude to
the mini organ recital that takes
place at 6:00 p.m. in Sisters
Chapel. The Quiet Hour as it is
named, is a half- hour music
listening program sponsored
and performed by Dr. Joyce
Johnson who has been the
college organist since 1955.
Dr. Johnson received both the
Master and Doctor of Music
degrees in Piano but has con
tinued to master the organ as
well. She has been offering the
Quiet Hour program for at least
fifteen years now, but how did
the idea come about? In
reference to the question Dr.
Johnson states, “The organ we
have now was installed in 1968 by
the Walter Holtkamp Organ
Company. Since itwasoneof the
better instruments in this area or
throughout Atlanta I wanted to
provide an opportunity for the
organ to be heard and ap
preciated."
“The Quiet Hour” had been
offered to Dr. Johnson during
The Lady and Her Music
her undergraduate years at Fisk
University by her organ instruc
tor Arthur R. Croley. Croley's
recitals left such an impact on
her that she now offers the same
opportunity to the Atlanta Un
iversity Community. Dr. Johnson
features works of great organ
composers, music for medita
tion, and improvisations on
Negro spirituals. “This period,”
she says, “is designed to provide
an opportunity for students,
visitors, and faculty to have an
unique, personal, religious ex
perience wherein they may at
the close of a day or week -
pause, sit quietly, meditate,
reflect, pray, and enjoy beautiful
quiet or majestic sounds.”
The attendance of Quiet Hour
is very poor, and the majority of
the supporters who attend are
from Morehouseorthesurroun-
ding colleges. Although, Dr.
Johnson says she enjoys playing
whether there is one or one
hundred people in theaudience,
she would be more than thrilled
to see more of Spelman's
students. In conclusion Dr. John
son says, “Playing the quiet hour
service is a religious experience
for me because my talent is a gift
from God, and if I touch just one
person it makes it all
worthwhile.”
Theta Alpha Phi:
The Unknown Fraternity
by James W. Matthews
If someone were to ask you —
Do you know a member of Theta
Alpha Phi — what would you
say? Of course, everyone has
heard of the AKA’s, the Sigma’s,
the Delta’s, the Alpha’s, and all
the other social sororities and
fraternities, but who recognizes
the thespians of Theta Alpha Phi?
In general, Theta Alpha Phi is a
National Dramatic Arts Honorary
Fraternity that was founded in
1919. The Georgia Alpha chapter
of Theta Alpha Phi, was
chartered on the Spelman
College campus in 1978
Through the intergrated efforts
of five students, V. Elaine Felder,
Paula Smith, Carmen Kelly,
Gwen Nelson, Iris-Little Roberts,
and the distinguished Dr. Fred D.
Hall, Jr., Associate Professor of
SASE
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The SASE program covers all
expenses for the students to
travel to cities throughout the
United States to work with their
hostesses. These hostesses, also
looked upon as role models, can
significantly influence academic
and career plans for the program
participants.
After the three day experience
students should be able to return
to Spelman with a better un
derstanding of the careers they
have chosen. As a sophomore,
Theodora Lee, President of the
Spelman S.G.A., was selected to
attend the SASE program.
Theodora, a graduating senior
law major, had the opportunity
Drama, Theta Alpha Phi,Georgia
Alpha Chapter soon became an
integral part of the Spelman
College Drama Department.
The fundamental purpose of
Theta Alpha Phi is to excel and
educate students participating in
the performing arts, and because
of its. honorary status, Theta
Alpha Phi sets high standards of
academic excellence and fosters
creative expertise in all areas of
the dramatic arts.
Even though many members
of Georgia Alpha Chapter have
gone on to pursue bigger and
better endeavors, the 10 active
members (male and female),
which remain, are striving to
keep this fraternity alive and
perennially progressive.
Moreover, the supportive efforts
to travel to New York City with
SASE. She feels that SASE is the
most rewarding experience
available to college studnets.
Theodora commented that as
she explained the program to
friends who attend other
colleges they were shocked to
hear of such opportunities
offered to Spelman women.
“The Spelman Alumnae Associa
tion should be commended on a
job well done!” she says.
The Spelman Alumna Student
Externship Program is a relatively
new organization. However,
with the continual flow of
positive comments from past and
future participants this program
is surely to be one which will
prove to be worthwhile.
of its advisor, Dr. Linda L. Green,
Chairperson Fine Arts Division
and Department of Dramal its
remaining founding member,
Dr. Fred D. Hall, Jr., and the Fine
Arts Division and Department of
Drama Secretary, Mrs. Ruby
Pace; have and continue to be
instrumental to the thespians of
Theta Alpha Phi.
Although “Theta” isn’t as
widely known in the A.U. Center
as other social organizations are,
many of the members support
and participate in functions
throughout the university com-
by Denise M. Johnson
One of the highest musical
. honors ever bestowed on a
student is the membership into
the organization Sigma Alpha
lota Musical Fraternity Inc.
Most students don’t realize
that Spelman’s chapter, Zeta Phi
is one of the most talented of
these organizations in Atlanta.
With tough qualifications and
rigorous audition sessions the
fraternity screens all musically
inclined individuals before
accepting them into the
organization.
The nationally known fraterni
ty was founded on June 12,1903
at the University of Michigan
School of Musicto form chapters
of female music students and
musicians who shall by their
influence and their music in
terest uphold the highest ideals
of a music education. And to
further the development of
plex. During the school year,
Theta Alpha Phi sponsors
workshops on theatre related
subjects, produces a children’s
show, and travels to various
schools in the Atlanta communi
ty to perform children’s theatre.
If you have seen productions
such as “Don’t Bother Me, I
Can’t Cope,” “Sty of the Blind
Pig,” and “The Wiz,” chances are
you have seen a great deal of the
thespians at work on and off
stage. The talent capacity within
the fraternity encompasses
various degrees of the dramatic
music in American and to
promote a stronger bond of
musical interest and understan
ding between foreign countries
and America. Headed by Presi
dent Tracy M. Carzell, and Vice
President Kim Cater Spelman’s
chapter is looking forward to a
very productive year. Some of
the activities in the planning
stages are special recitals,
Founders Day participation as
well as attending State and
Nation wide competitions.
Sigma member Princess Franklin
says “Spelman women always do
well at these competitions
because they are usually the
most qualified and the most
dedicated.” Some of the
honorable members that oc
casionally attend competitions
are first ladies of Opera Leontyne
Price and Beverly Sills, and
Spelman grads Mattiwilda Dobbs
and Jackie Dupree. With over
arts; directing, singing, dancing,
acting, writing, and the technical
areas, and its membership is
presently comprised of students
from Spelman, Morehouse, and
Morris Brown Colleges.
Theta Alpha Phi, Georgia
Alpha Chapter, is taking a
perpetual stride. So the next time
you spot someone wearing pur
ple and white highlighted with
thespian paraphernalia, you can
be assured that it’s a member of
Theta Alpha Phi. The president,
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65,000 initiated members and 174
college chapters it’s not hard to
see the respect one gets on
acceptance into this distinguish
ed organization.
Another facet of this organiza
tion is the cultural life of it's
members and the unviersities in
which they encompass. Sigma
Alpha lota gives inspiration and
material aid to its members so
that they can better serve the
organization and the communi
ty and tries to raise the stan
dards of productive musical
work among all. After all music is
nothing unless it is shared by all
and this is Sigma’s contributing
factor to this educational institu
tion. With pan pipes as their
National symbol and the red rose
as their fraternity flower Sigma
Alpha lota is growing ad
blossoming into a great honors
fraternity on Spelman’s campus.
Musical Fraternity Growing