Newspaper Page Text
April, 1985
Spelman Spotlight
Page 7
Bonita Billingsley and Scott Young
Mr. and Mrs. Blue and White 1985
by Teri N. Lee
• Each year the Spelman com
munity is highlighted by week
long festivities that celebrate the
homecoming of our historic
institution. Blue and White
Week, sponsored by the
Spelman Student Government
Association, is climaxed each
year by the selection of Mr. and
Miss Blue and White. The 1985
Blue and White Pageant, “Fan
tasy in Blue,” crowned as queen
and king, Bonita Billingsley, a
junior at Spelman, and Scott
Young of Morehouse College.
In a recent interview the two
shared their perspectives on
future goals and personal
philosophies. Bonita, of Silver
Springs, Maryland, is a Spanish
major with a minor in computer
science. She wishes to go into
international business because
she sees the importance of
international awareness. When
inquired as to why she decided
to run for such a distinguished
title, she expressed her desire to
represent Spelman College. She
said the title of Miss Blue and
White has made her feel more a
part of the Spelman sisterhood.
In the interview with Bonita it
is easy to see why she was
chosen; her genuine personality
clearly stands out as she ex
presses sincere concern for her
school. “As Miss Blue and White
I regrettably don’t do as much as
I would like to. My advice to
other students is to be a part of
what’s going on. It’s important to
be involved,” says Bonita. In her
general insights on life Bonita
adds, “Blacks should be more
supportive of each other and
build each other up. We don’t
seem to help one another as we
say we do.” Bonita especially
stressed the importance of lear
ning about our past. “Our
heritage is very rich and yet,
many of us are not aware of it.
We have an obligation to know
our past in order to build a
productive future.”
Our queen also adds that
Spelman is a strong institution
that perpetuates excellence,
especially through Black women
role models here on campus.
Bonita comes from a family
that emphasizes the importance
of academics. Her father, Dr.
Andrew Billingsley, immediate
past president of Morgan State
University, is a prominent
sociologist and scholar. He has
written numerous articles and
books on the Black family. Bonita
is an avid lover of the theater,
with the remainder of her time
spent on studying. She is a
member of the Alpha Chi
National College Honor Society
and named on the National
Dean's List.
Scott Young, a junior from
Sharon, Massachusetts, is major
ing in marketing with the desire
to open his own advertising
agency in the future. Scott says
he decided to run in the pageant
because he likes to get involved
in things that bring Morehouse
and Spelman together. “The
Blue and White Celebration is a
liaison between the two
schools.”
Scott feels the title has gotten
him closer to the students and
administration at Spelman. He
adds that he is more aware of
how the two schools work
together. “My only disappoint
ment as Mr. Blue and White,”
says Scott, “is that I am not as
involved as I would like to be
with Spelman. I would also like
to see the Blue and White
celebration tied in with
Spelman’s Founder’s Day." Scott
commented on qualities that he
has seen illustrated in
Spelmanites. "Spelman women
portray a positive image for all
Black women. They are deter
mined and they have their future
goals set out.”
To other fellow students aspir
ing to the top, Scott advises.
"Don’t let things get you down,
maintain a positive attitude, and
look for good in every situation.”
Scott stresses the importance of
strong faith in God and belief in
oneself.
Listening to the optimist at
titude of Scott Young it is easy to
understand why there were little
doubts if any in the selection
process. He adds, "My only
hang-up is people who give up
easily... Co for it!”
Scott’s hobbies include sing
ing, listening to music and par
ticipating in almost any type of
sport. He is presently keeper of
exchequer of Kappa Alpha Psi
Fraternity, Inc. and wardrobe
manager of the Morehouse
College Glee Club. He is
currently working on a project
that will design a calendar called
Morehouse Mystique, to be
published in 1986. In addition, he
was recently shot for a Coca-
Cola magazine advertisement to
be released soon.
A Spelman Woman, Jasmine Williams -
Impressive, Intelligent, Informed
by Triphenya J. Zachery
Impressive, intelligent, and
informed are merely a few of the
adjectives within our English
language which may be at
tributed to this month's Spelman
Woman. Impressive in the sense
that she speaks with energy and
confidence. Inteiligent and in
formed, simply because she
"knows her stuff.”
The young woman is an asset
to the Spelman community. The
young woman is Jasmine
Williams.
Jasmine, who currently holds
the position of News Editor, has
been on the SPOTLIGHT staff for
three years. She began as a
reporter and soon advanced to
her current position. She feels
that working with the newspaper
helps her to express herself.
The senior English/mass com
munications major claims no
particular motto, but she feels
that "some of life’s most rewar
ding experiences come through
struggle." To reiterate what
Ceroge Santayana said, Jasmine
feels that "We, as Blacks, need to
know our history - otherwise, we
will repeat it,"
Jasmine has published several
articles that deal with Black
history. She feels strongly about
informing Blacks of their past -
"We need to know our history I ”,
she says.
In the past. Blacks have had
several leaders who worked for
their betterment - W.E.B.
DeBois, Medgar Evers, Martin
Luther King, Jr. In her opinion,
"We are in danger of becoming
the only generation who cannot
give to the Black struggle.”
Because it is a historically Black
institution, Spelman has a
responsibility to inform its
students of their past. Courses
such as Black History Survey,
Survey of African Civilization,
Introduction to Afro-American
Art, and Afro-American
Literature are offered to meet
this responsibility. As students,
we must take the opportunities
that are given to us.
The native Californian
believes Spelman has given her
“inspiration to change.” Because
it is all Black and all female, she
feels that Spelman has a lot to
offer this society - or at least its
graduates have a great deal to
contribute.
When asked about Spelman
sisterhood, she replies,
"Spelman is renowned for her
sisterhood.” As most Spelman
students feel, Jasmine Williams
also believes we should be more
unified. The concept of
sisterhood is excellent, we must
make it effective - afterall, "We
are all we have,” says Jasmine.
Jasmine Williams is an excep
tional Spelmanite. When the
entire Black community begins
to perceive its plight as Miss
Williams does, perhaps then we
will be able to contribute to the
Black struggle.
Knowledge is the key to
change - we are attaining the
knowledge, when will we
change? If Jasmine has her way,
soon.
Take the callenge - learn your
history, so you that you won't
repeat it in the future.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Take Time to Live
Have Your Pressure Checked
Control It If It’s High
American Heart Association 0
Movie Review:
THE GODS MUST
BE CRAZY
by Debbie Marable
The gods must be smiling on
“The Gods Must Be Crazy.” This
wonderful South African com
edy has been running in France
and Sweden for more than three
years. In the United States, its
been a hit from Manhattan to
Denver.
“Gods” deserves its good
fortune. It is a delightful picture
about the pitfalls of civilization.
The movie starts out like a
National Geographic special.
Out in the middle of the
Kalahari, viewers are told by a
hilariously deadpan narrator,
live the Bushmen, a dainty little
people whose dainty little lives
are "models of simplicity, good
will and gentleness." They
apologize to animals for killing
them and think of the strange
whirr of airplanes as indigestion
of the immortals in the clouds.
Then one day, a pilot carelessly
drops an empty Coke bottle out
of the window of his plane.
Discovered by Xi (played by a
real bushman nameNIXau-the I
stands for a sound in the
bushman patois that’s
pronounced "click”). It is
regarded as a magical thing by
his tribe, A gift from the gods
that’s both beautiful and useful.
But the little people soon learn
that things don’t always go better
with Coke. As the narrator says,
“The gods had been careless;
they sent only one.” Suddenly
they’re battling over the bottle
and the next thing you know
they’re, bopping each other over
the heads with it.
Xi decides that the gift is an evil
one and volunteers to drop it off
the edge of the World. His
journey becomes one of three
converging plots.
A few hundred miles away, a
bashful microbiologist named
Andrew spends his time studying
animal droppings. He drops the
droppings in favor of courting
the newly arrived school
teacher. His rival is a safari-
smoothie whose shirts and sense
of fair play are both too much
unbuttoned.
Meanwhile, some cartoonish
revolutionaries and their leader,
having failed to gun down their
country’s cabinet, kidnap the
teacher and her charges to
guafantee themselves safe
passage away from their coup.
When the movie first moves
away from the bush people, it
bogs down momentarily. It takes
time to get used to Uys'
anthropoligical pratfalls. But I
guarantee that your resistance
will be worn down by a lengthy
and ultimately haliariou standoff
between Andrew and an un
trustworthy land rover.
Though the film comes from
South Africa, home of the horror
known as apartheid, Uys has set it
in a kind of No-Man’s-land
where blacks and whites come
off equally as bad or good.
continued page 12