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Spelman Spotlight
CAMPUS NEWS
Page 2
Spotlight Investigation: Cafeteria Blues
By Doreen Smith
There seems to be an unwritten rule that
everyone who goes to school must complain
about the food. In fact, it is so common the
complaints may not be taken seriously. But
should they? The Spotlight decided to take
some of the complaints commonly heard and
put them to the test.
One of the complaints was the cleanli
ness of the silverware. When examining 10
forks and knives on two separate occasions,
we noticed that on the average, 7 out of 10
forks (70%) needed to be wiped before using.
Of the knives, about 5 out of 10 were found
dirty.
Another complaint dealt with the glasses.
According to Dean Hill, they are supposed to
be washed, as well as put through the dish
washer. Apparently this is not always the
case, because during our investigation, lip
stick was often found around the edges.
Now, the final complaint we decided to
investigate was that of the food itself. Even
though on some occasions the chili we ate on
Tuesday seemed like the sauce poured over
our spaghetti on Thursday, we could not col
lect any solid evidence to substantiate this
suspicion. The Spotlight hopes that the food
we receive is the best that it can be.
We suggest that you try your own inves
tigation and send us the results. If you still
feel uneasy about the dirty silverware and
possibly reused meat, all we can say for now
is to bring plastic forks and try the salad bar.
Students search for clean siverware.
Photo: Jocelyn Coleman
You can’t trust your lover’s word about AIDS,
black women warned
By Thonnia Lee
Reprinted with permission from the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution.
Black Women who previously felt they
were protected from AIDS because they
weren’t involved with homosexuals or drug
abusers have cause to worry for themselves
and their unborn children.
During a workshop in a day-long sympo
sium held on World AIDS Day last Decem
ber, Dr. Lorraine Hale told 600 attendees that
as black women they can no longer trust the
words of a lover.
“You don't know that he's all right,” Dr.
Hale, executive director of the Hale House,
told the primarily group of mostly teenagers,
“You only know what he tells you and you
only know what you see him doing."
Throughout the day, workshops were
held on medical facts and transmission; teen
age sexuality; overcoming myths and denial;
babies and children with AIDS; and a teen
panel on peer pressures.
Dr. Hale’s mother, Clara Hale, known as
“Mother” Hale, founded the Hale House in
1969 as a refuge for children bom to drug-
addicted mothers. Mother Hale was present
but did not speak.
"In some communities, men who are gay
will say 'I’m gay,”’ Dr. Hale said. "But in
other communities it is not good to say you are
gay, so they won’t tell it.”
Dr. Hale told the women in graphic detail
how Hale House has given love to children
born with AIDS and then orphaned by moth
ers who succumb to the disease.
“We have a celebration of life almost
every day," she said. "When we find out that
they are HIV positive we hug them and we
kiss them and we hold them.
“We ask are they getting everything they
need today? Are they getting hugs today? Are
they getting kisses today? Because we don’t
know about their tomorrow," she said.
“We do it because we're not talking about
a group of youngsters for whom we don’t
have to plan tomorrow,” she said.
In 1969 Clara Hale, now 84, founded the
child-care agency as a home for young chil
dren bom to drug-addicted mothers. More
than 800 children have received care and the
Hales have raised more than 40 children.
But the message Dr. Hale tried to focus
on the minds of the many students was to get
involved with community service organiza
tions to help the public become more aware.
“You need to understand at an early age
what your responsibility is," she said, “if you
“You don’t know
that he’s all right”
become a part of the problem, then we can’t
use you because we have to take care of you.”
Note: Mother Clara Hale received the
Spelman College Board of Trustees Distin
guished Service Award at the 1988 Com
mencement Services.
The Blue & White Court 1989
By Faedra Chatard
“The Miss Blue and White experience
has taught me that Spelman does believe in
what it promotes and has promoted since its
existence: Service,” said the royal one her
self. Carnarf Walker, Spelman's 1989-90 Miss
Blue & White. “I know what Spelman is
about and I believe in the values the women
have. I believe in the sisterhood. I couldn't
represent any other school as I could Spel
man."
Lajuan Murphy, first runner-up to Miss
Blue & White, shares Ms. Walker’s senti
ments concerning what the court represents,
“To me it symbolizes the well-roundedness,
The Blue & White Court
intelligence, spirituality and talent of Spel
man women.”
Adds Ms. Walker: "Miss Blue & White
symbolizes African-American women sup
porting each other. To me it is of great
significance when talking about queens be
cause most schools who have queens are co
ed or male. I really think Miss Blue & White
is a tribute to women because so often we tend
to be our worst critics."
It is this enthusiasm and dedication that
has propelled the court into action around the
school, as well as in the community. In spite
of their busy schedules, they have devoted
time to working with the External Affairs
Board, the Spelman Student Government
Association, local high schools, The Kid’s
Day Carnival, tutoring, and creating a liaison
between the SSGA and Tamara Nash-Am-
mons, assistant dean of students and director
of the Office of Community Service. Future
projects include voter registration in Febru
ary, and the presentation of a three-part series
on male-female relationships in March.
Ms. Walker, who represented Spelman at
the National Black Hall of Fame Pageant on
September 22, 1989, placed third-runner up
(an accomplishment emphasized by the fact
that, unlike the other contestants, she received
her information at the very last minute), and
will be representing Spelman again at the
Miss Collegiate African-American Pageant.
This competition will be held April 5-15 in
Hollywood, California at Universal Studios.
The Blue & White court, which includes
India Gary, second-runner up, who is pres
ently on exchange in France, has had a posi
tive experience and given much back to the
community. However, according to Lajuan
Murphy, there is still room for improvement.
"In the future, I would like to see the
court more active, said Ms. Murphy. "There is
a tendency for people to play up Morehouse ’ s
courts and I feel students should be more
aware and supportive of things going on with
the Blue & White court.”
In order to insure more student body
support, a new selection process for Miss
Blue & White may be implemented by the
time of the next pageant. This process would
extend the selection of the court to an entire
week of activities, not just one day. This
would allow a greater display of talents, skills
and character and enable the student body to
closely evaluate each candidate before vot
ing.
Though changes may occur in the future,
the Blue & White Court is sure to maintain its
energy, dignity and purpose. “When we take
the time to celebrate one another,” expounded
Ms. Walker, “it is one of the most positive
experiences one could have.”
Morehouse
College enforces
visitation policies
By Angela Hill,
SSGA Parliamentarian
The Spelman Student Government
Association (SSGA) is responsible to
you, the student body of Spelman Col
lege. We are obligated to and held ac
countable for informing you about deci
sions made which will affect you. In an
effort to be responsible, we are informing
you of the enforcement of the visitation
policy of Morehouse College.
For those of you who haven’t heard,
Morehouse College is now enforcing its
female visitation policies. Spelman stu
dents who violate the policies will be
sanctioned by a panel consisting of
members of the Judiciary board, stu
dents, and staff persons appointed by
Dean Hill.
Many Spelman students were not
aware that Morehouse College had any
visitation rules at all. According to Merlin
Todd, Morehouse Housing Director,
Morehouse students are allowed to have
female visitors on Tuesday-Sunday be
tween the hours of 6pm-11:45pm.
The SSGA and the Spelman College
administration are both aware that many
Spelman women have either been misin
formed or uninformed about this issue.
We are taking and will continue taking
measures to remedy this problem, and
will continue to do so. However, in an
effort to maintain a good working rela
tionship with the other AUC schools, the
Spelman Administration will sanction
Spelman students who violate the visita
tion rules of Morehouse College.
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