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December 6, 1967
THE MERCER CLUSTER
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Breaching The White Barrier
Five years ago Mercer integrated
the undergraduate college and since
than it hus developed into one of the
most recially progressive of the
Southern universities. But has Mer
cer really progressed or has it mere
ly introduced young negroes into a
white context?
This problem has been under
close discussion recently by a group
of students lx-cause of an encounter
that nearly became acute one even
ing just before Thanksgiving,
Several white students question
ed the right of a handful of negro
undergraduates to eat in any [tor-
tion of the Cafeteria. The discus
sion centered around the feelings
of several Greeks that their tradi
tional eating areas were sacred. The
encounter has led to group discus
sions of the negro's present assimi
lation or rejection by the student
community.
The only area of discussion at
first was that the negro possessed
the right to eat anywhere at will be
cause of his inherent rights as an
individual and a citizen.
Since that first agreement we
have seen the concensus branch into
discussion of the negro student's
tacit ban from student organize
tions and the student community
feeling.
Although the problem is partly
one of timidity on the negro stu
dent’s part in asserting himself un
invited, it could perhaps reach sol
vation by an overt welcome by the
white segment of the student com
munity. The negro students have
stated their desire to participate in
the activities of the University.
Of all the problems concerning
the races at Mercer the breach of
the monolithic white silence is the
greatest because of the difficulty
in describing its boundaries or de
lineating its actual forms.
We hope the discussion will be as
successful in January in its search
ing as it has been in its last three
meetings. Positive progress at Mer
cer may become an internal reality
rather than a mere set of external
statistics. Mercer has been integra
ted for five years and it has taken
that long for the internal culture of
the white student to realize this
integration's actuality.
Exchange Comer
Wh«ra, Was The 'Messiah'
Last Sunday?
By Russ Drummond
This week while reading GRANMA, I realized two things. One was
that I can’t read. Due to my error, the name has been printed as
GRAMMA instead of GRANMA. My other realization was that this
week’s GRANMA contained nothing but stories and accounts of the
late Ernesto Che Guevara and his death. The propaganda was of no in
terest to me but I did read an article written by the late Major Guevara
concerning the history of the Communist revolution in Cuba. Guevara’s
accounts of the revolution (Perhaps a good fiction serial) will be re
printed in the CLUSTER strictly as reading material. STUDENTS,
DO NOT TAKE THESE ARTICLES TO HEART.
1./ BEGINNING OF A REVOLUTION
by ERNESTO GUEVARA
The history of the military aggression consummated on March 10,
1952—"a bloodless coup directed by Fulgencio Batista”—does not begin,
of course, the very day of the coup. Its antecedents must be sought far
back in the history of Cuba, much before U. S. Ambassador Sumner
Welles 8 intervetnion in 1933, even before the Platt Amendment in 1901,
before the landing of hero Narciso Lopez, special envoy of the U. S.
annexationists, all the way back to its roots in the time of John Quincy
Adams, who, at the beginning of the 18th century, announced the theme
of his country's policy toward Cuba: an apple that, dropping from the
Spanish tree, was predestined to fall into the hands of Uncle Sam.
These are links in a long chain of continental aggression aimed not ex
clusively at Cuba.
This ebb and flow of the imperialist tide is marked now by the
overthrow of democratic governments and again by the appearance of
new governments as a result of the irresistable drive of the masses.
Fidel Castro, assisted by a small team of trusted revolutionaries, devoted
all his vocation an . extraordinary work spirit to the task of organizing
the armed forces that were to sail for Cuba. He seldom attended class
es in military tactics, as he did not have enough time left for this. The
rest of us were able to learn a good deal from General Alberto Bayo.
My almost immediate impression after attending the first few classes
was that victory was possible, something I had doubted when I joined
the rebel chief to whom, from the very beginning, I was tied by a bond of
romantic sympathy for adventure and the thought that it would be
worthwhile to meet death on a foreign beach for so pure an ideal.
A few months went by. Our marksmanship improved, and our
sharpshooters emerged. We found a ranch in Mexico where, under the
direction of General Bayo and with myself as chief of personnel, we
made th» last plans for departure in 1956. However, at that time, two
different Mexican units—both of them in Batista’s pay—were hunting
for Fidel Castro, and one of them was lucky enough to arrest him, but
committed the absurdity—to their economic loss—of not killing him
after taking him prisoner.
JHerra* Cluster
December 6. 1967
Volume XLIX, No. 8
From the moment we entered the chapel,
there was a prevading sense that something
was amiss. It was less than half an hour
before time for the performance to begin but*
the chapel was only about half full. Then
we looked at the program and discovered
what everyone else apparently had learned
from the announcements and news stories
which we had failed to read. There was no
presentation of Handel’s Messiah at Mercer
this year.
The Bach Christmas Oratorio and Mag
nificat which were performed this year in
stead of the traditional Messiah were both
very nice and well presented, but neither
can compare with Handel’s masterwork and
neither could supply their audience’s desires
as an Oratorio for the Christmas season.
This last fact was well illustrated both by
the abundance of empty seats (Messiah per
formances here have for many years had no
empty seats and little standing room) and
by the substantial number of people who
left during the intermission.
The Bach Oratorio and Magnificat offer
little, beyond a few passages, which com
pares with anything in the Messiah. The
chorus “Christians be Joyful’’ and the
choral “Break Forth O Beautous Heavenly
Light” as well as the chorus “Gloria Patris”
and the aria “Slumber Beloved” are perhaps
comparable to some portions of the Messiah,
though not, we think, to the best portions.
Having heard the Mercer performances of
the Messiah every year since 1962, we have
noticed members of the audience brought to
tears every year (not so many the year the
“Singing Christmas Tree” was stuck into
the program). We looked all around during
and after the Bach performance but no one
seemed visibly moved.
The Bach pieces are both fine works of
music and their performers did them justice,
but placed where the Messiah has been for
years, they seemed a poor substitute. The
Bach music is unquestionably great, but
that of the Handel work is greater, and the
message of the Messiah is, in the highest
sense, more suitable to the Christmas sea
son. The Bach works told the Christmas
NOTE: As this is the last of many
though not
s, I thought
Kht
u<h
I decided it would be a better iourvaUstic atlitu
land probably more interesting to Cluster readers
for me to simply write what l would have writ tat
for this issue had / not been leaving Mercer
the army at all. — W.O.D.
Editor’s Note
Bill Dayton, former editor of the
CLUSTER and creator and edi
tor of the Plucked Dulcimer for
two years has left publications
at Mercer indebted by his con
stant contributions.
story and proffered praises to the Most
High. Handel’s Messiah not only tells of
Jesus’ birth, but eloquently gives the con
text, the Old Testament verses leading up
to the Christ as well as His stemming the ^
sins of man on the cross, concluding thi
whole matter with the message of tin
“Halleleuja Chorus,” “That He shall reiga JJ,
for ever and ever, King of Kings and Lord
of Lords, Halleleuja.”
Letter To The Editor
Dear Mr. Cauthorn,
I read with interest your note to
apathy on campus, and I too feel
that there exists a shroud of indif
ference not just at Mercer but else
where.
Webster defines apathy as a lack
of feeling or emotion. In the U. S.
there is just a few who are making
themselves heard. It is all right for
us to condemn the bearded, long
haired Americans who have been
speaking out against the policies of
the present administration, but we
do it from a secluded corner with
out giving any useful criticism,
Right or wrong, pro or con, they
are at least demonstrating their
feelings. It is very seldom that "Mr.
Do Good” is seen or heard. It is
one thing talking about an issue,
but another thing in doing some
thing about it.
As college students about to step
Our Library Needs Help
by Wright Davis
The question often arises in the minds of
students from time to time as to the number
of books that are lost from the library, and
how to prevent books from leaving the library
without being charged out. A study was re
cently made by the Stetson Memorial Li
brary staff which revealed some very interest
ing information.
The study explained six possibilities why
books cannot be located when a student
wants them: (1) Books may accidently be
mis-shelved. (2) Books may be deliberately
mis-shelved by students wishing to insure
exclusive use of the books. (3) Books may be
carried to some location within the building
and not yet returned. (4) Books may be
apparently missing through an error in circu
lation records. (5) Books may be deliberately
stolen. (6) Books may be deliberately taken
(Continued on page 8)
BUSINESS MANAGER
Bob Lanier
MANAGING EDITOR
Steve Wright
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Tom O—thoiH
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Wright Daria
Copy Editor Claudia Young
*• Business Specialist
Christy Tyler
Exchange Editor
Russ Drummond
- Executive Editors
... BUI Dayton, Bobby Phillips
Sports Editor
Art Hapoar
U Feature Editor ....
Dan NownU
Feature Staff
.. ..... Karan Riven, Milton Moon, Clyde Hoover,
Judy White, Stove Darby, Roger BeQ, Reid Banks
Leonard Bone, Carol Brhoe
- — Roger Poston, Haywood Turner
News Editor .: . ...1...... Dianne
9«>ff Wardiyn Milk, Deri Ripley, Chris Grate.
Susan Scott, Gary Johns—, Cathy Gee— Dianna Downer,
Chpetoe Goolsby, Shane Yew— Cornelia Bennett. Giany
Linde Pen, Ed Weed
, Linda Pee, Ed Ward
dents ... MB Wehaat. Bd Bacon
Faculty AM— .... ... Prat Anthony Stanrfeli. J. a Peine
into society, we should be becomiig
more aware of the world and mort lev
militant to it Aa John F. Kenned;
said, "We have the power to mate
thia the beat generation of mankind
in the history of the world
make it the last”
Steve Darby
Cafeteria Needs And
Other Suggestions
kill
0.1,
By Becky Sims
“Why aren’t there any aahtran
in the cafeteria?” ia a queatioa
heard dozens of times recently anl
indeed, it would make sense
spend a little mpney on thia su|-
geation to avoid more costly dam
age to diahes, trays, and beauti
ful new carpets.
Many times it is the little thi;
like this that contribute more
student attitude and behavior thw Upi
any large single project Concern ill —
the cafeteria, I would like to [>rv
pose several minor suggestions that Jim,
would seem to do a lot toward cot
venience without much cost
This is not to insinuate that Mar
cer does not serve the tender,
top grade meat, but sometimes
aerated steak knife would come
handy. And though we all entW^E** 11
the social hour we spend in lit
perhaps opening the third li
line would help speed things .
Sometimes at lunch students hi* ksi
only an hour between
eat and spending 30 minutes stai
ing in line ia pushing it
The necessity of
tables after breakfast is avid,
but if students are orderly,
erative, and neat why can’t
convenient area be left open
studying in the morning? A,
students often hsve an hour
between id—aa end half of the
would be wasted in a trek to
library, and dorms are usually
conductive to studying at this
I know many people who
really appreciate thia privilage
would be cooperative .with the
sonnet In working it out
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