Betty Stevens Elected President
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VOL. XXIV, NO. 5 SPELMAN COLLEGE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA______________________________________ May 15, 1963 Betty Stevens Elected President After weeks of listening to the campaigning of twelve students vying for nine student government offices, the Spel- Today's Colleges Face man College student body, on May 3, went to the polls to srice exercise one of their fundamental rights as citizens of the The third annual conference of college community — the right to vote. the Student Non-violent Coordi Students went to the polls with a thorough knowledge of the Pressures From Within It is truly with a deep sense of cent years the National Student nating Committee was held here, qualifcations of most of the candidates, for especially during in Atlanta, from April 12th the last week before elections, there had been intensive cam humility and gratitude that I take Association has been losing rather this opportunity to speak in this than gaining members. through 14th on the old campus paigning on the part of those seeking offices, particularly oif the Gammon Theological town meeting, for I truly feel that There were 2 reasons for this those who were running opposed. Seminary. More than three hun anything which draws people to drop-out — (1) many schools in There was one party, which gether to discuss the problems the South objected to the stand dred fifty students and observers called itself the “Union” party. pertinent to their time is a stride that the National Student Associ representing human relations Its constituents, and the offices toward freedom and a stride tow ation had taken for integration, organizations from thirty-four which they sought were: Caroline ard progress. (2) schools scattered throughout Southern colleges and Univer Nicole, President; Charles Kend The problem of academic free the nation objected violently to sities and seventeen Northern rick, Recording Secretary; Elea dom is a very significant problem the emphasis which the NSA schools attended lectures and nor Hinton, Corresponding Se of our time, for freedom in any placed on academic freedom. workshops -based on the con cretary; Josephine Dunbar, Trea area of human life has always Therefore, it is apparent that two ference theme- “Emancipation surer; Yvonne Woodard. Editor been and shall always be the of the most controversial issues Then: Freedom Now.” of REFLECTIONS; Ann Graves, goal of those deprived of it. of our time center around free Among the outstanding speak Parliamentarian; and Dorothy Strangely enough, pressures upon dom — racial freedom on the one ers were Negro comedian, Dick Jenkins, Publicity Chairman. In academic freedom have not been hand, and academic freedom on Gregory; Spelman College his addition to the Union Party can limited to pressures from outside. the other. tory professor, Dr. Howard Zinn; didates, there were five inde and Morgan College historian, Indeed, in recent years, some of Now academic freedom can be Dr. August Meier. pendent candidates—Phoebe Bai the greatest pressures upon aca defined as the right of teachers ley, running for Parliamentarian, During the Easter Sunday Ses demic freedom have come from or researchers to study critically, Ida Rose McCree, running in ab within the education institution. to think independently, and to sions, new SNCC Executive Com sentia for Editor of the SPOT A few weeks ago, Dennis teach their students the truth as mittee members were elected. LIGHT; Joyce Hawthorne, run Shoals, president of the National they see it, without restraint from Charles McDew was reelected as ning for Corresponding Secre Student Association, came South the administrators or from society. the Committee’s chairman. tary; Aurelia Brazeal, running to visit a number of schools. In Or academic freedom can be de Arrests in Cambridge, Md. for Vice President; and Betty BETTY STEVENS conference with Dennis Shoals I fined as the right of students to Four anti-segregation demonst Stevens, running for President. was surprised to learn that in re study critically, to examine in rators were arrested in down dependently and at all times to town Cambridge in a massive The polls closed officially at integration drive on April 13th. 4:30 p.m. May 3, and within a question or doubt the validity of subject matter or rules handed The picket line was sponsored by few hours it was revealed that President Celebrates the Cambridge Nonviolent Action the students had made the fol (Cont’d. on Rage 3) Committee in protest to the lowing choices: Phoebe Bailey, town’s segregated facilities. Parliamentarian, Dorothy Jen Arms in Alabama kins, Publicity Chairman; Ida Tenth Anniversary Emory University Rose McCree, Editor of the The home of Lonnie Brown, SPOTLIGHT; Yvonne Woodard, On April 11, at the annual trustees and special guests joined Hosts A.U. Coeds active worker in the Wilcox Editor of REFLECTIONS; Jose Founders’ Day Luncheon of the the Spelman “family” in honor County (Ala.) voter registration drive, was blasted by gun-shot phine Dunbar, Treasurer; Joyce entire Spelman College “family”, ing him in the midst of eye At the invitation of several on Friday night, April 12th, by Hawthorne, Corresponding Se the traditional speech made by catching decorations and a Emory University students, seven “-persons unknown.” No one was cretary; Charles Kendrick, Re the President of the senior class, scrumptious menu provided by Negro and two white students cording Secretary; Aurelia Braz in this case, Cecile Ganpatsingh, the alumnae and dining hall from the Atlanta University Cen home except the four Brown ter attended a mass meeting on children. eal, Vice-president; and Betty turned out to be a tribute to staff. Dr. Manley was hailed in Stevens, President. the roles of community leader, May 10th. The critical discus The morning before, Brown “Somebody.” The name of the sion, held on the University’s “Somebody” was not mentioned colleague, administrator, educa personally escorted twelve Ne campus, was on the dilemma of The race for President was a from the beginning, but as Ceoile tor and college president. The groes to the courthouse before -close one, but Betty Stevens speakers for the occasion were segregation in the South and the shooting. There was, how progressed in her tribute, it be specifically, in Atlanta and Bir brings to the office a record of came apparent that the person Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, President ever, no serious damage. academic excellence and intense mingham. The students present referred to was our President, of Morehouse College; Dr. Rufus King Arrested interest as well as outstanding at the meeting from the A. U. Dr. Albert E. Manley. Her tri E. Clement, President of Atlanta On April 12 th, Dr. Martin leadership in student affairs. She University; Mr. Lawrence J. Mc -Center were: Dorothy Myers, Luther King, Jr. was arrested bute pointed up the numerous Anna Jo Weaver, and Elizabeth is a graduate of J. W. Ligon High forward strides made by Spel Gregor, Treasurer of Spelman in Birmingham, Alabama, along School in Raleigh, North Caro College and Chairman of the Heath of Spelman College; Carl with demonstrators from the man College during his ten-year Arnold of Clark -College; Robert lina, where, in her senior year, administration. Board of Trustees; Dr. Oran W. Southern Christian Leadership she was President -of the Stu Eagleson, Dean of Instruction at Allen. Wessley Plummer, Ralph Conference and Miles College. dent Council. Coming to Spelman Dr. Manley’s tenth anniver Spelman; and Cecile Ganpat Moore, David Satcher, and Mar ion Fitchue, all of Morehouse. Police Commissioner Eugene in 1960, Betty was elected Vice- sary was formally celebrated on singh, President of the Senior “Bull” Connor used police dogs president of the Freshman Class. The Emory students displayed April 26, at a dinner given by Class, who described him in the to disperse Negro masses pray That same year she worked the Spelman Alumnae Associa various capacities. an ardent interest in vital issues ing near City Hall. The federal with the Student Movement, (Cont’d. on Page 7) tion. At this time, alumnae, (Cont’d. on Page 10, Col. 5) government was called upon but spending thirteen days in the did nothing to protect the rights Fulton County Jail as a result of the Negro citizens against of her participation in sit-in police brutality. deminstrations in dowtown Atlan ta. In her sophomore year, Betty Federal Funds served as President of her class The Civil Rights Commission, and was also chosen to represent backed by SNCC, requested on Spelman at the Collegiate Coun April 18th, that President Ken cil of the United Nations Con nedy withdraw all federal funds ference, held in New York City from the state of Mississippi un to commemorate the visit of til the violations of civil rights, Prime Minister Nehru of India and terror and intimidation, to the United States. cease. As yet, the government She was also among the first hasn’t -made a stand. group of students selected for residence in Chadwick Hall, Profs Jailed which was then enjoying its first Eleven demonstrators, includ year as an “honor dorm’’. As a ing two Swarthmore College junior, Betty holds the position professors, were arrested in of Vice-President of the SiSGA; Cambridge, Maryland on April is an active member of the Com- 23rd. The group was arrested mittee on Appeal for Human on charges of “disorderly con Rights; a member of WHO’S duct” as they picketed the Air WHO IN AMERICAN COL- Pax Electronics Company. The and the Pi Delta Phi French government contracted company Honor Society. has only employed two out of Betty recently became the re- many qualified Negro job ap cipient of a Merrill Grant for plicants. One of the eleven was summer study at Harvard Uni- freed after paying a hundred.