Page Two
THE BENNETT BANNER
FEBRUARY, 1965
THE BENNETT BANNER
Published Monthly by the Students of Bennett College
Greensboro, North Carolina
Ten Cents A Copy
$1.00 Per Subscription
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Frances Campbell
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Gail Hickerson
Regina Carpenter
Bernardine Harris
Frances Kelly
Penny Walker
..Liza Abram, Phyllis Tuck,
ADVERTISING.
CIRCULATION..
COLUMNISTS
EXCHANGES.
TYPISTS
Andrea Mast, Lillie Madison, Patricia Murray
Edna Smith
REPORTERS..
Shirley Smedley, Sonja Hazard,
Business Education Club, Penny Walker,
Margie Cumbo, Paula Lewis.
Nellie Campbell, Rita Ruff,
LaRue Hodges
DO WE NEED A CAMPUS-WIDE REVIVAL?
One of the ideals which is held in high esteem at this insti
tution is religion. We are a Methodist college, we emphasize such
aspects as smallness so that there is a feeling of closeness and
togetherness among the students.
Then one must ask herself if it is the students who do not
appreciate this religious heritage, and we must seek to discover
if our students are really rebelling against the whole matter.
Students are constantly being reprimanded because of the
disorder and disrespect present within the confines of the sacred
structure. Even if not reminded of the face, it is such an obvious
indication that inattention is the most prevalent characteristic
of the attenders.
When propositions are made to blot out this whole idea of
required attendance at religious service, they are rejected with
out explanation.
Then we wonder if our students are irreligious; if they are
trying to rebuff this whole institutionalism so sacred to our
forefathers.
The answer lies in that fact more and more through lectures,
seminars, youth’s own demonstrative efforts, they, today’s
students, do not accept their religion withowt question. They
are skeptical because it is difficult to make traditional beliefs
and the old “lean to”, of acceptance on faith, operate for them.
Today’s students are trying to apply a religious attitude that
suits their needs. They dislike the idea of their worship being
forced upon them.
The structure, the chapel, has come to be looked upon with
abuse because it is the tangible object of the idea of dictated and
forced religion. The services receive a similar abuse and indiffer
ence for the same reason.
One can make an analogy between chapel services through
the week days and Sunday and Wednesday night vesper (a volun
tary program). There is more of the feeling of “the Lord in His
holy temple” in the voluntarily attended service. Why? Because
it is really worth noting the quality of the service on the part
of both participants and attenders when those who are such, are
such of their own choice.
Interested students look into the possibilities of establish
ing meaningful religious organizations on campus and recognize
with regret that as long as required attendance exists such efforts
are in vain.
We must all question ourselves. We just must re-evaluate
this practice on campus and we must suggest ways in which we
can revive the whole religious spirit at Bennett. If we cannot
stop religious requirements, then why not try to make the
religious services more meaningful for all? It is our responsibility.
-FRANCES CAMPBFLL
However, we should all stop and consider where we place
our values and what we are looking for while here at Dear Ole
B. C. Maybe if we set up a somewhat flexible schedule to allow
time for study and pleasure, too, we could possibly get more
done. And a place where we could meditate and think aloud, is
not a bad thought.
This means that all of us will have to concentrate more —
we will have to try to let our minds remain in the classroom
rather than wander outside. We will have to try a lot harder to
pay attention. Although we should have been doing this all
along, we will have to be more persistent in our efforts. Let’s not
become too lackadaisical. Let’s all try not to drag our feet with
the “Coming of Spring.”
GAIL HICKERSON
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
Is it true that Bennett is be
coming more authoritarian ra
ther than democratic? What is
the difference between saying
that one is compelled to go to
a program or the administra
tion advises that one should
go? What if no one goes. wiF
there be a penalty on the stu
dent body for supposedly non
pompulsory programs? Beside^-
the students have already fou'
required programs to atiend
Should they not feel free t^
3o what they wish to do on ad
ditional programs?
Lillie Madison
THE COMING OF SPRING
Trees blooming,, flowers budding, grass sprouting, birds
singing — all of these are indications of the “Coming of Spring.”
Now, between the falling snow flakes and the rain drops, the
Bennett Belle hopefully awaits the time when she can finally
shed that old shaggy winter coat and “fall out” in new spring
frocks. With the on coming warmer weather, there is a tendency
for all of us to relax and relapse into a melancholic state. We
tend to think of the coming months when none of us will have
any home work, outside reading, term papers, abstracts, and tests
to prepare for. We eagerly think of the summer jobs, summer
fun and all of the pleasures that accompany the joyous summer
time.
This, of course, is premature. We tend to forget all of the
responsibilities of the latter part of the second semester. None
theless, the atmosphere of unrest in school work prevails on our
campus as well as many other institutions. Oftentimes, averages
drop and many obtain a nonchalant attitude which is harmful
rather than helpful for the students. The library becomes empty
and the campus is filled with happy-go-lucky promenders.
Of course, all of us deserve some type of pleasure in the
academic atmosphere. Springtime seems to connote the time
when all of us desire to come out and enjoy the glories of
“nature.” This naturally is not wrong or erroneous. No one
expects us to study, study, study all the time — a break is de
served.
Dear Editor,
Many things are done around
the campus which no one
knows about until it is all over.
In light of this, is there an)
way that you can inform m'
concerning the criteria of get
ting in “Who’s Who in Ameri
can Colleges”. I saw this ’\rher
I glanced in the paper abou
a month ago. Maybe there ar^
underclassmen who would lik'
to strive to attain this status.
Curious
THE TIN DRUM
By Andrea Mast
It seems that the most talk
on campus is concerned with
idea of the amount of “con
cern” versus “apathy” that
exists in the Bennett Atmos
phere.
Let’s be honest. Eighty per
cent of the Bennett populace
is APATHETIC.
But when are they affected?
They are only affected when
the issue hits them. As long as
you’re out-spoken on this cam
pus, you’re all right in every
body’s book. But only as long
as your being out-spoken stays
within the bounds of social
'iberty, social liberty is line as
'ong as it does not infringe on
inother individual’s liberty,
this is good!
But freedom of speech is
another thing. Don’t .get me
wrong. Everybody advocates it.
That is as long as it does not
nfringe upon them. Say what
'ou think! But don’t sav it
gainst me.
Freshmen want lo stay out
past ten. Freshmen advocate
’t. The fastest way to lose a
"reshman friend is to sav she
hould not. Last year’s junior
class (Let us say a portion) ad
vocated cutting tlie senior vote
That was last year when the''
vere Juniors. This is this year
low that they are seniors. What
1 difference a day makes
Is it right to be affected
only when it bites me personal
y, or should I always be inter-
sted and should I find a sid^*
'r start my own side and stick
to it?
A wise Frenchman once said
‘I may not agree with wh:ii yo"
ay, but I will defend to the
leath your right to say it."
How many of the 80 per-
'ent are big enough to say xvher
when they are not affcried.
vhen all of them a re! I
\ CONTINUATION OF
THE SERIES CATALYST
ON CAMPUS
Vive La Difference!
In discussing the transition
from hereditary privilege to
rr_
»
equality and competitive per
formance, John Gardner said:
But release from heredity
stratification brought prob
lems as well as opportuni
ties for the individual.
Sometimes it gave him on
ly the freedom to be
crushed by the new forces
of industrial society. And
while it offered him free
dom to achieve, it placed
a new burden of responsi
bility and pressure on him.
Among the consequences
w’ere not only exhilaration
but anxiety, not only self-
discovery but fear. The
stratified society had its
own grim pressures, and
produced frustration in ma
ny gifted and highly moti
vated people, but it was a
source of security for many
others.
This statement has relevance
to the American woman who
has won the battle for equal
rights and must face the fact
now that the implications of
this victory are not all positive.
Responsibility follows inevita
bly in the wake of opportunity.
To the extent that we insist
on equal opportunities for wo
men and men, we are in danger
of implying that women will
bring to their work the same
singleness of purpose, the same
■■ustained effort and the same
continuity in employment as
men. If we submit to this im-
tDlication w'e are “letting- the
^est man win” for it precludes
the role of wife and mother
*^rom the life of the woman who
sei/es the opportunities offered.
It is logical to assume that
all persons should have equal
opportunity to realize their po
tential; it is not logical to as
sume that all have the same
goals or the same capacities. In
our fervor to implement our
democratic principles, il is ex
cusable to occasionally push
an individual beyond his limits
— it is difficult to identify ta
lent, and overexposure to op
portunity is preferable to un
der exposure.
Our mistakes stem from good
intention clouded by our in
ability to differentiate clearly
between the gifted and those
w'ho have limited iiUellectual
capacity.
But the differences between
men and women are readily
apparent. In all but the most
extreme cases, we are able to
differentiate between the sexes
at a glance and yet, by virtue
of our fervor for equal rights
for all or, on the other hand,
for an absolute sex differentia
tion, we are prevented from ex
trapolating these anatomical
differences to their logical im
plications for life goals and
satisfactions, for implicit
strengths and weaknesses, for
the presence or absence of spe
cific experience. We are, in ef
fect, unwilling to look squarely
at the shape of a woman’s life.
There are those who pro
claim that a woman’s place is
'n the home, that she is biolo
gically fitted for this role and
that she should derive there-
rom her full measure of satis
faction. They consider it pecu
liar ,even for the intelligent
educated woman to seek intel-
'ectural stimulation outside her
home. To their minds it is un
feminine to grow restless with
undirected activity and enter
tainment and to seek a con
structive, stimulatnig rolf’ out
side the home. To our mind,
this group is mistakine: a dif-
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