PAGE TWO
THE BENNETT BANNER
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1986
A bridge over troubled waters
On the surface, it might look like a genteel office—the role of college presi
dent—and maybe in the old days, it was a serene position.
But times have drastically changed, and the ivy on the academic towers is
withering from strife within and without. The last 20 years have been a period
of chaos for higher education and a time of torment for small private colleges,
too many of which have gone out of business.
Those happen to be the years Dr. Isaac H. Miller Jr. has been fighting for
the life of this college.
Now that the president has announced his retirement, it would do well for us
to reflect on the hydra-headed opponents Miller has had to face and to congra
tulate him on battles nobly fought. For despite his calm, gentlemanly manner.
Miller knows how to handle himself in the ring.
He inherited a college which had been called “The Black Vassar,” but which
by the mid-60s was losing hundreds of promising students to the accelerated re
cruitment of state universities.
Then national politics had predictably damaging effects on this institution.
Recite the occupants of the White House during Miller’s reign, and you get some
idea of the difficulties he confronted. 1968-74 — Richard Nixon; 1974-76 —
Gerald Ford; 1976-1980—Jimmy Carter; 1980-86—Ronald Reagan. Only one De
mocrat served a four-year term during Miller’s time in office. Republicans, with
their stress on private-sector solutions to economic problems, are notably cool
toward academia and the needs of blacks. Under Reagan, the academy has met
the big chill, and blacks have suffered grievous reverses.
But this has been only part of Miller’s ordeal. In terms of curriculum reform,
more has occurred in the last two decades than in the history of American higher
education. First, the demand for “relevant” courses, which often left students
“turned on” but undereducated. Then the backlash, and the era of practicality,
which often left students professionally equipped but spiritually bereft. Now the
attempted balance. This is not to mention the impact and vestiges of the black
power ethic, which created racial pride at the same time it encouraged isolation
and which left us with the puzzling question “how black is black ?”
Finally, the battles from within. Miller has had to deal with a flurry of con
flicting demands. “Take the college back to the glory days,” some say. “The past
is strangling us,” others insist. Some trustees have called for sexual desegrega
tion. Ideas have abounded, but substantive proposals have been rare, and in many
cases, a consensus has been impossible.
Miller has provided unifying leadership through this long period of unrest.
Perhaps the hallmark of his administration has been its human dimension. The
president has always been a good listener and a caring administrator. To follow
his actions and speeches has been to Witness a man who has shown his personal
concern for everyone here, especially the students. In a good way, his attitude
toward Belles has been paternal. Equally important, he has kept the college mov
ing forward on the troubled waters.
President Miller’s long, tireless devotion to Bennett deserves to be celebrated.
Battle of the sexes
Don’t spoil men
Opinion
by Tricia Hairston
The black woman is now offered
more advantages than ever before.
The battle for equal opportunity,
however, hsts not been easy. After
fighting for equal rights, we still
have another obstacle — the black
man. It is a well-known fact that
we outnumber our brothers two-
to-one, thus creating problems in
the job market, the social scene
and marriage. The tension is
mounting between us, and if it
does not stop, we could prove to
be our worst enemies.
Just think about how many
times we are made to feel inferior
if we have a better job than our
male counterparts. If it is not the
inferiority complex they put on
us, then we are the “mother im
age.” I am sure that we can all
name a few brothers who are
strongly attached to the apron
strings of their girlfriends, sisters
or wives.
Why do they do it? Because we
let them. Alter hearing so much
about how the white man has
robbed him of his pride and em
ployment opportunities, we are left
feeling guilty. Sometimes we feel
as though it is our fault that too
many brothers are unemployed,
imprisoned, hustling or just
getting by. It is time for the black
woman to wake up and realize
that these allegations and excuses
will no longer be accepted. Yes,
there is a higher rate of unem
ployment and incarcerated black
males compared to whites, but
where did the idea come from
that these problems are our fault?
Who committed the crime? Who
stopped looking for a job? Of
course, there are two sides to
every story, but life is hard and
if we are to survive, we must
keep pushing.
Do not let me point the finger
solely on the brothers because
we are also at fault. We patronize
the very same men who disrespect
us. So how do we expect gold
when we will settle for silver? We
have their babies and are not
married to them. We accept wel
fare as a retribution, yet we still
associate with these men. We go
out and work while they hang out.
The first of the month in any
ghetto is often termed “mother’s
day,” and the man we haven’t
seen in weeks suddenly turns up
and we let him in. Who are we
fooling? Who is being the fool?
Whodini, a New York rap group,
has this to say: “Some say it’s an
art; some say it’s a shame — that
you wold give me your body be
fore your name.” The title of the
song is “I’m a ho.” Rick James
calls us super freaks; Doug E.
Fresh affectionately thinks of us
as “bitches.” The list could go on.
We let this happen because some
of us feel that a man with no res
pect is better than no man at aU.
Be honest: is it really?
Getting a little closer to home,
how about the black man in
college? If he can dress, is attrac
tive and parties, then he is the one
we seek. If he has a girlfriend,
that’s cool, too. We can sneak
around. Then sooner or later, he
will realize that we can give him
more, and soon he will leave his
girlfriend for us. Sometimes this
works. But think about this: if he
left her for you, what makes you
think you can keep him?
Maybe we place too much em
phasis on having a man. Contrary
to popular belief, having a man
does not make one’s life complete.
We need to reassess our priorities
and get our heads on straight.
Take time out and get to know
yourself. Become a well-rounded
individual and do not settle for
less. The man you are seeking is
not always Mr. Cool or Mr. Hip.
He may be a “nerd,” but nine
times out of 10 he will respect
you for the woman and the prin
ciples you stand for.
Not all black men are the nega
tive examples I have written
about. There are some good ones
out there and they are single. We
can find them once we find our
selves.
What are we waiting for?
nn^
Editor Carla Bannister
Associate Editors Shonna Luten, Laura Nelson, Bernice Scott
Columnists Vicky Dunn, Tricia Hairston, Elfrida Mensah
Reporters Taitiia Bell, Dee Little, Carmen Ockletree
Fredericka Turner
Faculty Advisers Mr. Michael Gaspeny, Dr. Martha Gleaton
With special thanks to Ms. Sallie A. Hayes
Opinions expressed in columns and letters to the editor belong to
their authors, not to the staff of the Banner, whose ideas appear in the
editorials at the top of this page.
Send letters to the editor to Box 2, campus post office. All corres
pondence must bear a handwritten signature and must be acknowledged
by the author. Letters are subject to editing according to newspaper
style and demands of space. No anonymous letters will be published.
Yerby touches emotions
an appreciation
by Laura Nelson
Firank Yerby takes words
and shapes them into an ad
venture that will capture the
reader and in the end leave
one wanting to reread those
words.
Author of over 26 novels,
Frank Yerby is one of the
master storytellers of our
time. He penetrates the hu
man condition and plays on
the feelings we have all felt
at one time. His characters
are people who confront the
struggle of doing what is
right or relieving their own
selfish desires.
Frank Yerby’s heroes and
heroines are portrayed as in
dividuals who are good people
with beliefs and principles
that are the most important
aspects of their lives. Yet at
the same time they must deal
with circumstances that hand
these people experiences that
sour their beliefs and prin
ciples. One of Yerby’s novels,
Letters to tke editor:
“The Girl from Storyville,”
relays the message of lost
hope that is still held to. This
novel tells the story of a
young woman who is con
demned from childhood to be
a “fallen woman.’’ And
though the heroine does live
her life as a prostitute, she
never loses her goodness and
hope that life and people are
not as bad as both seem.
A contrast to this novel is
presented in “Hail the Con
quering Hero.” With this
novel Yerby relates to his
readers that having every
thing does not make up for
a love that has been lost.
Yerby creates a story and
provides the path for his
readers to find themselves
and their feelings in the story.
Yerby instinctively knows
what will capture and hold
readers until the last page.
Yerby explores the irony of
life in “Tobias and the
Angel.” Readers will appre
ciate the opportunity to laugh
at the twists and turns that
life can present. Reading this
novel, one will feel that he or
she has had the chance to
communicate with his or her
own guardian angel.
Yerby does not hinder the
reader with pages full of elo
quent words. Yerby’s writing
can give a reader the feeling
that he was writing especially
for him or her. Reading a
novel by Yerby takes a reader
into the mind and fantasies of
the author; he has put him
self dowTi on paper vdth an
invitation to open oneself and
mix feelings with his. Yerby
can bring a reader to laugh in
the middle of an emotional
passage by adding his touch
of comedy.
By confronting the ambi
guities and complexities of
human life, Frank Yerby has
succeeded in establishing a
bridge between people and
those ambiguities and comple
xities. Reading Frank Yerby,
you will find that for once a
story has ended the way you
want it to end.
Commitment is the key
To The Editor:
Every corpyoration, institution
and organization has a group of
people selected to guide them to
higher levels of excellence.
Whether the group is a Board of
Directors or a fundraising com
mittee, they all were selected to
lead, guide, improve, advise and
even protect.
The Bennett College “corpora
tion” is no exception. Here at
Bennett there exists a group of
women who are taking their posi
tions with the utmost of serious
ness. This body of concerned,
hard-working, dedicated and in
dustrious leaders is formally and
collectively known as the Student
Government Association, inform
ally known as the SGA.
Individually they are known as
Vicky Dunn, the diligent, never-
faltering president; Susan Hairs
ton, the humble yet ambitious vice
president; Regina Rhynehardt, the
straight-forward, no-bones-about-
it parliamentarian; Karen D.
Jones, the spunky, conscientious
corresp>onding secretary; the gra
cious and talented Tangee Stitt,
recording secretary; Josef a Bethea,
the outgoing and jovial treasurer;
Alicia McCollum, the beautiful
and knowledgeable Miss Bennett
College and Lynda Keith, the
lovely, sincere attendant.
These people are here to work
for and with the students at Ben
nett. That is their job. It is taken
seriously. Together, with help
from the administration, faculty,
staff and, most importantly, the
students, they will not quit until
everyone has been cared for. Look
for notices of SGA Speaks!
which are bi-weekly student body
meetings that will address con
cerns locally, nationally and
campuswide. Also, look for
monthly calendar of events to
keep everyone informed. The
SGA is here for you.
Susan Hairston
To the Editor:
Getting to know ourselves is a
lifetime job; the first knowledge
is knowledge of self. Every con
tact, every experience and every
day should broaden our vision
into our lives or ourselves. Un
fortunately, many influences have
been working against the process
of self-discovery; therefore, we
find ourselves in a society full of
blind people.
Life would not be so difficult
if we had not lost the keys to
discovering who we are. The keys
are so obvious that even people in
the most simple societies don’t
have any problems with their
identity.
They have not been blinded
from the most basic natural pro
cesses that feed the human being
knowledge. The human mind is
equipped with a self-survival pro
cess that inspires us with urges to
move in the direction of a con
structive life.
M^ fellow sisters, we have been
accustomed to listening to every
thing exceprt ourselves. Now is
the time to take every opportu
nity to listen and to listen to the
inner movement of the world
around us. We should never accept
easy answers as complete in dis
covering ourselves.
We should use the valid clues of
life as stej>s toward knowing our
selves. The clues to self-know
ledge are living and seeking to
understand our lives. If we follow
the steps of wise men and women
from the past to generate our
thoughts, self-discovery becomes
simple.
Kathy Howell
Senior Class President
To all Belles:
Bennett CoUege can be a chal
lenging and rewarding school if
you make the difference. At Ben
nett a student learns academic
work, responsibility, personal in
sight concerning her major and
developing her own personal style
of thinking and working effec
tively.
There are three key points that
I want you to keep in mind while
you are here at Bennett. The first
thing I want you to do is get acti
vely involved with your studies.
By going above and beyond your
homework assignments, you can
learn much more about different
subjects and thius broaden your
intellectual horizons. Bennett stu
dents should be able to talk intel
ligently about several subjects.
You should be a well-rounded in
dividual because you are a Ben
nett Belle. Remember you are
doing this for yourself and not
just to please the teachers. It is
your education; your teacher al-
(see page 4)