November 4. 1969
BENNETT BANNER
PAGE 5
EDITOR’S MAILBOX
Dear Editor!
The Recreation Council has
done a very good job of getting
the Coffee House redecorated.
I look forward to each Thurs
day Fun Night. Why isn't it op-
ened more often? It seems such
a waste not to have it open to
the students on nights other than
Thursday.
C. Prince
Dear Editor:
Every afternoon around five
o’clock, the campus suddenly de
velops a deserted air. Only the
chatter of the girls and maybe
that of a few boys can be heard.
There isn’t a GTO or Mach II
or even an old dilapidated Chevy
in sight. To be exact, every day
around five o'clock the chains
are placed across the main en.
trance to the campus.
At a recent “fireside chat"
at Jones Hall, the President
stated that the chains are put
up to stop the heavy flow of
traffic through the “residential
area." He stated that the parking
area behind the chapel should
be used. Perhaps, his idea to
protect us against the traffic is
valid, but he must realize that;
(1) the traffic is a pleasant sight
for the girls; (2) the presence
of so many cars on campus
each carrying some wonderful
guy is rewarding to even the
most meek of girls; and (3)
It all began as a normal thing
in the life of Bennett College,
A guest speaker was invited to
be speaker at a bi-weekly Gen-
eral Assembly program. A press
conference was planned to follow.
Following that, there was to be a
luncheon in the private dining
hall in the guest speaker's honor.
The guest speaker; the honorable
Howard Lee, mayor of Chapel
Hill, North Carolina.-its first
Black me.yor.
One begins to wonder what
could go wrong in a routine
situation as this. Well, to begin
complications, it was discovered
five days in advance that the
President of the Student Senate
and the editor of the Bennett
Banner were not included among
the ten students invited to the
luncheon. To invite a cross-
section of the student body is a
fine idea, but, as far as in-
formation goes, this is the first
time the elected President of the
Student Senate has not been in
cluded on the invitation list for
such an affair. Among the many
questions on the minds of con-
cerned students was: Why weren't
our Student government Presi
dent and our newspaper editor
invited, especially since it was
obvious that city government of
ficials and larger news media
had received invitations.
In an attempt to receive ans
wers to this and similar ques
tions, one concerned student pro
ceeded to ask, point-blank, the
chairman of the General Assem
bly Committee for answers and
information since this was
thought tobean unintentional
oversight. No admission or apo
logy was made in reference to
an oversi^t, but the two people
were sent invitations in the after,
noon mail. They were asked to
reply by Friday, but it was Fri-
really, putting the chain up will
not restore the traditional Ben
nett Belle image. So please, let
us take our chances with the
heavy traffic. We really don't
mini
Carolyn Everett
Dear Editor,
As a new sophomore, I had
looked forward to a better year
than my first. However, on the
first day of my arrival I found
out that more confusion existed
now, than the whole previous
year. I am quite perturbed at
the room accommodations for
students when there are enough
rooms for everyone's comfort.
It’s bad enough that there must
be three to rooms meant for two,
but to make conditions worse
some girls have to leave their
nice clothes folded in their suit
cases because of the lack of
closet and drawer space.
The constant reply has been to
“Wait," but how long? Freshmen,
about 150, are living in 3 dorms,
of which 2 are the largest on
campus; while over 200 sopho-
mores are crowded in two dorms.
Where is the logic behind this?
There are freshmen one per
room and empty rooms in at
least 3 dorms. Such conditions
make studying almost impos
sible, I think we upperclassmen
should demand better and more
reasonable treatment.
Myra Davis
day, and the last mail was go. “
for the day, the post office was
closed, and office employees
were gone.
By Monday, four of the ori
ginally invited students had been
“uninvited." This was con
sidered quite a “slap-in-the-
face." To add to this, by Mon
day the rumor that the mayor
of Greensboro, had been invited
had caught like wild fire in a
sage bush. To say the least, the
students were definitely against
the mayor's appearance any
where on campus--in the chapel,
at the press conference, or at
the luncheon. Why? Since last
May's race disturbance in the
city, the Mayor has been label
ed a “racist."
No student was able to obtain
a copy of the proposed assembly
program or a copy of the lunch
eon guest list. Forced to work
on mere assumptions, the stu
dents planned their counter-at
tack to the attack about to be
presented by those responsible
for the program planning and
invitation distribution. The stu
dents were, also, angered by
the actions of someone who re
moved all protest signs and pos
ters displayed on campus. They
felt it an infringement upon their
individual rigjit of freedom of
personal expression.
The General Assembly pro
gram went off without incident;
the press conference was suc
cessful. Some of the “uninvi
ted" students were personally
“re-invited" by Mayor Lee. At
the end of the press confer
ence, Mayor Lee was whisked
away by a school official and
not seen again. The students
invited to the luncheon walked
unknowingly into the private din
ing hall and were told that mere
were no arrangements made for
Dear Editor,
Gee! The Exterior of the cha
pel is really lookin' good! The
paint did the trick Sure
wish we could get the same pro
cess done in the INterior of the
Student Union (upstairs and down
stairs), Cone Hall, Reynolds, and
Merner!
Signed,
Betty Jones
Dear Editor,
The concern for social life has
been washed out to sea and the
Coffee House has gone with it;
for it comes in on a weekly tide.
For the remainder of the week,
the Coffee House tide lies dor-
mant. The original purpose of
providing a place we could en
tertain ourselves playing cards
and listening to music seems non
existent! What happened to those
“Let-your-hair-down" sessions
for the sake of freedom of ex-
pression.
The Coffee House tide should
come ashore more often and
bring with it more self-enter
tainment, relaxation, and dis
cussion sessions.
Coffee House Fan
Pat Grimsley
Dear Editor,
Why are some of the dormi
tories overcrowded and others
just barely filled? The housing
conditions on campus are ter
rible. Nearly all of the rooms
a luncheon and that there would
be none. One of the invited stu
dents found a note in her mail
box at 11:50 informing her of
the luncheon cancellation ten
minutes before it was scheduled.
Emotions ran high among con
cerned students; they had re-
ceived the greatest display of
deception and malicious intent
against students that they had
ever experienced.
It was, also, learned that the
faculty member who introduced
the guest speaker and who ar
ranged for Bennett students to
help in the election in Chapel
Hill last spring had not received
a luncheon invitation. Also not
included was a faculty member
who is the wife of a public of
ficial. Her husband was invited;
she was not. It seems just as
easy to address an invitation to
“Mr. & Mrs." as to “Mr."
alone.
The sum total of the whole
situation is described as “frus
trating." It has been said that
“there is a ri^t way to do
even the wrong thing," but it
appears that this was a case of
doing the wrong thing the wrong
way!
Greetings
FaU is the beginning of some-
thing new for the newest members
of a college community. On be-
half of the Bennett community I
take this opportunity to welcome
the freshmen and new students.
It is hoped that your “new-at-
college" jitters are or will soon
be over and that you can settle
back and feel right at home here.
It is well known that registra-
need painting and new furniture.
What happened to the plans for
redecorating thepalors and base
ments in the older dorms? Why
must we be subjected to such
bad living conditions?
C, PRINCE
DEAR EDITOR
We have a lovely Olympic-size
By DIANNE DAWSON
The new Bennett freshmen
were accosted with the question,
“What is your opinion of Ben
nett College since you've been
here?'’ This included an eva
luation of procedures and any
other aspects of campus life.
These are some reactions:
“I was disappointed with lo
cation of campus. . .but since
I’ve been here it has grown on
me." Betty Peguese
“Bennett is all right, but the
chains are put up entirely to
early. Environment is like a
family." Sandie Neeley
“It's alright. . .1 like the
friendly atmosphere," Mary
Webb
“Needs some changes, but bas
ically a good school." Bonita
Burke
“Pve never heard of not wear
ing pants downtown. , .curfew
hours are ridiculous." A.S.
“My first home in America,
I left my mother but girls have
a sisterly attitude." Omodle La-
bor
“I expected more than this. . .
I’m from Texas. . .1 expected
to be getting all kinds of good
treatment for nearly $2,000 dol
lars a year. " Linda Owens
“It's all ri^t. . .1 wish they
would have more activities on
the weekend.'’ Janie Brown
“I like the place...campus is
pretty. . .1 like the attitude of
the people." Vivian Drumwright
Unrest was in the air once
again when it was discovered
that Mayor Elam of Greensboro
had been invited to a luncheon
here in honor of Mayor Howard
Lee of Chapel Hill. Mayor Elam
is one of toe men who allowed
police and national guardsmen to
invade the campuses of Dudley
High School and A & T State
University--two Black campu
ses. Upperclassmen who are
familiar with procedures here at
Bennett were just as stunned as
the freshmen by Bennett’s ac
tion and adjustments have always
been tiring and horrifying ex.
periences for the college fresh
men. But I say, worry not for
when its over you’ll see what nor
mal college life is really like.
The only things that can said
to you is: don’t panic, no matter
what the situation; and if you don’t
quite understand or are not quite
sure, ask.
swimming pool in a completely
modren equipped gumnasium, and
still toe most important com
ponent is missing CO-ED
SWIMMING ON THRUSDAY NI-
GHTS! ! I Is the Recreational
Council working on this? Are
they supposed to be? Who is?
How altout some results, soon?!
Betty Jon^
THE ROVING
REPORTER
Unwelcomed Guest
From The Editor
“People are congenial. . .so
many kids miss that in larger
schools. Teachers seem to be
interested. . .majority of upper,
classmen seem to like fresh
men." Con§y Booth
“It’s more than I expected.. .
I like it." Linda Strange
“After toe first week, it’s
nice. . Janice Ford
“Faculty could be blacker. . ,
campus ok. . .food could be bet
ter. . .curfew could be later."
Joanne Clantom
“I’ve been impressed, I don’t
think the impressions some of
the students gave were true. .,
I like it, but facilities aren’t
what I expected." Violette Mc-
Cullen
“I like the school, very good
atmosphere, but there’s room for
improvement." Faye Jackson
“Tired of the same food. , .
Need a better variety." J.S.
“Just like an oversized hi^
school. . .It’s all ri^t for a
chaser but ain’t notoing to get
drunk off of." A1 Taylor
“It’s better toan I thought. ..
I thought it would be real strict
since it’s aU girls. . . I’m en
joying myself.’’
“Teachers and students are
friendly. . .teachers seem to want
to help." Shirley Davis
“That milk line. . .They need
to do something about it." M.L.N.
“Bennett is impressive and
“I haven’t formed an opinion
yet." W.D.L.
tions. How can any Black student
sit at the same table with a known
racist? Obviously, our adminis-
tration can tolerate anything--
and anyone for toat matter. But,
if Elam had shown for the
luncheon, Bennett girls were pre
pared to give toe mayor a“warm
and hearty*’ welcome.
The administration will do well
to take note-.and in the future,
make It known that men such
as Mayor Elam are not welcomed
on Bennett’s campus.
It is natural for all freshmen
to have waited long toe chance
to see how life is once toey are
away from home. Well sister,
here is you golden opportunity
College! It is up to you to live
up to toe responsibilities toereof
in order to make toe experience
a success. LUCK!!!
--.Dimples Armstrong
Is This Policy^ Or
Don^t You Care?