Photo by Ben Poole
Members of the 1979-80 Miss Bennett Court are (standing) Patrice Vailes, First Attendant; Kathy Crosby,
Miss Bennett College; (seated) Tracy Phillips, Miss Junior Class; Kathy Colbert, Miss Senior Class; Terri Phillips,
Miss Sophomore Class; Cheryl Johnson, Miss Freshman Class.
ARCHIVES
Bennett College
Greensboro,
Coronation festivities dazzle campus
Friday, October 5, 1979 BENNETT COLLEGE, GREENSBORO, N. C.
VoL XU, No. 2
by Portia Griffin
“I Am Woman” was the theme
of the 1979-80 Miss Bennett cor
onation held September 15 in the
David D. Jones Student Union. A
semi-formal affair, the coronation
was hosted by Ms. Elizabeth Pat
terson White, a Bennett graduate
who is now a Biology instructor
with the Greensboro Public School
System.
Prior to the coronation was a
semi-formal dinner given in honor
of Miss Bennett and her court on
September 14 in the David D.
Jones Dining Hall. Mrs. Mary
Scarlette, Chairperson of the De
partment of Elementary and Spe
cial Education, was the featured
speaker. Along with the court’s
family and guests, faculty and
students were invited to attend.
Miss Johnson C. Smith and Miss
Shaw Universities also attended
the banquet. Kathy Lewis, a soph
omore sang “Unchained Melody”
at the banquet.
Tributes and presentations in
honor of Miss Bennett, Kathy
Crosby, were as follows; Cone Hall
presented Miss Bennett with a gift
given to her by Ms. Veta Covert;
Jones Hall presented Miss Bennett
with a dedication to her written
by Ms. Terri Wade and read by
Ms. Phyllis Tillery with Ms. Betty
Harbison accompanying on the
piano; also Ms. Marion Bennett
presented her with a rose. Merner
Hall, in which Kathy is assistant
dormitory director, presented her
with flowers given to her by Ms.
Rebecca Wilburn; Pfeiffer Hall
presented Miss Bennett a drawing
by Karen Shields and a poem
written by Langston Hughes
“Dreams Variation” read by Car
olyn Holt, and Stephanie Durham
and Gwen Ingram danced; Player
Hall presented Miss Bennett with
a song sung by Ollie Sims entitled
“If” and Tee WiUiams danced;
Reynolds Hall presented Miss
Bennett with a song sung by Ms.
Charlotte Stewart entitled “Insep
arable”; The Alpha Kappa Alphas
presented Miss Bennett with a
gift, Josie Hudley sang “If You
Believe,” and LaSandra Muldrow
sang “I’ll Never Love This Way
Again.”
Members of Miss Bennett’s
court were Miss Freshman Cheryl
Johnson, San Diego; Miss Sopho
more Terri Phillips, Harrisburg,
Pa.; Miss Junior Tracy Phillips,
Harrisburg, Pa.; Miss Senior
Kathy Colbert, West Hempstead,
N. y.; The First Runner-Up
Patrice Vailes, Washington.
Will Bennett go co-ed?
by Debbie Hodges
Controversy has arisen as a
result of an article in the Septem
ber 12 issue of “The Greensboro
Record,” which began:
A group of black Methodist
leaders agreed ... to propose
to the Bennett College Board of
Trustees that the traditionally
black women’s college be made
coeducational to offset financial
difficulties.
This group is not an official
United Methodist organization and
has no decision-making powers.
According to the “Record” the
group consists of over 75 minis
terial and lay leaders, all former
members of the old Methodist
Jurisdiction for Blacks before
the formation of the United
Methodist denomination. The
group meets yearly for infor
mal fellowship service. A com
mittee was established within the
group to send a written statement
to the trustees within “the next
couple of months,” says a member
of this unofficial group. Rev.
James McCallum, of the United
Three win annual
by Myra George
Bennett students who attended
the fifth annual “Evening of Pub
lic Speaking” on September 25th
in the Pfeiffer Science Assembly
were graced by excellent speakers,
logical preparations and thought-
provoking presentations.
By 8:00, at the start of the pro
gram, the audience had filled the
seats and was beginning to line
Photo by Myra Davis
Stephanie Durham, winner of the
dramatic interpretation at The
Evening of Public Speaking, recites
Nikki Giovanni's poetry.
Methodist Center in Raleigh.
The idea of co-education for
Bennett originated, not with any
one person, but in a couple of
smaller groups which reported to
the large group, according to
McCallum.
More students would be avail
able for B'ennett, McCallum rea
soned, if Bennett would open its
doors to men. “The main thing
we’re trying to do is increase en
rollment and indirectly increase
finances,” he says.
He also recalled that Bennett
Recently, an informal poll was
taken on the campuses of Bennett
College and A&T University to
determine whether Bennett Col
lege should or should not become
a co-educational institution.
The results?
At Bennett College, the fresh
man and sophomore classes were
speal(ing event
up against the walls, making it
evident that this program is one
of the most popular ones on cam
pus. “It gave me chills just listen
ing to the speeches,” declared
sophomore Beverly Bernard.
The program was presented by
tht Interdisciplinary Studies Pro
gram and the Debate Society. The
ISP students divided into nine
committees to develop the pro
gram and were graded on the
outcome of it.
Although there were originally
eleven students who wanted to
participate, the manuscript com
mittee reduced this number to
eight. These contestants competed
in the categories of dramatic in
terpretation, original interpreta
tion and original oratory.
Dramatic interpretation included
presentations of another’s work
with the participant’s opinions or
observations about the work. Orig
inal interpretation took in the
presentation of the participant’s
own poems with an explanation
or summary. Original oratory in
cluded an essay or speech written
and explained by the participant.
Carolyn Davis, a sophomore ISP
student, delivered the welcome.
Libby Malloy, Debate society
president, followed with remarks
about the organization. Sharon
(Continued on Page 4)
was once co-ed and supplied the
state with ministers. Some of the
reason for today’s shortage of min
isters, he says, is that Bennett is
an all-women’s school. “Of course,”
he added, “we recognize girls as
ministers now.”
Local members of the board of
trustees had unfavorable reactions
to the suggestion. Trustee Nelle A.
Coley called the group’s reasoning
“fallacious.” Co-education does not
solve the money difficulties of
other black schools, she pointed
out. Mrs. Coley, a Bennett alum-
tied with 99 percent of each class
voicing opposition to such a
change. Freshman Terry Byrd felt
as the majority of the freshmen
and the sophomores polled, “If we
had wanted to go to a co-ed school,
we could have selected a less ex
pensive and better facilitated in
stitution. Also, one closer to
home.” One young lady in Ben
nett’s freshman class, who wished
to remain anonymous, said, “I
wish it would become co-ed be
cause more students means more
money for Bennett College.”
The members of the junior and
senior classes were 100 percent in
agreement that Bennett College
should remain female. Says junior
Irene Chavis, “Are they out of
their minds?” Junior Kathy Cole
man speculated that “Bennett
College does not adequately facil
itate the students it has now. I
wonder if they would put the guys
in the basement of Jones Hall
where they could keep Jonesey
Mouse company?”
The 85 percent of the Aggies
who were in favor of such a
change voiced their opinions much
the same as Dana McCrewell, “I
can freak on that,” and Maurice
King, “If they need only one guy,
can I transfer tomorrow?” The
15 percent of the Aggies who were
opposed to such a change felt
much the same as a former Aggie
football player, who said: “Leave
it all girls. When the fellows go
over to Bennett College, they don’t
want to see a bunch of hardheads.”
One Aggie who wishes to remain
anonymous stated,” “If I go home
and tell the folks I want to go to
Bennett College, they might think
I’m fruity. Besides, my mother
went to Bennett, and the finest
woman and lady in the world is
my MOMS.”
nus, says she would oppose co
education even if the group’s rea
soning had merit. She says she
believes in what Bennett has stood
for and has done for black women
and women in general.
Dr. James A. Colston, trustee,
sees no advantages in Bennett’s
going co-ed. The need for some
all-female institution, he says,
necessitates Bennett’s remaining
“the same kind of college it is
now.” For that reason, Colston
states, “We (the trustees) did not
support” the co-ed suggestion.
“I think one of the basic
strengths of Bennett is that it is
a girls’ college,” says Trustee Eric
Schlaginhaufen. If it becomes co
ed, he says, Bennett will lose the
attractiveness of an all-women’s
school and become “just one of
many” co-ed schools. He does not
think co-education will help the
college financially.
“Special” and “unique” are what
Mrs. Emry Green, Jr., also a trus
tee, calls Bennett. “I really prefer
it to stay as it is,” she says.
Photo by Myra Davis
Junior Linda Anderson recites
her original poetry and prose to
capture 1st prize in original
interpretation at The Evening of
Public Speaking.
Parents, dauglilers to sliare weeltend
by Josie Hudley
Bennett’s 2nd Annual Parents’ Weekend
will be held during the college’s celebration
of its founding, October 5-7, an event which
should really bring parents and daughters
together to share the Bennett experience.
One of this weekend’s highlights will be
the Faculty/Staff Follies to be held in the
Little Theatre tonight at 8:00 p.m. This
event will give the older generation on cam
pus an opportunity to show off some of their
hidden talents!
Dining college-style and being able to
view the dormitory rooms (Open House) will
be a part of Saturday’s activities.
The Founders’ Banquet also on Saturday
at 6:00 p.m. in the Student Union will honor
the faculty/staff who have served at Ben
nett for more than 25 years and were not
previously honored. Following the banquet a
“Founders’ Weekend Extravaganza” will fin
ish a long, but delightful day of festivities.
The weekend continues with the parents
being invited to the 11:00 a.m. worship ser
vice at St. Matthew’s United Methodist
Church.
Finally, the Founders’ Day Convocation
in Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel at 4:00
will be the finishing flair, with attention
being given to the founders and builders of
Bennett.
Although Founders’ Celebration Weekend
is fun there is a more serious side concerning
the parents.
(Continued on Page 6)
Co-ed poll: Belles, Aggies disagree
by Terri Wade