^^CHIVES
Bennett College
weens/joro, N. Q.
Friday, October 26, 1979 BENNETT COLLEGE, GREENSBORO, N. C.
VoL XLI, No. 3
Darden sisters, dazzling role models, bring book
and sophisticated career advice to several gatherings
by Carolyn Davis
Bennett College was indeed for
tunately graced Oct. 18-19 by the
appearance of Norma Jean and
Carole Darden, sisters and authors
of “Spoonbread and Strawberry
Wine,” a book which contains
their family recipes and reminis
cences. “Spoodbread and Straw
berry Wine” is “the reflection of
our pilgrimmage ‘home’, which
revealed to us not only good food
but the origins, early struggles,
and lifestyles of our family,” the
Darden sisters stated in their
book.
Norma and Carole were greeted
Wednesday, Oct. 17, with an auto
graphing session in the Holgate
Library. The following day was
a very busy one for the Darden
sisters. It included an early morn
ing television appearance and a
10:00 a.m. program in the Annie
Merner Pfeiffer Chapel followed
by another autographing session.
At mid-day, the two were honored
at a luncheon. The hectic day
ended with an informal question
and answer seminar at 2:00 in the
Black Hall Assembly.
Norma Jean and Carole’s first
book expresses a mutual goal be
tween themselves: “Seeking one’s
genealogy is therapeutic . . . it’s
a means of passing on values to
the family,” said Carole.
The idea of a family cookbook
was fortuitous yet successful. The
Darden sisters had a dream which
became a reality by keeping that
dream alive. Carole stated, “If you
have a dream keep it alive. It’s
not a matter of how remote it is.
You should not discourage your
self. You should be your own
encourager.” Norma also added
that one should still have a second
alternative, though.
Norma Jean, actress, scriptwrit
er and former fashion model who
appeared in “Vogue,” “Essence”
and “McCall’s” magazines stated
“you should have something to fall
back on.” She feels that black
women are being given a few more
opportunities as doctors, lawyers,
etc., and that we should take ad
vantage of this. Carole, a child
therapist and recent social work
administrator added, “While
you’re in college you should take
time to explore . . . learning is a
never-ending process.”
The two bright and vivacious
sisters had much advice to offer
those interested in acting, model
ing and family genealogy. Those
seeking a career in acting may be
a Uttle discouraged at first be
cause “black roles are at a crisis
now,” stated Norma. It’s very hard
to get a part. Instead of everyone
trying to get in front of the cam
era we need “more people work
ing behind the scene,” she said.
Norma Jean further stated that
one’s first objective in an acting
career should be to “study and get
a very good technique.”
President Isaac H. Miller presents a plaque to Joseph M. Bryan
for donating shelves to the Thomas Holgate Library.
Lighter course loads salvation for some
by Libby Malloy
During the spring, the faculty
and administration made a deci
sion to remove one of the most
pressing barriers to student aca
demic achievement. They passed
a provision to reduce each curric
ulum pattern to a maximum of
16 to 17 semester hours per semes
ter. This means that a student’s
course load can now be regulated
in an effort to cut down on the
number of students who overload,
thereby, impeding their academic
progress.
According to Dean Chelsea Tip
ton, the faculty and administration
have known for many years that
a large majority of students de
manded to take academic loads
that were too heavy. Students pro
vided many reasons for their tak
ing 19-21 hours. Such reasons
were: the desire to graduate with
their class; the desire to graduate
in three years and an attempt to
compensate for “F’s.”
Furthermore, many students
would be much more successful
in raising their grade point aver
ages if they reduced their course
loads to 16-17 hours. In the past
some students have been satisfied
barely maintaining a 2.0 average.
However, due to higher standards
and greater heightening of com
petition for key jobs, the “C”
average no longer provides a com
petitive edge for the job market.
Those students who desire to go
into teaching find themselves un
able to pass the National Teacher’s
Examination if averages are on
the 2.0 edge. The student who
chooses to aittend graduate school
may find herself restricted in the
selection of top institutions if she
has maintained the “C” average.
The professional schools are com
pletely closed if her average is not
3.0 or better.
Bennett, beginning with next
semester, will reduce course loads
to 16-17 semester hours. Only stu
dents into their senior year pat
tern will be permitted to carry an
excess of 19 hours.
On the subject of modeling,
Bobbie Smith, Dorm Director of
Reynolds Hall asked if one had
a better chance as a model if she
went on to New York and began
her career there? Norma Jean re
plied that before you drop every
thing and go to New York, “you
should get as much experience as
you possibly can, because the more
you know when you hit it the
better off you are.” Those seeking
a career in modeling were given
a few helpful suggestions: “You
should know how to walk, speak
and know what type of image you
want to project.”
In discussing black family gene
alogy, Carole is a firm believer
in writing and documenting things
from the past. Unfortunately Car
ole and her sister were unable to
trace their family history past
their grandparents because of the
“effect of slavery and its destruc
tion of family ties,” Carole re
gretted. She feels that we should
learn more about our heritage and
that more black history should be
taught in the schools.
From observing black children,
Carole sees that “we are losing
our heritage. Often times you find
that our black children aren’t be
ing loved. Sometimes the father
image is not in the homes. You see
some families splitting up, and
many of our young children are
becoming parents.”
(Continued on Page 3)
Photo by Alex Gotfryd
Darden sisters share family legacy with Bennett’s family.
Bennett family expresses fhanlts
by Carolyn Davis
The Founders’ Day Convo
cation held Sunday, Oct. 7th,
in the Annie Merner Pfeiffer
Chapel at 4:00 p.m. proved
to be a meaningful and grati
fying service.
Alumnae, faculty and staff,
students and friends came to
express their appreciation to
those who made Bennett Col
lege possible. “We are where
we are because somebody
made a way for us,” stated
Dr. Donald Martin, who deliv
ered words of appreciation on
behalf of the faculty and
staff. Dr. Matthew G. Carter,
a contributor to the college,
recited a poem which moved
the audience by saying “We
shall build on.” Ellen Brinkly,
student government associa
tion president and alumna
Mrs. Brenda Walker Brown
also expressed words of
gratification.
Dr. Fred E. Harris, Pres
ident of West Virginia Wes
leyan College in Buckhannon,
West Virginia, was the speak
er for the occasion. Dr. Harris
said that men are still build
ing institutions such as “high
ways and parking lots, but
they are not building any
more educational institutions
like Bennett and Wesleyan
College.”
“Gk)d still works through
institutions like Bennett Col
lege, and He still lives
through the lives of the stu
dents,” said Dr. Harris. We
all should be grateful to God
and others who are still mak
ing institutions like Bennett
possible.
Bewildered residents press complaints to administration
The oldest dormitory, Merner Hall, slowly deteriorates
by Lisa Harris
and Lynn Thorne
Several maintenance problems
are vexing many of the 69 res
idents of Merner Hall, the oldest
dormitory on campus.
“The upkeep of Merner Hall in
particular is downgrading and
very depressing,” remarks Megale
Whaley, Merner resident.
The inadequate conditions in
clude a leaking roof, insufficient
drinking water, dinginess in the
basement and bathrooms, and in
efficient room keys. According to
Debora Matthews, a two-semester
resident, some of these difficulties
existed last year, but “other more
serious problems have developed.”
Leakage has warped a corner
of the ceiling on the second floor
where students use a trash can
to catch the dripping water. One
student reports rain seeping into
her room. “It’s bad to have to
wake up to a wet bed and wet
bedcovers after a rainstorm . . . ,”
says Carolyn Stewart. She has be
come accustomed to moving her
bed away from the water-stained
wall during bad weather.
Two water fountains are mal
functioning. “One gives hot water,
and the other gives no water at
all,” relates Matthews.
Mernerites also feel that the
basement and the bathrooms need
a thorough cleaning. The base
ment floors are especially streaked
and dingy. Residents see these jobs
as too large for the cleaning
woman, who could use assistance.
“These things should have been
taken care of before the students
returned this fall,” contends a
student, who prefers anonymity.
Other sources of frustration
center on doors and keys. Veronica
McKinney, a transfer from Jersey
state CoUege, is troubled by a
substandard door: “The door knob
is broken, the lock on the door is
broken, and I’m tired of waiting
(for repairs). If no one here will
take care of it. I’ll take care of
it myself.”
Ineffective keys are disturbing
Matthews and her roommate Terri
Gibson. The keys do not fit their
door. Despite assurances from the
administration that this matter
would be expedited, the pair stUl
lacks suitable keys.
Present conditions in addition to
other problems have been pre
sented twice to the administration
and staff. Dean of Student Affairs
Harold E. Bragg, received a list
of complaints and toured the dorm
Sept. 6. At that time, some of the
major grievances concerned pests,
an overflowing drain and security
problems.
Some of these difficulties were
subsequently alleviated. The drain
was fixed a few days before the
Oct. 5 opening of Parents’ Week
end. The basement doors were
secured by deadlocks. The metal
finishing on the carpets was re
placed. Thus, some action has
been taken.
Mr. Zack Browning, Superin
tendent of Maintenance, Buildings
and Grounds, observed Sept. 24
that “if I do not receive a work
request, I cannot do any work.”
Browning added that maintenance
work was dependent on the relia
bility of students assigned to his
office.
Bragg toured the dorm a second
time Sept. 24 and made this com
ment: “I would like to see most
of the problems resolved as soon
as possible, but the students as
well as the administrators and
staff must be willing to work
together.”
Although it’s traditional for col
lege students to criticize their ac
commodations, Merner Hall has
several problems which demand
immediate solutions.
Photo by Bernetta Hamilton
Raindrops falling on our heads isn’t a happy tune to the Belles who must live
under this ceiling in Merner Hall.