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Friday, April 25, 1980
BENNETT COLLEGE, GREENSBORO, N. 0.
VoL XU, No. 10
English test stats improve
Andre Oixon is the recipient of numerous accolades in appreciation of
the contribution she has made to the college’s intercollegiate athletic program
throughout her four years at Bennett. During the Department of Physical
Education, Health and Recreation Athletic Banquet, she was awarded a plaque
in recognition of her outstanding achievements. Andre was one of two
Bennett basketball players named to the NCAIW All Division Team and one of
three named to the All Tournament Team.
Photo by Davis
by Shelly Coston
The results of the Apr. 10
English Comprehensive Ex
amination revealed an in
crease in students passing the
test.
Thirty-one of the 40 writers
were successful for a passing
rate of 77.5%. This statistic
contrasts sharply vdth the
57% passing rate from last
fall’s test.
Statistics show that the
major errors occurred in
subject-verb agreement and
run-on sentences. Most fre
quently committed errors in
cluded misuse of commas,
awkward or incoherent sen
tences and poor or faulty
word choice (diction).
Much of the success for this
semester’s high passing rate
has been attributed to Mrs.
Anne Gillespie, an English in
structor who has worked hard
to raise the level of communi
cations skills on campus.
“I am convinced that the
remarkable increase in the
‘pass rate’ is at least partially
a result of Mrs. Gillespie’s
Composition: Theory and
Practice course, which is de
signed to force a student to
confront her writing prob
lems. On the papers I graded,
I noticed a new awareness of
grammatical necessities,”
comments Michael Gaspeny,
also an English instructor.
Of the 40 students who took
the exam, 20 were members
of Mrs. Gillespie’s class.
Eighty-five percent of these
students passed the test.
“Some of the skills I used
while teaching high school
were used in studying for the
exam,” claimed Mrs. Gilles
pie. “In the classroom, I tried
to build self-confidence in the
students. If they believe they
can pass, then they will,” she
maintains.
Another reason for the high
passing rate stems from the
determined attitude the stu
dents have taken. “It appears
to me that the students are
more conscious of the serious
ness of this exam,” explained
Mrs. Gillespie.
Gaspeny adds: “Of course,
the improvement can also be
attributed to stronger motiva
tion on the students’ part, but
Mrs. Gillespie also contributed
to the writers’ desire to
excel.”
Another important factor
in the improved test results
is the campus-wide commit
ment to language skills
launched in 1978 by the facul
ty under the aegis of Presi
dent Issac H. Miller, Jr., and
(See Page 2)
Alcorn, Shute, McCallum retire
by Libby Malloy
Three faculty members, Mr.
William Alcorn, Mrs. Carrie Shute
and Mrs. Willie McCallum, are
retiring after having served a
cumulative total of 43 years at
Bennett.
Alcorn is an assistant professor
of Education. He received his mas
ter’s from Indiana University in
audio-visual education.
His hobbies include reading and
looking at documentary and his
torical television shows. He also
enjoys planting flowers. Asked if
his wife encouraged this hobby,
he replied, “Oh, no, I enjoyed
planting flowers before I met my
wife.” Mr. Alcorn states he enjoys
cleaning his own clothes instead
of sending them to the cleaners.
He expressed mixed feelings
about Bennett College. “Bennett
fulfills its mission, that it provides
the intellectual, cultural and re
ligious environment to mold a
young lady,” he explained. Also,
he added, “we provide the con
crete as well as the abstract
knowledge to bring out the best
in our students.” But Alcorn feels
, that Bennett College needs im
provement in the area of com
munication between administra
tion, faculty, staff and students.
The major change he has seen
since in his 16 years at the college
is the improvement in the instruc
Library week celebrated
tional staff. Also he has seen an
improvement in the procurement
of equipment to teach with.
After Mr. Alcorn retires, he
plans to read more, travel and
probably go back to his old occu
pation, clothing renovation.
He states that he has enjoyed
his 16 years at Bennett College:
“I wish to thank Bennett for the
experience I have gained and for
putting up with a grouchy tild
man.”
Another retiree, Mrs. Carrie
Shute is assistant professor in the
department of secondary and pro
fessional studies. She received her
undergraduate degree from New
York University and her master’s
from North Carolina Central Uni
versity. Shute has taught at Ben
nett for 16 years. Her hobbies
include reading, cake decorating
and cooking.
Asked to express her views con
cerning the changes she has seen
over the years while teaching here
at Bennett, she stated, “We have
more dedicated students. Young
people have found that jobs are
not easy to acquire. Taking this
fact into consideration, students
realize they have to study more
(See Page 3)
by Shelly Coston
Holgate Library was hon
ored during National Library
Week Apr. 14-18.
The theme for this year’s
observance was “America’s
Greatest Bargain . . . The
Library.” “Libraries through
out the states recognize this
event,” said Mrs. Montez
Byers, head librarian. “All
libraries use the same theme,
which is determined by the
national office in Chicago.”
The initial purpose of Na
tional Library Week is to
create a greater awareness of
library services. “Here at
Bennett, the primary reason
for Library Week is to let the
students know that the library
is the focal point for their
achievements in academics
while at Bennett,” reminded
Mrs. Byers.
Various activities were held
throughout the week. A spe
cial arts exhibit sponsored in
cooperation with the Arts
Department was held on Apr.
14 in the Holgate Library. All
of the posters and art work
were designed by Aaron Gar
rett, a CETA artist on
campus.
On Apr. 15, a panel of cam
pus and community authors
discussed the complexities of
having written works pub
lished. The speakers included
Dr. Hortensia Sanchez-Boudy,
Dr. George Breathett, Dr.
Lynn Sadler and Mrs. Jeanne
Haith, a Bennett graduate
and Greensboro native.
Apr. 16’s activities con
sisted of debates by the De
bate Club and members of Dr.
Ruth Lucier’s public speaking
class. The speeches were
heard in Black Hall Assembly.
The students involved were
Wanda Edwards, Gwendolyn
Span, Alice Taylor and Van
essa Williams, each present
ing her argument about the
value of Holgate Library.
Students presented original
pieces of creative writing for
an Apr. 17 assembly. The
authors of the works deliv
ered were Linda Anderson,
president of the Sigma Tau
Delta Honor Society, Tina
Anderson and Terri Wade.
National Library week
closed with a demonstration
by Pauline Wyrtch, associate
media coordinator at Bennett,
for the children from the
Children’s House.
Newsmakers; names you should know
Banner staff, BC scholars tapped
Rising junior Lisa Harris and
rising sophomore Myra Jewel
George have been named co-
editors of The Bennett Banner for
the 1980-81 academic year.
Harris of Long Island, N. Y.,
secretary-elect of the Student
Government Association, has
worked in all phases of Banner
production this year. George of
Bishopville, S. C., owner of a 4.0
academic average, has served pri
marily as the Banner’s special
assignments reporter.
General assignments reporters
receiving promotion to staff writ
er are rising juniors Sylvia Denise
Wilder, Durham, and Shelly J.
Coston, Philadelphia. Venus Mc
Dowell has been appointed as
student cartoonist.
The Banner has several posi
tions open in reporting, composi
tion and photography. The staff
is presently conducting a talent
search for students interested in
becoming business manager or
sports editor.
Belles with business acumen or
sports knowledge coupled with
writing skill should contact Harris,
George or Mr. Gaspeny (Box 33
or campus extension 116).
^ 4c
Eight students were inducted
into the Bennett Scholars’ Pro
gram during an Apr. 8 ceremony
in Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel.
The B'elles honored were sopho
mores Cynthia A. Asbury and
Wanda G. Parker and freshmen
Beverly Y. Bell, Myra Jewel
George, Betty A. Harbison, Rose
Lynn Nelson, Grace Nseobong
Usoro and Dawn Ruth Wilson.
The program exists to help ex
ceptional, highly motivated stu
dents design curriculums suited to
their individual academic goals
and special interests.
Admission to the program is
based on intellectual ability, moti
vation for independent work, emo
tional stability, maturity of char
acter and respect for academic
achievement.
Each of the recent inductees met
the Scholars’ standard for excel
lence—a 3.02 cumulative grade
point average.
Mrs. Anne Gillespie, English in
structor, is coordinator of the pro
gram, and assistant professor Wil
lie McCallum and Dr. Charlotte
Alston serve as members of the
selection committee.
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Participants in the Women’s Studies Program’s series of workshops
and seminars were Mrs. Agnes Loyall, Executive Secretary of the Women’s
Department of Methodist Church of Southern Asia, and Mrs. Jerry Turner,
an educator from Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa. The theme of the event
was “Global Perspectives for Women in Transition.”
Photo by Davis