PAGE TWO
THE BENNETT BANNER
FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1982
Chronic apathy must be banished
Despite severe economic problems, Bennett’s biggest drawback next year will
probably be the student apathy.
Some people have suggested that this apathy is an indication of students’ dis-
satisfatcion with present rules and officials. But, if students were truly dissat
isfied with these things, it seems that they would seize the opportunity to
elect people to replace the officials and propose new rules. The statistics prove
otherwise.
Of the entire student body, only 52.9 percent voted in the recent Student Gov
ernment Association elections. Worse yet, many students ran unopposed. And
in the Student Union Board races, there were only candidates for the presidency.
Until a few days before the SGA election, the two main offices were being
campaigned for by only one student each. But the unending efforts of another
student resulted in the Election Committee’s decision to allow this student to run
for SGA president. Unfortunately, this kind of student, who would take a stand
and fight for her rights, is rare at Bennett.
There are a fine drama department, a choir and countless other organizations
offering opportunities to become involved, but students still complain that “there’s
nothing to do at Bennett.” The problem is, clearly, not a lack of opportunities
but a lack of initiative on the part of the students here.
Any program or organization is only as good as the students that comprise
it. If a student is dissatisfied with an organization, she should see this as a chal
lenge to get involved and find ways to make that organization what she feels it
ought to be.
The thing to keep in mind is that changes are gradual. Apathy is not a state
that happened suddenly. It grew over the years and it can only be overcome if
students find some kind of inner motivation. It is not enough to ask for changes
or complain about situations. It is up to the individual to push for these changes.
The present SGA has waged a tremendous fight against lack of interest among
the student body. Yet many programs sponsored by the SGA featured bands that
played to only a handful of students. The Lyceum Committee arranged for many
artists to visit the campus, but the attendance at their performances was some
times embarrassing.
The newly elected officials will face a lot of problems in the upcoming year
but few of them will be resolved until someone finds a way to get the students
interested in playing an active role. It is a grave task, and one that certainly
cannot be completed merely by words.
Someone has to take the first step. (Myra Jewel George)
Letters to tlie eJitor:
SGA President gives parting advice
For reformation of tlie institution
To the Editor:
Bennett College, Wake Up!
To the students, faculty, admin
istration and college personnel:
When are we, the college com
munity, ever going to deal with
the internal problems which
plague this institution, when are
we going to function as the real
istic, objective persons that we
have the capability of being and
concern ourselves with the busi
ness of this college?
Too long have we the students
denied ourselves the opportunity
to demand that we receive the
maximum degree of intellectual
and social growth. We appear ob
sessed with the supposition of
‘slipping through’ the system, of
doing the minimum requirements
and of permitting, our instructors
to do as they seem fit, without
being accountable to us as a
student.
We must wake up and realize
that before changes can occur, we
must demand that professionalism
from our ‘educators’ be executed
and that they educate and prepare
us for our future. We must de
mand that the educators present
us with challenges, but by the
same token we must be enthusias
tic and willing to accept the chal
lenges. If we remain submissive
to a system which stifles our
growth, both mentally and phys
ically, then we will continue to
perform like ships navigating in
darkness.
We must demand that our col
lege administrators, instructors
and other personnel set the exam
ple and cease their ‘Catch 22’
games. Students are entitled to be
a part of the entire college com
munity, not just that which the
administrators feel is appropriate.
Again, President Miller and
Dean Ethridge, let me reiterate
my concerns. It has been a desire
of mine to have student represen
tation on each and every policy
making decision regarding this
college. Consistently, I have re
quested information from both of
you, as to when students will be
allowed to become an active part
of the Board of Trustees. A verbal
agreement had already been ob
tained from the President of the
Board at the beginning of this
year. The month is now April, I
have yet to hear from either of
you. This is obviously a circle
game!
A few weeks ago my sorority
hosted a Delta Teen Day, which
invited students to visit our cam
pus. But it seems that everyone
was encouraged to speak in behalf
of their area of concentration ex
cept the STUDENT, who makes
each and every one of those per
son’s clocks tick. To Ms. Phyllis
Johnson, Director of Admissions,
I wish not to take credit for an
activity that continues to per
petuate an unjust system.
It is imperative that we, the
students at Bennett, challenge the
tenacity of the problems here by
fully utilizing the S.G.A., Greek
organizations and the many other
networks available, to rectify these
devastating problems.
No, I do not celebrate Washing
ton’s birthday, nor do I camp here
at Bennett College; I live here as
do you. I am not here for a season,
but better yet a reason. Because
without the students there would
be nothing.
Karen Dixon
SGA President
TTle Fennell ^i
Editor-in-chief Myra George
Associate editor Wanda Edwards
Adviser Michael Gaspeny
Circulation manager Tina Johnson
Business manager Wanda Dick
Cartoonists Norman Barbee
Venus McDowell
Photographers Shelly Coston
Lisa Harris
Reporters
Andrea Burch
Mary Cook
Shelly Coston
Evelyn Glenn
Karen Heck
Tina Johnson
Jennifer Jones
Melinda Lowery
Bonita McClain
Arlene McNeil
Karen Shields
Alice F. Taylor
Tywanna Watkins
Denise Wilder
you ujon‘t -take
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out cQuse I'm cxlu;ay5
men? WIrxQ't k\r\^ a jtufi talK
u ain’t rv€vj6r lonci enouci
Conformity mars campus
by Joan Y. Davis
Recently, I was watching a pub
lic awareness program about the
role of women in the 80’s. The
guest on the program was a radical
Black activist straight out of the
Black movements of the 60’s.
Just as I had anticipated, she
began to roll out this long speech
about what Black women do and
don’t do, what Black women
should be doing and what Black
women need to do for the race.
It was the same old song and
dance that I have heard before,
the same old sermon that I lis
tened to in elementary school, the
same old sermon that I listened
to in high school and the same old
sermon that I listen to at B'ennett.
Frustrated, I cut the television set
off.
Some of you might ask “why?”
Well, I’m tired of it. I’m tired of
being told what my role is because
I just happen to be Black. Just
once, I would like to hear about
my role as a person, a human
being in a world full of other
human beings.
I realize that Blacks and other
minorities face special problems
because this is a world full of
prejudices and racial oppression. I
also realize the need for minorities
to join together and identify as a
race. However, I feel that a mem
ber of any race should identify
himself or herself as a person first,
not a Black or white person, but
a person with a unique personality
and qualities that make a person
an individual.
I used to believe that being an
individual was easy, a natural
thing. After I arrived at Bennett,
I realized that individualism migiit
be a natural thing, but there is
nothing easy about it. It takes a
lot of courage. Something here in
the atmosphere wears down on a
person’s sense of individualism.
There are constant forces demand
ing everyone to conform. Individ
uals have to strive, even fight to
remain individualistic.
It was hard to believe at first,
but to do as the majority does,
instead of standing on one’s own
(See page 3)