enne
tlM
€Lnn^\
Friday, February 28, 1986
BENNETT COLLEGE, GREENSBORO, N. 0.
VoL XLVIl, No. 5
BC celebrated
by Carla Bannister
Speaking in a cold chapel,
N. C. Supreme Court Justice
Henry E. Frye, dressed in a
dark suit, told about what it
was like to walk around and
reminisce about the old Ben
nett.
The day before his speech
Frye walked around the cam
pus and recalled fond memor
ies. Frye started his walk in
the parking lot and moved in
to the little theater and re
called doing one-act plays.
He moved into the empty
chapel. In the third pew he
picked up a book that had
written on the inside cover,
“In case of fire, throw this
in.” He leafed through the
book and began to read about
how the blacks would turn to
the church.
“The church was there, and
in the church black people
were somebody,” said Frye.
“Most black leaders got their
start in the church, and sing
ers also started in the
church.”
Frye pointed out that the
church was the backbone of
the black family. He talked
about when other institutions
failed, the church was still a
place for blacks to turn.
Frye, who has a love for
poetry, urged students to read
poetry. He used poetry from
Langston Hughes and others
in his speech Feb. 9.
Frye also urged students to
“read about people who made
the difference in black his
tory.”
This program was spon
sored by Pi Gamma Mu, the
international honor society in
social sciences. Members ush
ered and read scriptures.
“Lift Every Voice and
Sing” was sung with deep
feeling by the audience who
had to keep their coats on be
cause of the cold.
At the close of his speech,
Frye reminded students not
to forget Bennett.
“As you go about your
work never forget where you
came from,” said Frye.
Frye also told students to
get involved with solving
problems: “When you see a
problem here, do something
about it.” “Have an appre
ciation of your institution.”
Frye spoke of the avenues
of chances open for educated
blacks. He said, “Blacks to
day have the cup of coffee
that blacks 20 years ago could
not have . . . There are all
sorts of occupations and op
portunities that are open to
blacks.”
After the service students,
faculty, and others went to
the student union for the
dedication service.
A short, dark woman, who
looked as though she carried
the weight of the world on
her shoulders, held in her
hands a blue and gold plaque.
This woman, who represented
the Commission on Archives
and History, was Mrs. Minnie
B. Smith.
Smith told the silent crowd,
“You can believe me when I
say this is not some wild
dream ... it is within reach.
Smith presented President
Isaac H. Miller Jr. with the
plaque from the Western
North Carolina Annual Con
ference of the United Metho
dist Church. This plaque de
clared Bennett a historical
site.
Dr. Miller promised to
guard it reverently in honor
of the faithful and devoted
past and present.”
“The heritage here is rich,”
said Miller, “and I hope that
Bennett College will receive
a plaque from the general
conference of the United
Methodist Church.”
Miller urged the students
to “continue to carry on the
legacy of Bennett College.”
This service ended with
everyone holding hands while
Rev. Peter E. A. Addo prayed.
Junior LaLeza Harris has
been selected as a finalist in
the Arts Expo ’86, sponsored
by the National Association
for Equal Opportunity and
Higher Education.
Educator’s appearance: Dr. Gerry House talks with students, l-r junior Celeste Webster, sophomore Lisa Butler, seniors
Tina Morrison and Shirley Jackson, (photo by Otis Hairston)
First black female superintendent emphasizes learning
by Dee Little
She is a native of Virginia.
She majored in education and
received her B.A. at A&T and
her M.A. at the University of
Southern Illinois. She coun
seled junior and senior high
school students before becom
ing a high school principal.
Dr. Gerry House, the first
black female public school
superintendent in North Caro
lina, emphasized the impor
tance of black Americans get
ting a good education during
a Black History Month chapel
program Feb. 13.
“America needs educated
young blacks such as your
selves in the future ... As
a black female educator, I
realize this,” Honse stated.
The core of her speech
centered around Black His
tory Month. She commented
that black history should be
celebrated not one month out
of a year, but every day of
the year. “I dream of the time
your students will learn about
famous blacks every day of
the year. I also encourage
everyone to take part in black
history every day of the
year,” urged House.
Addressing the matter of
“What It Means To Be A
Black American,” House cited
the obstacles blacks have had
to overcome and the strength
of character that was built up
because blacks were made to
feel inferior.
She said, “The past tells
us as blacks we are proud and
spirited. We are so tough that
slavery and segregation could
not bring us down. We’ve
overcome that.”
The way to courage and
strength of character was
paved by ancestors. House
urged that “as students and
prospective educators you
must play a vital part in
bringing forth the torch.”
House declared that black
Americans should be proud
that the previous generations
were at the center of human
civilization. “To be a black
American means to be cour-
geous, persistent and proud
... to have self-determination
and strength despite hostili
ties and discrimination,” she
said.
“Today many blacks are
walking a tightrope between
hope and despair, falling vic
tim to drugs and pregnancy,”
stated House. “You must
have inspiration to tackle a
better society. You must have
the education and communi
cation to end ignorance and
poverty . . . ignorant people
don’t give birth to Jesse Jack
son and Martin Luther King
Jr.”
House urged students to be
positive about their race. She
stated, “You as black Ameri
cans must not question being
black, but be proud.”
To the education majors,
House stressed their respon
sibility in regard to a good
college education.
“I believe that there is
nothing higher than the field
of education. It’s your res-
(see page 3)
Hi
Speedster makes hoopstrings sing
Dedication Service: Dr. Isaac H. Miller Jr. is presented with a plaque from
Evelyn Fulmore looks on. (photo by Otis Hairston)
Mrs. Minnie B. Smith as SGA president
by Rita Rushing
“Growing up with five bro
thers that played basketball
inspired me to play”, states
Ajidrea Malone, a sophomore
from Antigua, West Indies.
The five-foot, five-inch phy
sical education major received
a scholarship to Bennett to
play basketball. Although
Bennett failed to have a team
this year, Andrea still re
ceives her scholarship.
Andrea is disappointed in
the lack of a team. She said
not enough Belles are inter
ested in playing basketball.
“I would like to see Bennett
with a basketball team. We
have some talent here, but we
have to encourage and moti
vate the girls, she said.
She attended Antiqua Girls’
High School where she was
Rookie of the Year and Most
Valuable Player during her
career. Andrea also played
ball with her five sisters.
“None of my sisters are on
the level that I am on. I’m the
only one that really played
with the boys,” she said.
Andrea is now playing in
the Greensboro City League.
Mrs. Cathy Mussington, who
coached the Bennett team,
told her about the league. The
city league team plays differ
ent clubs and organizations.
“She is happy when she is
playing ball. You should see
her before she goes to a
game,” a good friend Dayme
Joseph states. “She is good
and she loves to play.”
“Nothing is impossible in
basketball. It’s all skill,”
states Andrea. And she has
the skill.
Mr. Michael Gaspeny, an
English instructor, challenged
her to a one-on-one game. He
won by one point, but Andrea
said he will probably tell you
he won by more. Gaspeny said
“All I could do was muscle
her. She’s too fast. I was
lucky. She would beat me nine
out of 10 times.”
After school, Andrea would
like to go home and teach.
She feels playing basketball
will help her with her career
goals.
The city league team plays
(see page 3)