Freedom
Justice
Unity
POWER
BLACK BMK (S
October, 1974
BLACK STUDENT MOVEMENT OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Volume 6, Number 2
Attrition rate curbed
Evelyn F. Dove
Staff Writer
The attrition rate of Black students,
heretofore, has been anything but
desirable. There is always at least
one reason! Normally, the first or se
cond year of college life "separates
the men from the boys, the weak from
the strong, and the fortunate from
the unfortunate."
Many minority students with excep
tional minds have left Carolina
because of social pressures. Others
have left because they were faced
with insurmountable personal
problems. What a waste it has been!
A new program, the Minority Stu
dent Advisory Program has been in
itiated to help prevent the high
percentage of minority dropouts. The
goal of the program is to keep minori
ty students in Carolina once they are
accepted.
Mr. H.B. Renwick, recently assistant
dean in the college of Arts and
Sciences, is heading the program
which he proposed.
Every minority freshman has an
assigned advisor who assists him in
whatever capacity he needs. The ad
visors, also minority students, ore
knowledgeable of pressures and
problems that concern the Carolina
minority student.
No matter how large or small the
problem, the advisor is usually able
to provide sound advice and a willing
ear. He is interested in preventing
college dropouts, raising the quality
point averages of minority students
and making college life more en
durable for students. He tries to im
press upon the students that the long-
believed concept that one could be
successful by majoring in "partying'
and occasionally minoring in "book
ing" is but a myth. Academic survival
is composed of a great amount of
serious studying flavored by a
moderate amount of socializing.
Entities such as the Reading
Prograni, the Guidance Testing
Center, the Writing Lab, and the
revised Q.P.A. system for qualifica
tion for the dean's list ore explained
to the new students. Everything on
campus that is pertinent to their com
pletion of a four-year college career
is made available to them through
the program.
Last spring, the minority student
advisors were appointed by Renwick;
in following years, they will be
selected by the senior students. At the
beginning of the program each ad
visor was assigned ten prospective
minority freshmen.
The advisors see five students a
week (and are available 24 hours a
day, if needed) to check on their
progress in academics and extra
curricular activities. During hour-long
sessions, students are directed to the
proper persons or organizations for
help. Those students experiencing
academic difficulties are referred to
tutors or other minority advisors ma
joring in the particular area.
The advisors suggest that all up-
perclass students be cooperative if
ever called upon.
The advisors ore: Debra Austin,
T.£. Frazier, Wonnono Swayze,
Evelyn Dove, Patricia Davis, Samuel
Rhyne, Deborah Wilder, Carolyn
Moore, Robsinson Fulwood, Joseph
High, Brenda Davis, Ethelyn Burton,
Trent Chavis, Charles Fayton,
Clarence Ellis, Charles Harris,
Sabrina Andrews, Mario Harrison,
Reginald Burns, Orlando Hudson,
Joan Richardson, Clarence Brevrton,
Carolyn Washington, Roy Whitaker,
Reynauld Williams, Eric Dean and
Thurbert Baker.
Most ore paid through university
funds but some are volunteers. They
meet once per month with the direc
tor to discuss difficulties and uncer
tainties.
At the end of the two semesters,
freshmen will evaluate advisors on
their execution of duties.
Renwick is optimistic about the
program. He is working hard to see
that its goals are reached and that its
strategies are effective. If, four years
from now, each minority student who
entered UNC in 1974 leaves in good
standing, then the hours, plans and
energies put into the program will not
have been in vain, he said. Already
the number of students who leave
school during the first six weeks of a
school year has been cut more thqn
90 percent.
The program will be a continuing
one. Interested upperclassmen with
at least a 2.5 average may contact
Renwick in South Building.
H. Bentley Renwick
Rev. Jones explains departure
by Faye Mitchell
Feature Editor
"Many folks felt 1 was fired. Actually 1 had
two offers when I decided to leave. One was to
become director of the Wesley Foundation at
UNC-G, the other to become minister of a
church in a transitional neighborhood in
Raleigh."
These are the words of Rev. Preston Jones,
former UNC chaplain of the Black Campus
Ministry. His position came to on unexpected
end in early .“ieptember.
"The problem at UNC is the lack of funds," he
said. "The ministerial appointment was for
three years. After that time the position would
terminate, in May 1975, if no other funds came
in.
"I hod started to love UNC," he continued, "I
though the ministry was starting to do things. I
think someway, somehow the ministry needs to
continue."
The ministry was founded by the foundation
for a Block Campus Ministry. The United
Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, and
the Presbyterian Synod of North Carolina com
pose the Foundation, in addition to two foun
dations.
"There is a need for long range work to be
started, and a continuous long range goal," he
said. "With the dedication of the board I
believe more will be done."
Jones says he saw improved relationships
and rapport develop while he was campus
minister.
"When I come, many people did not know 1
was coming," he commented. "People in
general tend to stereotype ministers, but that
does not mean he cannot survive. When I left
relationships were very much improved over
when I arrived.
"1 worked consistently to develop
relationships within the university, with the
Black Student Movement, the Black Christian
Fellowship, and other groups in Chapel Hill. It*s
not all a religious thing.
Issues should be important to the minster,"
Jones continued. "He must take an active stand,
be supportive to what he sees as right. That
means he may not always agree with popular
opinion."
Jones reflected on his personal experience at
UNC.
"I feel I had an opportunity to grow, to
learn," he said. "I'm sure that if I went back to
the ministry at UNC I would do things that were
not the same.
"The fact that I was at UNC gave me a
chance to learn. Being at a large university
complex has mode me a better person. I am
able to minister with a different perspective."
Would Jones return to UNC?
"The University of North Carolina is a great
place to many things," he replied. "1 don't leave
out thf66r>i5ibility. I don't know what the future
holds.f, Assis- ® I’d give it consideration."
Mfice 
II s
Black series presented on NCET
REDDING STORY
by Faye Mitchell
Feature Editor
Black participation in the television
medium is not limited to "Get Christy
Love," "That's My Mama," "Sanford
and Son" and "Good Times."
There is now black input in the
North Carolina Educational Newtork.
A weekly series, "Heritage of Hope,"
presenting positive black program
ming that explores the history and
culture of block people.
"The whole idea grew out of our
family experience," explained
Evangeline Grant Redding. Our
parents could not understand when
the slick-headed boy they sent off to
college come back a full blown mili
tant."
Redding and her brother, Gary
Grant, are the producers of this ten-
port series. Evan-Redd Productions,
their company, received the first
grant ever given by the North
Carolina Educational Network to do
this series.
"One of the problems," Redding
said, "is the younger generation has
lost some of the concepts we once un
derstood. We got them from our ,
parents, or somewhere.
"Our youth do not have the same
understanding of the church, com
munity, and discrimination," she con
tinued, pointing out that the church is
one of the most entrenched com
munities in block culture.
"We're in need of some common
thread, we get too many of our
beliefs from the media.
One of the problems is that there is
no written history of blacks in
America; American publishing com
panies sow to that. Our show used the
spiritual as a unifying thread, and a
means of teaching history through
song.
The show air time is Tuesdays at
9:00 p.m., from Oct. 1 through Dec.
3. "Black Rhythms" was the name of
the first show, which dealt with the
patterns blacks establish daily in their
dance, music, and dress.
Other shows include a study of the
spiritual, as first studied by Rev. Miles
Mark Davis, a feature on the block
woman, and a two-part examination
of Nat Turner. "We'll Never Turn
Back" studies the progress of blacks
in one of the series.
"We aim for positive program
ming," Redding said. "Not just to
entertain."
Redding and Grant grew up in
eastern North Carolina, and much of
the program was toped there. Red
ding writes the scripts, and her
brother dramatizes them. She has a
degree in Sociology from North
Carolina Central University (NCCU).
Grant double majored in English and
Drama.
Enough emphasis cannot be plac
ed on black participation in the
medio, said Redding.
"There ore almost 1,000 TV
stations in America, and not one is
black owned," she said. "Evan-Redd
is the only production company ac
ting os a legal entity.
"The fact that we're in TV im
presses them," she said. "It shows
them there is no need for their fears.
"Our technical director is black. He
is responsible for the visualization of
the show. 1 think it is significant that
blacks write, direct, and produce the
show."
Several difficulties encumbered
the show's progress. It was taped at
the Greensboro studio, with an old
white traditionalist crew.
"It took us eight months to do this
show," she sold. "It could have been
done faster with a black crew, or
even a younger crew."
North Carolina Educational
Network deserves a lot of credit," she
said. "They accepted us for what we
were, but we realize there was no
love lost. They need this kind of
thing."
Not only is Redding busy wrth film
ing and editing a TV series, but she is
on the board of WAFR, keeps various
speaking engagements, and is the
mother of two children.
"I'm lucky," she said. "My husband
does not try to stop me. We know
we've got what it takes. I wouldn't be
surprised if in a couple of years we
were a notional TV show."