Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / Oct. 13, 1981, edition 1 / Page 2
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PAGE 2 BLACK INK OCTOBER 13, 1981 Poverty agency ends DliC MEEDS MORE BLACK PROFESSORS/. When President Johnson began his war on poverty 17 years ago, the Office of Econo mic Opportunity, later known as the Com munity Services Administration, was cre ated. But when the government's 1982 fiscal year began Oct. 1, the agency which acted as ombudsmen for poor people became de funct under President Reagan's "New Feder alism." The agency spawned some 16 programs — including Head Start, Job Corps, and Leg al Services — which were later incorporated into other federal establishments. Money in its budget went to some 1,600 local agencies and community development corporations that provided services — from housing assistance to job training — that were in tended to help the poor. Phasing out the CSA was part of Reagan's plan to return the country to a "friendly neighbor" policy. In a 30-minute televised speech to the nation last month, Reagan said that private organizations — like the church — would assume some of the social services that the government was abandoning. The president also said that the adminis tration would reform the formulas for entitle ment benefits like food stamps, welfare pay ments, Medicare and Medicaid. Such prog rams, he said, had come from a good heart but not from a clear head. With so may drastic actions taken against programs designed to help the poor and the demise of the CSA, politicians claim that the nation will become an elitist society. As Senator Edward Kennedy said in a CBS-TV interview, "This is government of the rich, by the rich and for the rich." Black universities beneficial When I read "Black schools need sup port," (Sept. 15) regarding the quality of education being offered at black institutions, I was appalled and shocked. The article — obviously written by one who has never attended a black college or university — stated that "the lack of money at black universities will always produce second-rate educational opportunities. When students graduating from these schools compete in a society that manufac tured schools where money and political backing produced first-rate opportunities, the former are apt to be left with the crumbs instead of the bread." I was shocked at the apparent m isconcep- tions that were represented by this article. I wish now to shed more light on an obviously shadowed subject. I am a 1979 graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. As a graduate of a "pre dominantly black" institution ("predomi nantly black" is the euphemism used to infer that black institutions do have a nonblack population thereby showing that these schools are not segregated) I argue that the inferences in the first article were incorrect and biased. First, I cannot imagine how anyone could make such assertions based on a visit to North Carolina A&T State University's jour nalism conference. My observations have a statistical flavor to them as biostatistics is my field of study. Also, the majority of graduates in my field here attended black undergradu ate schools and they are in a field that is traditionally underrepresented by blacks. Secondly, I cannot understand how any one could say that students who attend black institutions receive second-rate educational opportunities. It is unfair and unrealistic to judge the whole educational system by something that is a student activity and not an educational resource. The statement that "lack of money at black schools will always produce second-rate educational opportuni ties" A'as a slur on black institutions. I don't consider my educational experience second-rate — after all, it got me here did it not? When one slurs black institutions, one slurs blacks on whom you have placed great honor (e.g.. Dean Hayden B. Renwick is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University — a black institution). Many of my classmates from undergradu ate school have gone on to receive degrees from schools regarded as "Ivy League." We (emember ,th]e, flosen.ess.yv.e, felt at our. school. 1 made the CHOICE to attend Spel man College because, in addition to the quality of education that is administered there, at the age of 1 7,1 realized that I did not know much about my own gender. Women from all walks of life attend Spelman Col lege, and despite the argument of the homogeniety of the women at Spelman, I acknowledge those years as an important experience in my life. The black educational experience allows us to see what our fellow man is like. Throughout history, blacks have grown up dealing with white people. So going to a white university will not guarantee that blacks will learn to interact with whites any better than blacks who attend black universi ties will learn to interact with whites. If we take a look around, we'll see that white universities aren't the only places that are integrated. There is the employment sec tor, the pre-school through high school sec tor, the administrative sector, many of the black universities and colleges and so on. Let us be realistic enough to admit that no type of college life is truly representative of the society in which we live. Attitudes at universities are historically much more liberal. Do not get the mistaken idea that by living in this nonrepresentative microcosm of soci ety (UNC-CH), we will be prepared for life as ‘ it really is. McDaniel 2nd year graduate student in Biostatistics, School of Public Health BLACK INK WHAT ABOUT THE NEW PDSmoN FILLED IN )00R DEFARIMENTT the MW WAS eeEN (jNEMfUDyEDFCK SlXMc^NTHS yo(;N6 M/lW.T^ERE^RE EEW«IT1E5 WTH FH.Qs. \-m WE DO an eftort well, WE SELEClEDiyE MOST qu/ilitifed f-i^rrr ACTUCAL^Hfc S M/WlFES 5ANDV , . AND HE WAS DEEN L/VlMa W^H (JS FOR Five/ Student reflects on past Reflecting on my childhood, the year 1967 stands out for me. I remember the hard times that we as blacks had to suffer when the school systems were desegregated. Some people may wonder just what I mean when I say "hard times." Since there were not that many good schools in my home town, and daddy felt that his children had a right to a good education, just like the white kids, he made us go to the white schools. I remember the names the teachers would call us, implying that we were dummies and were unable to learn. 1 also recall that blacks were the only ones accused of talking when white students took names in class. And, of course, we were the ones who got spanked. Sometimes, I would wonder about my new white friends — they would speak to blacks but when they got around their white friends, they didn't know us. Most of all, I remember the time my oldest "The essence of freedom is understanding.' JOHN HINTON Editor Lawrence Turner Managing Editor Sonja Payton Photography Editor Teresa Blossom Associate Editor Donna Whitaker Copy Editor Ramona Brown Features Editor brother and some of my cousins demons trated in protest of not being allowed to go to the prom because it was "for whites only." During the demonstration, they were picked up and taken to prison in Raleigh in prison buses. They were treated like animals and were sprayed with bug spray. The girls had to undress in front of the policemen and were given lye soap to bathe with. I look back now and wonder just how I was able to come to this white university and not feel hatred. Because, like my daddy, I feel that I have a right to a good education but, too often, blacks must still face not being accepted by whites. I see the way black students on this cam pus are put on south campus and whites on north campus. Whatever the causes — should it be financial aid, pulling strings for whites who don't want to be on south cam pus or anything — the problem of segrega tion is apparent. Even though some black students applied early, to be on north campus, they still got housing on south campus. It is unfair that blacks who do not want to live down south are forced to get apartments when closed out of north campus dorms. South campus is known as the 'projects' because so many blacks live there. I have seen a white girl sneered at by her friends when she told them she lived on south cam pus. Her friends looked down on her as if to say, "Yea, she stays down there with all those blacks." I hope that some day, segregation on this campus will become extinct. All people should be able to live together — and go to school together — without prejudice. We don't want to move back in history to those "bad times." We should be able to start a new trend, beginning with correcting the housing problem. Editor's Note: Arvella Wilson, a sopho more, lives in Hinton James.
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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