PAGE TWO
THE COMPASS
OCTOBER, 1962
THE COMPASS
For Students and Alumni
Published by
STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE NEWS PRESS CLUB
ELIZABETH CITY, N. C.
Member;
Columbia Scholastic Press Association
EDITOR-IN-CfflEF Sunny S. Vick
ASSOCIATE EDITOR John W. Jordan
LITERARY EDITORS Joyce Brown, Thelma Howard, John Jordan
FEATURES EDITORS Ulysses Bell, Charjie Jeflries. Rosa Stokes
SPORTS EDITORS James Hand. Jimmy Jenkins. Richard Simpson
SOCIETY EDITORS Hampton Bland. Dorothy Cotlen, Annie R. Lea
EXCHANGE EDITORS Frances Moore, Martha Reid
REPORTERS Joyce Boone. Virginia Cox, Theresa Dildy,
Louvellia Johnson. Bonner Murrell, Ruby Simons, Mary Welch
SECRETARY
TREASURER Louvellia Johnson
CARTOONIST Lorraine Walker
TYPISTS Dorothy Baker, Ethel Rogers
ADVISORS Mrs. E. H. Mitchell, Mrs. A. M. Blulord, Mrs. V. B. Taylor
An Imitation of Life
A Junior's Advice to Freshmen
Alumni News
“Be yourself”, “act nautral” are
words that we tiear daily. Either
someone is giving them to us as
advice or vice-versa. But have we
really stopped to consider that we,
the Negro race, have not wanted to
be ourselves since coming to
America from Africa many, many
years ago? Even though it seems
preposterous, it’s true.
One can easily see why a Negro
would have wanted to be anything
but a Negro in the trying times of
slavery, but it has been a century
now since the abolishment of slavery,
and some Negroes still hate the
word “Negro”. They would prefer
being addressed as “colored.” How
long will it be before all Negroes
will be proud of their race? For
some, maybe never. For others, when
they learn more about the accomplish
ments of their people.
The Indians, Italians, Chinese and
many other minority groups in
America try very hard to maintain
the heritage of their foreparents and
Ike Way to Success
In Education
Students who are fortunate enough
to be able to go to college should
try to be successful in their pursuit
of an education. There are many
formulas for success, but most of
them require the same or similar
ingredients.
In order to succeed, the first thing
the student needs is a determination
to take advantage of every educa
tional opportunity. This, the most im
portant ingredient, can be acquired
through diligent work, perseverance
in the face of obstacles, and full par
ticipation in discussions, and activi
ties in and out of class. The student
must be determined to gain a broad
knowledge and interest in some field
of endeavor.
The second ingredient is average
or above average intelligence, with
common sense. The student must
have a certain mental capacity. He
must be able to learn or understand
his many and varied experiences.
That is, he must have in the begin
ning something on which to build.
The third ingredient is a working
philosophy. This philosophy will
serve as the student’s guide for the
conduct of his life and education.
This philosophy should contain such
beliefs and convictions as:
1. Honesty and sincerity of pur
pose. which means that the
individual is true to himself.
2. Faith in one’s knowledge and
ability, and a spiritual faith by
which to regulate one’s charac
ter.
3. A sense of honor which carries
with it the desire for high
academic achievements.
4. Friendship and approachability
—that is, a winning personality
and a likeable smile.
5. The realization that success
may be acquired through un
derstanding.
These are some of the qualities
that may be the recipe for success
in education.
native lands. This is indicative of
the fact that they are proud of their
customs and heritage. Maybe the
American Negro does not know
enough about his heritage to really
appreciate it.
To many Negroes, the white man
is an “ideal”. Whatever he does, the
Negro wants to do. The Negro is
sometimes ashamed of gospel music
when sung the way his foreparents
sang it. He has his hair processed
because the white man has straight
hair. Some Negroes refuse to wear
red because it is said that Negroes
like loud colors. Even though
molasses and beans are perfectly
good foods, the Negro very fre
quently denies the fact that he likes
them because they have been as
sociated with the stereotype.
Why shouldn’t the white man feel
superior to the Negro? The Negro
has given him every reason in the
world to take such an attitude. Un
til the Negro accepts himself as he
is, and not as one who must work
to become more like the white man
he is doomed to an “Imitation of
life.”
Denouement
. . But why do you always keep
yourself apart?”
The face revolved with eyebrows
raised.
And I could sense the implication
from the start;
The words were so belligerently
phrased
That daggers do not penetrate with
more pernicious art.
Now I believe that all death-struggles
must be faced.
So I returned with also-deadly,
double-pointed spears;
■‘Apart? From whom?” was my
amused inquire.
(And I recall seeing a pair of per
forated ears
Burst into flame, setting a farce on
fire.)
—Bernard L. Peterson, Jr.
Freshmen Impression
of the College
I think S.T.C. is a fine institution
to aid students in the development of
a functioning philosophy of life which
will make it possible for them to
make desirable adjustments to life
situations.
Hannah Myrick
My impression of the college is
that it is an institution with a great
environment for studying, and not a
place for mere socializing or vacation
ing.
James Williams
My impression of E.C.S.T.C. is that
it is an institution equipped with the
necessary or essential things for the
development of one’s mind intellec-
tuallly, culturally, socially, as well as
spiritually, to meet the obstacles that
are put before one in this challengnig
world of today.
Rockzal Lockhart
I think it is a fine school.
James Hicks
A Psychology
Teacher's Reaction
From my secluded perch above the
audience, I satisfied my intense urge
to watch student reactions by noting,
often with surprise, reactions to the
Student Council’s “Program of Music
Appreciation.”
Let me begin by saying that when
first I looked at the ambitious pro
gram I decided that this was going
just a bit too far. To expect such a
program to be accepted, not to men
tion enjoyed, was asking too much of
most of us—including me. But then
1 began to wonder seriously just what
sort of reaction would the student
body have to a program which en
compassed music from Baroque to
Brubeck. There was one way to get
an idea—turn to the old psychological
tool of observation. From my posi
tion, I could observe at least one half
of the audience without being observ
ed by them. With red ink poised to
write on the green-inked program, I
waited for the expected flop.
It didn’t come. It took a few
moments of adjustment during Han
del’s Overture to “The Messiah”, but
by the time the next number, “The
Hallelujah Chorus”, pulled the audi
ence out of its seat, rapt attention was
almost universal in the auditorium.
And thus it remained, with the ex
ception of a few restless ripples now
and then.
For example, the spirituals seemed
to have touched most of the audience.
Even playing a spiritual other than
the one listed on the program did
not seem to break the accepting
mood. But the transition from “Were
you there?” to the opening bars of
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony caused
a ripple of restlessness and noticeable
loss of attention for some. Perhaps a
less vigorous number would have been
better for that transition from spirit
uals to classics.
The use of a “live” pianist for
Chopin’s work brought a slight stir
which subsided when the music be
gan. It was at this time that a small
minority of girls scattered throughout
the auditorium began to stir or to
talk or to handle their books. From
this fwint on, it seemed that there
were more men than women with at
tention completely focused on the
program. During Tchaikovsky’s num
bers, one man (a music minor, pianist,
singer, etc.) was busily reading a text
book. Two women in different spots
were observed doing the same. (An
amazingly small number!)
The greatest surprise was that there
did not seem to be any drastic change
in the attention given the program
when “Dig that jazz, man” became
the menu for the moment. This was
heralded by considerably more buzz
ing, but it was not certain that the
music was causing this. Mr. Franklin’s
medley stopped the women from read
ing and momentarily stopped the one
man, but he soon returned to his read
ing and was joined by two other men.
The readers, joined by two women,
continued to read throughout Gersh
win’s music but stopped when Dave
Brubeck took over. It is no exaggera
tion to say that Brubeck made the
most overt impression on the audi
ence.. Pencils began to tap on books,
on legs or on anything near enough.
Hands began to move in rhythmic
fashion, and legs and feet began to
move with the music. However, a
good fifty per cent of the students
remained as composed here as they
had been for Beethoven. Stan Kenton
moved some, especially the music
minor who stopped his reading for
the jazz presentation. But Brubeck
It is a fine institution for developing
young men and women who are real
ly interested in venturing into the
world of tomorrow.
Mary Slade
I could not find a more suitable
place to be trained to meet the qualifi
cations and standards that one needs,
in order to cope with the situations
of today.
Thomas Pickett
The Hertford County Chapter of
the Elizabeth City State Teachers Col
lege Alumni Association held its first
meeting of the year at the Amanda S.
Cherry School, Harrellsville, N.C. on
September 17, 1962.
Officers for the ensuing year are:
L. R. Miales, president; S. L. Chamb-
lee, vice-president; A. G. Stephenson,
secretary; V. D. Jones, assistant secre
tary; S. B. Boone, treasurer; R. Vann,
chaplain; and I. A. Battle, reporter.
The main purpose of the meeting
was to discuss Homecoming and for
mulate ways and means of increasing
the Chapter membership.
Those present, by common con
sent, agreed to make a contribution
to the Lucille McLendon Fund.
Attention Alumni
Omega Homecoming Kick-Off Dance
Delta Iota Chapter of Omega Psi
Phi Fraternity will sponsor a Home
coming Kick Off Dance for the bene
fit of its Scholarship Fund on Friday
night, October 27, 1962, at the Na
tional Guard Armory, Elizabeth City,
North Carolina. Dancing hours will
be from 1:00 A.M. to 5:00 A.M.
Alumni are invited to join the fun.
Make your donation to the Scholar
ship Fund to one of the Delta Iota
Chapter members.
Student Council
(Continued from Page 1)
coming Pep Rally Committee, (8)
Tutoring Committee to aid students
academically, and (9) Committee on
Issuing Hymnals at Vesper and As
sembly Programs.
In totality, there are fifty students
who serve, altogether, on the various
committees listed above. Each chair
man is responsible for a minimum of
three activities for this year.
The Social Committee began with
the presentation of its dances with
artistic and creative decorating. This
committee has seventeen objectives
and fifteen members.
The Student Council has made an
early stride toward its goal. This goal
is to aim high and to work hard. As
the president of the Student Council
believes, “There is more to be done
in the Student Council than we ever
dreamed. That is why we immediate
ly set a sailing. . . . We must build
the foundation. . . . We must be the
stepping stone for the future of our
student government.”
apparently best deserved the title of
having the “best digged (or is it
‘dug’?) jazz.
What does this prove? Perhaps
nothing. But it does leave some ques
tions? Does the attention given by
these observed students indicate that
the student body has a relatively high
appreciation for decent music, in spite
of the popularity of some radio sta
tions? Does the more pronounced
restlessness by some of the women
students indicate that their apprecia
tion of music is less than that of the
men? Or that they have a shorter at
tention span? (This began at 10:05,
about a half hour after the program
began.) Does the reaction to jazz
indicate that our students’ potential
interest in music is as great or greater
for the more serious music as it is
for popular music? Does this program
indicate that there is a need to try
to do more to nourish this interest
in music on our campus? How would
a modern jazz concert go over here?
And how about a Modern Jazz Club
and a Classics Club, composed of stu
dents who really want to become
thorough in their appreciation of
music in an informal setting? All of
these are interesting but unanswered
questions arising from the Student
Council’s successful experiment in mu
sic appreciation.
—James A. Eaton
“Slam”/ “Wham goes the door.
“Flang/” is the lumpy sound as she
hits the bed. An innocent sound comes
from her mouth. She is a Freshman;
little does she know. Are these tears
and tantrums necessary?
A Junior looks back to this time
with regret. “If only . . comes the
cry. But time moves and waits for
no one. Scenes just described are
nothing new. In fact, they are tpyical
in spite of Orientation, which is part
of the college program. The one error
is that the student forgets these lec
tures and methods of adjustment.
My formula and advice to a fresh
man is to direct his attention to the
three C’s: Communicate, concentrate,
continue. Communication can be
seen through many channels. It may
be social, or it may be spiritual. I
am speaking of all phases. Communi
cate with many new faces; get to
know your instructors, so that you
may adjust to their particular
methods. Participate in at least one
activity. Attend most of the intel
lectual events. In other words, get a
feel of your new environment. After
all, it is to be your home for nine
months in a four-year period. Become
interwoven—strong and firm—in this
new environment.
Concentration can be described as
a thoughtful, serious perception. The
major source to which I attach this
word is to your sole and major
purpose for entering college. Yes,
I speak of knowledge. Concentrate
on your purpose for wanting to learn.
Become familiar with each course,
bog dig down and be determined to do
your best. The learning process is
simple, although it is said to be com
plex. It only takes thought and the
will to learn. Of course, “AH work
and no play makes Jack a dull boy,”
but all play makes Jack a dumb boy,
too. Therefore, have some of the wis
dom of Solomon, and so arrange your
schedule as to have time for play and
time for burning the midnight oil.
After all, nothing worth having comes
easy. Ask some prominent, successful,
intellectual instructor.
Last, we come upon the word, “con
tinue.” A person with ambition never
leaves a job undone. He has very
little inward satisfaction if he gives
up. Continue your education. If
things become doubtful, keep that
mustard-seed faith. If that obstacle
stands in your way, keep trying. Con
tinue to keep your eye on your goal;
one without some goal is miserable.
“Hitch your wagon to a star”, and ride
through every cloud of doubt, dis-
couragement and disappointment you
encounter. “Know thyself.” Never
truer words have been spoken. In con
tinuing a task, one must be familiar
with his shortcomings and good
points.
Thus, when you feel up to slam
ming some door and packing, stop—
and think. Think how grand it will be
to look back at your tantrums in your
junior year. Maturity begins with
serious thought—thought in knowing
that you can communicate, concen
trate and continue.
Autumn^ the Artist
Autumn is stripping off the green
gown
From the bush and the tree.
Changing the costumes of thing
around
To please both you and me.
Autumn is stretching forth her hand
To dress the world anew.
Truly, this artist must be grand
To make frost from the dew.
Autumn is chilling us with her
breath;
Still we are glad she's here.
Sweetest of flowers must droop in
death;
But they’ll be back next year.
—Theresa H. Hall