THE COMPASS
Published by Elizabeth City State College for Students and Alumni
Elizabeth City, N. C., September, October, 1963
HOMECOMING! NOVEMBER 9
Assembly Speaker:
Dr. Franklin Calls
For Human Dignity
The free world is better but
nndest improvement is all that
bs claimed at this juncture.”
John Hope Franklin, distinguished
historian-au.hir recer.tly returned
from England, inaugurated the 1963-
64 Lyceum Season here in Moore
Hall Auditorium on Sunday night,
September 29 and gave this a;
ment in lecturing on “The Challenge
of Socio-Economic Change to
Free World.”
Speaking to a large audience which
included students staff and towns
people, Dr. FranMin discussed prob
lems created by the myriad changes
being experienced at mid-century
world society and especially in
own social order.
Franklin said that the United
States has veered to the left ir
concepts of human dignity despite
pronouncements of conservatives. The
Nation’s most significant goverment-
al shift, the historian said, is increased
activity in the area of human rights.
Franklin felt that this shift makes
possible a closer approach to the
real genius of the western world: (1)
the opportunities its societies provide
for self-improvement and (2) relative
ly enlightened concepts of individual
dignity.
Excessive Solicitude
The native Oklahoman whose
choices of words and phrases were as
precise as the angle of his bow tie,
said that our country has as one of
its problems its “almost excessive
solicitude” about world events — its
historian “sense of mission.” this
would be a natural outgrowth of its
“national conceit” which has involved
it in the affairs of so many nations.
Yet our chief product, democracy,
is “not an exportable commodity” if
it is not a widely used product at
home, tha lecturer said. Amid the
world community, America’s lapses in
this regard are glaringly evident, he
reported.
The famed historian seemed to im
ply that we may not now be as ‘Ugly
Americans’ as we once were (due to
various factors) but that our col
lective visage is still far too ‘homely’
for the comfort of world-travelling
ECSC Hears Kennedy
Attorney General Robert Kenned;
was the major speaker at the 50th an
niversary convention of Delta Sigma
Theta Sorority held August 12-18 at
the Americana Hotel. New York City.
Dorothy Baker, a native of Green
ville, North Carolina and a Junioi
Business Education Major, repre
sented Delta Chi Chapter of Eliza
beth City State College at this signi
ficant event in the Sorority’s history.
AMERICAN
EDUCATION
WEEK
November 10-16, 1963
Education
Strengthens
the Nation”
\mericans wha must find answers to
jearchirg qu;stions about the gaps
between preachment and practice.
Thj noted author called for eradi
cation of glaring defects in the so
cial order and for increased recog
nition of the importance of the in
dividual.
Those who deny human rights, he
said, are delinquent in human rela
tions. The free world already has had
■'more than its share of deviations”
from concepts of human dignity, he
declared.
Laursls and Warnings
Professor Franklin congratulated
the College on the manifest educa
tional advances it has made since his
first visit to it some two decades ago.
However, he warned college stu
dents that although opportunities for
them are immeasurably greater now
than formerly, it is incumbent upon
Negro college students especially to
assume increased responsibility for
having skills and know-how to meet
th se opportunities—to meet the chal
lenges. He cited as one example a
lack of personnel trained in Renais
sance and Early European History.
Visiting Professor
The speaker had just returned from
a year as William Pitt Visiting Pro
fessor of American History at St.
John's College, Cambridge University,
Cambridge, England. He is a frequent-
ly-published author, his most recent
book being Emancipation Proclama
tion (1960).
His From Slavery to Freedcm (two
editions) is in wide usage as a text and
as a source book. His Reconstruction
—After the Civil War is an answer
;o the bias so often found in extant
vvorks on the subject. Other works
have been published.
A former history professor at St.
Augustine’s College (Raleigh), he has
been History Chairman at Brooklyn
College since 1957.
Ulysses Bell, editor of The Com
pass served as master of ceremonies
for the lecture.
Students Attend Organ
Recital In Norfolk, Va.
Ten students of Elizabeth City State
College heard an organ recital at Christ
and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in
Norfolk, Virginia, October 3, 1963.
Fernando Germani of St. Peter’s
Basilica, Rome, was the organist.
The organ, a 3-manual Casavant,
was purchased at the cost of $70,000
and was dedicated the previous Sun
day.
Those attending were Judy Free
man, Carolyn Thompson, Geraldi.ie
Vaughan, Wilson Bryant. Phyllis
Wright, Charlie Vau^an, Bonita
Carr, Althea Blackwell, Gloria John
son, Albert Thweatt. Miss Evelyn
A. Johnson, Miss Edna L. Davis and
Mr. Leonard Ballou accompanied the
group.
—Carolyn Thompson
Our College Continues on the Move
Architects’ drawing of proposed
new women’s dormitory to accom-
nodate 176 students. Having an area
of 38, 646 square feet, the structure
will feature lounges, studies, a kitchen,
utility rooms and a suite for the
director. Each room is handsomely
equipped for two students.
Our campus is also scheduled to
have a men’s dormilory, the two
campus living structures estimated
to cost $825,000. These are expected
to be completed by the end of 1964.
Also proposed are a classroom
building and a new library. Indicative
of the growth and bustle on-campus
are renovations of the old laundry
building for Industrial Arts classes;
renovation of Williams Hall (Health
and Physical Education moved up
stairs, Musiw expanded downstairs);
temporary alleviation of crowded
classroom conditions with strange
subjects bei ig taught in the Cosmet
ology Building and in the Infirmary.
IBM equipment has arrived, ad
ditional property and structures have
been acquired, facilities are increasing
to match a growing student body and
various improvements on the grounds
have been effected. Future renova
tions are also expected involving the
present Library and Lighthouse.
Our College c-ontinues ON THE
MOVE!
Elizabeth City State Gains
New Dean, Additional Staff
Hugh Bullock, prize-winning art in
structor whose paintings were on exhi
bition at A. & T., October 19, shown
with two amateur artists, Elsie Wil
liams '63 and Geraldine Kidd '64. See
next issue for an article on Mr. Bullock.
To Mrs. Mitchell
We are some very lucky students
So fortunate to have as our friend
Mrs. Mitchell, our congenial in
structor.
Who has only kindness to lend.
She is really indispensable.
She’s upright, loyal, and fair.
Whenever she’s needed mostly.
She manages to always be there.
Possessing all favorable attributes
Among them an abundance of
She is the epitome of womanhood
In its optimum form..
Mrs. Mitchell will ne’er be forgotten;
Her kindness has been too profound;
Thus 1 can proudly proclaim
''he’s the best instructor around.
—Alzo
Dr. Chi Kao Wang was assembly
speaker on October 10. Topic “The
Dispute Between Russia and Red
China.”
Dr. William E. Anderson, former
chairman of th: Area of Education
and Dir-ctor of Testing at Alabama
State College, has begun duties here
as Dean of the College. Anderson,
whose experience includes the Dean-
ship at Langston University (Okla
homa) holds the rank of Professor
of English, according to announce
ments cf his and other appointments
by President Walter N. Ridley.
Dean And;rson holds degrees in
English and in psychology from More
house College, the University of Chi
cago and Colorado State College.
Serving as co-chairman of the De
partment of Education and Professor
of Education is Isaac C. Bracey, a
graduate of South Carolina State Col
lege, Temple University and the Uni
versity of Oklahoma. Dr. Bracey
comes to the college from Jackson
College (Mississippi).
Ward S. Winfield is the new chair
man of the Industrial Arts Depart
ment, including the Vocational-Tech
nical Institute. Mr. Winfield is a grad
uate of Saint Paul’s College and of
A. & T. College.
Additional appointees are Dr. Thel
ma Hill Anderson, graduate of
Langston University and the Univer
sities of Kansas and Oklahoma (Pro
fessor of psychology); Dr. Francis J.
Merchant, holding degrees from
Brooklyn College, City College of
New York and New York University
(Professor of English); Dr. Gloria B.
Merchant, a graduate of Chicago
Musical College, New Mexico High
lands and the University of Iowa (As
sociate Professor of music).
The Compass also welcomes the fol
lowing assistant professors and in
structors. Assistant Professors: Mrs.
Hazel G. Spellman, a graduate of
Elizabeth City State College and the
University of Pennsylvania with ad
vanced study at the University of Chi
cago (Superviser of Reading Services);
James Hubert Townes, a graduate of
Virginia State College, Marshall Col-
(Continued on Page 4)
ECSC Students In
Protest Movement
The Elizabeth City State College
students opened the school year with
non-violent demonstrations. The first
day, with a heavy downpour of rain,
there were six hundred student demo-
strators. These demonstrations con
tinued to increase during the follow
ing week, reaching a height of 1500
students from the College and the
city.
The following week, 222 students
were arrested and released without
bond. They were charged with “tres
passing and blocking the sidewalk.”
The students appeared in court for
trial on October 21, 1963.
A new phase in the efforts to
achieve equal rights for Negroes was
realized when a truce was called be
tween the student leaders and repre
sentatives of the local Bi-Racial Com-
The students decided to promote a
“selective buying campaign” until the
walls of segregation are eradicated.
A deadline for meeting the students
demands was set for November 9,
1963.
The demands are as follows:
1. To be able to secure accommo
dations and receive services from
all business establishments serv
ing the public, on the same basis
as all other citizens in this city.
2. To participate in the cultural
and recreational activities of
Elizabeth City.
3. To be able to secure employ
ment in industry, municipal
government and business on the
basis of abilities and without
discrimination.
4. To have clear access to all edu
cational institutions on all levels
available in this community.
5. To be able to enter an edifice
erected for the worship of God
without restraint and with the
freedom that we believe Christ
would have exist.
Governor’s Manison Visited
Albert C. Robinson, Jr., was ap
pointed by the president of the Stu
dent Council to represent the stu
dent body with Governor Sanford in
the Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh,
North Carolina. Many student leaders
and civil rights leaders met for a
discussion on “Demonstrations in
North Carolina.
As a result of the discussion,
suggestions were given to bring about
integration for the Negroes in North
Carolina.
Edna Harris Mitchell
August 8, 1963