THE COMPASS
SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, 1963
THE COMPASS
For Students and Alumni
Published by
STATE COLLEGE NEWS PRESS CLUB
ELIZABETH CITY, N. C.
Member:
Columbia Scholastic Press Association
Ulysses Bell
George Skinner
Louvellia Johnson
Clara Perkins
Thelma Howard, Joyce Wilson
Charlie Jefferies, Louvellia Johnson, Clara Perkins
Melvin Reddick
SOCIETY EDITORS Gloria Forbes, Ethel Bailey, Margie Baker, Vernell BaUey
EXCHANGE EDITORS Vivian Thronlon, Barbara Fearing, Janie Johnson
REPORTERS Carolyn Thompson, George Skinner, Joetta Cox,
Shelia Hicks, Ethel Gregory, Laura Walton
CARTOONISTS Lorraine Walker, Jean Weaver
ADVISORS Mr. L. R. Ballou, Mrs. A. M. Bluford, Mrs. D. J. Lee
TYPISTS Maryella Ward, Mary Shadrock
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
SECRETARY
TREASURER
LITERARY EDITORS
FEATURE EDITORS. .
SPORTS EDITOR
Changes
The Elizabeth City State College
has been in the midst of a great
change for several years. This great
change involves the students of Eli
zabeth City State College as well as
the administration.
New teachers have joined the facul
ty. Some are from various parts of
the country, holding high degrees in
many fields. The b u i id i n g s and
grounds also show evidence of this
change. An illustration of this can be
seen in Moore Hall. In the summer of
1961, the classrooms were improved.
They were treated with fresh paint.
The lighting system was improved.
As for the grounds, shrubbery has
been raised in low places and many
attractive sidewalks can be seen zig-
zaging across the campus.
Along with this change, we as
students at Elizabeth City State Col
lege must take up and become more
aware of our responsibilities in this
complex society in which we live. We
must seek to know what is going c
in the world. We can raise oi
standards and along with that, set
a worth while goal and strive hard
to fulfill that goal.
We, the students at Elizabeth City
State College, must realize and under
stand that if we tarry too long the
qualities of our mind and spirit can
never be universally possessed. It
takes more than an educated elite to
run a complex society like ours. The
kind of society we live in today de
mands the maximum development of
individual potentialities at every level
of ability; and we would be very
foolish indeed if we were to let our
renewed interest go to waste.
It is time for us to aid in helping
to bring about changes at Elizabeth
City State College, which will
stitute a better education program
‘for all of us. The question is often
raised, can the Negro college meet
the challenge of the modern world?
With re-examination of our curri-
culums and eyes turned toward provid
ing adequate training to equip students
for professional opportunities, it can
be done.
Line Cutting
Why is it that some people just in
sist upon “cutting line” in the dining
hall? Is it because they don’t know
any better? No. Is it because they real
ly don’t care about the rights of their
fellow colleagues? This could be the
problem. If this is the case, my fel
low associates, we had better examine
ourselves and find out what we are
really here for. If we say that we are
here for the purpose of obtaining an
education, we are certainly not acting
as if we are.
Education has been defined as that
which changes the behavior patterns
of an individual. So, my friends, you
see if we are doing the same thing
here in college that we did back
high school, we really haven’t been
educated or we really aren’t being ed
ucated.
Students, we must come to oui
senses and realize that we are going
to start thinking and acting like ed
ucated individuals. Each time a per
son “cuts line,” he is indicating by
his action that he is uneducated.
We say that we want to become
leaders of tomorrow. We also say that
we want our freedom. But we forget
the fact that along with freedom and
leadership, comes responsibility; the
responsibility to think and act in such
a way as to demand respect from our
fellow man. Then and only then will
we find ourselves reaching the goals
that we have set out to seek.
I am appealing to those students
who insist upon cutting line, to
amine themselves and find out what
their purposes in life really are. How
will you be classified by your as
sociates? Will you demonstrate your
lack of education, or will you act in
such a manner as to demand respect?
So students, let us remember that
educated people do not infringe upon
the rights of others. We don’t want
elementary thing like “line cutting”
to be a problem on our campus.
—Lloyd Porter, chairman
of Student Problems
Freshman's First Impression
My Second Birth
Have you ever heard that history
^■>eats itself? Each person must live
th; life he thinks right. This afternoon.
7 life is started anew.
Somehow 1 feel I am being freed
every minute. This revolution for free
dom is not only against the discrimina
tion of our white brothers, but also
within ourselves. I am fighting a
terrible battle this afternoon within
myself. First, I know the sit-ins
will commence today, and all that is
necessary for my omission from the
booking and jailing is to stay on
campus. This way I won’t have to
endure the pains and aches that are
necessary to get freedom; consequent
ly, that is just what 1 do.
A little later I begin to hear voices
in the hall. The voices are in sympa
thy with those who are being jailed,
hit, scalded, jeered, intimidated,
hounded and misunderstood. At first
the voices don’t mean anything to me,
that is until my self-respect begins to
pinch me. I got over that; however,
my religion and human decency
into my heart with a penetrat
ing bit. We fight for awhile, until
I can’t endure the pain any longer.
Even though I’m losing the battle, I
am happy. It feels almost like the
time I got my religion. I am beginning
to feel free of something.
Now, some mysterious force lifts
me from my bed and pulls me out
side to see what is going on. Then,
if awakening from a dream, I am 1
in chaos. I am lost, where is it for me
to go? I see nobody behind me, no
body beside me; however I see people
in front of m. There is no choice. Who
wishes to remain lost, except a fool?
I don’t. Consequently, I am follow
ing the mass, one hundred twenty
demonstratiors.
Now the mass is heading tor town.
The time is September 24, 4:50 p.m.;
in front of Central Restaurant in Eliz
abeth City, N.C. While sitting here,
I wonder just why I am sitting here.
Suddenly a white man appears and
says “Get your feet off the sidewalk!
What do you think you are doing
or going to accomplish? If you don’t
have freedom who has?” It is strange
the way he asks that, for—suddenly
without warning — someone dashes
hot water on us! Some are scalded,
others frightened. Nevertheless, we
are holding our ground. The hot
water isn’t working. One of the
white men inside demands us to
move again, we stay on. Neither the
nor the cold moves us. We are
determined to last to the end. Where
the end? Nobody can really say,
but we will continue to fight for what
is right. We shall over come, someday.
At 5:30, we are being packed
tightly in to the waiting rooms of the
police station. Air? There isn’t any
air; nevertheless, through our own
volition, we are cheering, singing, clap
ping and giving praise to God louder
then we did in the previous demon
strations. No matter how long the
spirit wants to go on, the will of the
flesh is short. Impatiently, we are
waiting until we can be booked in
dividually. While looking from per
son to person with deep thought, I
notice some of us are impatient,
bored, hungry, and exhausted. How
ever, food is being sent to us. Many
of us are eating, not that we are
hungry, but because that is what the
rest are doing.
I don’t know what is to come next;
but whatever it may be it can’t be any
worse than the discrimination that we
are suffering here in Elizabeth City,
or any place on earth where discrim
ination and segregation exist on
account of race. This city is like a
rose bush in full blossom, I can smell
the sweet attar of job opportunities
and see the bright red colors of equa
lity. Along with the sweet fumes of op
portunities and the bright colors of
equality, come the thorns of hatred,
prejudice, and biased attitudes. To se
cure this rose, one must wear a glove.
Negroes in Elizabeth City can wear
this glove. But no longer will we wait
for the the white glove; we will
gather the roses with the bare hands
of righteousness if need be.
Yes, we are released from jail
day, but what will tomorrow bring?
I consider what happened to us to
day as past history. As for me, his
tory will repeat itself until any man
can say, “I am a man, not a Negro,
Caucasian, Chinese or Japanese; and
I am treated equally as a man.”
—Willie Thurman
Worth.
' . , , Nice . . . Full of interesting
... activities.”
J. A. Moore
“My first impression of the school
was its faculty members and the stu
dents here.” Julius Walker
“. . .The relationship between stu
dents here and at Friendship Junior
College is much wider.”
Cleo Byrd
“My first impression . . . was a
very lonely one, but as the upper
classmen arrived this . . . soon dis
appeared and I found ECSC had a
lot in store for me intellectually and
otherwise.” Shelly Willingham
“. , . One of the best schools in
the CIAA.” L. Reed
“. . . We believe the students and
faculty are very friendly and espe
cially the girls.”
John Jordan
William Johnson
. . My first impression was that
I was going to like the college, staff
and all the students ... I do!”
Betty Boone
“The campus appeared attractive
and pleasing ... My adjustment was
quick. I am happy here.
John Curry
“. . . Wonderful. I hope I will con
tinue to enjoy my stay here.”
Leroy Brickhouse
“. . . Students and faculty are very
warm and friendly . . . State College
(is) a better school than 1 had
dreamed . . .” Martha Harper
. Astonishment . . . Everyone
. .. made it comfortable for us, the
shy and afraid freshmen.”
Lonnie Turnage
Curtis Turnage
“. .. Fine institution . . . My de
cision in coming was well made.”
Willie Cooke
My son when you grow up
What shall you be?
I’ll tell you.
Eat plenty of food now
But remember.
Food won’t make you strong;
Truth, courage, honesty, integrity
Will make you strong.
Read books
But remember,
Books won’t make you smart;
Understanding, listening, people,
losing
Will make you smart.
Go to college
But remember.
College won’t make you great;
Humility, compassion, denial,
experience
Will make you great.
Work hard
But remember.
Work won’t make you rich;
Respect, friends, spirit.
And children like you
Will make you rich.
“. . . This institution is a very n
place and so are the instructors.”
Velma Godette
“. . . I found myself singing, ‘I
want to go home’.”
Froncene Lawson
. . It seems as if they are about
to make a professional football
trainer out of me.”
Johnny Woodhouse
“. . . I thought the school was
drag.” D. Brown
—Compiled by Lorrine Walker
Football Apathy
The one thing the resident student
has in common with the commuting
students is a complete lack of interest
toward Elizabeth City’s sports.
This is a shame, for without the
support of the college family, the sup
port from alumni will be nil also,
because they learn their non-support
habits as undergraduates.
At the Lighthouse on a typical day,
the scene is one of constant turnover
of students discussing classes, study
ing, laughing, eating or talking about
upcoming and past dates.
No one talks about the Vikings
football team.
That the Vikings have lost games
comes as no surprise to m o s
of the students. “So what?” is the com
mon retort. “We always lose, don’
we,” said one co-ed, who admits she
does not attend games. “All our teams
lose, so why should the football team
be any different?”
Do the students attend home
games? “Well,” said a fraternity man,
“We go out as a group . . . it’s more
of a social event than it is a sport
event, or supporting-the-team sort of
thing.”
“The frats and sororities usually
have a small competition to see which
can turn out the most kids; at least
we do that at rallies. Once in a
while we get up a car caravan but
that is a lark.”
How about the commuting stu
dents? “No, we do not go very big
for Elizabeth City home games. Most
of us are from area high schools and
the first couple of years at Elizabeth
City most of the kids go back to their
high school games.”
In the opinion of the authors, who
Welcome Freshmen
Many of the freshmen arrived on
campus Thursday, September 5, 1963.
I believe that all of us were com
pletely baffled and were all wondering
what would be our next step. But to
our advantage, the College had set
aside a special week designed to
help orientate us.
The schedule was as follows: Upon
arrival, we were required to register
to show our presence on campus.
Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.,
ivere confronted with an English
Placement Examination. That evening,
had a tour of the campus which
enabled us to see the striking build
ings which are at Elizabeth City
State College, and a general assembly.
Saturday found us taking another
test, from 8:00 a.m. until 12 noon
A dance in Williams Hall quickened
events at 8:00 p.m. We had a very
time at this dance and it enabled
o meet unknown faces and be
come better acquainted with the ones
we had met before. The affair turned
out extremely well.
Sunday morning we visited local
churches. President Ridley greeted
us with a reception on his lawn that
afternoon. This reception enabled
us to meet the faculty.
On Monday, there was still another
test and registration began for the
courses we wished to take for this
semester. On Tuesday, September 10,
starting at 8:00 a.m., we looked
pretty for the camera as photographs
were taken for our identification
cards. That afternoon, we had a
movie and discussion period with
Mrs. Rae Williams, Dean of Women,
and Mr. J. D. Marshall, Dean of Men,
as our hostess and host. Wednesday
was the most abhorrent day of all for
on that day we were required to begin
taking our physical examinations.
So, as you can see, when we arrived
on Elizabeth City State College’s
campus, we came ready for work and
not all play. We, the freshmen have
been busy from the very first day we
arrived.
But we do not give ourselves this
credit, because if it were up to the
majority of us, I believe we would
have just eaten and slept the week
away. Instead, for a richer program
of events, we give credit where credit
is due, to those who planned the
Freshman Orientation Week Program.
—Ethel L. Bailey
Derivation of Pleasure
By Theresa Hall
It is a pleasure to watch the sea.
To hear its mystic roar.
To see its tongue waltz up to me
And lick the sandy shore.
It is a pleasure to note the grace
In the sea’s constant sway,
A pleasure to read its moody face
That bears my thoughts away.
It is a pleasure to see the foam
On the sea’s heaving breast,
A pleasure to watch the gulls at home
As they bathe in its crest.
A great pleasure it shall ever be
To trend the misty coast
That I may survey the glassy sea
And all its wondrous host.
are, admittedly high school wash
outs, every students who is enrolled
should attend every game. The play
ers don’t like playing before an empty
house anymore than they enjoy
losing. Increased attendance may be
the lift they need to jell a potential
championship squad into winners, in
stead of narrow margin losers.
The team has lost games that very
well could have gone in their favor
except for a few bad breaks and in
juries to key personnel. This is no
time to abandon them—when they
need your support. If you must be
“lackadaizical” in your support, wait
until they are winners—then they can
sustain themselves by virtue of their
won deeds.
Come out to the games and
CHEER. —Nathaniel Grant
Alexander Peace