The News Argus
www.thenewsargus.com
Winston-Salem State University’s Student Newspaper
Nov. 19,2007
L.‘ i- - pi IIWVLV
Photo courtesy of Raphael Black”
“Engine Four” tells the brave story of eight black firefighters who endured racism while knocking down barriers.
Teamwork and Dedication
Franklin Terry
ARGUS STAFF
' he movie "Engine Four" was
created to honor eight black
firefighters from Winston-
Salem who faced adversity,
endured racism and knocked down
barriers. Raphael Black was one the
eight black firefighters who helped
pave the way during the time of seg
regation in North Carolina. Black
was a part of a movement that
changed the history of firefighting
forever.
Roi Thomas, Robert Grier, Lester
Ervin Jr, John Henry Ford, John
Franklin Meredith Jr, John Wadell
Penn, Willie Carter, and Black were
the eight ifirefighters who helped
North Carolina become the first inte
grated firehouse. He remembers
instances, such as very tough training
classes, ladder climbing and tasks
where he felt the chips were stacked
against him and his comrades.
''People wanted us to fail, so tKey
made it hard for us," says Black "But
we pulled through using teamwork,
and staying dedicated to the job."
They faced many different situa
tions that forced them to be disci
plined, and think quickly. Raphael
Black was geared toward becoming a
history educator when the opening to
apply for a fireman position became
available. A friend of Black's felt that
having the opportunity to become a
firefighter would be excellent.
Black, feeling a bit skeptical about
the firefighting idea, went along with
his friend, later being offered one of
the eight positions at Engine Four.
Through his work ethic, dedication
and admiration he gained the recogni
tion as a leader and was promoted to
sergeant. This position was also given
to now close friend of Ervin, making
them the first black fire sergeants in
North Carolina history. Black was
promoted once again to district chief.
a title that a very big accom
plishment to him as one of the pio
neers who helped pave the way.
When asked about the remaining
firefighters. Black said he remains in
close contact with the three of them.
He said Carter, Thomas, Grier, are
like brothers bonded by their strug
gle. He also credited Firefighting and
staying together with helping them
remain strong bringing this group of
college graduates together and form
ing a life long brotherhood.
Black, now 80, is retired with over
30 years of firefighting under his belt.
He is married with one daughter, and
remains a leader in the community.
Black said he was very pleased with
the film.
"I feel the movie portrayed the
actual story very well and that the
producers didn't leave anything out."
See page 3 for a review of the
documentary.
Fieldhouse
Opens
Part of the Homecoming festivities
included the ribbon cutting and
grand opening of WSSU’s new
fieldhouse near Bowman Gray
Stadium.
Should students
elect CAB officers?
Grant Fulton and
Steven J. Gaither
ARGUS STAFF
At a recent Student Senate
meeting, Harold T. Respass,
the Vice President of Internal
Affairs, announced that the
Student Government
Association (SGA) wants the
entire student body to elect
the Campus Activities Board
(CAB) president this spring.
The announcement caused a
stir at the meeting and has
seemingly put the two organ
izations at odds.
A recent poll on www.the-
newsargus.com revealed that
students side slightly with
the SGA, as 52 percent of stu
dents said that CAB's presi
dent should be voted upon
by the entire student body.
"The Campus Activities
Board is responsible for a
$45,000 budget that comes
directly from student fees,"
said SGA president Terrell
Stephens. "We feel that the
Campus Activities Board
president should be accoimt-
able to the student body and
not to the CAB individuals
who vote for him."
Stephens said that the prob
lem with the current system is
that CAB officials are elected
by members of the organiza
tion but make decisions that
affect the entire student body.
"CAB has a high level of
autonomy in their system,"
said Stephens. "Let's say there
are 20 members in CAB, those
20 members vote on the presi
dent. But that president and
the Campus Activities Board
make decisions that affect the
whole campus and the campus
climate and we feel that the
students should have the great
est decision in who becomes
president of CAB."
Junior Wes Hayes, the cur
rent CAB president said, that
having the student body vote
on CAB's president would be
a violation of the SGA's con
stitution, and he is firmly
against open elections for the
organization's president.
"Campus Activities Board
should not open up their
elections, because according
Photo by Garrett Garns
Charles Dodd arrived at WSSU in 2004 at age 75.
Dodd straddles the
generation gap
Sharrod Patterson
MANAGING EDITOR
In the fall of 2004, Charles
WiUiam Dodd entered his
first year of college at
Winston-Salem State
University. With him he car
ried his textbooks, a smile,
and years of experience; 75
years, to be exact.
Dodd is one of the oldest
freshmen ever to enroll at
WSSU, and he is on track to
become one of its oldest
graduates. Dodd is now a
78-year-old junior. He is an
elementary education major
and expects to graduate in
spring 2009.
"The shortage of male
teachers at the elementary
school level is what made
me choose this major," he
said. "Children should see
more male images in
school."
Dodd's connection to
WSSU began long before he
ever thought about attend
ing the university.
Dodd was raised in
Steelton, P. A. by his aunt
Margaret H. Hunter and
uncle William M. Dodd.
Hunter attended Slater
Normal School in the early
1920's.
"She attended when they
still had log cabins," Dodd
says jokingly. "My vmcle
was from nearby Stokes
County and him and my
aunt met here at WSSU."
Hunter played a special
role in her nephew's life.
"Her influence was
inevitable with her being a
teacher, she instilled in me
the need to help. When I
was in elementary school it
was more of a balance of
male and female teachers,
but now the shortage of
to the constitution SGA has
written up, they are not an
organization. All organiza
tions have the right to elect
their own officers and for
SGA to try to take that right
away from CAB would be in
violation of their owm consti
tution."
"SGA states that they are
here to enforce policy, but
how are they following poli
cy when they are dealing
with an issue that is in viola
tion of their own constitu
tion," said Hayes.
Hayes said he thinks the
male teachers is becoming a
problem," Dodd said.
Dodd has been teaching
Sunday school since he
arrived in Winston-SaJem in
2004, which has given him a
chance to hone his skills.
" I tell the children to be
humble no matter what
people may say or do to
you, just be humble because
it is all because of God,"
said Dodd.
Dodd said he neither
expects nor receives any
special treatment from his
fellow students or profes
sors.
"1 mix and mingle, and I
am not looked at as an odd
ity; everyone is very courte
ous to me," he said. He
does command respect,
however, and students
always refer to him as "Mr.
Dodd."
Ever since his freshman
year, he has been striving to
become the best student he
could be, he said.
"I want to increase my
writing skills, just become
better at putting my
thoughts on paper," Dodd
said.
Dodd has picked up a
few things while attending
WSSU.
"I have learned that the
computer is a great innova
tion and without knowl
edge of it you will fall
behind," he said.
Dodd said that he has
also learned a lot about the
younger generation from
his time around them.
"I have noticed that the
students here are very
aware of what's going on
and have a good grasp on
what they want to be."
SGA is overstepping its
boundaries and needs to
focus on real issues.
"To be honest there should
be no dispute and going on
because once again SGA's
constitution states that all
campus organizations have
the right to elect their own
officers, and CAB is an organ
ization.
"SGA is here to enforce
policy and be the voice of the
student body by focusing on
real issues that need to be
addressed," said Hayes.