Newspapers / Saint Augustine’s University Student … / Dec. 20, 1963, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page Two THE PEN December 20, 1963 Letter To The Editor Dear Editor: I would be obliged if you would allow me a space in the school paper to introduce myself to the faculty and the student body of Saint Augustine’s College. I am an African, a Kenyan, bom of a Kikuyur couple in the High lands of East Africa. Kenya is a British dependency destined to be a sovereign nation within the Com monwealth of Nations on December 12, 1962, and a member of the East African Federation, comprised of Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika. Because of their proximity, their common land features, and their interdependent economies, these countries are hardly referred to in dividually. And in treating one; therefore, it becomes necessary to give the whole picture of East Africa. East Africa is chiefly agricultur al. Among her agricultural pro ducts are such rare commodities as sisal and pyrethren. The East African game is the biggest in the world. This together with unique, W beautiful, landscapes such as the Mountains of the Moon, the Great Rift Valley, and the Lake Victoria, contribute to focusing the world’s attention on East i^ica, making tourism the second biggest industry. The East African community is composed of three races: Africans, Asians and Europeans. The Afri cans, by far, are majority though their community is made up of different tribes, speaking dif ferent languages. Despite this, Swahili and English are the lan guages used for communicating. I attended school in East Africa, finished as a high school graduate on December 4, 1962. August 10, 1963, I left my coun try bound for the United States. My destination was higher educa tion. The welcome I have received from the people of the United States is highly regarded. But more do I feel indebted to Saint Augus- tme’s College. The promptness with which she accepted me as her adopted son and the hospitality I have received from her sons and daughters while studying here, makes me relax and sigh: “Blessed is she. Saint Augus tine’s.” Raphael Maru Wanjohi The Pen Staff Member of the Intercollegiatei Press. Editor-in-Chief .. Maurvene C. De Berry Associate Editor . Vernon McClean Feature Editor Judith Moore Contributing Editors Henry Harris, Catherine Rusher, Aud rey Stewart Religious Editor . Peter Golden Sports Editors Gladys Gray Joseph Ormond, Clement Price Reporters James Moore Eleanor Smith, Patricia Wilson Cartoonist .. Waymond Burton, Jr. Photographer Brenda Dowero Typists Geri Lauderdale Dorothy Sheridan, Irene Wright Circulation Mger. ,. Marvin Peek Business Mger. .. William Millett Advisor Dr. Walter C. Daniel Mailing Address: THE PEN Student Publications Office Saint Augustine’s College Raleigh, N. C. c/o The Post Office The Greatest Story Ever Told To each one of us, Christmas has its own special piurpose and inter est. To most of us it means home with the family, friends and asso ciates for the holidays. During this festive time, let us briefly stop and remember the Christian aspect ol one of the most blessed events ol our time. In the second chapter of the Gos pel according to St. Luke a truly rewarding and soul-searching sto ry is imfolded. It is the story of the birth of Christ. One of the most humble and lowly stories ever told by heralds: the birth of a great King. The story is, I am sure, familiar to all, but there is one aspect to this story that may be a little mis understood — the shepherds. AH know the purpose of the Wise Men in finding their point of visitation and departure, but the shephert^ surely have their right in this story. For the most part, they were meek and humble with little formal education. Yet these people shared the great event with the Wise Men. An angelical procla mation was made to the shepherds and a bright star led the Wise Men. The Shepherds faced the cold long journey on foot. The Wise Men made their way on camels. The shepherds presented themselve# as witness. The Wise Men bore great gifts. Both left the Blessed Mother and the Jesus Bambino with humble hearts, praising God for this deed He had made known to them. Let us remember the shepherd’s story in our daily lives. Although poor and meek, they had a special place in the witnessing of the Holy Nativity of Our Lord. Although they had worked hard, and were cold, sitting on the plain that Holy Night, God called them to go even into Bethlehem. With a contrite, earnest and devout heart they chose to go. In all of our Christian lives we are called upon to witness, to be called and finally chosen. In Our Blessed Lord’s own Words Many are called, but few are chosen. In short, if we as the Shepherds are called upon to be witness, shaU we go? To be called, shall we answer? To be chosen shall we respond? If we are asked shall we give? Give as the Shepherd with the same sim ple devotion? Surely we shall re member the great part they played in the Greatest Story Ever Told. Peter Phillip Golden Teachers’ Views Few students make use of the opportunity to confer with their professors in conferences for the purpose of clarifying difficulties they may experience in under standing work in courses. All mem bers of the faculty here observe office hours at which periods they iare available to students for “con ference teaching;” yet most stu dents come to their professors only after they become aware that they are in danger of failing a course. Intelligent use of the conference period could be realized by most students in the College by following these simple instructions: a. Arrange a conference when work in the course is not un derstood. b. Come to these sessions with specific questions written out. c. Take careful attention of the professor’s explanation and in corporate them in notes. Walter C. Daniel Department of English Our Right To Just before the mid-term exami nations this semester, a group of Saint Augustine’s students, who were eating in the college cafeteria, discovered that the tea being serv ed had an abominable taste. They [informed the person in charge of preparing the food, and for some unknown reason they continued to serve the same tea. Several stu dents who did not want their tea placed it on a table which was located in a central position. For this simple act of protest, they were taken before the Code of Con duct Committee and severely ridi culed. Moreover, they were ostra cized by some members of the faculty. The Code of Conduct Committee decided to suspend two of them from the Student Coimcil and pul the others on probation for the rest of the semester (and some of them indefinitely) for breaking the rules and regulations of this Insti tution. The vmter would like to know what rules and what regulations of this College were broken? The Writer tends to think that instead of rules and regulations being broken, customs and traditions which existed because of the com placency of students in the past were now being challenged by the thinkers and intellectuals of today, who “pull no punches” when ex ercising rights guaranteed by our Constitution. The argument has been made that we have a channel of protest which is the Student Coimcil. Should the students have taken the tea and marched to the Student Council to prove their point or should they have taken tiieir tea and thrown it on the floor, which would have immediately tal^ it out of the realm of peaceful protest? We should note here that this was imlike the Boston Tea Party in that no property was destroyed. We have also been told to go through the established channels ot communication for our grievances by members of the Administration. I seem to remember hearing this advice before, but xmfortunately from known segregationists who were merely trying to perpetuate the status quo. When we disobeyed this advice and started on peaceful protest in the streets, we got some action. Since the Supreme Court Decision of 1954, the South has had nine years to desegregate its schools and only a few states have complied to any appreciable de gree. We have had nine years of peaceful litigation in which the Negro has kept within the frame work of the law, and very little has been accomplished. The gains have come as a result of peace ful protest outside the law. It should be noted that more was ac complished in one summer of pro test than in nine years of litigation. Granted that the white man, like our Administration, has listened to our complaints, but what has been done about it? We must re member above aU, that one of the most sacred of the historical tra ditions of this Country is the right: of peaceful protest. It seems that on a college cam pus where one would expect to find differences of opinion, one would also expect to find contro versy or conflict which generally is agreed upon as a source of progress in view of the fact that it results in compromise. Conformity should not be expected and has no place in an intellectual community where the emphasis is on the free dom of intellectual inquiry. Unfortunately, many members of the faculty see little value in con flict or controversy. For them, I would like to quote from Reece McGhee’s book entitled Social Dis organization in America. In speak ing of controversy and conflict, the author says: “It (controversy and conflict) is an organizing affair and settled their disagreements. While a certain amount of over dishar- money is clearly necessary for the existence of conflict, it gives, on the other hand, psychological relief Protest to hostilities within the social groups which might otherwise de stroy it.” He goes on to say, that “the first clue to understanding conflict is what could be called ‘the principle of scarcity,’ for conflicts occur only about scarce values. (There are no bread riots when everyone has all the bread he wants).” For those who have the courage of their convictions to peak up for what they believe, I salute them. For those who remain taciturn, I can only have pity for them, for their exposure to the great ideas of the past which constitute the most significant body of our American Heritage has been in vain and of no consequence. Respectfully submitted, Herbert E. Smith Tradition; To Move Or Not To Move Tradition is a wonderful thing. It is both inspirational and motivat ing. It is that cohesive force in all worthy institutions. In all progres- isive institutions, tradition is sub ject to change, be it ever so light, ilf tradition impedes progress in any way it is our responsibility to modify or change tradition. Tradition is an innate segment of all institutions. We at Saint Augus tine’s College are blessed with many fine traditions. Because of these traditions our school is one of the most respected colleges in the South. We have maintained this respect and, at the same time, we have taken giant steps toward the expansion of the student body, the faculty and the campus in general. The limiting of chapel to one night a week per class was one of the more thoughtful moves of the administration. The rearrangement of the dining area is also an ex ample of administrative foresight. We should realize that a change of any progressive nature involves various other factors. Necessary funds, board approval, and general acceptance are all factors in in stitutional changes. The new Health and Fine Arts Center, for instance, was erected on a large clearing with the idea in mind that any extension of the gymnas ium would not interfere with the activities on the main campus. Al- ■so, there is plenty of space for that extension. The face of Saint Augustine’s College is a changing face. The change is wrought by the adminis tration and generally welcomed by the students. Wholesome changes in institutions take time; changes in human beings take even more time. We know that the adminis tration is interested in making Saint Augustine’s comparable with other more advanced colleges and universities. We know that the administration realizes the efforts of the student body in trying to match the accelerated pace. We also know that the cooperation of both student body and administra tion is necessary. We must com plement each other. If the de mands of student and administra tion are to be met each must con tribute to the welfare of the other. If Saint Augustine’s is to continue to grow, all parties concerned must work together, facilitating sound and diversified growth. Saint Au gustine’s has been known as the traditional “Big Family School”. Let us work toward expansion and at the same time let us maintain the fine tradition of Saint Augus tine’s College. Joseph Ormond Death And A Challenge The death of President John F. Kennedy has left us shocked and grieved. However, his death serves also to challenge us as college students to remember his words, his actions and to act upon them. In his inaugural address. Presi dent Kennedy stated that “the trumpet summons us again — not as a call to bear arms, ... but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle ... a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, and di seases and war itself” The Presi dent’s words still have meaning for us. President Kennedy re-emphasiz- ed his statement by taking action against our struggles. Through the establishment of the Peace Corps and other agencies, the downfall of our enemies is seen in the work of young people for bet ter relationships with other com- tries of the world. If the civil rights bUl is passed, our own immediate struggle will be realized. We, as college students, are striving to assume the responsibili ties of adulthood. H we would stop to consider how vital our education plays m our struggle, we would also realize the struggle against our common enemies. We must realize the great task ahead of us: learning as much as we can from our courses of study in college. There is no room for ignorance and unenhghtenment m our minds. We must realize that our studies are applicable to me. The struggle with the common enemies of tyranny, poverty and disease cease when we learn to act intelligently. War itself can be completely unheard of if we act inteUigently and really loiow to express ourselves. This matter of communication is vital in Wff struggle if we are to foUow toe late President’s plans for the Amercan people. ,. ^ The challenge which the .^esi- dent’s death has left us with, is great; for we as the leaders of a tomorrow so very near are bouna to be overcomed if we do not act now. Our challenge can be fulfiU- ed, our enemies can be overcomed, if we take oiu' college education ■seriously and prepare intelligently for our future. Editor-in-chief Why? Ask some people why would they risk their life, endanger their fami lies, go to jail and spend a whole summer fighting for integration? I did this because I knew it was morally right. I am a United States citizens, a Christian, and I am a Negro being denied Constitutional rights. . j During the summer, I jomea with 26 other young people of all races to fight for these rights. One can ask what did we accomplish. Well, we brought attention to the sleepers. We found new jobs in which the Negro had not investigated possi bilities and we found jobs in which Negroes would have to be more qualified. From our campaign we found that 25% of the Negroes in this area of Raleigh are satisfied with with present conditions. Today as I look back and remem ber, I am glad that I participated in this right for my rights as a Southern Negro citizen and decided to do something about the situation out in the area of N. C. State Col lege. The twenty-seven of us banded together and were willing to suffer 98 degees of summer heat, we were willing to face danger and above aU, we were willing to go to jail. I took many insults and this was only the lighter side. Some had it worse. We did aU of this for a cause — the cause of freedom for all citi zens. If more people would do tWs for a cause then we as a group would not have to ask why? Catherine Rusher
Saint Augustine’s University Student Newspaper
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Dec. 20, 1963, edition 1
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