2 THE PEN March, 1993
Perspectives
The Pbq, Vilujne M NOl 4 IfBrch 1993
News & Observer's lack of candor in arrest
reporting disturbing
"St. Augustine's student faces charges in slaying,"
read the headline of an article in a March 15, 1993
edition of The News & Observer. The paper reported
that, according to Raleigh Police, William Lee Gamer, a
St. Augustine’s student was arrested in Washington, D.C.
in connection with the slaying of a Shaw University
student and the attempted killing of another.
Yet in the same article. The News & Observer
reported that St. Augustine’s administrators told them that
Gamer was enrolled as a freshman this semester but had
not attended any classes. Despite this fact. The News &
Observer found it appropriate to describe Gamer as a St.
Augustine's student in the headline and story.
In their defense. The News & Observer said the idea
was to show Garner's link with Raleigh. However, they
said that they did not intend to make the college look bad.
But a news editor conceded that The Pen "raised a good
point," and that the headline and lead may not have been
written in the best way possible. "We'll try to be careful
and accurate," the editor said.
Despite the concession statement, it is hard to escape
the feeling that the College has become a whipping boy
for The News & Observer and the local media. The spate
of unwelcome incidents related to the College, which are
now history, have played into the hands of The News &
Observer, which seems to have been all too willing to
exaggerate their links with the college.
The disposition showed by the paper is disturbing
because it encourages the perception that "nothing good
happens at St. Augustine’s," and clouds the atmosphere of
normalcy that usually prevails. Also, as said earlier, it
promotes the whipping boy phenomenon.
The News & Observer, as part of the fourth estate,
has a responsibility to eschew the temptation to create
discomfort to any sector of society. While they may think
they are attracting readership even at the expense of a
particular sector of society, they may in fact be
jeopardizing their credibility and reputation for reliable
reporting. For once they lose credibility, they will be
forcing their readers to "read between the lies."
ournalists say a thing that they know Isn't true, In the
hope that if they keep on saying it long enough it will be
true. - Enoch Arnold Bennet -
- The Pen -
Editor-in-Chief: Allim Milazi Assistant Editor-in-Chief: Steven
Mingo News Editor: Tonetta Spencer Entertainment: James
Montague Sports: Emmanuel Noudewo Computer Wiz: Ishmael
Smith Distribution: Brian Boulware Advertising: Natasha Blyden
Consultant: Dr. Frederick Jones.
Tiie Pen is a student publication of Saint Augustine's Coliege and is
publislied montliiy tiiroughout tlie academic year from September to
May. Mailing address is Tlie Pen, Saint Augustine's College, 1315
Oakwood Avenue, Raleigti, Nortii Carolina 27610. Entire Contents
Copyrigiit 1993. All rights reserved.
Unless otiierwise indicated, the opinions expressed in editorials,
cartoons, and columns in these pages are those of the contributors
and do not necessarily reflect an editorial perspective of Tlie Pen.
The unsigned editorial that appears on the left is the responsibility of
the Editor-In-Chief.
,-s-
Reflections on Durham. March 19,1993.
r * ' r'
V' ' -
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■'i
Shot in the back:
The Epitaph of a
Black Man!
Point of
View
"Dr. Kambon's Homework Helper program needs help,'
writes Ishmael Smith
One of the problems of
the world, at least according
to what I have observed in
my limited life span, is that
many people talk a lot, but
very few ever do anything.
In the two years that I
have attended Saint
Augustine's, I have heard
students and professors alike
talk about "reclaiming the
black man." Unfortunately,
that is all that has happen is
talk.
A perfect example of this
phenomenon on this campus
is the Homework Helper Pro
gram.
Conceived and imple
mented by Dr. Kamau Kam-
•bon in 1988 as an
Interlocking Educational
Intervention Strategy
(I.E.I.S.), this program
benefits all who participate in
it.
It assists the children of
the surrounding community
by providing academic
assistance, positive role mod
els, an introduction to an aca
demic setting, and positive re
enforcement.
It assists the helper (the
tutor) by melding theory and
practice, as well as
introducing him to the needs
of the students and
or
encou^aging him to make a
commitment to meeting those
needs.
The progrum also aiinistti
the parent by removirig the
issue of homework from the
home front, since many
parents either have little time
to assist, because of their
work schedule, or lack the
skills to do the work itself.
Finally, the program as
sists the teacher by dispelling
the negative notion that
blacks cannot learn
achieve.
The program, which is a
tribute to the students who
participate in it, is the first
"to link St. Augustine's
College to the community,"
said Kambon.
The sad thing is that the
Homework Helper program,
which operates Monday
through Friday from 3:00 to
5:00 in Boyer 006, is severely
in need of assistance.
There is a great demand
for the program but far from
enough tutors to meet this
demand. "I get three to four
calls a day with new parents
interested in enrolling their
children in the program and I
have to turn them down," said
Kambon, who also noted that
it has no faculty
participation. And wth a
student population of over
1900, this is a sad indictment.
• Individaai. students and
organizations like fratemities
and sororities, which are
known for their community
work, might wish to consider
helping to create a strong
black mind from the
beginning by offering their
services to the program.
It is at the elementary
level that, as Kambon said,
"the destructiveness of an
inefficent education system
begins."
The "system"
understands this and that is
why black children are
quickly shunted into "special
education" sections that tell
them that they are inferior
and instill within them self
destructive attitudes which
create people who destroy
not only themselves but also
their community.
Join the Homework
Helper Program; let Boyer
Building basement be the first
of many reclaiming grounds,
because, in this day and age,
the only viable future for the
black race are strong black
minds.
Umith is a Computer Wiz on The Pen
Quote of the month
Money isn't everything: usually it isn't enough. - Anon.