PAGE TWO
THE CAIV^PUS ECHO
MONDAY, DEC. 20, 1954
Let's Be Helpful As Well As Helped
It is easy, or perhaps even human, to take for granted
the fact that our life is a good one. We are not basking in
luxuries, but we have-so much for which to be thankful. In
contrast, there are those who are many times less fortunate.
Two organizations have been established on our campus
to aid those who are in need of financial assistance. One is a
local organization, while the other operates campus-wide on
ly. These are the United Fund and the NCC Scholarship
Fund.
. All of us are aware of the functions of these organi
zations. We know that their objectives are worthy. And yet,
as students, we prefer to cover our ears when they plead for
contributions.
We, who have so much, should learn to share that which
we have. Student organizations—and there are well over
fifty on our campus—that have enough in their treasuries to
sponsor social functions should not feel that too much is be
ing demanded when they are asked to make minor contribu
tions for the benefit of those who are less fortunate.
It is well to remember that we have no guarantee that
we will not fall heir to the misfortunes of circumstance. We
can, therefore, find no justification for our selfishness.
Since we have the resources to give to both of these
noteworthy organizations, we should not hesitate to offer
our financial support.
Don't Become A Christmas Statistic
For the vast majority of people, the Christmas season
is a joyous time ... as it should be. It was this time of year
that in the city of David, a Savior, Christ the Lord, was born.
This is also the time of year that many thousands of people
in the United States have died—tragically and unnecessar
ily—in traffic accidents.
Last year, in the state of North Carolina alone, vehicle
accidents were reported at the rate of one every eleven min
utes. Every eight hours of every day, not barring De
cember 25, a person died as a resull of traffic accidents.
Death observes no holiday.
The birth of Christ will be observed next Saturday, and
according to statistics, more accidents will occur then, than
any other day in the week.
More than half of the fatal accidents that happen on
Saturday, or any other day of the week, happen during the
night.
Statistics can be obnoxious. Few are as unpleasant as
those complied each year by traffic bureaus. So during the
Christmas holidays—and for all the rest of your days (may
_tli0y be many)—observe traffic rules afid regulationsj. Don’t
beco^ne a statistic.
Beneath the star that shone over Bethlehem, a wish is
phrased and tossed skyward—“May your Christmas be mer
ry, and all of the things that you would have it be.”
She Knew You Could Be ‘UN-’
Without The Other
Way back when, somewhere around the fifth grade, I
remember an unusual teacher. She was not only smart, but
also intelligent.
But it took until now for me to appreciate her exacting
meticulousness about words. She taught English. She in
sisted not only on the exact word at all times, but also on
the exact prefix or suffix on every word that had one or the
other.
She would know how to handle the present confusion,
misinterpretation, and downright stubborn misunderstand
ing. But, alas, she lies dead, buried under the weight of
misused, misleading prefixes.
Yes, she would have solved everything. She would have
changed the name of the House Un-American Activities
Committee. Yes, to her being un-American (what ever
that is) and being ^nti-American would be two quite differ
ent things.
As I said, she was also intelligent. She would next have
obliged every good American, nay, every American, to carry
his dictionary wherever he went if he did not already know
it by heart.
—Jim Dygert in the Michigan Daily (University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor.)
THE CAMPUS ECHO
NO^lTH CAROLINA COLLEGE AT DURHAM
The CAMPUS ECHO, official student publication at North Carolina Col
lege at Durham, is published monthly during the regular school year. Applica
tion for entry as second class' mail is pending. Subscription rates: $1.00 per
school year.
Moabet
Plssocioted Colle6icite Press
EDITOR W. Sherman Perry
BUSINESS MANAGER Retha Hughes
MANAGING EDITOR George Griffin
ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Robert Perry
ADVERTISING MANAGER JAMES Rainey
EXCHANGE EDITOR Barbara broadnax
NEWS EDITOR BETTY REDDING
FEATURE EDITOR lONA CRAWFORD
LITERARY EDITORS MARY Mebane, Charles Gittens
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Yvonne Scruggs
SPORTS EDITOR Charles Womack
SECRETARY William N. Burnette
advisor reporters Horace G. Dawson
matt CHAVIS, EDITH WHITE, DORETHEA ARRINGTON, FLORESTINA LINE-
BERGER, ELNORA JOYNER, EARLENE COWARD, LORENZA CLARK, MILDRED
RUTHERFORD, EMMA BULLOCK, SHIRLEY JAMES, EVELYN WILDER, PEGGY
battle ELIZABETH ROUSE, JUANITA GREGORY, KITTY SNEED, BESSIE
MONTGOMERY WALTER N. DAVIS, MELVIN HOLLOMAN, MARY KERSHAW.
1 CIRCULATION STAFF
CLEAPATRA TURNER BECKETT, IREDELLA MEETZE, ROBBIE GRAHAM.
TYPISTS
QUEEN JOHNSON, GENEVA MCALLISTER. LUREDEAN WATKINS, BETTYE
PORTEE, MANNIE BEAMON. WILLIAM N, BURNETTE.
GITTENS
Peering Through The
Bir(Ts Eye
B y “B O N NIE”
THE FREEDOM OF
AMERICANS AND
AMERICA
Contrary to the practice of
discussing various topics in this
column each month, I would like
to ask leave of my readers to
discuss one problem which is of
growing c o n-'; ‘
cern to me. This*
problem c o n-
cerns Red China'
and the United
Nations, not as=
it bears relation'
to the great
powers of thegs
world, but as it
affects the
United States of BONNIE
America, and the philosophy
which is inherent in the Ameri
can psychology of security.
Very recently, two of the
American Military Institutes
were considering the question
of Red China’s admission to
the United Nations as a pos
sible topic for debate. These
young Americans — potential
leaders of tomorrow — who
were attempting to approach
intelligently, and from the
point of current public opin
ion, a question which should
be aired before the American
public to rid it of the menace
to which seclusion and ob
scurity give rise, were forbid
den to discuss the topic. More
recently, students at an insti
tution in the state of North
Carolina wrote a North Caro
lina congressman requesting
material for a similar debate.
They were rebuffed, reprim
anded; and told that the ques
tion was undebatable.
I am not quibbling with the
“Nay’s” which soar sky-ward on
the question on Red China’s ad
mission to the United Nations. I
only take exception to the fear
and suppression which Ameri
cans are allowing to defeat—to
render more helpless daily, their
staunch and unwavering faith in
our democratic system of gov
ernment. For if we, under the
shadow of the eagle of confid
ence, and the flag of freedom,
can swear no more allegiance to
our country than the stifling of
unhampered evalution will in
sure, then half of our battle
against- the destructive force of
communism within oior own
boarders is lost.
It is only upon the intelli
gence and comprehension of
the American people that our
democracy presupposes suc
cess; it is upon this same in
telligence and comprehension
that our faith in democracy
can be maintained. For
through comparison and ex
ample Americans will continue
to preserve the letter and spir
it of democracy.
But when the faith in ovir
country is held in such dubious
esteem as to classify as treach
erous the free discussion of the
place of a country which has a
formidable government in asso
ciation with our own United
States, the foundation of our
success is shaken. The freedom
of discussion is not a right. It is
a necessity, and when it is stif
led like a smothered blaze, the
smoke gathers the power of suf
focation.
Writer Finds —
'Roses' In Book
By Ex-Teacher
By C. L. GITTENS
Within the shadows of our
campus here at North Carolina
College, a most remarkable wo
man began to write the story of
entitled, A Spark For My Peo
ple.
This is not the passing account
of an ordinaryiSs
life, but a full
inspiring life,
selflessly lived,;
dedicated to the''
many hundreds]]
of young people''
who were for-
tunate enoughi
to receive their
early training!
under her guid
ance, For forty years, Ella Earls
Cotton taught in the elementary
schools of several Southern
states, and in her “hut” across
the street from what she calls
“a dream come true — beauti
ful North Carolina College,”
Mrs. Cotton set forth her story.
The result is a work that far
surpasses a mere “Socioligical
Autobiography of a Negro Teach
er,” for in it we find those ele
ments of human interest —
pathos, success, sadness, joy —
that we look for in our favorite
novels. It embraces those as
pects of human relations, history,
and philosophy that make it the
composite work that it is. But
most important, it is a way of
life, an expression of forty years’
experience of school work, offer-*
ed as a challenge to young Ne
gro teachers “to accept the re-
ponsibility which is peculiarly
theirs alone in the sure and more
rapid raising of the status of the
Negro youth in Southern states.”
The drama of Mrs. Cotton’s
story begins in the western part
of Virginia. At a leisurely pace,
the panorama of her early years
skillfully unfolds. We finally en
ter Knoxville College in Tenn
essee with her (she has only
twenty dollars and a small bag
of silver), where she spends five
determined years of her life.
Then, of course, the inevitable—
she falls deeply in love with a
fellow student, J. A. Cotton,
marries him, and together they
set forth on a career of teaching.
One of the most outstanding
persons in the book is Mrs. Cot
ton’s grandfather. The reader
immediately becomes attached to
this towering, sage gentleman,
devoid of formal education, but
effervescent with “mother wit.”
Through him, young Ella not
only receives her first formal
learning (reading and writing),
but she learns to appreciate the
beauty in nature. From him al
so, she obtains a philosophy of
life that helps her sustain the
many trying and turbulent years
on virgin soil in Georgia, Vir
ginia, and Alabama, Author Cot
ton leaves no doubt that “Grand
father” was her first love, her
guiding hand, and her “moving
spirit.”
Mrs. Cotton has created a
work of literature that for many
years should be a source of in- \
spiration and stimulus to all
teachers, and those about to en-
er the profession cannot afford . “INCOMPLETE” in math 215, WITH-
to consider their education com- DRAWN in English II, CONDITIONAL in social studies,
plete until they have read A a “D” in PHYS ED — Boy! Thank goodness I didn’t flunk
SPARK FOR MY PEOPLE. I anything this term.”
LETTER OF INTEREST
FROM A
Dear Miss Bohanon:
I wanted to write this note
while my thoughts were still
fresh. The performance of Medea
to night was to be placed in my
memory as an everlasting memo
of entertainment. I have never
seen the passions of love, hate,
scorn and joy so vividly portray
ed by such a group.
I dare say that Judith Ander
son’s interpretation might have
been only a degree better be
cause of experience. I tip my
hat to you and the North Caro-
STUDENT
Una College Thespians.
The amusement of the audi
ence during “tension moments”
is possibly due to lack of in
telligence and appreciation. Yet
we must recognize the fact that
our people have come a long way
from Hedonism to Hxmianism.
And only by increasing their
knowledge of art can we expect
an even hope for a brighter fu
ture.
Once again, congratulations.
Yours truly,
CHARLES ALSTON, JR.
LITYIE MAN ON CAMPUS
by DlcIT biblsr
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