PAGE TWO
THE CAMPUS ECHO
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBTi^ 30, 1958
Conipus^Echo ^
Member
ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS
The CAMPUS ECHO, official student publication at
North Carolina College at Durham, is published monthly dur
ing the regular school year. Subscription rates, $1.50 per
school yeof.
Second class mail privileges authorized at Durham, North
Carolina.
THEODORE E. GILLIAM
THOMAS L. CAMERON Managing Editor
FLORA SNIPES, SAMUEL C. FLOYD Literary Editors
RLTTH ROYSTER — — — EditoTicil Assistcint
GERALD SmMONSVSHERYL SCHOO^^^
HAROLD HAUSER, BENJAMIN PAGE — Feature Editors
JEWELL DIMERY Circulation Marmger
DAVID WALKER Advertising Manager
Let Conscience Be Your Guide
The Campus Echo unreservedly condones the principle for
which the Student Government has been fighting in its protest over
alleged prejudice on the part of the Durham Merchants Association
in its annual welcoming of Didce freshmen. But the Echo can not ap
prove of the imcertain methods the SG has employed in the expres
sion of its protest.
According to theory, the SG is the voice of the entire student
body. What the Echo wonders is if 80 or so upperclassmen and about
500 un-initiated freshmen can represent the voice of a student body
of over 1500. Such was the case when the SG president received his
first vote of confidence for a boycott of member stores of the DMA.
The pleas of a few sensible—and practical—upperclassmen during
that vote were nearly squelched by a mass of high school graduates
and the impatience of a few student leaders who seemed bent on
one thing: a boycott. (What the upperclassmen urged was that a boy
cott be considered impractical during negotiations.)
This is not to say that a boycott is totally unfeasable or impos
sible to effect. What is being said is that for a boycott to be effective,
it needs the support of everyone involved; it needs some assurance
of effectiveness and expediency; it needs above all else a highly
planned, efficient means of execution. We have been told to 1. ne
gotiate while boycotting, 2. drop the boycott while a committee
plans with the DMA for 1959, 3. boycott agfciin, 4. prepare to parade,
and 5. forego the parade until further developments. The question
arises; To boycott or not to boycott?
Throughout all the tumult and the shouting, the DMA has re
mained insultingly silent, and, instead of the SG, seems thus far to
have the upper hand. It is to be hoped that the SG will study its
hand more carefully henceforth before revealing it. The most
workable means of dealing with a problem such as this one is de
termining to what extent the opposition will come to terms, then,
acting according to what the terms dictate.
The DMA will either provide a welcome in 1959 suitable to our
taste or it will not. Reason, not emotion, should guide our reactions
to the DMA’s reply. A group is more liable to be swayed by emotion
than by reason; therefore, groups need leaders to lead them in the
sensible way. The leaders should be guided by what is best for the
group, not what is glorious for them.
Many returning students have expressed their uncertainty as
to whether they should shop downtown or whether they sdiould not.
The only advice the Echo can give is that you study the problem, the
attempted solutions, the results and let conscience be your guide.
If the cause is worth the sacrifice, the price is small to i>ay.
Miss Webster
To Appear Here
Miss Margaret Webster, dis
tinguished collaborator with
Maurice Evans in many Shake
spearean play productions, is
scheduled to appear in concert in
B. N. Duke auditorium on Oct.
9. Miss Webster, well versed in
Shakespeare, will launch the
1958-1959 NCC lyceum series on
its usual high level entertain
ment.
Says John Mason Brown of
the well known actress-direc-
tress, “Miss Webster approaches
Shakespeare without artyness,
without stunts, and with a pal
pable love for, and understand
ing of, both his poetry and his
plays.
“Her mother is Dame May
Whitty and her father is Ben
Webster, whose activities occupy
more than two and a half pages
in Who’s Who in the Theatre.
Her professional debut in Lon
don was made as Gentlewoman
in John Barrymore’s Hamlet.
And she is herself an accom
plished actress, as all American
playgoers can testify who saw
her Mary of Magdala in Family
Portrait, her Andromache in the
Trojan Women, and, most me
morably, her Masha in the Lunt-
Fontanne production of The
Sea Gull.
“Miss Webster was born in
New York in 1905 when her
father and mother were acting in
tliis country. As a girl Miss
Webster twice appeared in Eng
land with Ellen Terry; studied
in Paris; and was still under
twenty when at a dramatic
school in London she first met
Maurice Evans.
“With Mr. Evans, she redis
covered Richard II for theatre-i
goers in this country. There
after ' followed the uncut Ham
let, Henry IV, Twelfth Night,
and^941’s Macbeth, productions
which have deserved the wide
spread praise and popularity
they have won.”
Passing Moments
A New Hampshire farmer had
been urged to attend the funeral
of his neighbor’s third wife.
“But I’m not goin’,” he an
nounced to his own wife.
“Goodness sakes, why not?”
she asked.
“Well, Mary, I’m beginnin’ to
feel kinda awkward about goin’
so often without anything of
the sort to ask him back to.”
(THE READER’S DIGEST)
THE RAZOR'S EDG
By FLORA SNIPES
Prima facie, this year’s group
of freshmen seem to be actually
interested in acquiring for them
selves a college education. Upon
looking these students over, one
can readily detect that the mem
bers of this class of 1962 are yet
unaware of the real reasons fot
their being enrolled in this insti
tution and of how they are ex
pected to carry on during their
matric\ilation here. In order to
save some well-meaning and dis
tinguished upper classmen the
trouble of “educating” these
naive youngsters, I have set
forth the following credo which
many an upper classman has ad--
hered to:
I believe that I am enrolled at
North Carolina College for a
purpose—^that purpose being
to satisfy my parents desire to
see me educated.
I believe that the true purpose
for my being enrolled here is
to have a jolly good time and
find myself a husband (or
wife).
I believe that it is prudish to
study and maintain a decent
scholastic average unless I am
being rushed by a sorority or
fraternity.
I believe that all college stu
dents should be generously
aware of card games, cigar
ettes, hi fi’s, liquor, and the
opposite sex.
I believe that this is a “dog
eat dog” society in which, if
I am to survive, I must em
ploy all of my cannibalistic
prowess.
I believe that North Carolina
College is a year-round play
ground, and therefore, I must
have «1I the fun possible while
I am here.
I believe that I shall stay
young and nonchalant for
ever, and so to the future—
phooey!
To the upholding of these be
liefs, I forfeit my mind, my
morals and my parents’
money.
ROVING REPORTER
By FLORA SNIPES
Question: What do you think
of the student government’s re
cent plans to boycott downtown
stores which hold membership
in the Durham Merchant’s As
sociation?
Elaine Bowling (Freshman) “I
jEeel tljat something should b€s
done to call to the axtention of
the DMA that there has beei^
constant prejudice shown to the
Negro students here. However, I
don’t feel that the proposed boy
cott is in order at this time but
I must admit that I have so little
to base my opinion on.”
Martha Davis (Sophomore)
“Last year when I was a fresh
man, I was very much disturbed
because I received no welcome
to Durham. I feel that if I do
not merit such a small con
sideration as a welcome from
the merchants downtown, I
should not spend my money
there. Moreover, it is very con
venient for me to do all of my
New ECHO Policies Stated
The Campus Echo, under the capable supervision of Mr. H. G.
Dawson and the editorships of countless student editors who have
•done their jobs meritoriously, has garnered a long list of achieve
ments and awards—none more impressive than the Associated Col
legiate Press’ All-American rating. It has taken hard work and per
severance on the part of these individuals to bring the Echo to its
present status. The new editor and his staff have pledged upon
themselves the production of another top-ranking Campus Echo in
order to keep the North Carolina College Eagle soaring high.
With a change in management almost inevitably—yet neces
sarily so—comes some changes. It is hoped that the student body will
appreciate the sincerity and integrity with which any changes are
made.
To avoid one-sided or prejudiced viewpoints the editorial staff
will collectively interpret issues confronting and concerning the
NCC student body and community.
Although the Echo staff does not plan to antagonize individuals
or groups, the responsibility of encouraging reason to reign over
emotions among the student body will not be shirked. The Campusi
Echo has been a moralizing force on campus in the past, and the
paramount wish of the editor 'and staff this year is that the Echoi
will continue to motivate thought, opinion, curiosity, and prudent
action.
The student body is invited to voice its opinions, criticisms, and
grievances through letters to the editor and personal contact with
staff members.
Weidman Depicts Anti-Gentilism
By SAMUEL FLOYD
Essentially the story of George days of humble origin
Hurst’s struggle to adjust to a
life inextricably entwined with
Gentiles, and the strong fear and
hatred of Gentiles implanted in
him in early childhood, Jerome
Wiedman’s latest novel plays up
racial prejudice from the angle
of anti-Gentilism. The Enemy
Camp (Random House, $4.95)
adds to Mr. Wiedman’s impres
sive number of novels, one im
pressive in size and undertaking.
A novel of this type, one that
seeks to adequately explain the
attitude of Jews toward Gen
tiles, is certainly welcome. But
one feels that while Mr. Wied-
man is an able interpreter, and
The Enemy Camp is powerful,
dramatic and contains a striking
assortment of characters, that
depth is lacking. Mr. Weidman’s
insight is rather ordinary.
The action is swift and the
story is told in bold, strong
sweeps, so that the overafl ef
fect looses a certain sharpness
that is desirable.
The essence of the story is
George Hurst’s struggle, from
on the
Lower East Side of New York
to a successful career and marri
age, to adjust to his passion for
a girl who betrays him and his
obsession—hatred of non-Jews.
A phone call and a mysterious
visit that lead to the question'
What do you know about Daniel
Shaw and his wife? reopens the
past that George Hurst has so
carefully buried. Now married
to a Gentile, a beautiful girl
from Philadelphia’s Main Line,
in spite of her family’s violent
objections, on the surface
George Hurst has a happy well-
ordered life in a community
prejudice free. But inwardly he
feels that he has remolded his
life to conform to his wife’s,
thus conceding numberless vic
tories to the Gentile world—“the
enemy camp.” In the end,
George finally realizes that he is
suffering from needless hatred
and anxiety, that fear is the seed
from which hatred springs, and
this discovery frees him from his
obsession.
shopping at home if such be
comes necessary.”
Johnnie Fair (Senior) “In
view of the fact that the DMA
has constantly “overlooked” our
freshmen in its welcoming pro
gram and have seemingly
“evaded” our request for some
cooperative measure in this mat
ter, I think that such action ot
protest as a boycott would at this
point come nearer to proving
and expounding a principle than
never - ending negotiations
would.”
Mattie Giles (Senior) “In the
event that we fail to secure fav
orable results from the DMA,
I believe that we should carry
through with our plans to boy
cott. I do not think that a boy
cott would be ineffective or
pressing inasmuch as we can so'
easily commute to neighboring
shopping centers.”
William Moore (Junior) “The
amount of money which I spenjl
downtown entitles me to at least
a welcoming sign in the stores.
If not, I can carry my business
home to Kinston.”
Rhoda Plummer (Senior)
“The recently proposed boycott
by the NCC Student Government
is definitely a step in the right
direction as far as integration in
Durham is concerned. I think
that there is more involved in
this boycott than just welcoming
our freshmen to Durham. The
outcome of this action can mean
bigger and better opportunities
for Durham Negroes. In spite of
the fact that for years our SG
has been protesting against the
DMA, I am glad to see some con
crete action being taken.
Thomas Cameron (Advanced
Freshman) “At first I was
against a boycott, but repeated
insults should not be ignored.
Not only the members of the
DMA, but all such segregated
establishments should receive
no assistance from us. More
vigorous measures should be
taken with all deliberate speed.
We can never arrive at equality
and first class citizenship unless
we go about things enthusiasti
cally and as one body.”