Newspapers / North Carolina Central University … / Dec. 9, 1985, edition 1 / Page 2
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page 2 AROUND English professor does radio drama By Amy Becker-Chambless A N.C. Central professor of English has been commission ed by a California radio sta tion chain to do a radio play based on a work of the first black novelist, William Well- ings Brown. John Sekora is also speak ing to the National Endow ment of the Humanities in Washington, in hopes of get ting funding to produce a television drama of the same play. The project began when Sekora was on the “Soundings” radio show, speaking about Brown, a near ly forgotten 19th century novelist. Mag Montague, the general manager of a Palm Beach radio station, called Sekora, and said, “I am an educated and informed man. But who is WiUaim Wellings Brown?” Montague believed that the listeners of his station and its affiliates would be interested in Brown and commissioned Sekora to do 10 three-to-five minute tapes on aspects of Brown’s life. The tapes were well received, and Montague commissioned him to do the radio play in October. Sekora felt that if he could do a radio play, he could cer tainly do a television adaption. The National Edowment for the Humanities is interested in projects that will be finished, and Sekora said, “I am com mitted to seeing this through.” The play Sekora is planning to adapt is “The Escape.” Ac cording to Sekora, it is the on ly one of Brown’s three plays with a manageable amount of characters. Sekora describes North Carolina as an ideal place to work on a Brown script. Besides the talent in scripting, acting and production. Cen tral is the focus of the studies on Brown, who was rediscovered by WiUaim Far- rison, a former head of the English department. Some of Brown’s books are in the rare book room in the Shepard Library. Brown, who was bom a slave, was the second greatest anti-slave agent in the 19th century. He wrote 17 books, over SOOO speeeches, and newspaper articles on the average of three or four a week for 40 years. He also was the first black to write about his travels in Europe. Law school copes while in search for a dean By Amy Becker-Chambless N.C. Central Unversity’s School of Law is “in a holding pattern with no major (curriculum) changes,” said interim dean Thomas Mdodana Ringer, Jr. That means things are going fine as the school looks for a new dean. As interim dean. Ringer feels a “responsibilty to continue with existing pro grams” established during the faculty’s Quail Roost Retreat of 1981. These programs include the introduction of writing courses, written exams and emphasis on multiple choice questions. Students are required to take 56 hours of required courses, and the lowest grade average accepted for first-year students is a C-. Courses were also created to fill learning gaps in the law curriculum. Ringer considers the student body and law faculty hard working and en thusiastic, both with “a vested interest in the future of the law school.” In fact, the students will be interviewing the final candidates for dean that the selection committee picks, and making their recommendations to the committtee. Two students have served on the committee, former Student Bar Association president, Mike Jones, who served until he graduated, and current presijlent, Brenda Baldwin. According to Ringer, the committee is looking for someone with backgrounds in law, academics and administration, along with the ability to raise funds, and an understanding of the law school’s purpose and mission. Ringer stresses that the school is a traditional law school, and it is especially in terested in “identifying promising students from segments of society that are historically underrepresented.” Ringer hopes that new dean will realize how critical fund raising is for the future of the law school. He would also like to see more facilities for faculty research. Dedication helps NCCU choirs sing to great praises By Kimberly Y. Home and touring choirs receive Full houses and standing from their audiences. What ovations are common makes these choirs so con- responses NCCU’s concert sistently excellent? New education classes offered By Debbie L. Galmon A new language arts program, a 14-course curriculum leading to a master of education degree in middle grade education, is be ing taught at Vance Senior High to Vance County teachers of grades six through nine. Beginning January, a course in adolescent psychology and a course in the operation of the Middle School will be offered. This current semester, a writing methods course and a beginn ing computer class are being taught. The program was designed after a request by former Vance County associate superintendent William Powell. “Only off-campus complete degree program people can be admitted into the program if they hold a North Carolina ‘A’ teaching certificate,” said Dr. Waltz Maynor, director of Conti nuing Education at N.C. Central University. The 14-course curriculum is designed to be completed in three years and includes an academic concentration in language arts with courses such as prose fiction for adolescents, literary research and bibiography, and the integration of reading and writing. Degree candidates who elect to a complete a research project will be eligible for the master of education degree and those who write a master’s thesis will be eligible for the master of arts degree. Other courses to be offered are education theory, research, and statistics. Teachers interested in these courses or the master’s degree program may call Maynor at 683-6347. “Dedication, self-discipline, and a lot of hard work is the foundation for the success of the choirs,” said Miss Choir, Teresa Pasley, a senior political science major from Roanoke, Va. The concert choir practices every Monday from 7-9:30 p.m. and the touring choir practices from 5-6:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, said Pasley. Double rehearsals are' often required before each concert. “Each member is ex pected to attend every rehear sal unless he has a legitimate $250,000 gift excuse,” she said. Just showing up isn’t enough. Pasley noted that Dr. Charles H. Gilchrist, director of both choirs, “expects 150 percent” from each member. “He tries to musically shape students by teaching them classical music as well as spiritual music,” she said. Trying out for the concert choir might be a nervous ex perience for ihany. An audi tion administered by Gilchrist is required. A student chooses a song and sings it in front of Gilchrist. If the student’s per formance meets his approval, he will admit the student into the concept choir. Sound easy enough? Well, for the touring choir one must demonstrate “exceptional musical ability.” Following the selection of new members each fall sepiester, an optiohal choir line is offered. “The choir line promotes closeness among the members,” Pasley responded. “It’s a character and per sonality building experience to aid the members in understan ding themselves and others.” IBM gives computer equipment By Anthony Chiles It was the signaling of the marriage of higher education and industury as International Business Machines Corp.,IBM, recently bestowed upon N.C. Central $250,000 worth of com puter programing equipment. Dr. William T. Fletcher, chairman of mathematics and computer science at NCCU, said the 31 computers would cut the waiting time for regular Ceentral students enrolled in computer courses, and to be incorporated into Central’s summer school programs for public school teachers as well as elementary and high school students. The 31 computers more than double the number of computers that Central students now have access to, which means that the more than 150 students in computer science courses simply “means they’re more likely to stay interested and stay Involved,” Fletcher said. The grant from IBM, which includes $45,000 to be presented over the next three years, is ex cepted to help NCCU attain its Diamond Anniversary Campaign’s goal of $5.4 million for the school’s endowment. The campaign is to increase the university’s endowment of $650,000 to $10 million by the end of the decade and to $15 million by the year 2000.
North Carolina Central University Student Newspaper
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Dec. 9, 1985, edition 1
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