Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / April 25, 1968, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page Two THE TWIG April 25,1968 Mepcditk College. April 25, 1968 Twigs Start Fires Twigs start fires . . . and this Twig is ready to burst into flames. The staff wants to spark interest, kindle discussion, and ignite action. Too often the newspaper here at Meredith has been regarded merely as an opportunity for students interested in writing to see their work in print. Students who were not involved in the composing did not get involved in the reading either. To gain the attention and sponsorship of every student is one of our major goals, for, without the support of each girl, there is no student paper. What is a “student paper?” It is a newspaper that appeals to the student, presents her concerns, and makes her think. Our editoria'ls are expressions of how we as individuals feel, but the news and features express the attitude of the whole college. Students are the news; therefore, they should be interested. Not only what they do is important—what they want to do is and here the newspaper will serve them. We will bring student concerns on campus and world issues to the attention of the faculty, administration, and other students. As students ourselves we, the new staff, will take a stance on the issues we present but for even more meaningful statements, the entire student body should be involved. Hall discussions and suite talks prove that students have original and good ideas. Expression of these ideas in letters, stories, and all other contributions from people outside the staff are welcome, for, besides wanting to be provocative enough to make you think, we want to make you act. The Twig does not want to light just a candle; it wants to stir up a bon fire. SAJ Nominal Integration? In a single terrifying week—from April 4 to 11—Negro rioting occurred in as many U. S. cities as in the entire year of 1967, and a “long hot sum mer” is imminent. The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King has been the occasion, for national introspection, the fruit of which was the hurried passage on April 10 of a civil rights bill banning racial discrimination in housing. A bit of introspection into Meredith’s racial policy would be in keeping with the national trend. Meredith College, with the encouragement of the Southern Baptist Convention and the support of the Trustees, endorses a policy of racial integration. Meredith has never rejected any qualified applicant for ad mission because of race. The Meredith policy of high academic standards has always held precedence over special privilege of wealth, position, or color. Several Negro students have been accepted in the past but have matriculated elsewhere because of attractive scholarship offers. Meredith has therefore fulfilled her responsibility toward an integrated community and equal opportunity for both the Negro and white members of our society. Or has she? Morally pacified, we have held our breath iest any Negro knock on our door for employment in other than domestic and janitorial service capacities. To follow a nominal integration policy is little better than advocation of an outright policy of segregation. Alleviation of this problem may take many forms. Opportunities for interinstitutional cooperation with Negro colleges in the Raleigh com munity will provide means to share the resources of many schools in an integrated climate. Admittedly a positive step, it is basically a separate but equal policy, for it has conveniently side-stepped the problem of integration beyond the classroom. The roots of the problem are deep-seated, but not hopelessly so. As concerned Christian women, we have a responsibility to substitute u policy of deliberate integration for the nominal one. This can be achieved througli intensive recruiting of Negro high school students, provision for sufficient funds for scholarships, employment of Negro staff and administrative employees, and even admittance of a group of Negroes with marginal academic standards. While a lowering of academic standards would be regrettable, in the interest of equality and morality, this and the others steps would be Meredith's reminder to the community that her students are aware of and working to remove scars of racial unrest in Raleigh MOC 1t:l>itoriau s'I'afi- Shera Jackson Associate fuliior Marilyn Childress Managing l-ditor Mary Wutson Nodc Fealiire Eiiiiors I^rooks McGiri, Nance Riimlcy Lay-out Edilurs Sue Hubbuvcl, Angie Pviitgen News Hditor Susan Soloway C opy Editor Emma Kiitli Barlholoincw Assi.siant Copy Readers Carrie Frampton', Paula Tiicior Keporlers—I’cggy Jo Allen, Corinne Hhivlnck. Mary Kster Clark, Jane Crornley. (lail CJaddy. Gkiria l.iule. Nancy Kousc. Eicanor Thompson. Becky Trailer, Abayait Warren. Helen Wilkie Inlerviewers Lois Fowler, Kay Kennemur. Palsy Pcacock C artoonists L.inija Hurrows, Doltires Little Photogniphers lUlec Anccll. Barbara Curtis Faculiy Sponsor Dr. Norma Rose UUSINESS .STAFF Business Manager Barbani Pritchard Advertising Manager Betty McNeill Advertising Staff—Margie Pnore, Martha McCiiiinis. Cathy Moran, Hollis Ann Fields, Kay Goodrich, Dorice Mcllwain Mailing Editor Martha Lyday Mailing Staff Peggy Allen Circulation Chief Pam Lewis Circulation Stuff Kalhy C}rtffin, Jackie Brilcs, Sue /\skin, Suzanne George Typing Chief Anne Pretlow Faculty Sponsor Dr. Lois Frazier MH.MUFfK Associiili'd Colleni.ile Press, F.nicrcd uk si'conil-tlass mailer :tt post officc al Rnleigli. N. f. 27602. Publislieil svmi-monilily duriny ilic nionUis of Oinobcr, November, l-vbriiary. M^ircli, April :ind Miiv; tnunilily during .Sfpicmber, Oucumher. and Janiiary. The TwKi Is served by Nalional Educational AdverUsinw Scrvicc, t« Ea.st SOlli Street. New York. New York, Suhscripiion Raies: $3.45 per year. \JjgbcawjJ "to MtiW Letters to the Editor SOUL SEARCHING Dear Editor: Two weeks ago Raleigh was in fear’s grip. Two thousand National Guard troops poured into the city as they did in other riot-torn cities across the nation. We at Meredith saw the bitter glow of fires silhou etted against the dark sky for sev eral days. The cause of this violence and confusion was the death of a man—a Negro man. He was not the leader of Negroes alone. He spoke for humanity. A white man could have shot this Negro; the Negroes are the ones who are destroying property. Our country seems to be further divided over this issue rather than united for a common cause of national peace and order. The death of Mar tin Luther King seems to have in creased the biased opinions toward the two races. Too often we find ourselves speaking of what the “whites” have done and what the “blacks” have done when this is not the important issue. We live to gether in a country founded on the fundamentals of individual freedom and equality, yet we constantly criti cize and abuse the opposite race whether by riots and violence or by “white only” opinions. I cannot condone the actions of either race because I feel they are not justified for a united cause. We are rebelling against each other and have built defensive walls around ourselves. Hatred, prejudice, and tradition are chaining us to these walls. The riots and violence upset me a great deal as much as for what they implied as for what actually happened. They implied a growing separation in our country, a continu ing surge of misunderstanding, and increasing despair for us all. 1 feel that we as students, we at Meredith and elsewhere, can do something for our nation and for ourselves. We have grown up in the midst of internal and international strife. We can no longer read about these troubles because we experi ence them ourselves. We have to de cide when we feel, of course, but also why? Tradition cannot chain us now, because everything is chang ing in our world. We must cooper ate with each other and not just justify our race’s views. We must .search ourselves for a meaning to life that will bring hope for human ity. We have to live for the future and try to bring a common under standing. The effects of the past death and riots will be felt for a long time, but we can erase the scars that could remain. As Thomas Paine said, “These are times that try men’s souls.” I hope that we can search our souls and in doing this, find a key to unlock a truth for life, our country, and our brother. A concerned student, Jennie Lancaster support and I suppose that many will say that this consideration ought to govern our actions. This places the issue squarely in terms of the conflict between material and moral considerations. Can there be any doubt which side a church-related school must take? Thomas C. Parramore WHAT ARE WE DOING? Dear Editor: How many of us are asking our selves, in the wake of Dr. King’s murder and the nightmare that fol lowed, what have we as individuals and Meredith as an institution done to help prevent such things from happening? I suppose that anyone can cite some few things in each category. All of us have made our small contribution to better race re lations when it has been convenient to do so and the college as an institu tion has not placed itself in the po sition of actually opposing better relations. We have our tutorial pro gram and occasional interracial meetings and we are even going to admit a Negro student or two next year. There will be other small, friendly gestures of this kind; but can we honestly say that Meredith has lived up to its responsibilities in this regard? If the answer is no then we admit a measure of failure and apathy in this vital issue and we ought to be concerned now to find the most rapid and significant ways to begin making up for our shortcomings. I propose that Meredith begin ac tively to recruit Negro students and find ways to integrate our student body in more than just a token way. This will involve difficult decisions regarding the integrity of our aca demic standards and our financial aid program since the vast majority of Negro high school graduates are neither academically nor financially capable of meeting our require ments. We are going to have to make some sacrifices and do some things that we would not normally consider doing. At the same time, we ought to go out of our way to locate Negro personnel for our staff and faculty. Faculty exchange programs be tween Meredith and Shaw and St. Augustine’s would provide a start in this direction. There are probably a great many other ways in which we could take firm and positive steps toward creating a better racial cli mate, such as enhancing the dignity of the services of our Negro per sonnel on campus. Attempts to do such things will cost Meredith some of its friends and some of its potential financial FAVORING POTEAT Dear Editor: As a rising senior, personally in volved with the individuals in the class of ’69, and with the class itself as a unified and important part of Meredith, I am concerned over the situation which has arisen due to the problem of housing for the school year of 1968-69. There are two de sires being expressed now by the class — one is for those who are now in Brewer to remain, not re garding Poteat as a senior dormi tory; the other desire is for the class to be housed together as completely as possible in Poteat. For many rea sons I feel that Poteat is the best answer to the housing problem. One- reason is that in order to function as a class, the future senior class needs to be together. Of course there are years during the four years here when the class is split due to posi tions to which students are elected; however, the senior year is usually looked forward to as the time when the class will once again be together. Another reason for my preferring Poteat is that the girls whom we elected to be our senior class hall proctors must room in Poteat. We need to support these and all other girls in student government posi tions simply because we electea them to lead us, if for no other rea son. Third, I think that our not going to Poteat as a class would be unfair to the other classes because our split would cause all other classes, except incoming freshmen, to be split. Even if the rising Senior Class does not particularly care to live together as a unified and pur poseful part of Meredith, it is unfair to deprive the other classes of this opportunity. By writing this letter, I am not choosing a side to represent.. Neither am I disregarding the feel ings of those girls who wish to re main in Brewer. I am stating, merely, my own preference for a rooming situation and the reasons which, in my opinion, are the impor tant ones on which the decision should be based. Nancy Stroud FAVORING BREWER Dear Editor: While weighing the advantages of living in either Poteat or Brewer, we believe Brewer to be preferable. Prior to this year Poteat has been considered the senior dormitory be cause it was the best dormitory on campus. Now we believe Brewer to have priority over Poteat for numer ous reasons. Among these are the proximity to the classroom build ings and the new library, carpeting, better acoustics and ventilation, and- more comfortable beds. Brewer also has more desirable bathroom facil ities and is without the problem of erratic water regulation. It has been said that Poteat will provide for more class unity, but even with the retention of several suites by sophomores. Brewer still will hold more seniors than Poteat. In addition, there is not a member of the Dean of Students Officc pres ent at all times in Poteat as is com monly thought. It has also been mentioned that the parking facilities of the present senior dorm are more convenient; however, the proximity of Brewer to the parking areas for seniors at the lake and behind the Beehive are comparable to those of Poteat. These arc only a few of the things that many members of the rising senior class point out as ad vantages of Jiving in Brewer next year. Suzanne Ware Michele Tew
Meredith College Student Newspaper
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April 25, 1968, edition 1
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