PAGE TWO
THE MARY POTTER GAZETTE
DECEMBER 1963
EDITORIALS
Sit-in Demonstrators As
instruments of Democracy
By Carol Payton
Because of the seriousness and the urgency of the times in
whicli vve live, it has become a national as wen as a world ex
pediency tnat lines of communication between all peoples be
estabiisned. Certainly in our own Republic oi the Umted States
uiis need is most urgent.
Tlie young American Negro, Irom the elementary to the col
lege level nas uirougn tiis iiuiiLant and peaceiul demonstration
opened tne ei'^es ol tiie world to ins need. He has Uirougn sui-
lerings and indignities opened doors oi conunumcation that otner-
wise would never liave openea m sections ol tins country.
'me “Sit-m Demonstrators'' have oecome instruments of
Democracy Dy helping to point and build up the weak and sbame-
lul image ol our country as portrayed Uirougn Dealings, bomo-
ings and being barred from notels, restaurants, theaters, and
aijiasement places.
Phrougn tneir non-violeiit activities tlie “Sit-in Demonstra
tors" seek peace witn justice and are non-revolutionary toward
any ol tne principles as set down m our ConstituUon. Tney
reanze tnat a “govermiient ol tne people, by the people, and
lor tne people," cannot long endure m name only, but must be
nieamngiui and a reality lor all its people.
'ine atmospnere under wmen inese patriots operate is not
today always pleasant, in spite oi uiese nandicaps, tne Negroes
are contriDuting greatly to Help open tne lines ol communication
leading to world peace and democracy.
is Communism Conquering
The 'World?
By Clarice Pearson
Over one hundred years ago, the statemenl “A specter is
hauntmg Durope" was made in tne “Communist lUaniiesto,"
sonieimies called the bible ol the Conimunist.
liie mam theme oi tins system ol government is “world
conquest."
Are the Communists really gaining control ol tne world?
irom Its beginning and loundation m Europe, Communism
has deimiteiy started spreading worldwide.
Commumsm is the main system ol govermiient in the ma
jority Ol Europe and Asia. jNow, it has begun to spread in
tne VV’estern Hemisphere.
Fidel Castro has promoted the spread of Communism on the
island ol Cuba. This island is approximately one hundred miles
irom the United States mainland.
lliis fact delimtely poses a great tlireat to tliis country.
Therelore, we must constantly be on guard against Communism
in the united States and fight to vanish this behef from oux
soil.
i he Supreme Court and the Negro
By Ernest R. Bibby
The Constitution of the United States declares:
1 he judicial power oj the United States shall be vested
in one Supreme Court, and in such mjerwr courts as
the Congress may jrom time to time ordain and estab
lish.
Through years of history of the United States, tne Supreme
Court has played a considerable role m the advancement of the
Aegro.
During these momentous years many decisions have been
reached, borne ol these have involved minority groups.
Une ol the lirst cases involving a minority group was Dred
Scott vs. Stanlord. Tne Court concluded in this particular case
tnat Congr^s has no authority to make Dred Scott, a former
slave, a tree man because he had hved in free territory. The
Court decided that a slave was not a citizen within the meaning
ol the Constitution. I’hough Scott lost, this case helped to open
tne eyes ol the Negro to strive forward.
'The Court ruled in the case of Brown vs. Board of Educa
tion in 1954 that segregation of races in public schools was un
constitutional. This decision was a “milestone" m the problem
Ol segregation.
Less than a year ago, the Court ruled that the University
of Mississippi must adnut James H. Meredith, a Negro. After
this accomplishment, many other Negroes have sought to enroll
in segregated institutions of higher learning and have been ac
cepted.
With race tensions at an ail time high, the Supreme Court
is playing an important role in interpreting and enforcing the
laws of our land tor the Negro as well as for ail nnnority groups.
Tlie Mary Potter Gazette
Puulishccl Semi-Annually for the Mary Pottx
Sluclcnt Body By the Journalism Class and
the Mary Potter Staff of Mary Potter School,
O.xford. N. C.
Letter To The
Student Body
Dear Students,
Your conduct in the corridor is
of such a nature that 1 feel that
it is my duty as a fellow school
mate and senior to mention this
problem to you.
1 am sure you have been told,
but your actions are carried out
unconsciously.
In the mornings you lounge in
the halls making noise which is
quite disturbing. You walk slowly
tnrough the halls blocking the paths
of other students and teachers who
are trying to get to their classes.
If only some of you could sec your
selves leaning against the lockers
boisterously talking and lounging.
Students, let’s take a little self-
examination. Upon entering the
school building in the morning, let’s
ti'y to go immediately to our home
rooms. If our teachers are not in
'•^eir rooms, let’s stand quietly by
2 door and wait.
During your lunch hour, go to
i i cafeteria or outside. Do not
Clutter the halls and make it diffi
cult for passage. When running to
the cafeteria, please be courteous
and think of the persons coming
out of the door behind you. Don’t
knock your teachers down in your
rampage to get to the food!
Don’t gallop down the hall knock
ing down someone who has a heavy
load of books. When you
someone coming, move and let him
pass.
Fellow schoolmates, we can begin
(ivith the above-mentioned improve
ments, and order and quiet will
'■.ome rapidly.
Annette Anderson
12-S
be vnconst’iTo'fidnal,
bur J alvVays pr»y before
From the Principal’s Desk
MR. JIIMMIE V. MORRIS
By Jimmie Morris
The 1963-64 School Year Seen
in Perspective
' In the life of a school, as in that
of an individual, each year includes
both reptitious experiences and non
recurring events often of memorable
importance.
Change is so rapid on the current
scene that even the repetitious ex
periences have new qualities. Hence,
each major segment of school life
is challenged by new circumstances
and new requirements.
The tasks of instructional service
are more demanding than ever be
fore to meet these new challenges.
Mary Potter School offers in its
curriculum services which may bene
fit the whole individual. Courses,
believed to be of great merit, have
been added such as Sohd Geome
try, Trigonometry’, Introduction to
V'ocational Education, Upholstery
and band. These courses may help
in reflecting the school’s role along
the lines of academic resources.
Departmental work on the junior
high level for the year will help to
advance the work of the exception
al, the average and the slow learn
er. Individual instructors have al
so the opportunity to work in their
major areas of training, thus en
abling each child to perform at his
best.
The first reporting period, having
been completed, may serve as a
guideline for students to achieve,
since a lack of school interest was
noticed on the basis of failures in
various subjects, by many students.
Sincerity of purpose, proper study
habits, coming to school daily, pur
chasing and using state adopted
textbooks, using the library, com
pleting assignments and coming to
school on time are valuable assets
toward building the future. Thus,
improvement can be made.
This last statement is true of the
present freshman class who have
used their time to advantagee and
have chosen the above - mentioned
assets as goals. Percentage-wise the
class stands first scholastically. It
must be remembered that every
phase of life is a learning process;
therefore, students, take with you
these words: Take advantage of all
the educational opportunities offer
ed in school. You’ll never regret it,
and the 1963-64 year will be chalk
ed off as a year of great success to
ward building a richer, fuller life.
Inquiring Around
By Omega Peace, Francine Chavis, Carol Payton
Mary Potter students are interest
ed in their government and are,
therefore, concerned about a for-
eigner who would
speak or criticize
facets of the Unit-
ied States govern-
Iment. This concern
ks especially seen in
their remarks about
Madame Nhu who
~ traveled extensively
^ in the United States
recently receiving national courtesies
yet criticizing the government.
Question: Do you think Madame
Nhu should be granted refuge or ex
tended courtesies by the United
States government in view of her
criticisms ?
Jeanette Williams—No, Madame
Nhu should remain in Rome or re
turn to her own people. She
should not expect courtesies from
our government or be granted ref
uge.
Gwen Pearson—I feel that Ma
dame Nhu should be extended cour
tesies because of her children. Her
husband, a victim of a plot, can
no longer give the family help. Oth
ers should not be bias. People of
ten say what they really do not
mean.
Sterling Harris — I do not feel
that Madame Nhu should be giv
en any kind of consideration, nor
should she expect any from the
United States, a country which she
openly insulted and attempted to
degrade.
Linda Allen — No individual
should receive further courtesies in
a country which he has insulted
and degraded. I feel the same way
about Madame Nhu.
Peggy Ragland—Yes, I think Ma
dame Nhu should be given the cour
tesies and the protection that she
and her children need.
VV’ilbert Holmes — The United
States has given Vietnam a great
deal of help in her crises. It was
in poor taste for Madame Nhu to
speak so critically about a gov
ernment which had given help to
her people. She should not want
our countr>’’s aid.
Robert Hester — Madame Nhu
should be e.xtended courtesies or be
allowed to live in this country if
she and her children desire. This
is a democracy not a monarchy or
tyrannical country. We should ever
hold our ideals high.
Fannie Harris — No 1 Very def
initely no! Madame Nhu should be
granted no special privileges. The
United States has aided Vietnam a
great deal. Her loose tongue has on
ly caused Americans to dislike her
and what she stands for.
Omega Peace—A government is
entrusted in the hands of leaders
who Jiaye been chosen by the peo
ple to carry out
their will. When a
foreigner receives
courtesies and then
citicizes those who
granted those cour
tesies, certainly he
should not receive
the benefits of this
government. Ma
dame Nhu should return to her own
people, and should never expect re
fuge or help from a country which
she has criticized.
John White — I feel that Ma
dame Nhu’s loose tongue helped to
cause the downfall of Saigon. She
definitely should never expect cour
tesies from a country which be
friended her, one which she criti
cized.
Betty Jordan — No, why should
our country befriend her? I am
certain she desires no further aid
from our country.
Janet McCoy — We should be
broad-minded and give Madame
Nhu and her children courtesies and
refuge if these are ever needed. We
must never be narrow-minded
enough to forget that we live by
democratic principles.
Annie R. Terry — Madame Nhu
seemed to be on a one-woman cam
paign while she visited our coun
try. Her attitude on the whole con
vinced me of her selfishness. I do
not feel that she should desire or be
given our country’s courtesies.
Helen Taborn — Ever so often
some politically-minded foreigner
visits the U. S. expecting sympathy
or aid at the expense of some of
his selfish acts. Madame Nhu was
one of these individuals She has
used our government as a pawn for
her own purpose. She should not
be allowed to continue this selfish
ness.
Francine Chavis—Children should
ne^;er suffer because of a parent’s
mistakes. I admit
that Madame
Nhu’s barbed re
marks about our
government were
not in good taste.
■ VVe should not con
demn. If Christ
Iforgave, so can we.
Honor Rolls Tabulated
Since the number of homerooms
arc not divided evenly between the
lour classes, ilie nonor roll has been
lauuiaiecl by tbe average number
ol SLuaeiits per homeroom that
maae the honor roll.
Ihe nunn grade averaged 3.2 stu
dents per homeroom, inese stu
dents were Koy Bass, Hildred
Barnes, vvilham Garter, Emil How
ell, jonn iviayo, hrancme Cnavis,
Gloria Baton, Brenda l-ields, Arne-
tnia McGhee, Gloria Mcivianneii,
Koocria Strater, Gorene Hunt, Fran
ces M. 'lerry, Iheresa Johnson,
jerry ivioore, i'homas Barnett, Billie
rerry, rrank Glara, and Taze Bas-
Kcrvitle.
Giose behind the ninth grade is
tne eleventh grade with an average
ol 2.25 students per homeroom.
Bveiyn Hail, Ehjah Holman, Joyce
layior, Lucy Hester, Mary Farnam,
Konaid Barker, Annie Terry, Caro
lyn Hamme, and Sherwood Spells
ncld tlie eleventii grade in seconu
place.
Tile seniors are third with an av
erage ol 2 students per homeroom.
Seniors making the honor roll are
janet Baptiste, Lewis Thorpe, Jo
seph Coison, Eugene Gee, Gloria
Vveou, and Ernest Bibby.
Last are the sophomores with an
average of 1.4 students per home
room on the honor roll. These stu
dents are Barbara Cates, Lynn Har
ris, Marian Bass, Larry Hamme,
•Archie McNeill, Bertiiu Glo^’er, and
Harold Glover.