The Register, 1973-10-12

              Homecomings Have Always Been Gala, Story Page  5
WU'O REGISTER
"COMPLETE AWARENESS FOR COMPLETE COMMITMENT"
VOLUME XLV.. NUMBER 13     NORTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURAL AND TECHNICAL .STATE UNIVERSITY, GREENSBORO OCTOBER 12. 1973
Says Save Black Schools
Jackson Addresses Convocation
JESSE JACKSON
Janice E. Smith
Speaking to a capacity crowd
at Moore Gym, the Rev. Jesse
Jackson told the Homecoming
convocation that there must be
appreciation of the ethnic,
ethical, and efficient.
Jackson, an A&T alumnus and
national director of PUSH
(People United to Save
Humanity), who used as his
subject, the saving of Black
schools, said that, at presenj
the great debate is between
reconstruction and retrogression.
He emphasized the
importance of learning Black
history, not for the purpose of
bragging, but in order to keep it
in perspective and to study the
errors and successes of the past.
Jackson noted the progress of
the Blacks in this country by
pointing out achievements in the
past 100 years.
"We don't have time to
puncture our veins with dope
while the great debate is going
on," he asserted.
Homecoming To Be 'Really  Big9:
20,000 Persons Expected To Show
"The really big one" is the
way the 1973 A&T Homecoming
weekend is already being
described.
What with three bands for the
Homecoming ball, a mile-long
parade, a thrilling football game
and nearly a half dozen informal
socials for the ole grads, there is
little doubt that a record
attendance can be expected.
More that 20,000 persons are
expected to pour into
Greensboro for the celebration,
beginning Oct. 12 and ending
Sunday, Oct. 14.
According to James E.
Garfield, general chairman of
A&T's Homecoming, most of the
alumni festivities will be held in
the Hilton Inn.
As in past years, visitors will
also be invited to attend the
annual Mardi Gras, sponsored by
the Tau Omega chapter of the
Omega Psi Phi in the National
Guard Armory. This dance will
be Oct. 12 at 9 p.m.
Saturday's festivities will
include an alumni breakfast at 9
a.m. in Brown Hall, the parade at
10 a.m., and the A&T versus the
University of Maryland-Eastern
Shore football game at 1 :30 p.m.
in the Greensboro Memorial
Stadium.
The post alumni ball is being
sponsored    this    year    by    the
Mideast Region, chaired by W. E.
Jenkins of GreensboraThe event
will feature dancing at the Hilton
Inn and the Golden Eagle Motor
Inn Saturday night beginning at
9 p.m.
A   special   highlight   of   the
celebration     will     be     the;
presentation of the musical
revue, "Jacques Brel is Alive and.
Well and Living in Paris," by the
Richard B. Harrison Players. The
play will be staged Friday and
Saturday nights.
Meanwhile on the campus, the
students have an equally
impressive celebration planned,
with a pre-dawn dance, a pep
rally, campus decoration spree
and a host of private dances and
parties slated.
Jackson said the great debate
deals with the reapportionment
of voting districts which includes
the terminology, "at large votes
and at large schools." "An at-
large school means the submerger
of the Black school and not the
merger," he stated. He
continued, "Under the facade of
integration, there is the move to
disintegrate*
Jackson referred to the image
of America as a melting pot of
races as erroneous with the
explanation, "People do not
melt; they associate."
He said, if there is justification
for universities such as Harvard
and Yale, which primarily serve
white • Anglo-Saxons, there is
justification for predominately
Black schools. "Black schools
exist not as an only, but as an
option," he said.
But he added, "It is no
contradiction to be Black and
have a universal mind."
Jackson, in illustrating the
importance that Black colleges
have played, said that 83 per cent
of the Black doctors in the world
and 98 per cent of Black elected
officials in the country came
from predominately Black
colleges.
While acknowledging that
Blackschoolshave weaknesses, he
said, "But there is no
wickedness." Making a
comparison Jackson stated, "In
the white school for the Black
student.there is wickedness."
In explaining the need for
Blacks to be efficient, Jackson
re -e m phasized an earlier
Statement on the importance of
learning and determination.
"We are in the economic era.
To bring about significant
change, you've got to have more
than  desire; you've  got to have
sufficient tools."
Continuing, he said, "You
can't teach what you don't know
and you can't lead where you
don't go."
"It's not your aptitude; it's
your attitude that will determine
your altitude," Jackson
concluded and a thunderous
standing ovation followed from
the audience.
Jackson began the
emotionally overtoned speech
with a refrain of "I AM
SOMEBODY" which he termed
as the battle cry.
During the first part of the
convocation, SGA president
Marilyn Marshall called on the
student body, faculty and
administrators not to lose sight
of the fight to save Black schools
amidst the week's festivities. In
the Homecoming spirit, she said,
"Homecoming week-A&T, come
home."
A highlight prior to Jackson's
speech was the introduction of
the 1973 Aggie football team by
Coach Hornsby Howell. Also
catalyzing the Homecoming:
mood were selections by the
University Choir, the Gospel
Choir, and the University band
along with the introduction of
the cheerleaders.
Jackson, a native of
Greenville, S.C, while a student
at the University led protest
marches in 1963 that succeeded
in desegregating downtown
Greensboro.
Before transferring to A&T,
where he starred in football, he
attended the University of
Illinois for a year. After
graduation, Jackson studied for
two years at the Chicago
Theological Seminary.
Crowd Packs Gym To See Miss A&T's Banimi
About 3000 students and
faculty members were jammed into
Moore Gym Thursday night to
witness the official installation of
Delores Mitchell as Miss A&T
1973-74.
The Banimi (coronation) had
as its theme, "More Power
Through Unity. Dignity and
Struggle: Harambee."
Addressing the crowd, Delores
said the struggle for unity and
dignity is not for material things.
"Whatever we do for the
struggle,     we     must     do     il
together," she said.
In presenting to her the
sword, the official token of her
power to reign. Chancellor Lewis
C Dowdy described her as the
epitome of leadership and unity.
Queens, escorts, speakers and
invited guests were dressed in
African attire while the red,
green and black liberation colors
were prevailing in the decoration
scheme.
Delores described the
University family and the Black
race     as     "proud,    endurable
people." She was dressed in a
white African gown, trimmed in
gold.and wore a blue turban.
Queens from Shaw, Johnson
C. Smith, South Carolina State
and the University of
Maryland-Eastern Shore were on
hand for the festive, yet solemn
ceremony.
SGA President Marilyn
Marshall, Vice-President Lloyd
Inman, and Lorna Lawrence were
narrators for the occasion. Music
was provided by the Black
Explosions     with     featured
selections from the University
Choir and the Gospel Choir
Ensemble and an African dance
by three A&T coeds.
A dramatic essay by Debra
Williams on the unfinished
history of the Black man in this
country brought students to
their feet in applause.
The African exchange students
acted as escorts: to Miss A&T's
attendants, thus adding to the
originality    of    the    cermony.
Delores is a senior English
education major from Enfield.