F
---by lorna cherot
l4e Sfiryigan aity
Seventy-eight years of editorial freedom
Edited and managed by students of the University of Michigan
That was the week that was no exception
420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Mich.
News Phone: 764-0552
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions'of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in olreprints.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1969
NIGHT EDITOR: HAROLD ROSENTHALI
Ferris solution:
President Spatheif must go
UNLESS VICTOR Spathelf is removed
from the presidency of Ferris State
9ollege, students may lose their lives in
a racial war he says doesn't exist.
At least 14 students were injured in the
latest black-white clash, which was once
again ignited by a show of white racism.
Four black students were locked out of 1
their dorm Monday night by white stu-
dents. When the blacks threatened to
break down the doors, a group of 20
whites jumped them.
A vicious rock-throwing fight followed.
THE STRIFE at Ferris is at a point
where Spathlef's jself-indulgent fan-
tasythat everything will be all right if he
does nothing is a menace to student
safety.
Black students are outnumbered 30 to
one by whites whose ,normal level of ra-
cism has been inflated by .the tacit en-
couragement of gpathelf's administration.
Spathelf has been president since 1952.
He has a vision of Ferris as a relaxed
shady lane military academy where
clean-cut Americans learn what their
father§ had to learn in the trenches of
World War Ii.
The black students have never been
typecast for that vision.
IN ALL FAIRNESS to Spathelf, he prob-
ably does not care what color Ferris
They conspire to room blacks together in
first floor dormitory "niggerlands." They
enforce inane dorm rules against blacks
but not against whites. And they awaken
latent racism with threats that they'll
"move you into niggerland" or "sic the
niggers on you."
Administrators, who are all white, keep
their doors closed to blacks. And Chester
St. Clair, the ultraconservative housing
director, allows discriminating landlords
to remain on the college's approved off-
campus housing list.
Campus police,.who were all white until
one black was hired in the wake of the
March riots, have openly sided with the
whites during fights and have an ex-
tremely high rate of false arrests against
blacks. More than a third of the blacks
arrested last year were released on lack
of evidence.
State and city police, who are all white,
as a matter of procedure stop and frisk
blacks who walk downtown at. night.
When they were called to campus to quell
the fighting in March they disarmed the
blacks but did not disarm the whites.
POTH THE U.S. Justice Department and
the Michigan Civil Rights Commission
are investigating alleged civil rights vio-
lations at Ferris. Preliminary word from
both indicate probable cause for action,
n9- . Al rC1' rvr ~ ir
"I'D PADDLE," so says Judy
Agnew, wife of our illustrious vice-
president in reply to a question,
"What would you do if any of your
children took part in a demon-
stration?"
"WHITE revolutionaries because
of their largesse are making house
niggers of their black allies."--
S. J. Hawayakawa, liberal Demo-
crat and Acting President of San
Francisco State College and the
hottest thing in semanticism and
communication s i n c e Marshall
McLuhan.
, wonder what words Hawya-
kawa would use to describe the
relationship between the Negroes
and the chartered life time white
members of the NAACP -- when
they're ready for it of course.
* * *y
Apparently the Congress is tak-
ing Mrs. Agnew's advice.
Not that they're paddling pro-
testers--the cops do that. Besides
paddling is not a sophisticated
repressive device suitable to as,
dignified a body as the Congress.
Instead they are relying on the
theory of persuasion of the purse
by formulating legislation that
would take loans and scholarships
away from protesting students
who cause "enough of a disturb-
ance."
"LET'S HOPE your punishment
will be a deterrant," said Judge
George J. McMonagle of Cuya-
hogan County Commons Pleas
Court as he sentenced Fred
"Ahmed" Evans. Evans was sen-
tenced to die by an all white jury
after he was found guilty of slay-
ing three policemen and one ci-
vilian during racial violence in
Cleveland. Evans' death will no
more deter disgruntled blacks
than the conviction of policeman
Ronald August - (if he's found
guilty by the all white Mason,
Michigan jury)-will deter the ac-
tions of racist cops.
August is on trial for theshoot-
ing of Auburey Pollard at the Al-
giers Motel. August has admitted
to the killing. The incident took
place during the 1967 riots in De-
troit. But I mean after all there
was a riot going on and the mayor
and the governor and the Presi-
dent too I mean NO ONE knew
what to do so I mean what the
hell just shoot the guy I mean
that's one, less nigger to worry
about. So goes the reasoning of
defense attorney, Norman Lippitt.
"MR. NIXON is still a charm-
ing, intelligent, and astute politi-
cian," said the Rev. Ralph David
Abernathy of Phase Two of the
P o a r Peoples' Campaign was
phased out at a White House
meeting between Mr. Nixon anti
his special aide on urban affairs,
Daniel P. Monynihan.
Is this anyway to run' a presi-
dency? You bet it is, just ask
Tricky Dicky.
"DON'T TRY to be smart,"
drawled Sen. William J. Ellington
(D-La.) as Phase Two B of the
Poor Peoples' Campaign disinte-
grated on the Senate floor. The
reprimand was directed at Mrs.
Marthan Gian, an Oklahoma In-
dian, wearing an "Indian Power"
badge.
Ellington then proceeded to ex-
pound on the mechanics of the
legislative branch. An unimpress-
ed Mrs. Gian, who was testifying
before the Senate Select Commit-
tee on Nutritions and Human
Needs, retorted, "You've got so
many branches and offices no
wonder so many people are
hungry. The stuff never gets
through those offices."
"WE ARE GOING to prove to
black extremists everywhere that
love is more powerful than hate,"
says newly elected Mayor Charles
Evers of Fayette, Miss. He plans
to do this by proving that even
white bigots and black extrerists
could work together to make Fay-
ette a better place to live.
'All you need is love.' 'You say
you want a revolution, well you
know, we all want to change the
world. You ask me for a contribu-
tion, well you know, we're all doing
what we can.
*
ACTUALLY SOMETHING did
happen recently. May 1 was Law
Day, and last week was National
Police Week, and now we're begin-
ning Armed Forces Week. If the
Soviet Union or Red China had
those celebrations the media would
be screaming propaganda. But
since the United States is doing it
it's euphenistically terrhed morale
building.
There was a display of humane
anti-riot weapons. Among these
was a 19-pound gun designed to
spray a foggy cloud in order to
isolate mobs into smaller groups
of people so they could be sepa-
rated from one another. There
were instructions on how to use
MACE. "Cock your arm at a 45-
degree angle, and- aim for their
eyes." Another segment showed
the police speaking at a ,general
meeting, where protection of prop-
erty was espoused over that of life.,
Channel 7 news also paid hom-
age to the police department. Part
of the tribute they presented con-
sisted of a man on the street spot.
They asked passerbyers whether
they thought the police were racist.
Said one black woman, "Not a
lot . . . enough . .. quite a few."
BY THE WAY, President Nixon
.4
delivered a peace proposal mes-
sage concerning Vietnam before
the nation. If you missed it, you
didn't miss anything. It's the
same proposal in new words, just
like it's the same old Nixon of
the 60's--only he's changed his
makeup man.
Howard K. Smith of ABC News
in New York gave an editorial the
night before Mr. Nixon delivered
his message to the nation. Smith
said he couldn't blame the Presi-
dent if he told the American
people and Congress that the war
wasn't this problem, after all, the
people did elect Lyndon Johnson
in 1964 and it was the Congress
that passed the Gulf of Tonkin
resolution, etc., etc.
For that matter, Johnson could
have said, "It's not my problem,
I inherited it from Kennedy," who
in turn could have said, "Well, I
inherited it from Eisenhower.
At least the President didn't
pursue a passing the buck line
though he did mention something
to the effect that the real mess
began four years ago.
"And the beat goes on ...
THERE WAS ONE pleasant
event. WXYZ-TV has introduced
a new technique in reporting the
stock market. The Numbers whiz
by the screen with a musical ac-
companiment. One night they
played, "Obladi, Oblada." Forty
years ago on "Black Monday" they
could have presented the stock
market report to the taunts of
"A Day in the Life." Talk about
blowing your mind.
.4'
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Letters to the Editor
"Military-industrial complexes never
die . never die .. never die.., !"
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eitir advisory or punitive. from reading The Daily article
Its are. He talks of college policyf s mssedswomen
Still Spathelf has many personal was that the IFC was unaware of
ms of buildings and he talks of stu- To the Editor this important fact. The dispute
in terms of numbers. It is no coin- friends in/the Republican statehierarchy. :couldust as well have been over
And it is unlikely that the Republican I WAS APPALLED by the April colkuta elhv enoe
e that Ferris is the fastest growing 16 article concerning t h e In- neon signs.
ollege in the Midwest. terfraternity Council's recent dis- ,
In all fairness to the white stu- CRC recommendation. pute over the "use" of women dur- . THE MOVE to co-ed livig Isn
they probably added sadism to The CRC also would probably have a ing rush. When Phi Epsilon Pi de- cace; it's t r way sfglife
acism only because they had noth- difficult time bringing criminal or civil cided to go co-ed earlier this se- on campus. I hope that Phi Epsi-
etter to do. Ferris is in a small charges against him, at least until some- ster, I tu th rrnity ion PI and other fraternities con-
Northern Michigan town where the one gets killed. stagnation. This recent controver- templating the move show a little
ack students are an obvious and Certainly Victor Spathelf did not in- sy over women completely disil- more common sense and respect !
vent racism. Nor is he likely to eliminate lusioned me. The decision arrived for human dignity (ie. women in
e tgt f or frustrated g it, no matter what he does. at by the IFC was irrelevant; the particular) than has been recently
Sjust flunked a grammar test., dispute 'itself is a prime example demonstrated. (
thelf has always Condoned an as- But he did build Ferris State College tot In conclusion I would like to
ef hasalwayghs cndoned angas what it is. And he is directly and indirect-~ the enlsy. wremind any women who had hopes
ynt of racial fights and squabblings the Greek systemof becoming a neon sign for a
ys letting off steam. Mark Frankel of Phi Epsilon Pi fraternity that the latest ruling of
because he is unwilling 'to open up istitutionalized racism argued that not being able to use the IFC limits you somewhat; but t 1 /
els or set up grievance boards to Despite all of the evidence to the con- women was "an unfair disadvan you can still be used "in all other
the complaints, the iolence has trary, he refuses to admit that his ad- tage to our fraternity." The opin- social events and practices that
ministration is racist. Instead he blames ion of the opposing majority was characterize the rush
d from, words to fists to clubs to n "that Phi Epsilon Pi would have -
nameless outside agitators" for the annaradnte vrhet- -Donald James Stewart, 69
sponaneus otbraksof volecean unfair advantage over the oth-
er fraternities." Both arguments April 16
He says he will try to suspend and are asinine but the sad'part is that
thS REALLY hav prosecute black student leaders rather Phi Epsilon Pi would have an ad- Misused Pix
tis guerrlla wh ar a heaethan open up the college to review and vantage.
arty people who are all white are To the Editor:,
eningly unconcerned. None have reform SPEAKING AS an exf rater- WHEN WRITING about Ferris
managed a polite "abhorrence" of nity man, one function of the rush State College, please use pic-
beating s up blacks. TF STUDENT life for blacks is ever to be system is to choose men who will tures of Ferris College, not the .
se mothers and resident advisors, humanly tolerable at Ferris, the ad- help insuet pige and a University of Wisconsin campus.
ere all white until this term, have ministrators, the house mothers, the res- of' he frat A go i On page 2 of the May 20th issue "
vereallwhit unil tis erm avewill help insure that the house 1s of The Daily, two of the three pc-,
borate system of harassing blacks. ident advisors, the campus police, the city full next fall and t h a t enough tures used are easily identified, one
and state police and the white students money will c o m e in to pay the ' of Bascom Hall the other of .
Editorial SItft are going to have to change their actions bills. In this sense, Phi Epsilon Pi ower State Street, both on the
and attitudes. definitely has an economic advan Madison campus.
ABRAMSON...................Co-Editor Ctage over the other fraternities.
CK .......................Co+Editor It's no wonder that IFC wants to .
HnRSOEMAN .. Summer Supplement Editor Spathelf must go. limit the "use" of women. for themselirsves!
RRESTER ......... summer Sports' Editor -IOWARD KOHN I would like to remind the men
ERTZ ...... Associate Summer Sports Editor of the Greek system that women -Mrs. Kathy Loeb
ERGEAUX, JAY CASSIDY....... Photo Editor --JIM HECK are human. The impression I got May 20
Flint College: Con temporary ideas challenge the status
-)
quo
t
. First of two parts
- By TOBE LEV
ANN ARBOR STUDENTS generally
conceive of the University's Flint
campus, as a humdrum peaceful lit-
tle school - if they bother to think
about it at all, or. indeed have ever
heard. of it.
Flint's 16 black students and the
white liberal progressive club, how-
ever, are angered by the inaction of
the faculty and administration and
by the lack of concern from the rest
of Flint's 1250 students for what they
consider very serious problems.
Among these is a shortage of funds
coming from Ann Arbor, the isolation
of the Flint campus from the townf
of Flint and the college's failure to
identify with the particular problems
of the Flint student.
Finally the disenchanted are an-
gered by a total black' enrollment of
only 1.3 per cent in a town approx-
Imately 20 per cent black and by a
strong v e i n of racism running
through the town of Flint and among
Flint students.
The administration and much of
the Flint faculty question the ex-
istence of some of these problems and
contend the solution to many of the
others is not far off.
But some radicals maintain Ann
Arbor has a vested interest in inhib-
iting Flint's growth, for any money
Ann Arbor dispenses to Flint is that
much less it can keep for itself.
ALLAN SMITH, vice-president for
academic affairs in Ann Arbor, con-
trols the Flint budget. Flint is con-
sidered the 16th college of the Uni-
versity, not a separate school.
Flint Dean David French contends,
"We make our requests exactly as a
college would and we feel no dis-
crimination because of distance from
Ann Arbor.,
"Besides everybody would like to
do more things and has projects that
need funding," he adds.
In the next six years two new aca-
demic buildings, a general building
for classrooms and a science building
will be constructed from state funds.
Radicals are more disturbed, how-
ever, over the college's isolation from
the town. "The administration treats
us like we were a part of Ann Arbor.
However we are in Flint. The college
has a responsibility to Flint as a col-
lege in a factory town," declares one
student.
"Flint is a colony Ann Arbor has
to export goodies to now and then.
4.
*4
That by definition makes us second
rate," explains Carl Port, president
of the student progressive club.
FLINT PROF. Ellis Perlman of the
sociology department questions t h e
school's lack of responsibility to the
town. Perlman is the driving force
behind the urban studies program at
Flint and other programs designed to
bring town and gown closer.
The urban studies program is one
year old. Students have the option
of majoring in one discipline a n d
taking the core of their work in that
area, building it in other areas.
They can also enroll in an intern-
ship program off-campus- with city
agencies or on campus on community
service projects. Finally the students
can construct their own program. for
two years after four faculty mem-
bers in different disciplines h a v e
agreed to constitute a committee for
guidance and supervision.
The faculty is- currently drawing
up plans for an inner city teaching
program and Perlman is working on
a data inventory project which ex-
amines the data used by public agen-
ies in the town and the ways the
We have done more in the last five
months than the faculty at my prev-
ious college did in the last five years."
THESE programs are necessarily
limited by this fact that they a r e
primarily carried out by faculty, like
Perlman, who hate full-time teach-
ing appointments.%
Moreover they contend t h e pro-
grams are not directly beneficial to
any sizeable segment in Flint's black
community and often have not even'
received adequate publicity.
The black students condemn the
low black enrollment at Flint as per-
haps the greatest indication of the
school's failure to relate to the town.
Only sixteen of Flint's 1250 stu-
dents are black.0
Members of the Students for Black
Action at Flint contend high school
counselors in Flint a r e greatly re-
sponsible for much of the problem.
They believe many blacks are un-
necessarily shunted into general or
vocational courses on entrance into
high school. "Many blacks think they
need a 3.0 for admission into Flint,
whereas the requirement is not that
stringent," s a y s Vernon Farmer,
versity's reputation as "the w h i t e
school."
French reasons black students want
to go where their friends have gone
before them. French is willing to let
this rationalization justify de facto
racial imbalance.
This year blacks have entered De-
troit schools to recruit, distributing
nearly 200 applications. Perlman pre-
dicts a score of fifty or sixty black,
students on campus next year.
The SBA also point out a lack of
black faculty and non-academic em-
ployes, besides the lack of black stu-
dents. Currently there are no black
instructors and only one black sec-
retary.
Currently the college has one black
counselor on the admissions staff but
no b la c k recruiters. French insists
the college has tried hard to find
black faculty but black instructors .
are few and in great demand.
The blacks resent the lack of sup-
port from m o s t white students at
Flint. "The majority like things as
they are so they can get their degree
and move out into society with a nice ,
job and all the material things.
The Kju Klux Klan is a force in
town and recently held a march down
Saginaw St. in Flint's downtown sec-
tion.
The blacks have significant prob-
lems with student government. The
Students f o r Black Action includes
white members at the insistence of a
student government that would not'
otherwise give them funds.
The student government allocated
the SBA $325, designating $275 for
speakers, films and social events. The
SBA had requested finds for travel-
ling expenses necessary for recruit-
ing.
The student government interpret-
ed recruiting as a strictly' adminis-
trative -function and not a student
activity.
Black and white radicals feel stu-
dent government is not only prece-
dent-bound but tinged with racism.
They a r e particularly embittered
by the selection of a white girl as edi-
tor of the student newspaper, over
Farmer. The gird was recommended
by the outgoing editor but could be
blocked by 75 per cent vote of no con-
fidence by the student publications
hoard
*