awna Cr 1930
Official Alpha Phi Alpha Directory Officers President, DR. B. ANDREW ROSE, 402 S. Bank St., Dayton, Ohio. First Vice-President, CHARLES W. GREENE, 304 Griffin St., N. W., Atlanta. Ga. Second Vice-President, WILLIAM S. RANDOLPH, 2168 E. 90th St., Cleveland, Ohio.
Third
Vice-President, WILLIAM WARRICK CARDOZO, Box 3084, Ohio State University Station, Columbus, Ohio, Secretary, JOS. H. B. EVANS, 101 S St., N. W., Washington, D. C. Treasurer, PERCIVAL R. PIPER, 18032 Wexford Ave., Detroit, Mich. SPHINX Editor, P. BERNARD YOUNG, Jr., 719 East Olney Road, Norfolk, Va.
Director of Education, RAYMOND W. C NON, 3400 Oakland Ave., Minn* oils, Minn. Members Executive Council, PERRY JACKSON, 404 Superior BuWS Cleveland, Ohio; Robert P. Da* Union University, Richmond, 1 and Myles A. Paige, 2296 8ev0 Ave., New York, N. Y.
CHAPTERS (In cases where t h e Secretary or Corresponding Secretary's address Is t h e same as t h e President's, the former address is not printed.) ALPHA, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.; Sec'y., Headley E. Bailey, 217 West Ave. BETA, Washington, D. C ; Ivan Earle Taylor, 1917 Third St., N. W.; Cor. Sec'y., Charles W. Anderson. GAMMA, Virginia Union University, Richmond, Va.; Pres., Walker H. Quarles; Cor. Sec'y., Richard H. Cook. DELTA, Montreal, Canada, Inactive. EPSILON, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.; Pres., Homer C. Stevens, 1103 E. Huron St.; Sec'y., Walter D. Hines. ZETA, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; Pres., Dr. R. S. Fleming, 216 Dwight St.; Sec'y., 100 Dlpwell Ave. ETA, New York City College, Columbia, and New York Universities, New York City; Pres., Roland Johnson, 523 MaCon St., Brooklyn, N. Y.; Sec'y., Jesse Casmlnski, 32 W. 131 St. THETA, Chicago, HI:; Pres.; E. A. Green, 4104 Vincennes Ave.; Sec'y., J. M. Reynolds. IOTA, Syracuse University, N. Y.; Pres., Hugh I. F. Nauton, 809 E. Fayette St.; Sec'y, Wm. P. Cunningham. KAPPA, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Pres., John "A. Walker, 1252 East Long St.; Cor. Sec'y., Llewllyn Coles, 1358 Mt. Vernon Ave. MU, St. Paul, Minn.; Pres., John R. Lawrence, 656 St. Anthony Ave.; Sec'y, S. S. Jackson, 718 St. Anthony Ave. NU, Lincoln University, Pa.; Pres. Frank A. DeCosta; Cor. Sec'y., A. Frederick Williams. XI,
Wilberforce University, Wllberforce, Ohio; Pres., Raymond Dickerson; Cor. Sec'y., Leon J. H. Thompson.
OMICRON, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Pres., Walter R. Talbot, 5635 Mignonette St.; Sec'y., Forrest L. Parr, 1138 Mason St. PI, Cleveland, Ohio; Western Reserve University, Case School of Applied Science, John Caroll University, Cleveland College, Oberlln College; Pres., Roosevelt S. Dickey, 9816 Cedar Ave.; Sec'y., Creed F. Ward, 4113 Cedar Ave.
UPSILON, Lawrence, Kan.; Pres., Herman T. Jones, 1101 Mississippi St.; Sec'y., Silas C. Vaughn.
ALPHA RHO, Morehouse College, Atl»* Ga.; Pres., George W. Cablnlss. * Morris B. Coppage.
PHI, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio; Pres., S. Lloyd, Corbin, 72 Grosvenor St., Sec'y, Alvln P. Hall.
ALPHA SIGMA, Wiley University, Mars** Texas; Pres., J. L. Sweatt; Sec'., <• so B. Morris.
CHI, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tenn.; Pres., J. Lucian Carwin, 15 N. Hill St.; Sec'y., J. Elbert Pettress.
ALPHA TAU, Akron, Ohio; Pres., A*! Fleming, 53 Central Bldg,; Set! Otis E. Finley, 193 Perkins St ALPHA UPSILON, City College of Detr*! Detroit, Mich.; Pres., Robert J. E 5670 Hartford Ave., Sec'y., Tb° Whibby, 6336 Begole St.
PSI, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.; Pres., J. Gordon Baugh, 6 N. 42nd St. ALPHA ALPHA, Cincinnati, Ohio; Pres., R. P. McClaln; Sec'y., W. C. Weatherly. ALPHA BETA, Talladega College, Talladega. Ala.; Pres., W. W. E. Blanchet; Sec'y, Nathan E. Langford. ALPHA GAMMA, Providence, R. I.; Pres., Joseph G. LeCount, 19 College St.; Sec'y., Aubrey Drake. ALPHA DELTA, Los Angeles, Cal.; Pres.; James Robinson, 1030 E. Jefferson St.; Sec'y., Hugh Beaty, 1523 E. 45th St. ALPHA ZETA. West Virginia State College, Institute, W. Va.; Pres., Gohen Jeffers; Sec'y., Harry E. Dennis. ALPHA ETA, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., Pres., Charles K. Goines, 7 Claremont Park, Boston, Mass. ALPHA THETA, University of Iowa, Iowa City, la.; Pres., Bennie E. Taylor, 230 S. Capitol St.; Sec'y., Kenneth R. O'Neal. ALPHA IOTA, Denver, Col.; Pres. Dr. J. P. Oliver, 2734 Williams St.; Sec'y, O. L. Lawson, 2601 Welton St. ALPHA EPSILON, Oakland, Cal.: Pres., James Jackson, 1255-50th Ave.; Sec'y., 1128-8th St. ALPHA KAPPA. Springfield, Mass. (Amherst College, Dartmouth C o l l e g e , Springfield College. Wesleyan College, and William^ College); Pres., Eric W. Epps; Sec'y., Hughes A. Robinson, Box 10, Springfield College. ALPHA MU, Northwestern University, Evanston, 111.; Pres., Clarence T. Mason, 1317 Emerson St.; Sec'y., Wm. C. Pyant, 1014 Emerson St. ALPHA NU, Drake University. Des Moines, la., and Iowa State College, Ames, la., Pres., Carlye C. Clarke, 1207 Center St., Des Moines, la.
RHO, Philadelphia, Pa.; Pres., George Lyle, 415 N. 53rd St.; Cor. Sec'y., Klrksey L. Curd, 648 N. 13th St.
ALPHA XI, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wis.; Sec'y, G. D. Daniel, 61 19th St.
SIGMA, Boston, Mass.; Pres., John E. Moseley; Sec'y., David E. Lane, 43 H u m boldt Ave., Roxbury, Mass.
ALPHA OMICRON, Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, N. O.J Pres., J. O. Ellis; Cor. Sec'y., J. R. Henry.
TAU, University of Illinois, Champaign, 111.; Pres., Edward B. Toles, 602 E. Clark St.; Sec'y., J o h n T. Caldwell.
ALPHA PI, Atlanta University, Atlanta, Ga.; Pres.; J. G. Lemon; Sec'y., R. E. Thomas
ALPHA PHI, Clark University, Atlanta, 0* Pres., D. S. Dykes; Sec'y., B Scruggs. ALPHA CHI, Fisk University, NashV^ Tenn.; Pres., N. M. Martin; 8e°' W. D. Hawkins, Jr. BETA ALPHA, Morgan College, BaltitO01! Pres., Oily Daley; Sec'y., Waters ^ pin. BETA BETA, University of Nebraska, 1^ coin, Neb.; Pres., Lewis O. SwW ;A 1226 F St.; Cor. Sec'y., Robert Fairchild, 1925 U St. BETA GAMMA, Va. State College, Pe**? burg, Va.; Pres., H. C. Jackson, &<?> T. Colson Woody. BETA DELTA, S C. State College,Ora»^ burg, S. C.,; Pres., Clifford S. Th°55 son; Cor. Sec'y., Jacob R. H"enop son BETA EPSILON, A. and T. College, Gree^f boro, N. C ; Pres. E. L. Peterson; Se"' F. T. Wood. BETA ZETA, Samuel Houston CoU^ Austin, Texas.; Pres. Ollie M. B 0 * 0 son; Sec'y., Thomas Tolbert. ALPHA LAMBDA, Louisville, Ky.; Pres., !J J. A. C. Lattlmore, 1502 W. Wft'lrf St.; Sec'y., Lee L. Brown, 1012 Chestnut St. BETA LAMBDA, Kansas City, Mo.; P"£ James A. Jeffress, 2206 Brooklyn **ji Cor. Sec'y., M. E. Carroll, 1213 G« rfI Ave.
(
GAMMA LAMBDA, Detroit, Mich.; Pre»'„ Henri Lewis. 6190 Iroquois Ave.; S*% A. B. Chennault, 606 Vernor » ) B way, E. DELTA LAMBDA, Baltimore, Md., Pres., *L, S. Bond. 1517 Druid Hill Ave.; J ^ . Sec'y, William I. Gibson, 260 ™ ert St. . i EPSILON LAMBDA, St. Louis, Mo.; P I * V E. Garner, 11 N. Jefferson Ave.; ^j*. Sec'y., Dr. Blair W. Carter, 100-A Jefferson Ave. „ T f
ZETA LAMBDA, Norfolk, Va.; Pres., >>•,«; Pierce, P. O. Box 724, Suffolk, V Sec'y., A. D. Manning, 555-25th * Newport News, Va. THETA LAMBDA, Dayton, Ohio; *"$! Lloyd Cox; Sec'y., J. E. Bush. St. "Y". (Continued on Inside Back Cover)
m\v ^taff
Vol. 16
October, 1930
Number 4
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF P.
BERNARD YOUNG, J R .
7
to East Olney Road, Norfolk,
EDITORIAL
Va.
BOARD
IVAN EARLE TAYLOR
Howard University Washington, D. C. CARL J.
MURPHY
Baltimore,
Md.
G. A. STEWART
Columbus, Ohio CHESTER L. WASHINGTON
Pittsburgh, WILLIAM
Pa.
I.
GIBSON
Wilberforce University Wilberforce, Ohio
ADVERTISING
MANAGER
HOWARD H. e
MURPHY
** N. Eutaw St., Baltimore,
ART
EDITORS
ALLAN R.
FREELON
Philadelphia, JAMES D.
Jefferson
FRAT
PARKS
City,
FUN
DR. 0.
Pa. Mo.
EDITOR
WILSON
Norristown,
HISTORY
WINTERS
Pa.
EDITOR
Md.
In This Issue Advertising 2 What The College Freshman Thinks About (cartoon) —3 The True Worth of Fraternities 4 6 Why Go To College? 8 The Virginia Negro 10 The Book Revue__My Name Is Mukasa H 12 Omega Chapter 14 Judgment Day Phi Lambda Chapter Picture 15 16 Fraternity Fun ; The President's Message ; 1? Theta Chapter Picture 1? The Secretary's Message _ 18 18 A Brother For Bishop A Brother Cheered by 13,000 19 Cupid's Corner -I9 Significant Alpha News 20 Overgrowth And A Remedy 21 Omicron Chapter Picture 21 Footnotes On Our Future 22 Dr. Julian Lewis 23 Turns Political Meeting Into Musical Forum 23 Prof. J. St. Clair Price 23 The Idea of Progress 24 A Prize—Win It 28 The Sphinx Speaks—Chapter News 29 36 Advertising Cover Design By Kenneth R. O'Neal, Alpha Theta Chapter
GEORGE A. SINGLETON
Allen University Columbia, S. C.
WHO'S
WHO
EDITOR
GEORGE B. KELLEY
Troy, N. Y.
LITERARY
EDITOR
RAYFORD W.
LOGAN
Harvard University Cambridge, Mass.
EDITOR
EMERITUS
OSCAR C. BROWN
Chicago, IlL
Official Organ of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Published in February, April, June, October, and December at 719 East Olney Road, Norfolk, Va. Subscription Price.—One dollar and fifty cents per year Entered as second class matter, March 3, 1930, at the Post Office In Norfolk, Va., under the Act of March 3. 1879. and accepted for mailing at the second class rates of postage.
Page 2
THE SPHINX
T H E L. G. BALFOUR COMPANY MASSACHUSETTS
ATTLEBORO Manufacturers of
Medals Fraternity Jewelry Badges Cups Memorial Tablets Rings Emblem Insignia Trophies Favors Athletic Figures Medallions Programs Door Plates Plaques Stationery SOLE OFFICIAL JEWELERS TO ALPHA PHI ALPHA
The South'* Best Weekly
Norfolk Journal aniKgttUte
I 111 (.1 I UK Is the first choice of 20,000 Negro homes, because— It Is FIRST In news. It affords Its readers a complete news service—National, State and Local. It completely chronicles School and College Sports. It has informing. Interpretative, thoughtprovoking editorials. It carries a weekly survey of Kace Relations and current trends. Its Feature Page Is thrilling, entertaining, instructive and Inspiring. Its Department for Boys and (Mils is always of interest to them. It Is SOVND In principle and SANE In policy. It Is reliable—"People take It seriously."
College Students -:-SPECIAL-:Let the JOURNAL AND GUIDE go with you to the various schools and colleges.
1
NINE MONTHS $ 1 . 0 0 OCTOBK.K TO JUNE INCLUSIVE FOR Cse This Form
I NORFOLK JOURNAL AND GUIDE 1 719 E. OLNEY ROAD ' NORFOLK. VA. Enclosed find $1 for which send the I , Journal and Guide Nine (9) Months to j (name)
(school)
The Press That Turns Them Out Weighs forty tons, prints and folds 16 to 20 page Journal and Guides at the rate of 24,000 per hour and up to 32 pages at the rate of 12,000 per hour.
(city and state) Make remittances payable to Norfolk: I Journal and Guide
NORFOLK JOURNAL AND GUIDE, 711-719 E. Olney Road, Norfolk, Va.
Page 3
THE SHINX
w i l l be o <•
- 0
Future wden
S»n«}tn
Just
My
those
Passed
they
eye
me
"Ther c $ a n e s t
of
paddle
•" "A
Swingers.
£-. V
if the,
Wonder
' e m now. T^oy. «T t h e y Kn«w
wha.1
back
ot t h e
I WAS oU
h i g h — wot/Id t K e y ^ . f r t / l . «rnen ,
/ ^ t h e y ' d flop
i ^ l ^ - A s ft* w a l k j *^*" Sorority *©*£
"Tn« 5 c a m p of the One
CampuJ
of
those
amenable
s o r t of
tresnmen the c o m p o s winter
"'
*^
\
who take for
<*
resort.
fleres
(i^Sk
\h*
freshman
(j/ L
who
w a & Ojoite <
4 %
sfar
in hioh schoo
Seem*
neglected H e wonders they has
even on
the
field".
K<'(
college sleep fresh
here. if k«o»
who
t h i n k » " v V h « t ' i T h e 0 s « " i S «. of
<^uife
t h e fresht-nan l o n o . W« mokes
says him
oty
Page 4
THE SPHINX
True Worth of Fraternities By JAMES 0. H 0 P S 0 N , Alpha Kappa few weeks ago there appeared in the Courier an article on Negro Fraternities. This article mainly brought out the defects of the system, without even trying to show what constitutes the real value of a fraternity. Many of the evils of our fraternity s y s t e m brought out by the writer were undeniably true, but one must remember that no organization composed of a l a r g e group of individuals is perfect. Each such organization may have an abundant of good qualities, but on the other hand we find that there are many destructive qualities. This is true of clubs, political organizations, civic organizations, educational 'institutions, the church, and what not. IKEWISE the fraternity has many existing evils also. It is admitted that all of the members of any fraternity are not the paragon of virtue. I suppose that there are those who often bring a reflection upon the name of the group of which they are a part. But on the other hand you will find that the majority of the other members are those who are conscientiously striving to hold aloft the banner that they represent. It is simply a case typical of any organization; some of the members are of the highest type while others are not.
L
T cannot be denied that sometimes fraternities, in their over-zealousness to get the very best men to join their ranks, resort to unfair methods. It is not denied that when they are seeking men they point out their good qualities, those things of worth that the organization has accomplished, aTid the noted men that they claim as members. But isn't that typical of any individual or group? If we want to persuade some one over to our side, surely we must put before them the good qualities that we represent. It's the same as a salesman trying to sell his goods. He would be called a fool if he went before a customer, and consumed his time talking about the weakness of his article and not laying stress upon its merit. HE fraternities are also justly criticized for the political strategy that they use. Very often it is not a case of the man that is best qualified that is elected to some public office, but it is the case of the fraternity of which the elected man is a member, having a larger number of votes than the rival fraternities. Such is to be regretted, but nevertheless it is so. But surely there is
T
Lambda
Brother Hopson is not inclined to believe that fraternity skies are all blue, but he does insist that critics look on the other side of clouds to see if there is a silver lining. . . and if the figure is a little mixed, certainly Brother Hopson is not in his very lucid and straightforward presentation of the true worth of Negro fraternities. Brother Hopson, a native of Pittsburgh, is a member of the faculty of The Virginia Seminary and College at Lynchburg, Va. His article first appeared in The Pittsburgh Courier of December 10, 1927. That far back in this modern world makes the article positively hoary. . . . but that is where you are wrong, for this particular piece only goes to show that while the best things in life are free, at least some of the good things are comparatively old.
some good in our intercollegiate fraternities and sororities. If not, I do not see how four national Negro fraternities and three sororities, with chapters in every school, both black and white, of any worth, are able to survive. HE main purpose of the founding of fraternities was to bring together those of like ideals^ so that by contact with each other their social life on the campus would be benefited to a greater degree. One can readily see that it is human nature for those persons who have something in common to mingle together. Even if we did not have fraternities we would find that the students would separate themselves into small cliques. The desire for association and companionship is a natural instinct, and it is still more natural that in seeking companionship we seek those w h o s e ideals, traits, actions, and thoughts run in the same channel as ours. The first real value of a fraternity, then, is the making and cementing of friendships. Some of these are friendships, not that just last through the period of college days, but throughout life. If justified for no other reason, the existence of such organizations should be perpetuated for that purpose alone,
T
GAIN, the value of a fraternity % brought forth in that it creates ri*' airy and competition. It is a well-rec ognized fact that competition is the chie' incentive that will spur a person on to greater heights. Without competition person has a tendency to become lethaf gic, and those talents that one has be' come dormant, because there is no 9 centive to work hard. This is true l* the classroom as well as out in life. Ead1 member of a fraternity has a desire t» see his organization at the top of the listEach one knows that to maintain a MP position each individual must do his bit' Hence you find competition among tW scholars composing the various group 9, Each one is trying to beat his fellow riv»' in leading the class. In extra-curricul* activities, such as debating, oratory, an" musical activities you will find the men1' bers of each group that are talented along these special lines working hard to maintain a place in order that his group might be represented. We find the safl>c thing true in athletics. All like to have as large a representation as possibleHence the fellow who never had a foot' ball in his hands at high school is t r y ing to make the varsity team at collegeSome chapters of certain fraternitie 3 even have regulations that force all the' r members to try out for some extra-curricula activity. Surely no one will deny that this friendly rivalry is a strong factor in moulding youth's character. With' out doubt some persons who have gained special fame in school in cei'tain field3 owe it to the fraternity. Without the desire to add lustre to his fraternity' such a person would probably not even have thought of exerting himself in that special direction. T has been frequently asserted that the best pupils in a school do not join a fraternity; that those who repi*" sent the scholarship and intellect pref el to remain away. This is entirely absurdLet us consider, first, the Negro students who are in white schools. Of course' the outstanding Negro scholars are sffl*1 in numiber compared to those who m a " accomplishments at Negro schools, because the enrollment of Negro students in white schools is proportionally lowe* than those in Negro schools. But if y° would search the records, you would fin° that in the vast majority of cases the Negro students who are making scholarship attainments are fraternity meni' bers. It is a fraternity man who lS
I
THE SPHINX •taking one of the best scholastic records a mong both black and white students at the University of Pittsburgh. It was a '•"aternity man who was given a fourhundred dollar yearly scholarship for 'our years at the University of Pennsylan >a last year. It was a fraternity man who won most of the prizes last year at — — — i — • — —— J — — ua rtmouth Medical School for proficiency ln his work. They are fraternal men who are capturing the Phi Beta Keys at such schools as Dartmouth, Amherst, /'Hiams, Illinois, and others. These are Us t a few scholastic achievements that Ne ero fraternity men are attaining in mte schools. Such records are being Uplicated in all other white universities throughout the country. TN Negro schools we find that the same conditions. hold true in reference to ,. olarship and fraternities. I will men°n the record made by such men at "icoln University for the past two ye ars. Of the fifteen men that graduated ''h either magna cum laude or cum u de at June 1927 commencement the tire fifteen were fraternity men. Of e fifteen that graduated with such disnc ' tion in 1916, twelve were fraternity p n and three were not. Of the thirty*° prizes listed in the latest catalogue, at are given to Lincoln University stuits for meritorious work in the various Partments of college work, thirty were "arded to fraternity men and two to °l-fraternity men. This is clear "•" nern c e that at Lincoln University frater:n i ty men have high scholarship. In lik,0 manner such records can be duplied at any Negro university where frarn ' t y life is prevalent. the athletic world among Negro stuI ^ dents we find that the same condi-
Hon » exist. Practically all the star Ne0 athletes who made a name for themes a few years ago in white colleges, tti ^ o s e who are making names for ^mselves today in such universities, are a . t e r m t y m e n - West of Washington d Jefferson, Cook of Syracuse, Drew Amherst, Vaughan of Colgate, Wibean of Pitt, Hubbard of Michigan, Ray o of p? tes > T a y l o r o f California and Moore a , 'tt are only a few athletes of white "ools w h o a r e f r a ternally affiliated. Negro schools the majority of ath'etes who make up the various teams PosiSe ss such affiliation also. During the th ^ season at Lincoln University, of t nineteen men who received a letter * football seventeen were either a OfTi °^ o r pledged to a fraternity. * he eight letter mien in basketball sevt e r W e r e Maternity men. Of thirteen let. m e n in baseball eleven were fraternity tV( ' while of thirteen track letter-men ^ v e wore the pin of some particular
JAMES O. HOPSON Who is the author of the accompanying article, was born in Pittsburgh and attended high school there previous to entering Lincoln University. He finished Lincoln in 1927 with the A. B. degree, cum laude. While there he was initiated into Nu Chapter and served for two years as associate editor to The Sphinx. He was a member of the varsity debating team for two sessions, winner of two oratorical prizes, winner of Junior English Prize, commencement speaker, and instructor in Latin for two years while at the famous Pennsylvania college. Since leaving Lincoln Brother Hopson has been teaching English at Virginia Seminary and College, Lynchburg, where he serves as coach of the debating teams of that college. For the past two summers has attended sumnner school at the University of Pittsburgh in pursuit of his A. B. degree in English, and has been granted a fellowship at Pittsburgh for the second semester to complete work for his degree. At present he is serving as associate editor to The Sphinx for Alpha Kappa Lambda Chapter. His hobby is "trying to write" and he frequently contributes to Negro weeklies.
I
thi
P
^ s *s *n * n e c a s e °* scholarship athletic record of fraternity men can
be duplicated in at a majority of Negro schools. T is claimed by some that Negro fraternities and sororities devote all their timle to social activities. At certain times of the year each is vying with the other to see who can give the most magnificent formal ball or some other type of social activity. It is true that most such organizations devote some time to such activities, but is not that to be expected when the purposes of most
I
Page 5 Greek-letter organizations include social purposes as well as other motives. And although the various chapters of the fraternities may expend a vast amount of money in giving a dance, nevertheless we seldom find these affairs carried to the extreme. Hardly any chapter gives more than one dance a year, and some do not give any. The money spent in this manner is indeed not wasted, because the Negro needs social and cultural development as well as any other kind. If more dances were given like fraternity dances, it would have a wholesome effect on the youth of the whole land. At least the young people would be attending a decent dance, where the people are found to be those of culture and refinement. In most of the organizations most of the time is not devoted to social life as critics claim, but there are many other things that are interesting these organizations that are not only helping the members, but the race as a whole. LPHA PHI ALPHA'S "Go-to-HighSchool, Go-to-College-Campaign" is well known to all. It serves not only as a medium to get youth to continue their education, but it has brought before the people some of the most noted speakers of the Negro race. This campaign has also stimulated the individual chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha to do something that would be of real benefit to the student. Hence many chapters offer financial prizes for essay conte ts, while others are offering scholarships to deserving young people in order that they may continue their education in higher institu t i o n s. Such scholarships were offered last year in Norfolk, Baltimore, Minneapolis, and other cities.
T
HE Omega Psi Phi Fraternity has inaugurated its "Negro Achievement Week." Its purpose is to put before the Negro and white person alike those real worthwhile achievements ojf the race. Already this movement has proved wonderfully successful. Last year the national body of this fraternity offered prizes to Negro students in high schools and colleges for the best essay on Negro achievement, while this year the contest was also staged with a first prize of one hundred dollars, and a second prize of fifty dollars. A local chapter of the fraternity offered twenty-five dollars in prizes to the high school students, and twenty-five dollars to the college students for the best essays. I suppose that other local chapters did likewise.
T
HE Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity observes its "Guide-Right Movement" yearly, with the purpose of seeing that the young boys and girls select the correct vocations in life, instead of falling into something for which they have no (Continued on Page 35)
Page 6
THE SPHINX
JVby Go To Collegef By A. A. TAYLOR, Tau TTN 1919 the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity -"• launched t h e "Go-to-High-School, Go-to-College" movement as a direct attack upon illiteracy and low average schooling among American Negroes. One year after this movement began census statistics of the United States showed that there were 3,048,733 native illiterates in this country. Of this number 1,842,161 were Negroes. Thus the number of Negro illiterates constituted sixty per cent of the illiteracy among native Americans. But more significant even, fifteen per cent of the American Negroes were illiterate. As appalling as was this situation brought about by a large number of elderly illiterates, that of the low average schooling among the Negroes was worse. If the American people were then a nation of sixth graders, the American Negroes were a group o f second graders. This condition was reflected significantly in the Negro high school population of certain northern cities which then maintained excellent school facilities. An outstanding example, which was not at all untypical, is that of a city of 800,000 population of which 30,000 were Negroes. In the year 1919, but six Negro girls and one Negro boy—in all, seven Negroes—were graduated from the high schools of this city. ITHIN ten years conditions have changed greatly. Preliminary estimates of the 1930 census indicate that illiteracy has been greatly reduced among all groups of the American people. The American people are now a mtion of seventh graders. The American Negroes have perhaps increased their average of school attainment. But whatever the facts, it is evident that there has been a tremendous increase of going to school, and of going to college on the part of Americans. HE Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity does not claim the credit for this achievement. Every sane peraon knows that a multitude of factors has brought about this great increase of "going to school" and of "going to college" on the part of all groups of the American people. From the standpoint of the fraternity, however, the significant thing is the nationwide endorsement of its movement; the nation wide recognition that a high school education and a college education, if they are good for Negroes, are good for other Americans. The recognition of this vital truth, moreover, has encouraged the fraternity to direct its appeal to continue
T
Lambda
While this article is mainly a discussion of the subject indicated in Us title, it also offers souir striking points on the problem of who should go to college. For those of us who probably ruined whatever capabilities we had for becoming pood plumbers, etc., when we went to college, this article will tell why. The Editor is afraid if entrance to college were based on certain c(»iditions stated in this article, the greenswards of the nation would be as lonely as they are during a holiday season. But don't be discouraged. Brother Taylor hat written a corking good piece. Read it and then file it for reference during the next Educational Campaign week.
in school to the youth of America without regard to race, creed, or color. n p O D A Y the crowded conditions of oar -"- own institutions of learning have led some to question the necessity for an annual urge for education. The answer is that we are as yet a nation of seventh graders. A more significant question is this: Is the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity trying to make a college graduate of every American child? The answer is NO. Alpha Phi Alpha does not believe that everybody should go to high school, or that everybody who may go to high school should go to college. The fraternity does believe that many who go to school should not go. But it knows that many who ought to go do not go. The fraternity takes the position, then, that every person who ought to go to college should go. F one asks who ought to go to college, the answer is—"Every p o t e n t i a l leader—and no one else." Here, the word "leader" is meant to indicate the "true leader," the leader who will use his leadership for the good of society. Such leadership, however, does not necessarily imply public prominence. It takes in leadership of the first order, which is based upon vision and endeavor of outstanding significance; and it embraces leadership of the second order, which is based upon vision and endeavor of smaller range, together with an intelligent support of leaders of the first rank with-
I
out which even this leadership cannot be effective. VERY potential leader, then, and no one else, should go to college. Neither the family nor the school has any social right not to send to college every child Who gives promise of true leadership; and they have no right to send any one else. The college ought to encourage and welcome up to the limit of its capacity, all applicants who give promise of true leadership. But the college has no right to admit any one else. Indeed, family, school, and college alike hold the individual, through childhood and thru youth, in trust for society, and society cannot afford that any potential leader should miss the fullest training for leadership, or that the training of its potential leaders should be impaired by the presence in college of hostile or of unqualified associates.
E
ERE the question of identification arises. How is potential leadership recognized? Are there inevitable qualities indicative of this leadership? We think not. For the purpose of this discourse, however, a list composed by a number of University of Chicago teachers and students is submitted. The list states twenty qualities. The first nine qualities are primarily intellectual. They are: 1. Technical ability (workmanship. dexterity) 2. Power of expression 3. Accuracy of observation 4. Perseverance 5. Power of concentration 6. Sense of proportion (including » sense of humor) 7. Intellectual curiosity 8. Power of initiative 9. Ability to reason, comprising a. Possession of facts b. Analysis of facts c. Synthesis of facts d. Interpretation of facts Such qualities are indispensable to leadership. The development of these qualities is the fundamental concern of college. The next four qualities are pri' marily physical. They are listed as follows : 10. Health of body 11. Appearance 12. Manner (bearing) 13. Attractiveness (charm) These qualities are the support of leadership Without them leadership is likely to fall. But it should be stated that these are not magic gifts. They may be won and cultivated through the exercis* of intelligence, will-power, and perseverance.
THE SPHINX The last seven qualities are primarily ""oral. They a r e : 14. Ability to cooperate 15. Moral cleanness 16. Honesty 17. Faith in knowledge 18. Purposefulness 19. Vision 20. Social mindedness These qualities motivate and direct «adership. Without them a person richy Possessed of other qualities might regain in selfish isolation. He might even Se his powers for anti-social ends. He "%ht be no leader, but a traitor to society. V UCH then are the qualities indicative of leadership. In the consideration ' a particular youth, we can not ask for " e Possession or the definite promise of '• of these qualities in a high degree. e cannot accept possession of only a *> neither can we accept the possession many held in only average degree. 0r can we expect leadership of a stuA. A. TAYLOR er, t notably lacking in any of these Who was bom in the District of Colum^r°ups of qualities. The potential lead- bia 37 years ago and attended James A. , i 'hen, is one who possesses, or gives Garfield Grammar School and Armstrong finite promise of developing, many of Technical High School there before ates e qualities in a marked degree. Such tending the University of Michigan, Ann youth should go to college. Arbor, Michigan; Michigan State ColP H E potential leader should go to col- lege, Ypsilanti, Michigan; Butler Uni. lege because he above all others has versity, Indianapolis, Indiana; Univerfnonstrated a possession of, or the sity of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Colum0r nise of the development of, essential bia, New York City; and Harvard UniHe I 'ties in a measure adequate for col- rcmity, Cambridge, Massachusetts. J " work and training. He has demon- has held fellowships as follmvs: Fellow ic ated a right to be permitted to expose of The Association for the Study of Ne-j elf to the opportunities of higher gro Life and History in Harvard Unie *tion. And higher education, we versity, 1922-1923; Fellow of The Laura ee o > helps the community and the na- Spelmam Rockefeller Memorial in Harn ' I numerous distinct ways. Three vard, 1928-1929. His degrees are: A. B. of ^ ^hese ways we shall mention. First, —University of Michigan, 1916, A. M.— ^?her education make/s people better Harvard University, 1923. His experience has been: in the social S«« s ' n t n e ' r several occupations. n service field as industrial secretary 0f ° d, it makes them better members I*"*! body politic. Third, it makes them of New York Urban League for 2 er was persons morally and spiritually. years. His research experience gained as an associate investigator of the J ™ us now consider how education Association for the Study of Negro Life ttr. m a k e s a man a better worker in his and History, 2 years, and his teaching ofesssion. In two distinct ways it does experience came as instructor in English, In the first place, it teaches him to Tmkegee Institute, 1 year; professor of the school or laboratory things economics, West Virginia Collegiate Inhe would later be compelled to stitute, 3 years; professor of history, Stow at a Thi , greater cost in practical life. Fisk University, 3 years; dean of men in lis Ill »SLe1S t n t 1 method of technical training. Fisk University, 1 year; and as dean of second place, education makes the Fisk University since July 1, 1930. Nn .a his, better worker by teaching him in He is a member in such learned sociec ollege days theoretical principles ties as The Association for the Study of hl < * in ir the experience of practical life Negro Life and History, The American not learn at all. This is the Historical Association, and The American Academy of Political and Socwl of 'hes scientific training. Between Sciences.. tW met Wi ° h o d s there is a radical disof i t ° n -student The first to savehim the more time so asaims to enable HE advantages of the sort of trainto do his work and earn money. ng first mentioned, the purely techJ undertakes to increase the nical training, are obvious; yet the gen S i atter °f the student's conceptions, and Cive• him the training which will en- eral tendency in the United States has B been to become less technical and more hi'ni r to advance the methods scientific. American experience h a s esa in which he- engages,
ZST
T
Page 7 proved that the sort of training mentioned, the scientific, the training in principles, has obtained better results whether or not it is fundamentally sounder than the other. Thus we have seen the rise and development of schools of business, of medicine, of law, and of theology in the place of the older system of the apprenticeship of aspiring youth in the business house, under the physician, under the lawyer or under the clergyman. • It was soon recognized that the scientifically trained physician became more effective functionary than the mere technically trained doctor. Moreover, the physician whose medical study was based upon college training generally became a more effective functionary than one less well trained. Not only that, but the college trained medical student has been better prepared scientifically to undertake research in a special phase of medicine, or to carry on researches in zoology or chemistry in the interest of humanity. Furthermore, the more recent great discoveries in medicine have been made by people possessed of extraordinary scientific training. Medical schools have recognized this simple yet significant principle by making several years of college training in specific subjects a prerequisite to the study of medicine. Similar factors in the fields of law, theology and business have brought in these fields similar changes. In the business field especially the man educated to be the creature of routine is enslaved by his reliance upon old methods, and he soon finds himself in a hopeless rut. The man who understands the broad basic principles of business and who is w e l l ground in the theory of his special field does not cling to outgrown methods but develops new ones. His type solves the great problems of business. The gain to the nation in having its industry thus efficiently conducted cannot easily be measured. It is a primary condition of national efficiency. UT professional skill resulting from higher education is just one factor in our national efficiency. In the United States, man is a great deal more than a producer of economic goods. He is a member of a political democracy. He lives in constant and complex relations with his fellow man. The right adjustment of these relations is of extraordinary difficulty and of fundamental importance. It transcends in significance the development of professional skill. Education must prepare the way for this adjustment. It must teach people not only to make the most of themselves, but to do the most for others; they must learn how to communicate their ideas so that others will understand them, to adapt their work to the wants of others, and to take a part in the work of government so that the nation shall be directed (Continued on Page 36)
Page 8
THE SPHINX
The Virginia Negro By DR. JOHN M. GANDY, Nu
Lambda necessary number of teachers and scM rooms with which to take care of the Nj gro school population of the state.
HIS discourse deals with the education, occupations, wealth, and health of the Virginia Negro. Limitation of space prevents the discussion of moral and religious aspects of the subject. According to the 1920 census, there were in Virginia 690,017 Negroes, constituting numerically about one-third of the total population of the state. Of this number 219,134 live in urban centers and 480,883 in rural sections. With the exception of Buchanan County, the Negro population is distributed over the entire section of Virginia. However, population is concentrated along that part of the state included in the coastal plains and decreases in numbers as the land ascends into the Piedmont and mountainous sections. Relatively few Negroes live in the extreme western and southwestern sections of the state.
T
iINCE there is a close correlation between the educational advantages of the Virginia Negro and his economic achievements, a glance at his educational opportunities will throw some light on his present status in other respects. Of the total Negro population, 223,692 are of public school age. Of this number in 1928-1929, 152,622 or 69 per cent were enrolled in the public schools of the state. Of those enrolled, 112,634 or 73 per cent attended school every day of the session. If the compulsory school attendance law were enforced on Negro children as it is on white children, a considerably larger percentage <<f Negro children of school age would enroll in school and a much larger percentage of those enrolled would attend more regularly. HEN, too, the quality of the teaching force and the equipment—such as buildings and furniture—have their influence for or against a satisfactory enrollment and attendance of students. For instance, there are only 3,700 teachers to give instruction to the 152,622 students enrolled in the Negro schools—an average of one teacher for every 41 pupils. This number is entirely too large for anything like effective work. Of the 3,700 teachers, only 842 hold the normal professional certificate or better, leaving 2,858 below the standard of adequate preparation for the school room. Three hundred and forty-three of these have such meagre preparation that they cannot claim a certificate but are issued local permits to teach in the public schools. Further, there are 1908 school buildings, containing 3,732 rooms. Of the 1908 buildings, 1,149 are one-room
T
N addition to the evils that result fro1 so large a number of poorly p*j pared teachers and from a shortage the number of available teachers a' school rooms, there are other calamito* i effects growing out of so large a numl>( of one-room school buildings. As statn above, one thousand one hundred fotfl nine of the 1,908 school buildings in • ! state are one-room buildings. Becall of this condition, the majority of NeCT children have not yet begun to experiei1' and to profit by the many advantag* that accrue from school consolidate While much progress has been mads \ many respects, the Negro child is sv far removed from those conditions of e* mentary education that would encourw him to master the mechanics of civili*1 tion and thus enable him—whether ' continued his education or not—to * velop into & desirable citizen.
I
DR. JOHN M. GANDY
The Editor owes his thanks to Brother Robert Custis, that demon psychology professor at Virginia State College, for reminding Brother Dr. Gandy, the busy president of that, institution, that his address before the Virginia Sociological Society would make a dandy contribution for The Sphinx, and then securing a copy of that address and mailing it in pronto. Although dealing with a particular state, Dr. Gandy's interpretation* amd conclusions have a general significance and should interest every member of a fraternity, one of whose chief activities is the improvement of the educational status of the country, especially as it pertains to our group.
buildings, leaving only 759 in the entire state—cities and counties—with two or more rooms each. If all the 152,522 Negro children enrolled in the schools last year should attend every day, t h e r e would be an average of 40 pupils in each school room available for Negro children; and if the 223,962—the number of school age, by some mysterious influence should show up at the schools in the various sections of the state, there would be an average of 60 students for each school and 60 students for each teacher of Negro children. So Virginia has about half the
S a part of Virginia's education system for Negroes, secondary *j ucation is just beginning to develop. 1928--1929, there were 114 high sch* teachers in the 45 county training seh<r and 175 in the city high schools. 9 of the county training schools and ele" of the city high schools have been plaf on the accredited list of high school Last year, 5,846 students attended the 1 accredited high schools and 496 W«J graduated. Of that number 346 enter college this year. HE County Training Schools »' making a strong effort to adj* their curricula to the needs of the ' dents. In these schools, courses of $$] in home economics and agriculture f° a large part of the curricula. Last y* seven of the county training schools & ducted vocational courses in vocation agriculture with an enrollment of 1 boys. Some instruction is given in W^ work, and occasionally an effort is nl* to teach elementary processes in bl* W smithing. These schools, however, not meet the full needs of the stude^ until shops well equipped for training all the major trades are provided. • l ' i is very essential in order that all Vf\ of minds and native interests will be P vided for in the course of study.
T
HE city high schools, for the &' part, are still conducted on an tirely classical basis. Only a fe*,. them, barring courses in manual t r >
T
THE SPHINX n S, are prepared or seem to be inclined ™ offer courses in the trades. After all •}at has been said about the education i the Negro for the needs of life, he has never had a system of education that ' s sufficiently elastic to satisfy the difr ent types of minds and native inter|t and to prepare the majority of the 1 school population for the life they are to N Ji Vo. •I he Negro has never had a fair triai at industrial training. The proper Pla,ce for this training is in the high chools; and until Virginia has provided 'Sn schools well equipped for the teach8 of the trades as well as the academic ojects, it cannot claim for the Negro n adequate system of education.
A LONG with the pressing need of enlarged opportunities for vocationtraining is a still more pressing need a well-organized system of vocation. guidance. This, in my way of think£, is the greatest need today in public J>cation for Negroes . Universal edu^ l0 n cannot make much progress and e v !0 *arious opportunities of the state 1 ' s ^ e n e d t o Negroes cannot be adequately J ' V e d u n t i l intelligent and expert counand guidance is provided for all the cnildren \i^° enrolled in the public 8h schools. Individual differences as ti v Pr f Ssed in specialized ability and nae t() 'nterests, as well as an open field for ^ Products of the school, make necesv such a system of guidance. V'HlS i s especially true since Virginia , if l s becoming rapidly industrialized. tra i tri i n i n g is extended but not rethB N e g r o 4 •Xo'f*''' S Worthy
can and
^^
make a
4 du t • contribution to the new inr With an ( 'al interests in the state. H ^ u a t e system of education for the Ne|ji ' Virginia should establish a more ^ r al policy for the employment of Nef0r . s l < i " 6 d labor. Instead of importing l^'lpiers for the jobs of the skilled lato - . s s ' V i r g ' n i a could train the Negro satisfy her needs in this respect.
The State Board of Education at its first meeting under the law for reorganization of state functions, passed a resolution pledging its support to the college in the development of agriculture, mechanics, arts, and home economics. Thus the college is more vitalized and has a more promising future than ever before in its history. ITH this educational background, we can more readily understand the influences that operate in determining the Negro's occupations. Of the 690,017 Negroes in the state, there are 258,723 males 10 years of age and over and 261,934 females. Of these numbers of males and females ten years of age and over, 200,136 males and 77,204 females are engaged in gainful occupations. Of this group, 86,401 males and 9,027 females are engaged in pursuits of agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry, 3,446 males and 13 females in extraction of minerals; 52,109 males and 11,216 females, in manufacturing and mechanical industry; 25,334 males and 155 females, in transportation; 9,103 males and 704 females in domestic and personal service; and 1,344 males and 390 females in clerical service. The Negro, therefore, is fairly well distributed among practically all the divisions of occupations set up by the Federal government in the 1920 census reports. HE occupational pursuits of the Negro have an important bea r i n g upon his accumulation of wealth, our third division. According to the figures just quoted, the majority of Negroes in gainful occupations are engaged in agricultural pursuits. Of the number in agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry, 30,908 own the farms they operate 16,585 are tenants; and 197 are farm managers. The 30,908 farm owners possess 1,920,584 acres of land which together with the farm buildings, is valued at $57,004,470. The 16,585 tenants have possession of 855,326 acres of land valued at $41,502,119. The owners and tenants together control 2,775,811 acres of land with a combined evaluation of $98,506,589. Of the the land under the control of Negroes, 1,084,268 acres are under cultivation.
T
J^ addition to elementary and secony ( Ne education, higher education for Vj .^s in Virginia is provided at the •^.Sinia State College at Petersburg. W m s titution has given admirable re^ s to the state for the investment c0|, e ' There are from the normal and HE Negro farm property, including afe ^ a t e divisions 2,600 graduates who land and buildings, has accumulated '"el * , 1 ? a s e d i n a11 types of leadership, 1 a wealth of $57,004,470, and in city propD , ^ . "K agriculture, skilled trades, the W K • ' m o d i c i n e , law, social work and erty, $20,065,409, making a total of chl More than half of the teach- $77 069,879. In addition to this, he owns 6l>s ng. 45 per cent of the homes in which he lives *ith n t n e Negro schools of the state are &S},. graduates of or have received a and church property to the amount of T),j o f their education at the college. $14 134 101. He spends annually for the Up l n s titution has recently e n t e r e d support of his churches $2,289,137 He a f . a n e w era of usefulness. It is now has a per capita wealth of $133. If the tiVjt. fled£ed land-grant college. The ac- valuation of household furnishings, farms, "°Ss"M ' " t b e i n t e r e s t of Negroes made animals, bank deposits, and all other by the U Ve Morrill-Nelson, the Smithforms of wealth not mentioned above 1e]| *' t h e Smith-Hughes, and the Pur- could be secured, the total amount of the acts are all centered at the college, wealth of the Negro would be very much
T
Page 9 larger. In the light of the restrictions and obstacles the Negro has had to work against, this is by no means a small attainment. The Negro cannot be regarded as a burden on the state but as an active, productive agent of wealth. His possibilities as a producer of wealth have never been attained; and in proportion as his opportunities are enlarged, he will become in an increasing way a more creditable asset to the state. ASTLY, his educational opportunities and economic welfare vitally affect the health of the Virginia Negro. Intelligence and environment are the two great factors that make for wholesome living. While some progress has been made in his health conditions, our racial group is still far below the standard attained by the white people of the state. It is estimated that 41,000 Virginia Negroes are seriously ill every day of the year, entailing an annual loss in earnings of $4,100,000, and an expense in doctors' bills and other necessities incidental to sickness $8,000,000. That the health of the Negro might be consistently improved, a definite health program, a larger number of Negro physicians and trained nurses should be available to the Negro population. There are only 178 Negro physicians in the state to serve 690,017 people—one physician to every 3,888 of the Negro population; while for the nation at large there is an average of one physician for every 780 people. Neither have we made a promising beginning in providing well triined nurses for the Negro popuhtion. This condition should receive the serious attention of the state authorities as soon as possible.
L
EFORE the health of the Negro in Virginia and in the South generally can be well cared for, public opinion of the white South must undergo a change as to the necessity for Negro physicians. Negro physicians are now more endured than encouraged. No facilities for their training are provided for by the states and paid for out of public funds. If, as it is generally thought, health is fundamental to the life, happiness, and value of the citizens to the state, it should be one of the primary objectives set up for attainment by the state. Virginia would do well to review its objectives of Negro education with this in mind. N conclusion, in the light of his meagre opportunities for a democratic education, of restrictions in the economic field, and of the conditions that contribute to poor health, the Negro has made and still makes a creditable contribution to Virginia's wealth. When his education is made more democratic and elastic and wlien his opportunities are enlarged, he will become correspondingly a greater asset to the State,
I
Page 10
THE SPHINX
The Book Review By RAYFORD W. LOGAN, Literary
J
OHNSON, CHARLES S. THE NEGRO IN AMERICAN CIVILIZATION, pp. 538. Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1930. $4.00.
F
OR years Negro writers have encountered harsh criticism f r o m scholars or have been damned with faint praise by scientists because of their inability or failure to produce works free from bias, opinion, propaganda, predictions, bitterness, puns, and piffle. What more, some suggested, could be expected from members of a race that precociously matured a t fourteen and degenerated rapidly thereafter? A genius m i g h t weave his woes in lilting verse. A fiery youngster with reportorial predilections might build a romance of passion around the southern sport of lynching or a mature scholar might stultify his broad vision of international affairs in a picturesque tirade in favor of intermarriage between an Indian princess and a Pullman porter. But for real scholarship, for real objectivity, for cold dispassionate analysis and research, one should look rather to descendants of Vikings nurtured on the ice-bound fiords of northern Europe.
T
HIS attitude, of course, ignored the sound contributions of a Du Bois a Just, a Woodson, a Locke. With thinly veiled contempt scholars relegated a Carver to a backyard to pray over his yams and peanuts. Negroes invited to institutes and conferences, settled problems that were vexing the best minds in the world with prayer and emotionalism. It has seemed, indeed, that these so-called Negro leaders had been invited for the express purpose of affording amusement to the serious students who had grown weary of their charts, statistics, data, interpretations, implications, and factual analyses.
T
HEN suddenly there appears upon the literary horizon that varum lihrum, a book in which a Negro writer has sedulously avoided all opinion, buncombe, Babbitry, and bitterness. Instead, however, of being cordially greeted as evidence of real Negro scholarship, it receives on the part of one Reviewer at least, a slight compliment and a sweeping condemnation. Benjamin Stolberg, reviewing this book for the New York Herald Tribune books of June 22, summarizes his views as follows:
Editor
"I know of no more important recent book on the American Negro than this performance by Dr. Johnson. It is not important because it is a good book. It is important as the most competent example of a certain type of very bad books. It deals with one of our major social issues exhaustively, very ably in its way, with a great air of scrupulous objectivity and 'scientific modesty,' without ever indicating or implying the reason for the problem."
of my family be murdered." AnotW offers this propulsion: "My children, wish to be educated in a different co* mfunity than here, where the school i* cilities are better and less prejudi' shown and in fact where advantages ツサ' better for our people in all respects, f present I have a good position but I * sire to leave the South. A good positi"1 even though its a laborer's job payM $4.50 to $5.00 a day will suit me till I c*1 do better. Let it be a job there or anJ where else in the country. I'm qui' sure you can put me in touch with son* one. I'm a letter carrier now."
-R. STOLBERG'S estimate of Dr. Johnson's book is colored by his failure to understand the purpose of The ^O not attempt to read The Negro I' Negro In American Civilization. The auAmerican Civilization while Am* thor did not set out to write a Negro 'n Andy are giving you a "true" picW "Middletown." His task was to gather of the American Negro. If, howevc' in compact form facts about the Negro in you want to have within arm's reach' America. His aim was not to paint, write small encyclopedia of facts concernid poetry or fiction. One can prove that a Negro labor, health, homes, schools, r** man is a rascal by calling him a scoun- reation, crime and delinquency, citiz^ drel or by establishing that he charged ship problems, and racial attitudes, P a widow fifty dollars to collect a one hun- this book in your library. dred dollar insurance for her. Some persons prefer the fireworks and the spread(AUL ROBESON窶年EGRO. By # eagle oratory. Others would r a t h e r lande Goode Robeson, Harper 8 ' have the documents, data, figures, and Bros, $2.50. other evidence. Dr. Johnson's book is addressed to the latter group of persons. RITTEN with a touch that is ' The other group had better not undertake once lightly caressing and une* to read it for they will be just as dis- pectedly firm, a sketch of the life of P"1* appointed as Mr. Stolberg. Some per- Robeson comes to us from the pen of $f sons delight in tints and shadows of a landa, his wife. It is very rarely th' turquoise sky, a vermillion sea, and a biographic stories about one so young clipper ship with the romance of the Paul and one whose achievements h8' Orient in its sails. Others go into ecstasy been crowded into so few short years *窶「* over the rolling rhythms and sonorous attempted. That is, it is a rare thii* rhyme of couplets, quatrains, and son- unless the subject has already passed i' nets in which the "breaking waves dash to the far land of the happy warriors. high on the stern and rock-bound coast." Thus it does not seem strange tb' But your midshipman goes from Annap- "Paul Robeson, Negro" isn't biograpW' olis learned in the lore of navigating his isn't even solely the story of the life ship through calm and storm. Paul Robeson. Well done description of Negro life and customs woven into HILE in his general estimate Mr. canvass of small town Negro ghettos 8 " Stolberg merely misses the point, finally Harlem form a background UP" he later shows either that he has not which a series of vivid sketches of P*i read the book carefully or else has failed Robeson are done. Paul as a child, P 8 , in that objectivity that is the essence of as an athlete, Paul as a student, P 8 literary reviews. He declares, for ex- as a dilettante, Paul as an actor, P 8 ample : "What propels Negro immigrants as a singer and finally Paul, the m*n ( to the North? . . . The reader is indolent, a bit selfish and dependent D , never told." My copy tells me, on page withal sincere, human, boyish, talel' twenty-five, one reason. A letter from and wholly irresistible, all come to " Florida, dated December 12,1916, states: for us through the magic that drips fr" "I can't tell that my family is safe. I the pen of the woman who made himdo not know when trouble might start Robeson and his wife lay great stf* in this town and in the excitement some (Continued on Page 35)
W
W
Page 11
THE SPHINX
My Name Is Mukasa By MARIAN SATTERWAITE SCANDRETT In The New York World, July 11, 1930 HY I decided to sit next to him I don't know, except that I felt tea w n to him. There seem to be some •^ople who can sit alone anywhere in the ""orld and surround themselves with atmosphere and breeding. I had entered e school cafeteria alone, and among Ve ral tables at which sat people I ala dy knew this table seemed to stand ut from them all. For the same un°wn reason I made some inane remark . order to start a conversation. This *°> like the pursuit of strange gentlen » is not my accustomed habit. Such ndence I always have rationalized as 'dence of a royal mein rather than a °'den one—like Queen Mary, I have no 4 Sma'l talk. I found nothing, therefore, to say after "ty opening remark about having picked in ° ^ o r ' c s a n d i o spoon. My compan, t o o l t c barge of the situation and int duced himself with quiet dignity. "My * m e is Mukasa," he said in a soft, lowe hed and musical voice. The name
"fon?eci l i k e
a s
Panish
one a
°d I s a i d s0-
°>" he replied. "It is a little difficult you perhaps. It is an African name." UKASA,"I repeated: "it is a very - musical name." My companion t ^ % beamed. "Your people who have On V e . ' n m v country have said that s is a most musical language. We e Pleased that they find it so." fo
Just to prove that truth is stranger than fiction, if there are any Brothers who still doubt it, the accompanying story, one of whose principal characters is an outstanding Alpha Phi Alpha member, is printed in full. We'd tell you nvore about it, but we seem to remember vaguely that it is not quite the thing to do to give away the ending of a story— and it is precisely at the end of Mr. Mukasa's story that Alpha Phi Alpha Brothers will find the biggest thrill in the account.
set sail for America." (I was a bit puzzled about the birthday card, but this proved to be his birth certificate.) Mr. Mukasa went on with his story. "I wrote to this college when I landed, but the President was ill and did not receive my letter, which was answered with no encouragement for me. I did not like New York—it was most unfriendly—and so, after six days here, I embarked on the same vessel returning to England. Here I expected to continue my education.
HERE was only one other Negro on the ship—a little boy of about twelve. He came from the North. I JVTR. MUKASA said he had come to * the United States ten months ago. wished to become acquainted with him (,* a k e d how it happened that he had because I wanted to know something of tj e *° this particular school. My ques- the American Negro. But for three days if. Provoked a quiet smile and he asked he evaded me. Can you believe it, he Mr T ° u ^ 1>e interested to hear his story, was afraid of me! He thought that be*fid ^ e believed was rather unusual cause I came from Africa I must be a . Perhaps of interest. So I listened cannibal and that I would like to eat him oiB. a«sposed of the meat pie and choc- u p ' " Mr. Mukasa laughed heartily at , _ t e Pudding. the absurdity of it. I joined in myself, Jl Was two years ago at the inter- until I was sobered by the tragedy of it. N the third day I finally managed facial conference at Jerusalem that to speak with the boy and while chief met the President of this colwe were conversing, (since I had deeded The w, I, President said to him, 'I not to eat him u p ) " - a g a i n the infeculd i,*i, Ke W ? y°u to send one of your young tious c h u c k l e - " a tall gentleman came ^ t ° m.y school in America. We would up to us and asked us where our homes en fciv„ from him and perhaps we could v a were. When he learned that I came from e a " W "tile in return.' My chief re'•"ned Uganda he remarked that last year he 'id " ^° Uganda, where is my home, 01^ Su ggested to me that I change my had met in Jerusalem a chief from my ''ftn • t 0 e° *° America ifor my educa- country. When he told me the name of *{ t e r m s t ead of England. This I did and the chief, I said, 'Kulubaya,' that is my Cjjj . m uch trouble about my birthday chief He sent me to America to the 1! » London enroute here, I finally school of an American gentleman whom
T
O
he met in Jerusalem, but when I arrived the gentleman was ill, and I became homesick for my beautiful country, and so I now go to England for a little while, and then back to Uganda. 'What was the name of the American gentleman?' the tall gentleman asked. 'Mr. John Hope,' I said. The gentleman smiled. 'I think you must come back to America with me,' he said. 'I am John Hope.' " rR. Mukasa leaned back from his empty plate. "That is my story. Is it not an interesting one?" It was indeed stranger than fiction. wandered about the campus after dinner, thinking over the conversation and wondering why I felt weighted by an overwhelming sense of tragedy. There was nothing in Mr. Mukasa to suggest such a feeling. Every minute had been fascinating, and Mr. Mukasa himself was a strong, sparkling personality. His was the poise of the true aristocrat, whether bred by generations of culture or coming as a sudden culmination of the fruits of a long line of humble forbears. One could tell by his liberal education, his sense of values, the inflection of his voice, that the natural beauty of his homeland, the music of his language and the poetic imagery of his people had combined to form in him a man who would be at a loss nowhere where he would be received at his true worth. Why, then, this feeling of tragedy? HE little Negro boy from the North seemed to explain it. He too came from such a country once, or someone very like him had come. What he might have developed in the midst of his native culture no one can say. Whatever his talents now, no matter how fully developed, that little boy will be something quite different. He has been denied the dearest gift of all people,—his ancestral cultural heritage. He runs from his racial brother, in whom he sees a cannibal He is denied the white man's heritage, and he is ignorant of his own. One of the most significant signs of Aframerican progress is the growing apprec i a t i o n among them and among other races of the richness of the Negro's heritage, but this is something which of necessity must be acquired, and for a long time must be confined to the few. I thought of those hardy forbears of yours and mine, and I could not restrain a whisper into a waxen magnolia blossom before me, "Father, forgive them, for they knew not what they did."
T
THE SPHINX
Page 12
Omega Chapter From Norfolk Journal and Guide HICAGO—Borne by six of his closest friends in Chicago and followed by hundreds of others who loved and admired him, Dr. George Cleveland Hall. prominent physician and surgeon and recognized leader, went to his resting place in Rosehill Cemetery Friday afternoon, June 20, following funeral services held at the Grace Presbyterian Church.
C
Nationally known leaders from other sections of the country joined with Chicagoans of both races in bowing at the funeral bier of Dr. Hall. How he had served his people and country was told by such leaders as Miss Mary E. McDowell, of the University of Chicago Settlement; Dr. William Hallock Johnson, President of Lincoln University, from which Dr. Hall was graduated in 1886 and was a member of the board of trustees; Dr. Moses Jackson, Lincoln Alumnus, and pastor of the Grace Presbyterian Church; Dr. John B. Redmond, pastor of the St. Mark M. E. Church; and T. Arnold Hill, of the National Urban League. The esteem in which the deceased was held was indicated in the telegraphic and floral tributes received from citizens throughout the country.
George Cleveland Hall r
ITH the passing of Dr. George Cleveland Hall, Chicago lost one of its most outstanding and picturesque citizens. Professionally, Dr. Hall was recognized as one of the leading physicians not only of Chicago, but of the entire United States. In addition to this, he was a public spirited citizen, interested in civic reform and advancement; and he was a human being, a man whose intellectual and professional attainments could not rob him of the ability to smile and be a good fellow among his associates. Aside from his professional activities, Dr. Hall was intensely interested in civic and educational affairs. He was chosen by Governor Lowden as a member of the commission to investigate the interracial situation in Chicago following the riot in 1919. He was for several years a member of the Municipal Voters'
Messages from several individuals and organizations were read a t the funeral, including one from Julius Rosenwald, nationally known philanthropist; a cablegram from Dr. Robert R. Moton, from Haiti, where as a member of the Hoover Educational Commission he is making a survey; Dr. R. B. McLeary, president of the Lincoln Alumni Association; Miss Armena Sears, of the Chicago United Charities; L. Hollingsworth Wood, of the National Urban League; and various state medical associations. Rivalling his professional career were his activities in civic and educational development. Dr. Hall is survived by his widow, Mrs. Theodosia Hall; a daughter, Hortense; and a sister, Mrs. Blanche Hancock, also of Chicago. He held honorary degrees of A.M. and L.L.D. from Lincoln University and D.Sc. from Howard University, and was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. The active pallbearers were A. L. Jackson, president of the Board of Trustees of the Provident Hospital and Training School; Col. Spencer C. Dickerson of the Eighth Regiment of the Illinois National Guard; Senator Adelbert H. Roberts, Dr. N. Glover, Judge Albert B.
George, and Dr. Homer Cooper, assisW and now acting chief of staff of ** Provident Hospital and Training Sch<X1 Prominent citizens in all ranks of l'p composed the honorary pall bearers, •* eluding William Randolph Cowan, r*l tor; Roscoe C. Giles, Dr. Pedros M. S^ tos, Robert S. Abbott, Commission^ French, Dr. Herbert A. Turner, Dr. Reginald Smith, Claude A. Barne^ George Arthur, Admiral N. J. Bla'* wood, Jesse Binga, Dr. Julian Daws"' Dave Manson, and Jos. D. Bibb. Dr. Hall died Tuesday morning, J"^ 17, after an illness of five months 1! was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, in 1 and received his early education in " public schools of that city. In 1882 ' matriculated in Lincoln University Pennsylvania; from which he gradua" in 1886 with the highest honors of " class. His medical education was ceived at Bennett College of this cl His reputation as a surgeon extend throughout the entire country and ™ quently he was called to other secti^ to perform operations and to confl1' clinics. He was also a teacher of s gery in the Chicago Medical co\m For years he served as chief of ^ of the Provident Hospital.
From The Chicago Whip League, organized in the interest of cleaner politics. He was also appointed by the late Mayor William E. Dever as a member of the Chicago Library Board, being the first colored man to hold such a position. Beside these activities Dr. Hall was an interested and enthusiastic participant in the affairs of the Y. M. C. A., the National Urban League-, Grace Presbyterian Church, the Mason3, the Appomatox Club, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and a number of other organizations. The interest which Dr. Hall took in the educational advancement of his race was too broad to be confined to the limits of his own Alma Mater. Besides bringing substantial contributions to the treasury of Lincoln University, of which he was an alumnus and a member of the board of trustees, he also took an active interest in drives conducted by Tuskegee, Hampton Institute, Meharry Medical College, and Fisk Univer-
sity. He realized that through e ucation the colored people of Am e t would make their most rapid progress Dr. Hall was never too busy to human. To his friends he was a c genial good fellow. His comfort*7 financial income and his nation-*1 prominence did not make him look d* upon his less fortunate and less ented fellow men. Those scores * colored and white who came to his o". daily seeking m e d i c a l care were greeted with a pleasant smile ' a gentle word of encouragement. was a true believer in the fundame'1 equality and brotherhood of all me"' A recognized and respected autho^ in the medical field, a public sp'1?. citizen actively interested in all ^ leading to the betterment of manl*1 a man who loved and was loved his family and friends that w» s George Cleveland Hall.
THE SPHINX To Our Departed Brother, George Cleveland Hall iTODAY Alpha Phi Alpha stands stun•*• ned in the face of life's grim* st actuality—the death of a true friend. ^hy had we to lose Brother George Cleveland Hall now when it seems we ne ed him most? But, great God, we sub""t to Thine unbounded wisdom, with jhe assurance that Thou knoweth what wings are well. To Alpha Phi Alpha the real George Cleveland Hall can never die. The mor• al being of man is not man. In life's Willest
sense, men are the deeds they
! and the good that men do lives torever. As we realize his passing, he achievements of his great life stand
out in bold relief; and as we behold them we are inspired. Few men in any clime or age have been blessed with a half century of unremitting toil. Fewer still have had such a chain of success in achievement as their reward. How splendid it is for us to be able to look back over Brother Hall's unbent highway of a half century paved with golden deeds done, and canopied with a halo of love and admiration of a grateful mankind. To Alpha Phi Alpha men, Brother George Cleveland Hall was always a true friend, a pal, a Brother. We shall hold in fond memory our many productive hours of association and contact with him in our chapter gatherings, in
Page 13 our national conclaves, and elsewhere, trying to do some good part of the world's work. We should have loved to keep him with us longer, for we need more souls like his. His ambition for noble accomplishment was always crowned with the vigor of youth. Even in the evening of his life his program for service was as if it were his sunrise. He was blessed and was a blessing in his every deed and in his every day. George Cleveland Hall, we bow our heads in reverent memory and say FAREWELL, BROTHER—DEAD! We pause, and catch your torch that leads us kindly light and bids us forge ahead! —Xi-Lambda and Theta Chapters
From Kansas City Call T
- LOUIS—Altho the formal coroner's verdict was accidental death the case of the electrocution of Dr. • A. Yancy, 25-year old interne at City hos Pital No. 2, on September 5, the ar ks of inadequacy and neglect are ^Parent. The X-ray department of No. corresponds with the general debility "d "second ratedness" of the long proste d institution on Lawton Avenue. Sudden Death Sizzled r
" - Yancey, who had been detailed 'he X-ray room was preparing to take " X-ray picture of Dr. Othello Ennis. °ther interne. In some unexplained fanner Yancey's left hand made contact v, " a high tension wire overhead. Dr. • n i s i who was removing his shirt, said heard a sizzling sound and a sharp c w f r °m Yancey, who stood poised h his left hand touching an overhead , r e carrying 6,000 volts, and his right JT (1 on the control knob. Yancey Umb 'ed to the floor, dead. All efforts to ] e ^ re . SUs citate him were useless. On his en* a n d w » s a split where the current eiite r e d his body and on his right hand t
EWPORT NEWS, Va.—Dr. James Matthew Hayes died at his home on m Pton Avenue August 8 after an ill. °f two weeks. He has been a stuat Boydton Institute, Shaw Univer•tv \^"' a nd Howard Medical School. He b\,r n Dr actice at his home in Mecklenl$alf- bounty and has since practiced in 9 n<j '. m ° re > a s public school physician; 1^ ' n Emporia. He came to Newport | ~* in 1927. He was highly respected jj" 1 8 community. w ' ** a v 6 8 was president of the TideC Medical Society, president of the l w ^ ° r t News Civic and Social Club, a mber of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,
a tiny hole where the current made its exit. Superintendent Okeys Equipment Dr Fred Slaughter, superintendent of No. 2, and Dr. W. W. Wright, part time radiologist there, both testified that the X-ray machine was in good condition a few hours before the fatal mishap. Dv H. H. Weathers, resident physician testified he requested Dr. Yancey to make a photograph of the chest of Dr. Ennis, who had complained of illness. Dr. Weathers said he considered Dr. Yancey capable of operating the machine. The apparatus was frequently out of order and several other hospital attaches had received slight shocks, Dr. Weathers said. In support of Dr. Weathers' statement about others being shocked, the St. Louis American reporter was told b v several local physicians, some who had been internes at No. 2, that they had heard of frequent "knockouts by the machine at No. 2 Twice in past months internes are said to have been shocked by it. However, these reports are now refuted by the hospital heads
a member of the Order of St. Luke, and was active in the Howard Alumni. At his death he was a member of Trinity Baptist Church. Throughout his life he had been active in church affairs. He is survived by his wife, whom he married in 1927, three children two sisters, Mrs. Saline Wilson, Mecklenburg County and Mrs. Lula Sessoms of Brooklyn N. Y.; three brothers, Dr. John h.. Hayes, Baltimore. Mr. Truly Hayes, Hampton; and Mr. Lawrence Hayes, * * Funeral services were held a t 2 . J W August 11 from Trinity Baptist Church, the pastor, Rev. H. B. Biggs ^ m g , assisted by all of the pastors of the city
as having been misrepresentations. The internes who made them have since made a written retraction and are under orders not to talk. Reported Inadequacy The St. Louis American reporter discovered that four months ago, (May 2) a detailed report on the inadequate condition of the X-ray department of No. 2 was made by Dr. Leroy Sante, head of the city X-ray work at Hospital No. 1, white. He condemned certain parts of the X-ray machine and recommended its immediate over-hauling. He pointed out the inadequacy of the staff, in that only a part-time man was emnloyed. He recommended full-time for a radiologist, the additional hiring of a technician and a helper. He found that the department was not kept clean and suggested that $1,000 or more was needed to purchase screen and tube replacements on the machine. He said that Dr. Wright had too much work to do as the head of the department and should be a whole-time employee. Dr. Yancey was a graduate of Michigan, class of 1929, and was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
and Rev. J. W. Patterson of Hampton. Resolutions were read from all of the organizations with which he was connected. Mrs. E. R. Peyton sang a solo; eulogy by Rev. Higgs. The active pallbearers were members of the Civic and Social Club: Messrs. R. Sayles, W. M. Hill, O. L. Faulk, C. P. Stephenson, H. E. Harrington, W. A. Thomas, J. E. Coleman, R. L. White. The honorary pallbearers were professional men from the city and adjacent cities. Interment was in Holly Grove Cemetery with C. H. Jones undertakers in charge. Floral designs were many and beautiful.
Page 14
THE SPHINX
Judgment Day (After HHHE scene is laid in the Big house, The Utopian Alpha Phi Alpha Home, resplendent in luxurious appointments, glittering in gold and silver trimmings, lounges of Arabian plush long as a box car, easy chairs that give like i/uicksand, and a brass plate on the door with the emblem shining like the Lindbergh Beacon. "The Cage," ws it's affectionately called by infidel Kappas and Omegas, occupies eight city blocks in Heaven, and reaches back to the outskirts of the Kingdom. The time is Friday afternoon in the event fid year that will find the Alphas inheriting the earth, hell, heaven and the Congaree. Harmonious strains of the Hymn peal through open windows. PIERCE of Dayton and WHITFIELD of New York are leading the singing. The episode opens as two brothers from Howard effect a dischord. P I E R C E : Wait a minute, wait a minute (with gestures of disgust.) Won't you guys ever learn to do things like you're told to do? FIRST HOWARD STUDENT: That's the way Cann told us to sing it, and Cann's from Wilberforce. W H I T F I E L D : Wilberforce! WilberWhat! Where's that? Say, who's running this thing? Ain't we the appointed Sing Masters of this here Kingdom? You do as we tell you or well have you sent back to Howard to suffer for twenty years. All right, let's try it again. Tenors hold that E flat for six counts this time. CANN: Hold on, there Big Boy. You're all wrong. You're not doing it like we did it at 'Force, and it's wrong. Why, that Hymn was born on the 'Force campus, and it's a tradition in Ohio that Wilberforce men are the world's best when it comes to singing the Hymn. BROTHER FROM KAPPA CHAPT E R : I got a pain in the neck. LINCOLN STUDENT: You forget, don't you, that you're not in the world now. You're in Heaven, and we have to do things different here. What the Lord says goes. CANN: How'd you get in this? You —you—you Lincoln underg r a d u a t e ! You— VOICE FROM OUTSIDE: Gangway! (A reverent silence is immediately observed. EVANS, the Gen. Sec. strides
By TOM YOUNG, Kappa seeing "The Green Pastures")
in, turns, and bellows in a commanding voice.) E V A N S : Gangway for the Lord Gen. Pres.! (An aisle opens up and Rose, followed by seven cherub pledgees, walks slowly to the center of the group.) ROSE: What's the trouble here, brothers? How many times must I tell you that peace, brotherhood, and fraternal spirit must be observed and cultivated in this great Kingdom? CANN: I was just telling the brothers how our Hymn should be sung. ROSE: And who told you? CANN. I'm from Wilberforce, Lord Gen. Pres. ROSE: Clip his wings, Joe, and throw him out. Let him go back to Xi and make some more brothers get financial. E V A N S : Check, Lord Gen. Pres. (Curtain)
just thinking we could use a little m<< Brotherly Love in our Home. Only y* terday, the brothers from Lawrence, K»> sas, filed thirty-four more protests. ROSE: Yes, I know. But they ai« responsible. What's bothering me is i that racket down there in Philadelpb'1 We've been running steamrollers o^ them for six centuries, and still tb*' howl and rave. Come here to this «'' dow. See there. They've been throwii" missies at us all day long. See that f<j low standing out front? That's A^ ZENNE. He's the leader. . . Wait minute. I'll get him myself. (Tbe) Gen. Pres. bangs his gavel against & window sill. The noise ceases.) Thef ALEXANDER: Lord, let me go there and 111 have them all in jail ' twenty-four hours. ROSE: Nothing doing, Raymond. need no Philadelphia lawyer to help ^ run Heaven. That will be all, gentlem** (They exit).
SCENE 2 Office of the Lord Gen. Pres. E V A N S : Is there anything else, Lo^ ROSE: Is that report from Cannon in ROSE: Yes, Joe. Tell them to s& yet, Joe? Say, what's that noise down running them steamrollers. They ai*1 the hall? doing no good. And Joe, send the Sphj(lJ E V A N S : Just some of the boys tuning Editor in here. (EVANS g o e s o"' in on Vladivostok on the new $6,000 ra- YOUNG enters.) dio. They've got a craze for Russian ROSE: I didn't get my Sphinx tod"1*' music now. Young. How do you expect me to W& ROSE: Go to the window and wipe all up with fraternity affairs? Huh, W* of those waves out of the air. I'm tired do you? of hearing it. I got a headache, Joe. YOUNG: There was an article by T^ Tell them to get Lynchburg. I want to hear Billy Randolph's address on Edu- in it, Lord, and the post office officii wouldn't let it go through the m*'15 cation. Said it was trash. Evans: Yes, Lord. (Joe exits, and the ROSE: Run his obituary tomorro* Gen Pres. turns to his work, pulling That will be all. papers out of a folder, and distributing (Curtain) them in pigeon holes. EVANS re-enters.) E V A N S : There's that committee from SCENE 3 Philadelphia outside again, Lord. The Porch ROSE: Let 'em in. (Evans summons them). J E R R I C K : Heaven's all right, T^ but I don't like it. There ain't no «0' ROSE: Good morning, Brothers. 8 JERRICK, WINTERS, and ALEX- ventions and nobody to nominate. Wb service can I be to the Fraternity? ANDER: Good morning, Lord. BERRY: You don't think you ever $ ROSE: I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I am anybody a favor by running him for tf not going to move down to Philadelphia. fice, do you? I still got my headache. The town's too big in the first place for PHIL EDWARDS: I'm running f0J me, and I need quietude. I gotta think the Golden Wings A. C. this aftern"' sometimes, ain't I? I can't run this Fra- down at the Platinum track, Jerrick. & ternity if I don't think. No, sir. I'll you be of any service to me? see you again tomorrow. G R E E N E : What's the idea of ^ W I N T E R S : But, Lord, Philadelphia is diamond studded platform out there ° the City of Brotherly Love, and we were the lawn?
Page 15
THE SPHINX
.
•
:i i
<%#v
II r. ,, . _ . Atkinq J L Tilley, Reuben McDaniels, J. M. Newsome, M w On thfe picture of Phi Lambda Chapter are: top r o w - M . W . A t k ^ ^ L y Other members not *• W. Smith; bottom row—H. C. Perrin, J. A. Mann, C. H. Boyer, H L . Trigg, u i . uean, K g y °» Picture are J. T. Taylor, E. A. Cox, H. 0. Toole, R. Kingsbury, J. 0. Jones, C. G. Segar, S. F. Peace.
WINTERS: That's for Perry Jackson, e s making another speech this evening. e thinks well have politics up here me day, and wants to keep in trim. ^AIGE: Why are all those a n g e l s w nering over there across the street, Ike? GIBSON: They've all got dates with ester Washington, Miles. Seems like le t o ld them to meet him there. C H A R L I E W E S T : You don't mean to sa y he told them all to meet him in the a,n e place? HOWARD MURPHY: Sure, he tells th e g i r i s the same thing, don't he? h
a ? / L L BELL: Who's this riding up in £i - cylinder taxi? Pl P E R : That's the Western V i c e
Pres. He's been visiting the chapters in his jurisdiction again. ROBESON:
How are the boys at
Theta, Warrick? CARDOZO: Theta? Theta? Oh, they are all right. Is Paul, Jr. pledged yet? ROBESON: Sure. He will be made in the London Chapter next month. TED THOMPSON: You never had droughts out in California, did you, Jimmy? STOCKS: Why? THOMPSON: You're all the time spitting. Don't you remember the Johnstown Flood? COLDEN: Gee Eddie, I pity you when all these cherub pledges get made. They'll murder you.
(TW^XTW^)
TOLAN: Why, Bill? COLDEN: The way you keep them working around the house here is a crime. TOLAN: Well, a house manager's got to have discipline, ain't he? DETT: "Ain't"! GEORGE GREGORY: Tell him something, Dr. He means "don't he?" BUD LEFTRIDGE: Who's making the punch for the party tonight? VOICE FROM THE INSIDE: Gangway! ROSE: (followed out by seven cherub pledgees) I just made it myself. All: (fervently) "In our dear A. Phi A. . . •" (Curtain) THE END
Page 16
THE SPHINX
Fraternity Fun By O. WILSON WINTERS Fraternity Fun Editor EAR Mr. Editor-in-Chief :-I received your ukase concerning the contributions the different departments of the magazine were to send to you for the Commencement and Directory Number of the Sphinx. I know I will be dropped from the staff, as I haven't anything ready to send in. This makes me very sorry as I had begun to like my position, being a contemporary with such literary lights as Young, Murphy, Taylor, Parks, Brown, Freelon, et al. I had been able to impress the local femininity with my national importance. * » * ACATION has preoccupied my tints to such an extent that I forgot to note anything much that was ludicrous even ridiculous. However, the little poem will show that I sense the approach of autumn and have begun to notice Nature's transformations. The autumn leaves are turning red, The frost's on everything. It won't be many days until Old Winter will be king.
D
V
The The The And
autumn leaves are turning red, crows the farmers mocked, naked limbs are bare and cold, 'een the corn is shocked. * * » According to the current advertisements that show the results of different correspondence courses in certain things, I am reminded that six months ago I could not write a novel, a story, or an essay; my diction was bad, my composition was faulty, my imagination was poor; in fact as a literateur I was just "not." I took a course in Prof. Whoosis' Institute of Short Story writing, just a few hours a day in my spare time and look at me now; what a change! Now, I cannot even construct a grammatical sentence. One year ago when called upon to make a speech I arose and opened my mouth but could not say a word. I took a course in Prof. Blah-blah's School of Public Speaking and now when called upon to speak I arise boldly but cannot even open my mouth. * * * She—Did she let that fool kiss her? He—Worse still, she let that kiss fool her.
In these days of miniature golf courses, miniature automobiles, and what not it will not be amiss since Howard University alumni are trying to take her football players off their miniature menus and establish a training table to stage the annual Thanksgiving Classic in the popular Thumb Thumb manner. Let Captain Bonecrusher of Howard take his quarterback and play Captain Skinbruiser of Lincoln and his quarterback. Let them drain the swimming pool dry and play the game there. No one need worry about the crowd that [ails to get in to see the game, as there are lots of dead heads at these games anyway. The usual parade of finery, negligees, lingerie, and fur goods could be staged outside just as it is done now. * * * BELIEVE IT OR NOT George Gregory being initiated into Chapter of Eta Peesa Pie Fraternity asked to have his impressions repeated. Jonathan Jones, a candidate for Onerycrom Sigh Fraternity brought a napkin, a tooth-pick, and soda straws so he could thoroly enjoy the "feast of the gods." John Dough when balloted on received twenty-six black balls in a meeting where twenty-six members were present, even the person who presented his name. Archibald Fauntleroy Murdock after taking the initiation up to the impression stage changed his mind and insisted on going into a sorority. Marion Horation Holton was found to be 60% more qualified for a sorority than a fraternity. Michael Munson strenuously insisted on exemption from final examination in Astronomy because of the new planets he discovered while being initiated. * * » A college lad canvassing for a magazine house walked to the door of a prospect and knocked. A colored maid answered. Canvasser: "Is the lady of the house in?" Maid: "She takin' a bath, suh." Canvasser: "I'd like to see her." Maid (grinning): "Specks you would.'' * * * Doctor (to fair patient): "You certainly have acute appendicitis." Fair patient: "Oh, Doctor, you flatter me.''
Fair maid: "Oh sir, what kind of an officer are y o u ? " Officer: "I'm a naval surgeon." Fair maid: "Goodness, how you doctors do specialize.'' * * * A sweet young maiden just home from Fisk was chatting airily with a young lieutenant who had just returned from the war. Wishing to air her Latin sh* said, "Oh sir, do tell me, what was the "causus belli?" Her mother playing bridge in the next room heard the conversation and exclaimed, "Now deaft how many times have I told you to say stomach!" * * » A WISE KID "Now I lay me down to sleep," A little maiden said. "If I should die before I wake, How will I know I'm dead?" * * * A clergyman had occasion to preach to the inmates of an insane hospital' During his sermon he noticed that on8 of the patients paid the closest attefl" tion, his eyes riveted upon the speak' er's face, his body bent eagerly forwardSuch interest was most flattering. At' ter the service, the speaker noticed tb* 1 the man spoke to the superintendent, s" as soon as possible the preacher inqui*' ed: "Didn't that man speak to you aboo' my sermon?'' "Yes." "Would you mind telling me what b* said?" The superintendent tried to sidestep' but the preacher insisted. "Well, he said at last, "what the m»" said was, "Just think, he's out and I'"1 in." * * * Just think, Mr. Editor, I'm on you' staff for collecting and compiling th>s stuff. Well, well, I should be sentenced to be "half-shot" at sunrise. Stop *• think, sir! the joy and gladness an*1 sunshine and laughter this may bring to some brother's heart, just stop *" think! stop to think! or would it be bet' er for me to think to stop. Cheeri" fellows! On with the Sphinx! Let joy be «"' refined. Reflectfully yours, 0. WILSON WINTEfl 3 '
Page 17
THE SPHINX
The Presidents Message fROTHERS OF ALPHA PHI ALP H A : With the resumption of activity after our vacation, and in hope that everyone has benefited by his Summer's change we send you GREETING: |XJRING the summer our country has undergone the experiences of a financial depression. Unfortunately, it s till is threateningly in evidence in many P a r ts, and its effects are both psychologIea l and economical. Many feel it direct'y in their several professions and occupations, and the end of it is an enigma quite baffling. So pronounced has been ,ts embarrassment to the industries of tn e country that President Hoover has summoned the wisest men in the land to c °nsider and provide some means for relief; for where industries languish depression and distress flourish; and those are best able to prevent and apply remedies wtio are masters in their several "elds of industry. We hope soon the Remedy will be found and fully applied a "d so bring the needed recovery. Meann'le there are many in our Brotherhood *"ho have felt the pinch of these distressul days, and unable to return to their Respective scholastic activities and fraternal affiliations. To me it would seem the Part of wisdom and typical of the ^'Pha Spirit that each Chapter seek out 8 unfortunate brothers, and by every eans inspire them in their varied efforts a,, d assist them in the attaining of their Seals. The New Constitution I take this opportunity to remind you here of the appearance of the new °nstitution. After much arduous labor . d long detailed discussion it was unan. usly accepted and ordered available th e Brothers by our last Convention. s it comes into the hands of each brothmay he " read, mark, learn, and inardly digest" it, so that its principles c °me to him the governing and leading 0rce in matters fraternal. Sectional
Meetings
ECAUSE of the change from annual to biennial meetings, it has been °ught expedient that sectional meetings n |i__ eld at whatever time and place be > v e n i e n t . The purpose of these meetA-fr ' s *° maintain the social order and th US^ t J l e f r a t e r n a ' spirit." Whenever * r e is to be a large gathering of Alpha n in the vicinity of any chapter this 0 Sbt to be an opportunity for the oc,ori of a sectional meeting. Permisg, n and full details for the carrying out y. SUc h a meeting can be had from the e President of your jurisdiction.
Theta Chanter Chicago : - l . George Shropshear, 2. George Chapman, 3. Addison C Moseley, 4. Tatnall Loften, 5. Cornelius Alexander, 6 John Lawlah, 7. Leonard son G M « « w 9. Ernest A. Greene, 10. Lycurgus Conner, Booker Reynolds T e W M c b r a w " Benjamin Grant, 13. Thomas Clarke, 14. Theodore Boyd, 15. Joe Davis. The Next
Convention
HE next Convention, which is to be held in 1931, will mark the twentyfifth anniversary of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. It is the desire of the entire Brotherhood that this Convention surpass all others that have gone before. It is to be our Silver Anniversary, and its importance should comport with its age its achievements, its dignity, and £ hopes. In order that we may have the cooperation of the entertaining Chapter for this occasion we are a ^ n g that Chapters wishing to entertain the Convention study their facilities for doing so
T
capably, and send their information to
this office, that it may be in the hands of the Executive Council by the first of December next. If Chapters will promptly comply with this request the place of the next Convention will be reported by January next. "We have no time to play, to dream or drift. We have hard work to do and heavy loads to lift." HESE words may fitly be applied to the task that lies before our Fraternity today, and those who live "to aid" in lightening the load are exhibiting the true spirit of Alpha Phi Alpha. Our work of helpfulness may challenge our (Continued on Page 28)
T
Page 18
THE SPHINX
The Secretary's Message ACATION is now over and those of us in the undergraduate Chapters will start in again with our educational program for the year. The members in the graduate Chapters are back again and from now on regular Chapter meetings should be the order of the day. Let me call your attention immediately to one or two matters that should receive your earnest attention. I do not want to list everything in this letter, but just enough to start you off and give you a basis upon which you may do some real Chapter work. The General President as well as the General Treasurer and myself have gone very carefully over the list showing the tremendous loss that has come to each chapter where members are initiated and allowed to drift away from their chapter connections shortly after their initiation. Something is wrong and the spirit of the fraternity has not been passed on in such a way as to hold these Brothers with fraternal ties that bind. What is your Chapter doing? What more can it do to relieve this situation and to act as a preventive. If you have tried out any successful plans please let this office know about them so that we may pass the word on to other Chapters. If you
V
have a problem which seems to prevail in your individual chapter, write us about it and we will try to give some little assistance. We must cut down the tremendous lapsations that have persisted in the past. Brother Gustave Auzenne of Rho Chapter has been kind enough to submit for publication in The Sphinx some suggestive forms for Chapter records. His articles have at least opened the way for us to get at a thing which we sorely need â&#x20AC;&#x201D;standardized records for Chapters, yet, it is not the wish of this office to impose forms upon you. We want to discuss the needs of our Chapters, the best forms to meet these needs, then to adopt them in such a way that all will conform. As I said before, Brother Auzenne has given us a good starting point, but to meet the needs of our Chapters there are several improvements that can be made on these forms. Will you, therefore, send me any suggestive changes that your chapter officers deem expedient and wise and let these come to me immediately. We shall then attempt to embody these suggestions in a standardized plan that will meet the needs of every local group. After the receipt of this letter the address of the office of the General Secre-
tary is changed from Atlanta, Georgia to Washington, D. C , and mail should be addressed to 101 S Street, Northwest, Washington, D. C. In order that I may be sure that you have received this information will you drop me a line immediately and tell rfl* definitely the names and addresses of th* present officers of your Chapter. S* often changes are made after the summer months and our office wants to have its records clear on this matter. I trust that each and every one of yo" has had a pleasant vacation. Although conditions have been such that times have been hard, observations which I have made on my trips lead me to believe thÂť* a change has come and we should all look for brighter and better times for the balance of this year as well as for the year to come. If your Chapter has it in mind to iO" vite a group for the regional meeting* you shouM take the matter up with this office and at the same time advise yoof regional Vice President and the Genera President. Fraternally yours, JOS. H. B. EVANS, General Secretary
A Brother For Bishop F
The life and achievements of Rev. Mof ris are graphically depicted. He was born in Portsmouth, Va., in 1873, in * family of long and loyal African MetW' dists. He began active work of h's connection at the early age of 14 year* and was licensed to preach in July, 1899 under the pastorate of Dr. A. L. Gaines* now Bishop Gaines, beginning as a" itinerant minister in the Virginia Con' ference in 1901.
URTHER impetus to the movement to bring about the election of Brother Rev. S. S. Morris to the bishopric of the African Methodist Episcopal Church was given in the release during the summer of a presentation and synopsis of his life and labors, following the endorsement given his candidacy in April by the Virginia Annual Conference.
The presentation and syn o p s i s i s signed by fifteen of the leading Virginia ministers of the denomination and states: "We believe that the contribution our worthy son will make will be that which is most vitally needed at this time of spiritual cynicism and crass materialism." Prmmnent Signers The signers of the document a r e : Reverends J. A. Beckett, J. H. A. Martin, J. A. Young, D. F. Gladney, T. W. Cotten, F. A. Seaton, M. E. Davis,, L. T. Watson, S. W. McKethan, J. S. Hatcher, \V. R. Howerton, D. W. Baker, S. W. Fuqua, J. Alex. Valentine, and A. J. Nottingham. The presentation is addressed to the "Bishops, General Officers, Presiding EL
Had Successful Career Rev. Morris' activities had included1 superintendent of the industrial depart' ment of Morris Brown College, 1906; pa*' tor of Tanner's Creek Circuit, 1905; pa s ' tor of Macedonia A. M. E. Church, Suv folk, Va., from 1908 to 1911; pastor StBethel A. M. E. Church, Richmond, Vafrom 1911 to 1916;'and pastor of S(' John's A. M. E. Church, Norfolk, Vafrom 1916 to 1920. REV. S. S. MORRIS ders, Pastors, and Laity of the African Methodist Episcopal Church" and is urged for consideration at the approaching General Conference.
At each of these charges Rev. Morr'8 made distinct contributions to the coH>' munity in which he served and wrough' considerable progress in the churchewhich he pastored. At St. John's in 191' (Continued on Page 36)
Page 19
THE SPHINX
si Brother Is Cheered By 13,000 By REV. JOSEPH GOMEZ BERLIN, G e r m a n y — ( A N P ) - T h i r ,, e n thousand eager and anxious people, e majority of them young people, representatives of all nations of the world, e ard Bishop John A. Gregg, presiding ° ,s hop of the Fifth Episcopal District the African Methodist Epi s c o p a 1 nurch, address a ringing challenge to ,, e Christian world in a major address at was the dramatic climax to the ° rl d Conference for Christian Youth held during the summer. Bishop Gregg a n honorary member of Alpha Phi ^'Pha Fraternity. The conference, held in the great Exlbl K tion Hall of Charlottenberg at the a iserdanwn, was declared to be the ^ a t e s t international gathering of its adri V V i t n i n a generation. Bishop Gregg's ^oress was the only radio address of ov € n t ' r e convention, and was broadcast * r a nation-wide hook-up. l was a wonderful setting. These t)) Usa , nds of people, citizens of nations v a in H * e w y e a r s a g ° were engaged deadly conflict, heard a challenge of the Chri rist as interpreted through the world's e ^ d, and answered it. To them Bishop <,., ^ s e n t his message of a more practiapplication of the Christian brothern, °od. Discussed
Delicate
Question
Th ne
re were a few who wondered. For •>ilvaS 8 q u e s t i o n fraught with possi^ l e s of much harm. It was also a Somu o p p o r t u r i i t y for service. Here were & . Africans, representatives of the r idea of the place of black people in jt
BISHOP J. A. GREGG world progress. There were w h i t e Americans, 700 strong, many from the South, with their background of enslavement and discrimination of b l a c k s . There were the English, suave, gracious and protesting, yet gradually yielding to the pressure of American prejudice. There were Japanese and Chinese, smarting under the lash of prejudice. There were others too; and only about ten colored Americans. We, who were present, are happy to
testify to the intelligence, honesty, and courage with which Bishop Gregg discharged his obligations, and met a delicate situation. It was one of the greatest opportunities that had come to one of our group in recent years, and the contribution made by Bishop Gregg was one of the most signal on record. Foreign Papers Praise Speech All Berlin discussed the speech favorably. The newspapers of the German Republic added their praise, and the European editions of the New York Herald and Chicago Tribune were not to be outdone. Furthermore, by special request, Bishop Gregg was photographed by representatives of the New York Times for the special use of that paper. It was as great a triumph as any American has won abroad. In his address the Bishop declared, "The church stands indicted before the non-Christian world as having failed adequately to represent the spirit and teaching of its master." He expressed his belief in the growing spirit of tolerance through such agencies as the Endeavor movement and the many interracial commissions, but called upon the church proper to lead. "I maintain," said he, "that if the Christian church had not become apologetic (especially in these later years), but they pursued a vigorous prosecution of the principles of Christianity as enunciated by Jesus Christ Himself, and as laid down by the founders of the church, that there would be far more brotherly love or Christian brotherhood in the world than there is now."
Cupid's Corner J \ J R . WALTER D. JOHNSON has nounced the marriage of his a *eht, Atto" Margaret Muse, to Brother ^ a s ^ 6 1 ' P e r c i v a l R- p ' P 6 r . g e n e r a l «t S t U r e r ' o n Wednesday, July 16, 1930, Uli?a, Matthew's Church, Antione and Mrs p.th S t s -- Detroit, Mich. Brother and Aw,' ' P e r n o w reside at 18032 Wexford •' Detroit. U ^ O T H E R J. HAROLD BROWN, of V k . 0 t a L a mbda, was visited by the The lma aSt M a y 2 1 s t " T h e n e w a r r i v a l . ''irthda v P e a r l Brown, was born on the be of her mother, and promises to
^siasf1^
mus ciar
'
>
and
Alpha
en-
»ROTHER DR. C. A. TOLES, of Iota ~ J Lambda, has married the charming Miss Lavina Jones, of Indianapolis. Miss Jones is one of the attendance officers of the city schools. Brother Toles is a past president of Iota Lambda.
ter, Boston, having graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology last June. At the same time the present Mrs. Rousseve graduated from Boston University. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
N Friday, September 1, Brother Ferdinand L. Rousseve, of New Orleans, and Miss Elise M. Clark, of Athens, Georgia, were married at Savannah, Ga. The couple left by boat for New York, then to Washington, where Brother Rousseve has accepted a position at Howard University as instructor in architecture. He served as secretary and president of Sigma Chap-
,ENJAMIN "BIG TWIN" THOMPSON, of Gamma Chapter, was recently married to Miss Elain Lightner. Brother and Mrs. Thompson are now residing in Williamsport, Pa. Brother Thompson, during his career at Union University, was selected as All-C. I. A, A. tackle.
O
Page 20
THE SPHINX
Significant Alpha News J. HAROLD MONTAGUE, of Beta Delta Chapter, Orangeburg, S. C , previously professor of music at South Carolina State College, has been appointed dean of the School of Music at that institution. • * * RICHARD JOSEPH SMITH, of Alpha Theta Chapter, University of Iowa, Iowa City, la., a native of Kansas City, Mo., who received his Ph.G. degree last June, made one of the best records of any member of the Iowa graduating class. Brother Smith was accomplished in high school dramatics before entering Iowa in September 1926, is a talented musician, was a recipient at Iowa of "Brown and Britten's Flora of North America" for making the highest average in vegetable microscopy, was a candidate of Rho Chi, a national honorary pharmacy society, a member of Alpha Theta's Quartet and Trio, and has the leading part in the production, "Emperor Jones,"' to be presented in the autumn as the regular play on the University Dramatics program. * * * GUSTAVE AUZENNE, JR., of Rho Chapter, Philadelphia, has been appointed assistant professor of commerce and finance at Howard University for the current term. Brother Auzenne holds bachelor and master degrees in business and is a certified public accountant. * * * MARK E PARKS, of Eta Chapter, New York, is serving as a graduate assistant instructor in embryology and comparative anatomy in Washington Square (College of New York University while he studies for his master's degree in science. Brother Parks is a graduate of George Washington High School, New York, and a cum laude graduate of Lincoln University, class of 1929. He served as student instructor in organic chemistry at Lincoln and assisted in biology while in high school, Brother Parks expects to enter the teaching profession. He is a member of Beta Kaopa Chi, an honorary scientific society, and is majoring in cytology at New York University. * * * JESSE L. CAMINSKI, also of Eta Chapter, New York,' a senior studying for his B.S. degree at the University College of New York University, was notified in July that he has been awarded the senior scholarship which pays his entire tuition and fees for 1930-31.
Brother Caminski will study law upon his graduation. He is an honor student of DeWitt Clinton High School, New York where he won the Gould Memorial Scholarship. * * * CLAUDE H. GORDON, of Beta Zeta Chapter, Nebraska University, Lincoln, Neb., has been elected president of the Cosmopolitan Club of his university, being the first of his race to hold the office there. Brother Gordon is active in various university organizations, holding membership on the Interracial Commission and in the Student Volunteer Movement. He is secretary of his Chapter. * * * D R JOHN HOPE, president of Atlanta University, is one of a commission sponsored by the Commission on Interracial Cooperation to make the first scientific study ever made of lynchings, case by case, in the effort to discover the underlying causes and, if possible to formulate an effective preventive program. * * * ANTHONY OVERTON, banker, insurance magnate, and business leader, of Chicago, was elected in September to the executive board of the National Negro Bankers Association, at the annual convention of that organization at Bay Shore Hotel, Buckroe Beach, Va. * * * DR. CHANNING H. TOBIAS is a member of a committee appointed by the National Negro Business League to sponsor a series of "Better Negro Business Campaigns" in various American cities. * * * WILLIAM I. (Bill) GIBSON, newspaperman since 1927, a member of the editorial staff of the Baltimore AFROAMERICAN, has been appointed director of publicity a t Wilberforce University. Brother Gibson, who in addition will teach some classes in English and a class in journalism, is a graduate in journalism from the Ohio State University and holds a master of arts degree from the same institution. As sports editor of the AFRO he attracted a wide following with his column, "Hear Me Talkin' To Ya," and under the caption of "The Rambler," he also wrote the column "Nobody's Business," which appeared on the theatrical page which he edited. At Wilberforce he will affect an ex-
pansion and reorganization of the pub" licity department and through the work plans to give practical experience t0 students in journalism courses. * * * RAYFORD W. LOGAN, Literary Editor of The Sphinx, and professor <*' Education at Virginia Union University* is on leave of absence to study f°f his doctorate at Harvard University * * * ROBERT P. DANIEL, former Eastern Vice-President and dt present * member of the Executive Council, als° a member of Virginia Union Univef sity's faculty, did summer school work at Columbia University the past sutf' mer toward his doctor's degree. * * * LOUIS B. WHITE, who graduate*1 from the University of Iowa last Ju ne with a Phi Beta Kappa key, will study this year at the University of Pittsburg11 on an Urban League Fellowship. * * * WALTER R. TALBOT, president <f Omicron Chapter, Pittsburgh, has be*0 elected to Pi Tau Phi, the University °f Pittsburgh honorary scholastic frateti1' ity, becoming the second colored memberBAXTER DON GOODALL, formed of Beta Chapter, has been appointed »s' sociate professor of biology at Brick JU"' ior College, Bricks, N. C. Brother Go^' all will be remembered as one of the o«t' standing students of Howard University during his undergraduate days. His <•"' record there in scholarship was g>v*j recognition when he was made Rosenwal1* scholar in zoology for 1929-30. In add1' tion, he was Editor-in-Chief of The H>"' top, official university publication, & three years; member of the S t u d e * ' Council for three years; member of *** Board of Athletic Control for t h r « * years; and head university cheer lead8' for one year. He was also a member ° Stylus and Delta Sigma Chi. GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS STE5WA*? a member of the editorial board of * . Sphinx and of Kappa Chapter, CoW>' bus, Ohio, had published in the Septe^' ber 17 issue of The Nation, prorndn^ New York liberal weekly, an article e titled "Segregation de Luxe." It h 9 t been recommended as "an article t" every Negro should read and ponderdeals with an old familiar theme, to *"j that white people in these very Un lP ^ States are sedulously endeavoring to f , ulate what the Negro shall think a ,, how he shall express himself artistical"'
I
i
'i
THE SPHINX
Page 21
Overgrowth And A Remedy By IVAN EARLE TAYLOR, Member Editorial MONG the problems that face Alpha Phi Alpha in the immediate future, "one is more serious than that of overfrowth. Growth in itself would constitute no problem if assimilation accompanied it; but this is not the case with *lpha. We are not growing in healthy ^portions. We are sprouting.
\
F I R S T let me say that this topic has p- been discussed before in the pages " The Sphinx, but perhaps in addition to "Ving my views in the matter, I may be 'We to offer a solution or at least suggest ' remedy. It is safe to assume that at fast a third of our enrolled membership * at present unfinancial with the organ*»tion and prospects for the future are J°t any more encouraging. There is no ^finite revitalizing program being carl^d out by the fraternity which holds S e for a better state of affairs.
f
VERY year in each chapter there is ^ an initiation, in some c h a p t e r s *re are more than one. The number f candidates admitted into the frater'ty, the caliber of the men, are matters * local or chapter jurisdiction. Perhaps >' hi a is as it should be. I could not if I ^>uld, offer a solution as to the single *oblem of selection, yet this is the root
/ / there is ever a prize for the moat consistent contributor of fine articles, poems, and whatnot to The Sphinx, the Editor is giving fair warning now that he is going to drop his armor of hard-boiled impartially (all editors have that, don't they?) and use every means at his disposal to have Brother Taylor included in the list of eligibles. In the accompanying diseutsitm, the Beta Chapter prexy probes a serious problem and offers his considered conclusions as to the best remedy. They deserve the careful study of every member of the fraternity.
r
OW as to a remedy for over-growth, First, the local chapter should be careful in undertaking a building or housing program. I think there should be some legislation in our national body whereby an auditor or committee elected or appointed by the national body should
Board examine the finances of the local chapter, determine its ability to successfully consummate any such program and then grant or withhold its permission to undertake it. The jurisdiction of the national body could well be extended in this direction through appropriate legislation. Second, the national body in its regional conventions to be held at the end of the year 1930, could well decree that the year 1931 .which marks the twenty-fifth of our existence, should be devoted to a program of reclammation of these who were once brothers in good standing, and at the same time forbid all local chapters to initiate new members during that year. VEN as I write I am conscious that there will be objections from many sources, but I recommend the plan for the careful and unbiased consideration of the local chapters and the national body.
E
SILAS E. GARNER, p r o m i n e n t l y known Brother of St. Louis, Mo., has been appointed to serve as special assistant to the Attorney General. He is the first of his race to receive such an appointment in the history of Missouri.
if
^ all the trouble. I have seen as many * twenty-three men admitted into the f aternity by one chapter at a single "'tiation. Judge for yourselves if all be fit. I admit the possibility but ">Ubt the probability. MTANY are the reasons for our overT - t growth. I shall mention two hereFirst, the local undergraduate chap** may be situated at an institution *ere rivalry for elective offices is very *®n. Chapters in their anxiety to prolc © winning candidates (and fraterni*s are often miniature academic politi*' parties) will pledge or initiate men insure numerical strength. Second, ^ p t e r s with ambitious housing pro^arnimes are forced to initiate men '6fly a s a source of revenue. It is evi**t that in these processes the same *fct attention cannot be paid to selecn i as to character and position, that is vital to maintaining the highest pos"'e standards. At no time in the histy af the fraternity was numerical * 6 ngth alone a criterion. True, we i V e had our so-called expansions and gowning years" but these were geoR Phical rather than numerical,
In this picture of Omicron Chapter, Pittsburgh, the Brothers shown are: left to right, back row: McKinley King, Walter R. Johnson, James P. Jones, and George Dorsey; middle row, left to right: Wilbur Phelps, William Johnson, Malvin Goode, Harvey Hughes, John F. Benson, and Harold Morrison, associate editor of ThiSphinx; front row, left to right: F. Maxwell Thompson, Aaron Holland, treasurer; Walter R. Talbot, president; Forrest Parr, secretary; and Leon M. Waddy.
Page 22
THE SPHINX
Footnotes On Our Future By J. A. ROGERS >ARIS, FRANCE—Attorney R a y mond Pace Alexander, 1901 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, asked here by this writer for his impressions of Europe replied that after visiting six countries and observing conditions closely that two ideas stood vividly in his mind.
so acute except in France that they ar* far better off in America. At least ther* they will be able to stave off hunger* while in Europe they would be deported if they hadn't a job or were out "' funds."
T
HE first was, he said, that America is the best place for the Negro; the second was, that every Negro including those who could hardly afford it should visit Europe in order that he might realize once and for always that the system of American color prejudice was an entirely false and mon s t r o u s thing—a something entirely constructed by the white American in order to exploit the Negro.
lUT," he continued, "the point I would like to stress is this: Ever)' American Negro though of very modes' means owes it to himself first and to b.8 race (really the race comes first) to visit Europe as soon as he can as an answer to the propaganda spread over here by the white Americans of bitter m i n 1 ' against American Negroes. When thf Negro arrives, however, he must be trUe to his race if he looks anything differed from the preconceived notions and appearances of a Negro he will be tike" as a Spaniard, East Indian, French Colonial, or anything else but an America11 Negro by both Europeans and whit* Americans. The latter are natural!)' dumb as regards knowing Negroes, f°r example, people from my own state insisted that Mrs. Alexander and I mus4 be of French or Spanish parentage.
H
E added: "The future of the Negro in America and the future of the American Negro are not one and the same. The future of both is very bright, but in different directions; that is, they will make themselves felt as important figures in the world of affairs but in different ways.
RAYMOND PACE ALEXANDER My advice. . . is for the Negro to at a II in A mi1 lira mid work his way up there. " H T H E Negro, therefore, must trav*1 -i- and must make his race known & order to give the lie to white America" propaganda which says that the mamodation. The question there is strik- jority of us are indolent, and are laz?' ingly like that of the States. Where and are shiftless, and make up a larg6 there are few Negroes there is practi- percentage of the American crimin8' class. This is what the French, the cally no prejudice, as in the States. German, the English and the Austria" LAVERY was a great wrong, yet we people tell me that Americans have tol* Would Be As Bad were more fortunate than others in them. In some instances, however, we" ["Y reason cannot be given in a few that our ancestors were brought to a thinking and kindly disposed w h i t e words but I may simply say that country like America, rich in natural re- Americans have, themselves, stated th»{ while the treatment of the Negro in sources, with a splendid climate, and with this was vicious propaganda. But the*6 France, Germany, Austria, and even in a stable government. We might have good people are infinitesimal in numb et England is a thousand times superior to been taken to one of those lands subject to to the large number who give false statethat of America, yet if any of these coun- revolution and other disorders, where ments and bad propaganda. Therefo 1 * tries had some 10 or 12 millions of col- internal wars apd wars with adjoining more Negroes should travel in Engla" ored people I feel sure that conditions nations would have decimated our num- and on the continent of Europe, and the^ would be similar to that of America. The bers and killed us off—also burdened us should always make their race knotf" temptation of the Europeans to exploit beyond recovery with oppressive taxes." and talk freely of the progress of tl>e a minority class would be too strong to American Negro so that we may be give" America Bad—But resist exploiting the Negro. I cite excredit for our share of American vtoi E added: 'The Negro t h e r e f o r e ample of Jews in Russia, Armenians in ress. should decide that America is not Turkey, Jews in Germany. only his home but that he has a brighter NOTHER thing: we should leaf " n p H I S n a s made itself clear in cer- future there than elsewhere, as a group. at least one other language, Vre -i- tain places in Paris wherever there As to the individual Negro who is a maserably French. My knowledge of Frencjj are sufficient numbers of Negroes to ter a t some one thing he will, on the and German helped me tremendously »n give a sort of colony atmosphere, such as whole, enjoy greater national appreciaat once placed me in a better positi"' admittance into some of the big hotels. tion and renown with his particular gift than it did some of the white American9' This is much more clearly illustrated in in Europe than in America. But as to who as a rule, speak no other languag* England where groups of colored people other Negroes, the European countries than their own. Speak a man's langua** find great difficulty in obtaining accom- are so crowded, and the labor situation (Continued on Page 35)
T
HE best place for the black man, better stated, the colored people— that term takes in all colors—is America, North America, and in the northern states. The most fortunate thing in all the world for those original twenty-two slaves and their descendants in the abominable slave-trading system was that they were brought to America instead of being taken to some of the continental countries of Europe.
S
H
A
it
THE SPHINX
We Doff Our Hat
A Noted Brother Turns A Political Meeting Into Musical Forum
NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y.—A political meeting turned into a cultural forum and a composer ran away with the show Saturday, September 20, when a tea held in the Hotel Niagara ballroom, given in honor of Congressman and Mrs. Wallace Dempsey turned from its avowed purpose of aiding the congressman's renomination to giving acclaim to Brother Dr. R. Nathaniel Dett of Hampton, a visitor. The deflection began when Mr. Dempsey was suddenly called away from the meeting on business and the announcement was made that Brother Dett, who was born and reared in Niagara Falls, where many people still call him "Nat," had dropped in as a visitor. Addressing the meeting at the request of the chairman, Brother Dett eschewed politics and chose to talk music to the delight of the audience which was chiefly TO DR. JULIAN H. LEWIS feminine. First as a concert pianist and Because previous to and following his composer he played, numbers from his "In The Bottoms Suite" and "Juba graduation from Rush Memorial College, Dance." Then he talked on his recent Chicago, in 1917, he achieved one honor trip to Europe with the Hampton Choir. tfter another: Fellow in Pathology at "It was the artistic presentation of the the University of Chicago, 1913-15; in- choir of forty boys and girls which won structor in pathology at the University the amazement of the residents of the •/ Chicago, 1917-23; assistant professor old world," said Brother Dett. "They are familiar with Americans as °f pathology at the University of Chiotgo, 1923; Benjamin Rush Prize (Medi- money-makers and pleasure seekers but cal School), 1917; Howard Taylor Rick- they are not accustomed to thinking of Americans as artists or patrons of fine ets Prize (for research), 1915 Alpha arts," he explained. Omega Alpha (honorary medical); SigHe told of the choir's welcome to Eng•"« Xi (honorary scientific) ; Guggenheim land by the prime minister Ramsey Mcforeign Fellow, 1926-27; pathologist, Donald, and his daughter, of the cordialProvident Hospital, Chicago; honorary ity of the people of Germany, the charmalumnus, Meharry Medical College; med- ing arrogance of the Viennese, and the ial director and vice-president, Victory warmth of the choir's reception in Paris. He admitted though that the greatest arLife Insurance Company; vice-president, tistic pleasure of the whole journey came "ouglass National Bank, Chicago; con- when he and his students sang before sulting coroner's physician. Cook County, the members of the New York Philhar'«.; member, Society Experimental Pa- monic orchestra, returning on the same thology, Association Pathologists and boat with them and received an ovation. Bacteriologists, Chicago Pathological So"We were something of a novelty in etei V, Chicago Institute of Medicine, Na- Europe, and we had, of course, the intional Tuberculosis. Association, Cook terest of the new and the strange. We "onnty Physicians Association, and the had fallen into the habit of being approved by the Europeans, but without "nteriean Association of Immunologists. feeling that they knew enough of our Brother Dr. Lewis is married, his wife background and problems to be able to °eing the former Miss Eva Overton. give us a thoroughly sound criticism. But the members of the Philharmonic were PERRY B. JACKSON, of Pi Chapter, from America, were musicians of the Cleveland, was renominated by a notable first order and were themselves converJ^a.iority during the summer to succeed sant with conditions. Their unstinted •••mself as a member of the Ohio Legis- praise was and is very precious to us." *ture from Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Many of the most prominent people in Mother Jackson is a member of the Ex- Niagara attended the tea, the guests of ecutive Council of the fraternity. which filled the ballroom.
Page 23
We Doff Our Hat
TO PROFESSOR J. ST. CLAIR PRICE Because Brother Price this year declined four positions, each of which paid four thousand dollars or more to start, to accept the associate professorship of education at Howard University, Washington, D. C, which may or may not pay that much. Brother Price was offered and declined these positions: research professor of education, Fisk University head of the department of education of Atlanta University; assistant superintendent in charge of elementary schools, Washington, D. C; and professor of education at Stowe Teachers College, St. Louis, Mo. Brother Price received his training at Lincoln University (Pa.), where he received his B. A. degree in 1912; the University of Michigan, where he received a B. A. degree in 1917; and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he received his Ed, M. degree in 1927. He was a graduate student in the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1928-29 and has completed all residence requirement for the degree of doctor of education. His experience in teaching includes two year8 as principal of Adams Street School, Ypsilanti, Mich., and head of the department of Education at West Virginia State College for ten years. He has considerable experience in research, having contributed notable studies to The West Virginia State College Bulletin, Opportunity Magazine, School and Society, and written a monograph entitled "The Intelligence of Negro College Freshmen." The "train telephone" is bound to be a useful service. With it you can call up the Pullman company direct when you can't find your porter.
THE SPHINX
Page 24
The Idea of Progress By GEORGE A SINGLETON, History OREWORD:—Nothing has so gripped the imagination of modern man as the fact of movement, and change. The sixteenth century was a period of re-birth. Old things have passed away, and behold all things are become new. The static has given way to the dynamic, the fixed to the mobile. It is so easy to mistake movement and constant change for progress. What progress there has been in the universe, has been due to the foresight, wisdom, and intelligent direction of human beings. Man possesses an idea to-day, which he hopes to be the means of building a type of social order in which his fondest dreams of peace and brotherhood may be actualized. He realises that this planet is his home, and that it is his supreme task to beautify it, and make it a fit place for sharing life's glories. His motto is the word of Markham:
F
"Make way for brotherhood,— Make way for man."
I
NTRODUCTION:—The purpose of this paper is a brief study of the idea of progress. Man has the capacity, and the ability to make of his society what he will. If he does not progress it is because he is not willing to pay the price of intelligent, purposive effort. He possesses to-day a tool which the ancients did not have,—modern scientific technique. He has demonstrated his ability, in a large measure, to control a considerable area of the forces of nature. Upon the expansion of knowledge and the use of science his progress depends. But in the final analysis he must use his knowledge for enhancing social value.
T
HE chief concern of man is to build ends and choice goals into his universe. His emphasis is upon physics and not metaphysics. The world to-day is burdened with exploitation, poverty, crime, ignorance, racial and national jealousies, predatory commercialism, and economic imnerialism, A way to the all-around development of all must be found, an open road to talent, a universal society in which all men will have an equal chance for the good things of life. This is an Hurculean task, but it is that which man faces and dai-es to accomplish. He will not expect any outside help from the gods, but profiting by the accumulated experience of the ages he will so direct the movement
Like a good member of the staff ought to do, Brother Singleton, who is History Editor of The Sphinx, determined to prepare something during the summer for the October issue. When the torrid summer heat ruined his determination to prepare something he rummaged through his collected writings and found this article. Reading thru it to the end, the Editor found in the professorial handwriting of a Chicago University teacher who once taught Brother Singleton this note: "Excellent! You marshal your materials in a 'masterly manner, and your conclusion is inexorable. Alas for the 'tender-minded'! and inspiring." The signature of the professor must have been in some lost language, but the Editor didn't hold that, against him, because he was grateful to have had someone state. his reaction to the article so succinctly and accurately.
of civilization of the day will gradually dawn when all men of all faiths, dogmas, and creeds, all men of all races and nations will enjoy living to the full with shared interests and ideals. This is the end of progress. HE plan:—The study is necessarily brief. In the limited scope allotted, the best we can do is to define the term, progress, and make a comparison between the ancient world-view and the modern. A little more space and time are given to the latter than the former, for it is the real crux of the paper. Some thought is given to the theistic notion with its backlying purpose of over-ruling Providence. Herbert Spencer's "Comic Evolution'' with a species of necessitarian progress is rejected. Progress is not in escalator fashion. Four criteria of progress are discussed after Max Nordau. Then follows a select bibliogranhy of sources actually employed in writing this paper.
T
EFORE making a comparison between the ancient and modernworld views of progress, it is necessary
Editor that the term be defined. It is the belief that man can make his way through all the difficulties and dangers that beset him by means of applied science of technology. Progress is assuredly movement towards a goal, but this goal is not mystical, has not been conceived by a supernatural spirit, or determined by a supernatural will, it is throughout earthly, concrete, immanent, the source for all life—it is self-preservation. The late Professor Josiah Royce spoke of progress in terms of » "tendency towards some final state." For him progress was growth which received the approval of the observer in whose judgment it was progress. Professor John Dewey conceives of prog' ress on the level of control by man over the forces of nature—control for social uses. The late Professor Lester F. Ward of Brown University defined progress in terms of the increase ol human happiness, and Professor Thomas Nixon Carver of Harvard regards progress as a d a p t a t i o n and well-being' These definitions may vary in statement, but fundamentally they suggest development by means of applied science and technology, resulting in closer adaptation. In this paper progress iS to be thought of in this sense. Ancient World-View
T
HE ancient world was static. Change meant decay. Perhaps the most fertile minds of antiquity were tn e Greeks. They built most ambitious and grandiose systems of philosophic spec ulation, but to them the idea of prog' ress never occurred. Likewise the R 0 ' mans who inherited Greek thought never worked out a system of progress. The Greeks conceived of history in cycleS' That which is has been, that which ha5 been, will be. "There is nothing ne* under the sun." "We are the same our fathers have bee" We see the same sights our fathers have seen We drink the same stream, we view th" same sun We run the same course our father 3 have run." ISTORY moves along for 72,00° solar years when everything end3 in a catastrophic denouement, and the start is made all over again. TbJ3 point of view is illustrated in the p' c ' tures of Orphic, the teaching of LinU3'
H
Page 25
THE SPHINX the expressions of Hesiod, the philosophy of Heraclitus, the atomism of Edemocritus, the idealism of Plato, the stoicism of Zeno. Aristotle said: "Everything is a cycle . . . The age of man, government, the earth itself with its blossoming and withering away." Thucydides thought things would be as they are. Cicero repeated the philosophy of Hellenic masters: "Miri sunt orbes et quasi circuitus in rebus publicis comm u t a t i onem et vicissitudinum." St. Augustine, a typical Latin scholar, would place the goal of history upon a supramundane plane, following cosmic dissolution. The purpose of the social order is happiness in another world. ACHIAVELLI followed the ancients, only he paid more attention to the moral side of man. His moral nature is always a constant, and â&#x20AC;˘lever changes. He is followed in turn by Bodin. The ancient outlook persisted through the so-called Dark Ages. Goethe said; "Men become cleverer and more intelligent but not better, happier, or more effective in action." Lamar tine was of the opinion that "The notion of progress is a dream, a Utopia, an absurdity." Schopenhauer advanced the thought: "Since the world is eternal, the theory of progress is necessarily false." Incidentally Schopenhauer's postulate is Undemonstrable and therefore incapable of scientific proof. Lotze thought that progress in history was hardly discernible. Odysse Barot describes progress as the swing of a pendulum perpetually backwards and forwards, and development is ceaseless recurrence of the same facts and thoughts.
I
T is quite obvious that ideas and ideals thrive best in intellectual atmospheres best suited to them. They can l o t be thought of out of definite relation to their ideological environment. Since that is true, it would be illogical to expect the idea of progress to gain currency in the Graeco-Roman world. Certainly G r e e c e had geometry and mathematical science, but she used it for dialectical purposes. It never occurred to her to measure the stellar distances. Bury rightly says that "The history of the idea has been connected with the growth of modern science." This brings us to our modern world. Modern Conception TpHE history of the idea of progress â&#x20AC;˘*â&#x20AC;˘ finds its best treatment in J. B. Bury. It needs to be stated, however, that the modern idea of progress did n ot appear adventitiously. It came as a sequence of developments in human history. The modern world-view may he introduced by mentioning a few shin-
ing lights whose names are connected with the upheaval in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Galileo, Bruno, Kepler, and Corpernicus rendered humanity a lasting service when they overthrew the geocentric theory, and set up the heliocentric theory. A new world was discovered, and man was dethroned from his pedestal as "Lord of all." In 1859 Darwin made vocal his epoch-making biological discoveries, and man awoke to find that instead of entering the world-trailing clouds of glory, he trailed a brute ancestry. In the realm of speculative thought David Hume awoke Immanuel Kent from his dogmatic slumber and men inquired into epistemology. There was a veritable revival of learning, a Rennaissance. Old postulates and old theories were questioned. Martin Luther questioned the old authority of the Roman Catholic hierarchy. Reform, expansion, development, growth, discovery, colonization were in the air. New trade routes were established, as new continents were discovered. The mariner's compass, the telescope, gun powder, the printing press, steam all have a peculiar contribution to this modern idea. ROGRESS is a recent concept, and represents in part, the modern spirit. "What then is the modern spiri t ? " asked Perry. There are it seems to me four cognate ideas which go to make up the concept of modern. I do not present them either as final or as complete. I present them as tentative and partial. They are the ideas of progress, of control, of utility, and of responsibility. And these are just the ideas we find so conspicuously emphasized in the writings of Bacon." Of the outstanding personalities who propounded the idea of progress are: Descartes, of whom it hath been said that "Cartesianism was equivalent to a declaration of the independence of man"; Roger Bacon, who caught foregleams of the present day, and did more for experimental science than any other man; Turgot, Abbe, St. Pierre, Condoixet, Kant, St. Simon, and Hegel. Hegel posited the idea: "History is the development of humanity in space and time, and the conception of development included the notion of progress." The idea of progress was vigorously applied by Auguste Comte.' Thomas Henry Buckle accepts it for science and knowledge. J. S. Mill, Tyler, Michelet, and Lubbock are also classed with those exponents of the idea. In Herbert Spencer it was carried to every ramification and phase of life.
P
AY we ask ourselves again the definition of progress, and what does the idea imply? It consists in the invention or building up of new elements, institutions, or ways of living, through a selection and re-comibination of old elements. It means that civilization is moving, has moved, and will move in a desirable direction. This idea has been the guiding spiritual force of the 19th century. It is what Professor Perry calls the "Forward movement." Man's potential powers are great. The powers of nature present an immense antagonist, but within the last few years it hath been demonstrated that man is able to harness, coordinate, and canonise them to his social ends. People generally to-day look forward t o an indefinite period of development of mankind on earth. With this point of view Professor Josiah Royce is slightly a t variance. He is somewhat skeptical as to man's ultimate conquest over nature. "I see no reason for being confident that good will ever triumph over evil in more than a very restricted sense. If at any moment there were triumph we could not be certain of its permanence. According to our present notion of the universe, we stand alone, a few specks of life in the darkness of infinite space, in the midst of nature forces whose resources we shall never more than very meagerly estimate, with an unknown future before us, in which what appalling accidents may happen, we can never even with faint show of accuracy foresee. But if the triumph of the good is uncertain, if voluntary progress is always a venturing into a mysterious future, there is no reason why we should on that account work less vigorously, or make our aims less lofty."
M
S
UBDUE the earth" is the command of the Hebrew Bible. It is the slogan of the New Humanism. Whereas the ancients would contemplate the garden, the modern, and the New-Humanist would till it. Man is out to subjugate nature and put all things under his feet. He is not concerned with ultimate goals of history, for it is beyond his power to foretell. He is tremendously concerned with progressively building a universe of values, ends, and brotherhood. He believes in "Serving the present age." With science as an efficient tool he assays to combat and conquer disease, eliminate poverty, diffuse and democratize knowledge, increase the value of life, and bring in the day of universal brotherhood and sympathetic fellow-feeling.
T
HUS far we have been talking about progress as if it were a reality, but there are many who would ques-
Page 26 tion the assumption, and others would register in the negative. Thinkers like Machiavelli, if they would allow progress, would hold that it is not in the realm of morals. For example, Nordau is of the opinion, which he frankly states, that the universe is no place for development, and still less for purpose, in the sense of gradual perfection. He limits progress to living things. In the cosmos there is action and interaction, energy and force thrusting here and there, stars and suns moving in their orbits, and from their dust new worlds are being formed. On the other hand systems "have their day and cease to be." In the mundum sensibilis there is change, but no progress. In the world of living things there is progress, either by biological adaptation, or conscious adaptation. The human person, about whom the New Humanism is deeply concerned, reacts to his environment in a way far different from the lower forms of life. His response is active, and that of the lower forms is passive.
r
is evident that there is progress in the sense of the content given to it in this paper. The Golden Age lies ahead of us, not behind. It lies within the power of man to realise it. Man is able to rise higher and higher, to criticize present conditions and change them. In this regard he is infinitely better than a sheep. The sheep is neither conservative nor liberal. When he is born his sheep-patterns are fixed for him, and he follows them. He cannot modify them. Man presses forward with a bouyant optimism with the happy belief that by effort he can make things better. "The control of nature through the advancement of knowledge is the instrument of progress and the chief ground of hope, is the axiom of modern civilization The good is to be won by the race for the race; it lies in the future, and can result only from prolonged and collective endeavor; and the power to achieve it lies in the progressive knowledge and control of nature." The result is that "man now greets the future with a new and unbounded hopefulness. Indeed, this faith in the power of life to establish and magnify itself through the progressive mastery of its environment, is the most significant religious idea of modern times." AN realizes, a t last, that he is an earth-child, that he is of the earth earthy. The chief desideratum is a philosophy of life that will attempt to interpret man's place in the universe, and not a philosophy of ultimate or final causes, for all things whatsoever must be mastered that they may become servants and instrumentalities to man's spir-
THE SPHINX itual comradeship. Man is engaged in the task of perfecting his world, and this task is called progress. It must not be thought, however, that progress comes willy-nilly with a kind of glorified Victorian optimism, and sanctified Spencerianism. It may alleged that progress is a possibility, and must not be confused with change. Neither must it be confused with growth; for growth may be a sign of disease, and change may be a sign of degeneration. Truly the fixed has given way to the mobile, and the settled to the free,—inventions facilitating migration and travel, communication, circulation of ideas, production and distribution of goods on a large scale in a world-wide market, but they do not constitute progress. Rather by means of them a wonderful situation has been created in which progress is possible. These are indicative of social change and social change is not progress.
P
ROGRESS depends upon the direction human beings deliberately give to change. Professor Royce calls it "volu n t a r y progress." Deliberate human foresight and ingenuity applied in the engenery of plans and programs for human betterment is the tedious road of progress. Scientific conquest of nature affords a splendid basis for progressive advance. Wholesale decays of civilization as we have had in the past are impossible now, for mankind is in possession of the possibility of progress. "We can have it, if we are but willing to pay the price of intelligence for it.'' The conditions are at hand. Man does not wholly control the energies of nature, perhaps he never will, but he can forecast desirable physical changes. The steam engine has changed society in a way that is absolutely incomparable with the work of Alexander, or Caesar. This is very significant as an indication of what man is able to do. With deliberate action, foresight, and constructive effort, man progresses. It may be said further that progress is not an endowment, but a responsibility, and requires sustained industry.
P
ROGRESS postulates human capacities and the call to realise them. It means change estimated in terms of approximation to an end—the end being the principle of unity, harmonizes and explains the successive steps. By this time it is obvious what we mean by the "Idea of progress." Man has moved forward in the past to the realization of goals, motivated by conscious desire to better his social conditions. He is advancing now, but not with the lengthened strides some would like to see. He is too complacent and self-satisfied. He
is too much of a slave to the past with its old traditions, dogmas, and loyalties. But if he would turn about, face the task of movement toward his desired goal, and fight for it persistently, courageously, the values of life would be increased, the hopes of "The great community" realized, life would be made more happy, more joyous, more gloriousThis is not a Utopia, but an actual or possible fact. Personaltistic Notion
T
HE theistic conception of progress may be illustrated by a brief exposition of attitude held by the Personalist School of Philosophy. They begin by assuming that there is a Supreme Person standing at the head of finite persons. This Supreme Person is immanent in the world, directing events in history, raising up leaders and inspiring men. At the heart of reality "there is an ideal of perfection." Back of, and within the universe of persons there is * Supreme purpose being realized in time' The world is the scene of the Divine energizing, the heavens are crystalized mathematics. Progress in time is the direct result of finite persons cooperating with the Supreme Person. Thus it can be seen that human history reveals divine purpose. To this extent Professor Gilkey is a personalist for he says in "A Faith for the New Generation": "History is not the record °* a meaningless succession of unrelated events, but the story of an unfolding and apparent consistent purpose." At the heart of things is an implied purpose and directive Intelligence. Facing a real world of evil, unrealized dream' and dis-values the personalist longs tot the day when with God he will have conquered. Whatever wars and conflict* history may record, there was standing eternally within the shadow, The Supreme Person keeping watch above H'9 own. H p H I S sounds pleasant to the ears, and -*• I must confess in personal term" that I subscribed to it for a decade. especially during the years of my i"cipient theological study. Many to-day are staunch followers of the Personalis' tic gleam finding peace and comfort. The supreme task ahead of man is the pe1" fecting of his world in space and timeThe most practical thing for him is *° concentrate upon this task and not intellectual subtleties about ultimate reality an supramundane concepts. Ther* has been progress, there is progress no*. and there may be progress, but only as men deliberately control the force" about them for social ends. There ** purpose, to be sure, but only as m«n
Page 27
THE SPHINX interweave it into the fabric of history. Purpose is finite and has its home with scheming, contriving, planning, constructing man. This creative intelligence Working itself out in social life may be denominated "Providence" if the word is used in a limited and qualified sense. The Spencerian Idea
H
ERBERT SPENCER made the idea of progress all-inclusive. His system "swept into its net the starry heavens as well as the destinies of mankind." For him progress seemed an inevitable law: "Progress is not an accident but a necessity. What we call evil and immorality must disappear. It is certain that man must become perfect." Again he says: "The ultimate development of the ideal man is certain—as certain as any conclusion in which we place the most implicit faith; for instance, that all men will die." On the other hand Bury declares that the "process must be the necessary outcome of the physical and social nature of man; it must lot be a t the mercy of any external *ill; otherwise there would be no guarantee of its continuance and its issue, and the idea of progress would lapse into the Idea of Providence." Herbert Spencer states in another place that adv ancement "is due to the working of a Universal law . . in virtue of that law 't must continue until the state we call Perfection is reached . . .Thus the ultimate development of the ideal man is logically certain as any conclusion in Much we place the most implicit faith • • . . so sure must man become perfect.'' With reference to the Spencerian postulate, it is impossible to allege "a law "f progress." Men are free to progress ° r degenerate. GAIN, from the point of view" of Spencer progress tends in the phys'cal order from simplicity toward complexity. Royce would have us to say 'hat progress, volunjtary progress, is *rom complexity to simplicity, from heterogeneity to homogeneity, and der 'niteness of conceptions. This point ^eenis to be well taken, for modern c ience is making as one the nations ?nd races of men. What happens to-day 11 China is known all over the world tomorrow. Important scientific discoveries "d achievements of scholars are not °nfined to the country of their resie nce, but immediately become univercommon property. The greatest benr actors of the race are cosmopolitans, J*d are forerunners of that future inJ^nationalization of loyalties, the parla u ment of man, the federation of the
Vld.
Max Nordau's Argument HE universe affords no place for development, and still less for progress, in the sense of gradual perfection. All known facts compel a reason which is closed against mystic reverie to assume an eternal, regular, cyclic movement perpetually passing through similar phases, and to reject as irrational the idea of a goal to which the earth is gradually progressing. He does, however, limit progress to living things. Evidently he has in mind, man, for he immediately raises the question of the tests of progress. He argues at length for four: (1) Hedonistic criterion. Happiness and pleasure do not constitute a valid test of progress. It can not be proved that there is more pleasure in the world to-day than in the days of Pericles, or his ancient sires; or putting it another way, it cannot be demonstrated that the ancient did not get as much pleasure out of life as Henry Ford or Thomas Edison. There is still poverty, vice and ignorance for the masses. The rich exploit and oppi-ess the poor as in the day of Amos and Micah. To be sure, this is the machine age, and the age of labor-saving devices, but they have brought in their train of evils. This is the day of the bank, checks, drafts, and letters of credit, but the man who has no money is just as bad off as the moneyless pauper six thousand years ago. Nordau thinks the hedonist criterion breaks down miserably, and rejects it.
T
TfT was stated (2) earlier in this paper -1L that Machiavelli saw no progress in morals. The same evil spirits inhibit the soul of man to-day as in the days of our forefathers, hundreds and thousands of years ago. The only difference is that there has been set up more social taboo. Man still possesses deep traits of bellicosity, selfishness, and the spirit of the jungle. Vice, crime, envy, hatred, malice and prejudice are just as pronounced today as in the days of Moses, when out of the social experience of the Hebrews he taught the "Ten Commandments." But today mores, folkways, social customs have been erected which tend to inhibit, and hold man in check. These restraints were wanting in primitive society. The least letting down of the barriers of restraint and man reveals his real and true self. In 1919 there was a police strike in Boston, and within a few hours thugs and gunmen from New York joined the lawless in shooting craps on the historic Common. Note what happens in the time of war? There ensues a complete moral lapse. Even in the time of fire, or flood disaster, when society is temporarily
disorganized, ordinary conventions are set aside. Are men any better today than they were years ago. Social sanction and social restraint cause them to appear better. Christians were burned in the time of Nero to illumine his Vatican garden; they are burned to-day by Christians in front of church houses and court house squares. Social taboo has not grown imperious enough to act as a deterrent. [ORDAU also (3) rejects a r t as a criterion. Some years ago there was a battle in England, and on the Continent over the restive superiority of the men of classical Greece and their day, of Italy, and England. Italy during the time of her Golden Age boasted of Florence with seventy thousands souls and more great men than England with millions. Boccacio, Petrach, Angelo, Gioberti, et al. England did have Farraday, Bacon, and Shakespeare, et al. The point is that art had become democratized more than in the day of the Florentines. Great men like the dead Homer are claimed by seven cities. INALLY (4) Nordau argues the criterion of technical inventions. Inventions and discoveries are at once the result and proof of a wider and more profound knowledge. In connection with technical invention he gives another definition of progress, which establishes his norm of evaluation. Progress "is an increase in the capacity to set attention in action artificially, and to sustain it by the exclusion of distracting objects." Inventions, discoveries, and new laborsaving devices are the result of sustained concentration. They are made possible as man arrives a t the point where he is able to eliminate distracting concepts and ideas. In a real sense we arc the heirs of the centuries, but each generation must learn and assimilate his social heritage. Knowledge does not pass-ready made into the human mind. The printing press, the modern newspaper, cheap books, and the radio are aids to knowledge which the ancients did not have. In this department, more than in any other, it is evident that man has made progress.
F
HE pressing problem is that man will use his knowledge for the glory and not the destruction of man. Modern science is a great tool, but the recent World War has demonstrated how dangerous it is when not properly used. Knowledge is power either for building up or tearing down. The same submarine which crossed the Atlantic in the war days and appeared in Newport harbor, may make the voyage.on a mission of mercy; the same aeroplanes which
T
THE SHINX
28 recently girded the continents and seven seas were not engaged in dropping deathdealing bombs but were in reality harbingers of world brotherhood. Conclusion: A Forward Look HUS far we have attempted to define progress, compare the ancient with the modern conception, set up a plausible point of view in contradistinction to the theistic position, expound and criticize Herbert Spencer's "Cosmic evolution," and reproduce the arguments of Max Nordau. We finally conclude that the chief end of man is to glorify, beautify, and perfect the earth as his home. He is obligated to focus and direct all of his energies to the control of the forces about him to the end that nature's vast resources may be tapped. The industrial order, the economic order, education, and religion, all must be the servants of man. He must make them such. During the millions of years that man has been on this planet he has made some appreciable advance, with only about six thousand years of recorded history. The journey from darkness into light has been tedious an hard. The process has been one of trial and error. There is a greater distance yet to be traversed. Time is on man's side. The scientists in the realm of astra physics are of the opinion that there is an almost indefinite period ahead, barring some celestial accident. If man redeems his time, and applies himself rigourously to the task of directing his civilization, all will be well. It is entirely left to man. He is capable, if he will but exercise the required courage, intelligence and effort, of shaping his own fate. He is not only leaving the place he was at, but he is going somewhere. The hope of progress lies in the collective efforts of humanity which as yet is hardly conscious of its oneness and has not imagined what it might perform as it worked with one purpose and together. This hope a few, who stand upon the topmost pinnacle of the mount of vision, are endeavoring to stir in the hearts of the people.
T
Bibliography Ames, Edward Scribner: The New Orthodoxy; U. of C. Press Bury. J. B.: The Trloa of Progress; Macmillan, N. Y., '21 Bury, J. B.: History of Freedom of Thought; Henry Holt, N. Y., '15 Bowne, B. P.: Personalism; Houghton Mitflin Co., Boston, 1908 Brightman, E. S.: Religious Values; The Abingdon Press, 1925 Carver, T. N.: Sociology and Social Progress: Ginn and Co., N. Y., 1 8 Williamson, Claude C. H.: International Journal of Religion and Ethics; 19201921, Vo. XXXI
Dewey, John: Int. Journal and Rel. and Ethics, April 1916 Dewey, John: Reconstruction in Philosophy; Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1920 Ellwood, Charles A.: The Reconstruction of Religion, Macmillan, New York, 1922 Haydon, A. E.: The Quest of the Ages, Harpers, N. Y., 1930 Gilkey, James Gordon: A Faith for the New Generation, Macmillan, New York, 1926. Galloway, George: Philosophy of Religion, Sribner's Sons, New York, 1921. Fosdick, Harry Emerson: Christianity and Progress, Fleming H. Revell Company, New York and Chicago, 1922 Knudson, Albert C : Present Tendencies in Religious Thought, The Abingdon Press, 1924 Nordau, Max: The Interpretation of History; (from the German), Ribman, London, 1910 Perry, Ralph Barton: Present Philosophical Tendencies; Longmans, Green and Company, New York, 1919 Royce, Josiah: Fugitive Essays, (Nature of Voluntary Progress), Harvard University Press Sellars: The Next Step in Religion; Macmillan, New York, and Chicago, 1918 Sorley, W. R.: Moral Values and the Idea of God; G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1919 White, Andrew D.: History of the Warfare of Science with Theology; 2 Vols., Appelton and Co., New York, 1910 When a fellow calls by television to says he's called out of town and can't make the poker date, you'll be able to see the good wife over his shoulder. A fine old custom of the y o u n g e r boys back home in the circus season, was to hang a bottle of angleworms in the hot sun, for "acrobat oil." The prince of Wales caught malaria in South Africa, but fortunately he didn't try to ride a zebra or an antelope to hounds. What profiteth it a man to marry quietly, figuring he has fooled the world, and find five life insurance agents in his office the next morning ? "England has much more prison room than is needed. "This gives the particular guest a suite to himself and one or more personal guards. The woman who, at eighty-three, flew 550 miles to enter a home for the aged proves out of hand that she is not ready for old-age retirement. Civilization is fast becoming a social condition under which somebo d y i nvents a new and atrocious noise at least once in twenty-four hours.
Is An Alpha Man Going To Win This Prize? WASHINGTON, D. C—To stimulate clear and intellectual unders t a n d i n g of problems of labor and particularly of those problems which affect Negroes as such, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will award annually the Nellie M. Quander prize of $100 for the best essay on the subject, "Negro Labor Present Day Problems," it was announced here. The contest will be open to undergraduates, irrespective of sex or race, who are enrolled in an institution of learning authorized to award the degree of A. B. or B. S. The essays must be typewritten and should contain not less than 3,000 words. The essays must be original and not previously published and must not be published or used in any similar contest before the prize in the contest is awarded. No essays will be returned. The essays must be submitted under an assumed name which should be enclosed with the writer's real name and address in a sealed envelope. A statement signed by the proper college official certifying to the contestant's eligibility to enter the contest should be submitted in the sealed envelope with the writers' name and a& dress. All essays and accompanying identifications must be in the hands of the committee not later than November 15Address Nellie M. Quander, Alpha KapP 8 Alpha Essay Contest, 1014 Columbia Road, N. W., Washington, D. C.
President's Message (Continued from Page 17) best thought and make inroads on off worldly goods but what less can be expected of a Brother? From the pleas» nt chats I have had with the Founders I a") persuaded to believe that Alpha P*1' Alpha was founded out of experience5 and at a time like this. Their h i g ^ ideals, their fortitude, and the story °* how they overcame is a part of our s»* cred history. Let this noble spirit °' our Founders fill us, inspire, and sustain us as we go forth to duty. B. ANDREW ROSE General President Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
Page 29
THE SPHINX
THE SPHINX
SPEAKS
Consise Reports of the Activities of The Chapters, Written By Associate Editors To The Sphinx
Upsilon Scribe Records And Soothsays Both
Alpha Psi, Newest Chapter, Greets And Pledges Support
In closing the pages of history for Upsilon Chapter, Lawrence, Kan., for the year 1929-1930, we look back and find t h a t silent as we have been, we, thirty members strong, have been tolling upward toward another milestone in Alpha Phi Alpha achievement. In our scholastic life, some great achievements have been made. Every Brother who started out in September has Jumped every hurdle set In his path by the wise and Zealous professors. Foremost among those successful are Brothers G. F. Perry, C. E. Washington, and W. P. Tillman, our beloved president, who received their bachelor of arts degrees. Brother John D. Bell fecelved his master of arts degree this year, and Brother Charles M. Toms, who has his bachelor of science degree in education and University teachers diploma, is enrolled in the graduate school of Kansas University here. Brother Hamilton Perkins, who was recently added to the fold, made the chemistry honor roll, a position attained by only one other Negro student in the past five years at Kansas University. The other student who holds this credit is Brother C. F . Washington.
The charter members of Alpha Psi, newly established chapter at Lincoln University of Missouri, send greetings to all t h e older chapters of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. On May 24th, last, Alpha Psi was established at Lincoln University. A glorious time was experienced by the seven of us, who were Initiated; and much fun was derived from the initiation by t h e graduate brothers who were empowered to set-up the chapter. Owing to the fact t h a t school closed the following week, J u n e 6th, we had little time to enjoy our new honor—as t h e first "frat" men at Lincoln of Missouri. However, we are back and hope to enjoy the privileges, and honor granted us as Alpha men. We are proud to be members of this great organization of college-minded men. We appreciate the honor of being deemed worthy of membership In t h e Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, to us, t h e greatest of all college fraternities. This chapter is the result of much la±>or and energy on the part of our charter Brother, Marshall Beason, and Brothers Blackiston, Curtis, and members of t h e faculty here at Lincoln University. We are indeed indebted to these brothers for their diligent work and untiring efforts in this cause of ours. The result Is Alpha Psi chapter. We are in our infancy, as you readily conceive, and In such a state we are prone to make mistakes. Though we trust t h a t none will prove serious or grave In their scope. It is September, and we are a t t h e beginning of another school term with m u c h work before us. A chapter constitution must be framed; the Sphinx Club must be organized, and our class work be given due consideration. Monday, September 15th, we held our first regular meeting. Work was begun on the Chapter constitution. Plans for t h e Sphinx Club were discussed. The following day, September 16th, t h e names of the aspirants t o t h e Sphinx Club were received. We hope to allow t h e successful pledgees t h e privilege of Imbibing the "nectar of the goddess," t h e second week in December. This will allow t h e fort u n a t e neophytes an opportunity to wear the sacred Alpha pin during the Christmas holidays. The Charter members of Alpha Psi are: president, Nathaniel Freeman; honorary president, Marshal Beason; vice-president, Hadley Hartshorn; secretary, John G. Turner; assistant secretary, Bernard Gravette; treasurer, William Hopson; and Metha Finley, associate editor to The Sphinx. METHA C. FINLEY
To relieve our minds from t h e burden Of books and study, many fine parties to 'he tunes of various popular musical artists have been had. Brother Wm. Pennell, *ho has t h e "Collegians," a much sought after orchestra, received his degree in fine arts In J u n e . In keeping with the spirit of the fraternity, the annual Educational Campaign *as broadened in its scope and also in 'ts territory covered. Brother Tillman, our c halrman of educational activities, has already received many letters from Negro Souths Inspired by the fervor of the campaign. We feel t h a t the main objectives °f the campaign has at least been carried Out by Upsilon. Foremost of the accomplishments of t h e *h"others and pledges is their great spirit 0' cooperation in making the Chapter house °he of the most attractive 6pots on Fraternity Row. A new roof has been added, JUst recently painted, the trees pruned, and the terrace resodded. Much praise must 8o to Brother Elliott, our steward, for his '•Herest and business ability in carrying °ut this project. , At the climax, we find our fold Increased oy ten strong and atalwart neophytes who •aw the light of Alpha Phi Alpha on May *• The successful men are Brothers Car[Jtthers, Williams, Parker. Mathews, J. El"ott, Spotts, Hurse, Webster, and Perkins. The prophet, looking down t h a t lonesome '°ad predicts t h a t Brother Bell will be the Resident of some leading college for .'omen, and t h a t Brother Perry will fill ;he chair of professor of mathematics at Jhe same institution; t h a t Brother Pennell j*Ul have an orchestra surpassing t h a t of ?Udy Valle; t h a t Brother Toms will be a ° r eat school administrator and supervisor ;* educational tests and measurements; t h a t p o t h e r Washington will be- a successful Physician after discovering some unknown rjjre for colds; and t h a t Brother Tillman *J11 be successful as a public orator advocating full and equal privileges for short tr*en. The seer grows serious and says, Alpha Phi Alpha and Its members will be jhore successful In t h e coming year In endering a service to the Negro Youth. Jhd a s for Upsilon, she will soar to heights j e t unattalned, but dreamed of." As the Kht grows dim he predicts a hard year t 0r the t senior "laws" In the persons of brothers E. Washington and James A. h( "avis. 'avis. —JAMES A. DAVIS
Alpha Kappa Lambda Active In Many Fields We, the members of the Alpha Kappa Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, located in Springfield, Mass., plan to make more contributions to The Sphinx. The final meeting of our Chapter for t h e school year was held on Saturday, J u n e 6, 1930.. The result of this meeting was the election of the following officers for the coming year: Brothers Eric W. Epps, president; Charles Fisher, vice-president; Hughes A. Robinson, secretary-treasurer; Raymond E. Miller, assistant secretary; and Ernest A. Dawson, chairman of social committee. It Is the intention of t h e Chapter t o be-
come much more active In t h e future t h a n it has been In the past, and it Is safe to say t h a t we will place t h e Alpha Kappa Chapter of t h e Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity on the map such as it has not been before. —HUGH A. ROBINSON
Iota Lambda Swings Into Action Again Iota Lamba, Indianapolis, Ind., has witnessed several outstanding events since t h e last issue of The Sphinx. First, our June Prom, was very elaborate and successful. Our guests of honor were t h e J u n e graduates of the chapter, consisting of Brother Dr. Anderson Chandler, of I. U. Medical School; Brother Thomas Horner, Butler University; and Brother McDonald Bobb. Indiana University. Many of t h e Brothers have done summer work in the various educational institutions throughout the country. Our president, Brother Dr. Mills, attended Chicago University. Brother F. Luther Merry, a t tended t h e same school. Brother J. Harold Brown, our secretary, had charge of t h e music department at Hampton Institute. We are very glad to welcome Into our fold Brother Anderson, of Lynchburg, Va., who will head our high school. Iota Lambda regrets t h a t t h e visiting Brothers in t h e Tennis Association did not meet the Brothers of t h e local Chapter. But since all t h e officers, except our treasurer, were out of t h e city, we found It Impossible to get an affair together In such a short time. An a t t e m p t previously had been made to ascertain what Brothers would be here b u t we were unable to do so. But in t h e future Iota Lambda will try not let any other Brothers pass through t h e city without receiving t h e glad Alpha Phi Alpha hand of welcome. Brother Garner, of St. Louis, met several of the Brothers of t h e local Chapter. —H. T. RILEY
Alpha Kappa Chapter Promises More Activity Multicolored leaves scattered everywhere. along with t h e cold biting sharpness of t h e morning air, makes us realize t h a t t h e fall season is here again calling us at Alpha Kappa Lambda, not only to our varied occupations b u t to t h e work of our Fraternity as well. T h u s our president, Brother Dr. Elwood Downing, after touring the country, gathering many tennis laurels during the summer months, p u t s his racket away until next season; Brother James Hopson Is able to forget t h e most hectic Frog Week, Pittsburgh has ever experienced; and Brother Bill Randolph leaves behind pleasant memories of a summer spent In gay New York t o go back to a student's life at Western Reserve University. In like manner t h e other Brothers of Alpha Kappa Lambda Chapter are throwing off their summer lethargy to get down to real work. Before relating our fall activities, several events of the late spring season must be recalled In order t h a t the Brothers might know the Chapter is not sitting idly by wasting precious moments. Our Educational Campaign went over with a bang due to the strenuous efforts p u t forth by Brother Parker and his corps of assistants. The Chapter felt t h a t real definite results were obtained and t h a t the movement was not carried out In name only. Constructive speeches were delivered to high school students in Roanoke, Lynchburg, and surrounding towns by Brothers Parker, A. Smith, Randolph, Hopson, R. Smith and Pogue. Brother Randolph further demon-
Page 30 strated his ability as a real orator by t h e masterful way In which he broadcasted his radio speech, published In t h e previous issue of The Sphinx, over station WBDJ, from Roanoke. The banquet to t h e high school seniors was also quite effective In t h a t It gave t h e forty attending students an opportunity t o come In Immediate contact with t h e Chapter members, and t h u s developed a spirit of friendliness t h a t la so necessary in a movement of this kind. Our crowning achievement, however, was t h e concert given by t h e Orchestra and Glee Club of Addison High School, Roanoke, In t h e auditorium of the Dunbar High, Lynchburg, at which time a hundred dollar scholarship was awarded as evidence t h a t our Interest in the high school was something more t h a n mere talk. After the first two ranking students of Virginia Seminary, of Lynchburg; Addison High, of Roanoke; and Dunbar High, of Lynchburg, had been subjected to two mental tests about three hours in length, Thomas Dean, of Dunbar, having t h e highest score, received the scholarship award the night of the concert. T h u s ended t h e most successful campaign In t h e history of the Chapter. No matter how much we like to work, there are times when we m u s t play. Feeling this urge the brothers gave their a n nual Dinner Dance at t h e country home of Brother and Mrs. L. A. Pogue, during t h e latter part of May. It was not the usual sophisticated dinner-dance, b u t one a t which the Brothers, along with their wives and sweethearts, completely relaxed and had a Jolly good time. I thing t h e most enjoyable part of the affair was t h e delicious dinner of fried chicken, baked ham, spaghetti, hot rolls, Ice cream, cake, and much more t h a t I now forget, spread o u t over t h e spacious lawn In true picnic fashIon to be devoured by a hungry group of Brothers. The Downing brothers, Elwood, Gardner, and Lylburn, m u s t have plotted before getting there to try to eat the most, b u t a worthy competitor was unearthed In Brother Tollver. Dancing and cards, Interspersed with the showing of moving pictures of the dinner-dance of the previous year, kept every one in a happy mood u n til It was time to leave. The ladles were given flimsy, colored handkerchiefs of which one corner was embroidered with Alpha Phi Alpha. Everybody left uttering t h a t trite b u t still expressive expression, "What a lovely time I had." This fall the Chapter plans to p u t on a bigger program t h a n ever. As we grow older we feel our Increasing strength, t h u s making us ever-ready to undertake new and bigger problems. With an excellent corps of officers and an enthusiastic m e m bership we are glad Alpha Kappa Lambda Is a graduate chapter t h a t Is continually moving forward by doings things. If you do not believe us, drop in to see sometimes and we will prove It. Best wishes to all t h e Chapters for a constructive fall and winter season. —JAMES O. HOBSON.
Alpha Alpha Chapter Active Despite Heat Although a very hot summer has made It almost impossible for us at Alpha Alpha Chapter, Cincinnati, Ohio, to really do energetic work, the weather has in no way Interfered with the real work of t h e Chapter. We had our meetings Just t h e same and kept the Brothers together and we are planning great things for t h e fall and winter. We hope for another banner year. Due to misfortune our news has been missing, b u t from now on you'll hear from Alpha Alpha Chapter. Our Educational Campaign was a great success and was climaxed by t h e fine speech made by Brother R. P. Daniel, of Richmond, Va. We covered Cincinnati and vicinity thoroughly and had a radio program. During the summer m o n t h s several of
THE SPHINX t h e Brothers have spent t h e time traveling. Brothers Bearman, Jackson, Artie Mathews, R. P. McClain, Berry, and Lowe were among them. Some of our men are being heard from in civic fields and are uplifting our community, namely, Brothers William Lovelace, who was made an officer of the Probate Court; Beaman, who is being' looked upon as a coming power in politics and who Is planning great things for the betterment of t h e Cincinnati Negro. The "Grim Reaper" saw fit to take t h e wife of our dear Brother Artie Mathews. The Brothers were pallbearers and assisted In t h e funeral services. Brother Mathews has our deepest sympathy. —R. P. JACKSON.
burgh's Cathedral of Learning, Omicron J too is looking up—questioningly t h o u g h wondering how she's going to get along. Fate was not satisfied In allowing graduation to take almost all of the Alpha students out of school, b u t is now taking them away. Brother Wm. Johnson, who played in the band, finished Washington and Jefferson In June. At Pitt Brother A. U. Holland finished dentistry. Brother Forrest Parr, engineering, Brothers James P. Jones and FMaxwell Thompson pre-law, and Brothers Leon Waddy and John Benson the premedlcal course. At Carnegie Tech Brother James Miller got his degree in music and is going back for graduate work. Brother Thompson is leaving for Michigan Law School and Brothers Garfield Nickens, Leon Waddy, Earl Simms and McKinley King are entering Howard Medical School, Brother Bill Johnson is at home in8 In response to your letter of the tenth Erie. Pa. and Brother Johnny Benson l of this m o n t h we of Alpha Sigma Chapback In St. Louis. The latter had so much ter, Wiley College, Marshall, Texas, pause difficulty In getting out of town in August from the duties which characterizes every t h a t we have reason to believe he'll be college campus a t t h e beginning of anheading this way for the Pitt-Notre Dame i game. The game is merely an excuse. other school year to send greetings to all of Alpha Phi Alpha. To compensate for her many losses, OmiWhen we tell you t h a t graduation last cron has made some gains by initiating J u n e claimed seven loyal members of Alon July 8 Woodford Harris. Pitt track star. and Henry Bridges, Duquesne University pha Sigma you can readily see the anxiet y on t h e p a r t of t h e remaining few to scholar. Brother Louis White of Alpha Theta will add much to the chapter as h« get t h e right start so t h a t the same high type of work t h a t has always character- pursues work for his master's degree. The ized this chapter may continue and to da. prospects among the freshmen and sopho- | honor to those dear Brothers who have mores look exceedingly bright now. But I will they be t h a t way when pledging seaset such precedence as vital for real manson opens? We wonder. hood and true Alpha spirit. In the way of upholding the name quit» J u s t a word about the Go-to-Hlgh-School, a few things have been going on. On May Go-to-College Campaign. I t is t h e general 6 we presented a handsome, engraved cup opinion t h a t t h e '30 Campaign was the to the winners of an educational debate best in all respects t h a t It has been the sponsored by the Chapter. The next weeK honor of Alpha Sigma to sponsor. We are we had charge of Pitt Lyceum, the local Indeed grateful t o the Educational Departforum of college students, and in the ment for the cooperation t h a t was given, course of the program had the finals of * the l i t e r a t u r e was Indeed good. Brother declamation contest and presented gold. Felton Clark of Southern University was silver, and bronze medals to the winners. our guest during the entire week and deOn May 1 our president, Brother Walter livered an address to the s t u d e n t body. R. Talbot was elected to PI Tau Phi, the Brother Clark|s presence and his wonderUniversity of Pittsburgh's honorary schoful address to us all has given Alpha Sigma lastic fraternity. He is the second colmuch prestige and a stronger will to strive ored member. On May 25 Pitt Lyceum on. elected officers. Brother Malvin Goode. then president, had himself made treasThe week was successfully closed with urer and Brother Walter Talbot presidenta Garden Party which will long be rememTrie latter says Brother Goode deliberately bered on Wiley's hill. It was a co-affair "passed the buck". with the Phi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (Nuf sed). Our associate editor, Brother Harold Unfortunately the writer was not presMorrison, dropped out of school for his ent at the initial meeting of the Chapter, health, but we're glad to say he's In fine nor at the stag a t the beautiful home spirits, and we're looking forward to hi 8 coming around all right. of Brother Henry Clark, however, Judging from t h e enthusiasm which seems to raThe national A. A. U. Championship' diate from all of t h e brothers who were gave us a chance to see Brother Tola11 in attendance it was indeed a wonderful perform. As you know he ran away wit" meeting and reunion. And to say t h a t the "hundred." The "220" would have been Alpha Sigma will be heard from, doing more interesting had Brother Tolan n" { big things this year. Is only telling t h e drawn the outside lane with a concrete half. wall to worry him around the bend. We have three young aspirants for initiaThe opening of school finds Brothers tion and, probably a t the next writing they Jinks Johnson, Goode Harney, Harvey will have crossed the burning sands Into Hughes, Malvin Goode, Woody Harris, and Alpha Phi Alpha. Those aspiring to see Walt Talbot as undergrads at Pitt. Brot h e burning light are: Osby McDanlels, thers James P. Jones and Louis White are in the graduate school. At Carnegie Tec" Willie Combs, and Algernon Penn. These are Brothers Wilbur Phelps and James Milfellows are leaders in school and of Alpha ler. At Duquesne are Brothers Ernest type. In closing allow Alpha Sigma to express Johnson and Henry Bridges. Other active brothers here are Brothers Carl TinkerIts appreciation to the Editor of The Sphinx Welfred Holmes, Arthur Crocket, George and his staff for the high class type of Dorsey, Aaron Holland, Harold Morrisonwork t h a t has been done t h u s far, and Joe Coy and Bud Parr. we offer our service in any manner t h a t will be beneficial to you and thereby Nu Chapter need no longer send out plaintive calls for her "Arch-Woofer," Bud broaden the scope of Alpha Phi Alpha. Leftrldge, for he is here in Pittsburg" -J —H. T. S. JOHNSON, JR. rocking our hills with his elucidating tal* :r but if the brothers of Nu will pause i ° but a moment any evening and listen, theye will hear again the voice t h a t shook th trees of Chester County. If only half our plans for the fall and While most of Pittsburgh is looking up winter go through, Omicron shall have ac- it to see the stone blocks placed about the complished much and we'll tell you about | fortieth story of the University of Pittsit in the next Sphinx,
Alpha Sigma Loses Seven By Graduation
Omicron Notes. (Thar's Gold In Them Thar Hills)
THE SPHINX
kta Lambda Does hings In A Big Way As we gather again after the varied forces and misfortunes of t h e summer vacation season. Beta Lambda Chapter. Kan' City, Mo., extends greetings to all the Others of Alpha Phi Alpha. •"erhaps a little resume of our year's *k to date might not be amiss as we Sin anew t h e job of "carrying on." The *r has been a very successful one under ' leadership of our new and wide-awake teldent, Brother James Alfred Jeffress. *o returned from the Atlanta Convention *d with the determination to make Beta tabda a greater force In the life of Al'» Phi Alpha. He has enjoyed the finest Operation from officers and members «e. ftie Installation of officers was the ocSon for a delightful social evening with ' wives and sweethearts as the special *Ms of the Chapter. After dancing and f cls and the service of choice refreshl »ts, the officers were installed with fit's ceremony. One innovation that has meant much [ the success of our meetings was a care"y prepared program of business and "ure numbers for each meeting of the ff. worked out by the president and p u t * the hands of each member. This pro'ttl has created greater interest and made ' more enthusiastic meetings. tactically all of o u r spring activities "tered about the Educational Adjustfct Movement Program as planned by "ther F. T. Lane, chapter director, ably ••ted by Brother Jeffress. First, let11 containing questionnaires were sent to ? parents of all seniors In Lincoln High ?°oi, Sumner High School, and Western "ege, followed by personal visits to the J>es by individual members. In both Ranees the necessity of continuing a col* education was stressed. *«xt, placards with the slogan "Unem'frhent hurts the unskilled workman *t." also "Continue your education u n y°u have perfected yourself in some one '/" were placed in all the schools, the M. C. A., Y. W. C. A., and other build* frequented by our young people. Large "as banners bearing the same words * displayed on buildings in our busi* center. This Idea was the outgrowth ,* survey of the Kansas City Negro in ' Industries made by Brother Jeffress, j*Jig the summer of 1929. His survey ^ed t h a t the lowest strata are the first ' c ted by the introduction of machin*nd by financial depression. The ecojj'c situation, so acute at this time, , e it especially opportune to emphasize \ fact t h a t those skilled In some line ' the better chance for employment. /Tee public programs were held during ' campaign. One was a theatre party, >osed of seniors of the two high r?'R. and the two colleges in the city, , " witnessed a special presentation of L^oilege play. "The Sophomore," at the j™ theatre. Several students gave n u m v °n the program. The climax came J the very forceful and compelling ad2 by Brother Lane in which he made a i l n g appeal to the guests to continue education through college. ?* other programs were held in the two . s c h o o l s . The one at Lincoln High ,^1 was as follows: "A Parade of the , «ons," in which students suggested jiwhile trades and professions: "Farethe Seniors." showing a coach >d to , with students leaving for various >«»: "Applying for a Job," a dramatic , n showing how the trained man is C Preferred to the untrained one: vs IIllt *in eracy," a pantomime ^ "g how one must choose between the t h a t accc ** t u ™ p a n y education and the I,, that inevitably follow In the wake literacy: address by Brother Kenneth I " 0 r e , a Junior in Kansas University member of Upsilon, who made the
appeal from the polnt-of-vlew of the student. We are hoping t h a t these efforts, with t h e talks made in the different churches, are having the results t h a t this great movement warrants. T h a t we may have definite knowledge in this direction we have arranged file cards with questionnaires so t h a t we may check followups from time to time. As we prepare for t h e fall and winter activities, Beta Lambda pledges herself anew to more zealous endeavor for the glory and honor of Alpha Phi Alpha. —J. OLIVER MORRISON
Gamma Lambda Chapter Present And Accounted For Gamma Chapter, Virginia Union University, Richmond, sends greetings to all Brothers in Alpha Phi Alpha and hopes t h a t the economic gale t h a t has been prevalent throughout the country has not prevented any Brothers from returning t o their various schools. Although we lost several outstanding members in the June graduating class, we still have the nucleus of a fine Chapter and we were well pleased to p u t t h e grip on so many Brothers during the period of registration. All members and former members of Gamma will be interested to know t h a t the girls have moved into Morgan Hall, their beautiful new dormitory, and t h a t t h e dining room in Martin E. Gray "Hall has been remodeled and refurnished so as to accomodate the entire boarding student body. Brother Prof. Rayford W. Logan, our militant authority on Haiti, who has for a number of years been Gamma's chief advisor, will take leave of the University this year, going to Harvard where he will begin residence work on his Doctor's degree. Brother Walker H. Quarles, Jr., now president of Gamma, takes up his studies as president of the Student Government Association at Virginia Union University for the year 1930-31. Brother Prof. L. W. Davis is t h e proud father of a daughter. Brothers George Peterson, Jr., and Joseph Ransome, graduates of Union in June. 1930. have received positions in the Armstrong High School, Richmond. Va. —CHARLES B. WEST
Tau's Chapter House A Thing of Beauty Now Tau Chapter takes time off from study to wish the sister Chapters a very successful year. We have Just finished registering, and Alpha men among the fifteen thousand students here are determined to make this year go down in history for Tau. We are fighting to maintain our high average on the campus. We are very proud of our chapter house. We have fust completed remodeling it and it is the "last word." Everything has been done over. We ordered new furniture, rugs, radio, pictures, and everything t h a t goes to make a fraternity house complete. I have had the pleasure of visiting Beta's house, and believe t h a t Tau is pushing Beta for first place regarding a fraternity house. Tau had a smoker Saturday. Oct. 3, for the new men on the campus. This was a grand affair. We have a very good group of pledgees, and expect great things from them. Plans are being made to welcome Brother John Hope, who will speak here soon on the All-University service. Tau misses the departed Brothers who are battling life after receiving their degrees in June. We extend to them best wishes for their success. We are always glad to hear from "old" Brothers and friends. —ROMEO VEAL
Page 31
Big Activity Men Crowd Nu Chapter's Roster The school year 1930-31 cannot be said to have opened with a bang. Many a face will be seen no more, at least for a while. But. nevertheless, Nu Chapter, Lincoln University. Pa., finds many worthy Brothers already on the scene who in their respective endeavors will p l a c e ' her upon the supreme pinnacle of success during the year 1930-31. Nu has the following Brothers in various roles of extra-curricular activity: J. F . Anderson,—student councilman, second honor group, Glee Club, Mask and Gown Dramatic Society, chaplain of Nu. W. N. Banton,—second honor group. M. M. Berryman,—graduate instructor In J. D. Davis,—second honor group, stuKappa Chi Honorary Scientific Society. treasurer of Nu. W. D. Clarke,—two letter man In football, and baseball, senior Intramural representative, president Athletic association. J. D. Davis,—second honor group, s t t u dent instructor in physics, treasurer Beta Kappa Chi Honorary Scienticlf Society. M. W. Davis,—assistant business manager of Lincoln News. F. A. DeCosta.—first honor group, secretary Beta Kappa Chi, president Phi Lambda Sigma, Delta Rho Forensic Society, president senior class, winner of T. M. Selden Medal 1927-28. J. C. Dorsey,—graduate instructor in m u sic, director of Glee Club and Choir. H. Fenderson—second honor group. J. F. Harmon,—captain of football team 1930, manager of Orchestra, varsity baseball and football. J. Hawkins,—captain of basketball team 1930-31, student instructor in physical education. L. D. Howard.—second honor group, s t u dent instructor in Latin, associate editor of Lincoln News, Glee Club chaplain of Junior class, recording secretary in Nu. B. S. Hughes,—varsity track, member of football squad '30. G. W. Hunter,—second honor group, student instructor in chemistry, president of Beta Kappa Chi, Phi Lambda Sigma, first prize in Mathematics 1927-28-29. —C. N. ("Cls") Jackson—only four letter man since the time of Brother Bill Taylor— football, basketball, baseball, track, sargent-at-arms in Nu. W. D. ("Sheep") Jackson—two letter man football, baseball, editor-in-chief of Lincoln News. L. W. ("Don") Johnson,—letter man in track. Mask and Gdwn. N. Keets, — second honor group, track L. E. S. La Mar,—two letter man In football. baseball, Mask and Gown. W. Mais.—second honor group. E. L. Mais,—second honor group, Orchestra. L. J. May,—second honor group, business manager of Lincoln News. T. O. Moseley, —Mask and Gown. P. Post,—second honor group, Glee Club E. Phlelds,—second honor group. F. F. Richards,—baseball squad. E. W. Ridley,—second honor group, president of Y. M. C. A., Student councilman, executive committee of Middle Atlantic Field Council. H. A. Seaborne,—second honor group, assistant treasurer in Nu. C. L. Sims,—second honor group, Glee Club. C. E. Shelton,—second honor group, student instructor in Mathemtics, news editor of Lincoln News. E. M. Smith,—three letter man in football. baseball, and basketball, vice president in Nu. A. M. Tabb.—student instructor in Greek. Member of John Miller Society. Wm. Taylor,—head coach of athletics, physical director. P. S. Terry,—secretary of Y. M . C. A., publicity manager of Lincoln University sports. T. F. Walker, second honor group. Phi Lambda Sigma, Y. M. C. A. Cabinet, French
Page 82 Society, assistant to faculty librarian, secretary treasurer of Lincoln News, secretary of senior class, editor of the Sphinx, basketball manager in Nu. A. P. Williams,—first honor group, winner of T. M. Selden Medal 1928-29, secretary of junior class, assistant manager of baseball, correspondent secretary in Nu. T. A. Webster,—second honor group, literary editor of Lincoln News, manager of Glee Club, first prize in Phi Lambda Sigma literary contest 1930. —THEODORE F. WALKER
Alpha Zeta Men Look Forward and Upward Alpha Zeta, West Virginia State College, Institute, W. Va., is facing the new school term with sadly depleted ranks b u t some fine material' in t h e offing. The J u n e commencement exercises saw t h e passing from our midst of Brothers Simeon Warren, Maurice Staples, Lurrie Taylor, Donathan Davis, Alexander Davis, John Franklin, and George Foy. The August ceremonies made still further inroads, taking Brothers Henry Marshall, Dabney Winston, Charles Cranford, and James Nicholas. These brothers Inform us t h a t they are facing t h e future with many and varied plans. Some plan t o start work immediately and others are looking forward t o a year or so in some institution of higher learning. According t o information on hand now, Brother Staples is to enter t h e University of Cincinnati for graduate study in education; Brother Winston Is enrolling in Columbia University, where he intends to do graduate work in biology; Brother Cranforil plans t o take magazine editing in the Columbia University Extension School; Brother Foy is to take printing at Carnegie Tech; and Brother Franklin is going t o take up theology at Oberlin. The others will probably be employed in their particular fields. Brother J. St Clair Price Is leaving us to become head of t h e education department a t Howard University. Brother Frederick Lacey of the carpentry and industrial arts department is leaving us a year for further study and Brother Clarence C. White is spending the year abroad. However, we are glad to know t h a t Brother Matheus will be back from Liberia soon and will be in harness for the fall term. Brother Austin Curtis, Jr.. though not graduated, will also be absent this year. He is taking up agriculture at Cornell. , Alpha Zeta is proud of the work of Brother James C. Evans of the mechanic arts department of this school, in Installing t h e campus boulevard lighting system. This happens to be an electrical feat of no little importance and is a tremendous asset to t h e grounds of the college. In the annals of Alpha Zeta, the year 1930 will not only be famous for the scarcity of money and the lack of rain but also for t h e Intense activity of Hymen. Brother Thomas Posey, Brother Simeon Warren, and Brother Chalmers Carter were among those who fell for the idea t h a t two can exist less expensively t h a n one. Upon these adventurous souls we bestow our slncerest blessings. —CHARLES W. CRANFORD
Sphinx Club Entertains Beta Epsilon Chapter On the night of April 25. 1930, the Sphinx Club highly entertained Beta Epsilon of A. and T. College, Greensboro, N. C , by staging a very delightful dance in t h e auditorium of the Agricultural Building. Many were present and highly enjoyed the affair. A great number were present from Alpha Omlcron Chapter of Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, N. C. Members of t h e Kappa Lambda Chapter, located
THE SPHINX at Greensboro, N. C , were also present. and a number from Nu Chapter located at Lincoln University. Every one seemed t o have spent an enjoyable evening with the future Brothers. Beta Epsilon appreciates their invitation very much. Since the entertainment three of the Sphinx members have been taken into the Beta Epsilon Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. We are proud to welcome these new Brothers. The names of the three new Brothers are as follows: E. L. Fair, Fred O. Woodard, and Andrew W. Taylor. Brother E. L. Fair received his B. S. degree in Education from A. and T. College, J u n e 3, 1930. At this time Beta Epsilon is glad to a n nounce as new officers the following: Brothers E. L. Peterson, president; F. T. Wood, secretary; and James E. Rowell, chaplain. With these new officers, Beta Epsilon sees untold success for the ensuing year. Along with Brother E. L. Fair. Beta Epsilon lost four Brothers through graduation in the person of the following: Brothers J. S. Hargrove, who received his B. S. In mechanical engineering, and Ross W. Newsom, J. L. Dickson, and J. R. Redding, who received their B. S. degrees in vocational agriculture. Beta Epsilon Chapter is reluctant to see these Brothers leave, b u t it realizes t h a t the future lies before them, and it wishes them much success In their future plans. We feel t h a t they will make out of themselves, worthy sons of Alpha v Phi Alpha. —F. T. WOOD
A Chatty News Letter From 'Way Down South Sigma Lambda of New Orleans opens her winter activities here in the far, far South with plenty of noteworthy activity. Unfortunately, we must divide the detailed account of Individual Brothers into two writings. The second half to appear in the following issue. Brother Earl Moses is now absent from t h e seat of Sigma Lambda, b u t the Brothers in Chicago are well aware of his presence. He is doing graduate work of a commendabe quality a t the University of Chicago. Working Jointly with t h a t institution and t h e Chicago Urban League, of which he Is research director, he has examined police records covering a period of about 14 years for the purpose of determining the causes u n derlying Juvenile delinquency. Some 33,000 records have been reviewed and the facts brought to light t h a t low wages, family discord, and poor reaction to metropolitan life are fundamental In the social pathology of delinquents of all races in Chicago. His report was made at the city club before such notables as Julius Rosenwald, Dr. Albert S. Beckham. Admiral N. T. Blackwood and others. Sigma Lambda is Justly proud of the work of her Brother and will welcome his return to our city. Brother Dr. Ernest Cherrle has become the father of a splendid baby girl and thereby proves t h a t the race of Alpha is still virile and contributing to the march of population. Other Sigma Lambda Brothers take notice and rememiber t h a t klan Alpha must Increase! Get busy! Brothers Edward Col e m a n a n d D r . "BUI" Adams and Mrs. Adams motored over to Mobile during July and were guests at an Alpha party given by the Mobile Brothers. A bevy of pretty ladies and many of Alabama's gallants helped to stage the social event of the season. Brother Dr. George Talbert burns up the road to Bay St. Louis. doing the 80 miles In iy 2 hours. (Talbert time) but It takes the rest of us 2V2 hours to do it. Use your own imagination as to George's veracity. Brother Alfred Priestly took unto himself a wife this summjer in the person of Miss Dorothy Lisberg and immediately "caught air" to 111' 'ole New York for a month of honeymoon. Some of the Brothers think t h a t he has been married for a long time— but, of course, we cannot prove It. So
that's t h a t . Later in the summer, Broth 6 ' Lester Braden and Priestly Journeyed ™ Chicago to get "Pop" Warner's latest 1°V down on football. Since they are m e n t a l of Straight College and Xavier Universl<W( respectively, we expect to see some ''"fa rivalry on t h e gridiron this fall. Brothers Dr. Haydel and Mrs. Haydel m"fe tored westward to Denver. Carlsbad, f e V Mexico, Mexico. Texas and Oklahoma i"1 had a real vacation seeing nature's best. Brothers Rudolph Moses and Coleman 1»T' er spent some time at Tallahassee, Florid" enjoying swimming and fishing, b u t we <"'. not see any of the fish t h a t they caug&7 Probably merely a fish story. You k" 0 what I mean. Now we are all back and ready to Pu' Alpha over again in the cup-winning m»f00Jl ner. The other Brothers will come in publicity in my next letter. Fraternal regards to Alpha men evern where and particularly to Brothers Dr. " EeS,(/ Long at Washington, "Ed" Brown in W i Virginia. Felton Brown in Baton RouBjM (how are the.ladies up there, Jlmmle?) 8lH Dr. Milton Edmonds In Mobile. Ala. n L, —"BILL" ADAMS. M- VE>
I
Kappa Scribe Is Talkin' To Ya, Brothers!
i >
Names make news. This issue the I°'J 1 lowing names make the following news • &a Ohio State University's Kappa Chapter ^ kn Columbus: * Brother Guilford Hoiston. only Afram<% 6 can letter-man of last year's Buckeye tr*"r I team. Is back from a summer in Clevela^J u from which lakeshore metropolis also c a ^ i Martin Kelly, McKinley Taylor, and i°\ e Fuster, who casts his lot in the school Journalism after a year out of school. gjoi Familiar faces around Columbus are J*J„ «i Coles, Ken Williams, Harold Thomas, J°"tefi < Walker, benedict prexy of Kappa Chap „; i and Irving Wllliamls. Edward CheaturA^ I j back in the fold after being out of con" (r a term. A ra Then of course there is William WafJ^J' ' Cardozo, Western Vice President, in **"' Cleveland where he spent most of the &?L mter. Since June, Brother Cardozo visited St. Paul, Minn.. North Dakota 1 Chicago, observing fraternity affairs in tli' ?; places. He also attended a meeting of m Chapter in Cleveland before leaving for, sophomore studies in the medical coll*1 here, and shook hands with Easte b e'v' ' « President William Randolph, who is S^ ning the study of medicine at Western *•" lj serve University. , From Connecticut came Louis SchU**^ J e who was out East all summer. Roarfl'f J around In the South during the past »% >a months was Thomas Shelby of Clncinf*^ It who is in school again. Roy Shelton be ?!.jas a freshman in the medical college ' ^ *1 lowing a year of study in the arts col'after finishing Wilberforce in 1929. ?f$.f* Blakeley is back from Cincinnati as Wlef -tP1 Bush Wright, who was out of school Jn year. „, ' " William "Big Bill" Bell, Ohio's first JWjjp Pi football insignia winner since 1898, Is »Kjj J* roantlng the gridiron, a t left tackle 1vit year instead of his position in the rightJ ^ of the line. Brother Bell is in the s t a r t ^ lineup and is expected to crush opP°*Le« K linemen during the season with no deg' ** of mercy. Rambling through the H ne -oi- H\l, hind Bill this year is Pledgee Russell *% < bry, a Dayton Roosevelt High star %._,. earned his numerals last year as a «°Jf. -J Embry Is crashing Into the starting "* e " back Job like an All-Amerlcan. BrJ IC In the opening game of the season E i » ^ ( * raced down the field for three t o u c h d o * ^ s one of which was not allowed because j Hi stepped on the sideline. In practice ^ , week he has been here there and yonder . i the gridiron, and the local dailies have "fjj. ^ praising his work loud. Russ will aid ^ L American End Wesley Fesler in tos^, passes and toting t h e ball. Fesler has ^jjj £ converted into a triple threat fullback *" ^
\l
•I
THE SPHINX 9 Jt and will And in Embry a worthy mate f- the Job. pur correspondent will keep Sphinx Jers In touch with the doings of Bell and ^bry during October and November. itftete Nunn is finishing up his college work lei liberal arts this fall after a freshman iiKfr in law. A newcomler to Kappa Is GravePinley who was prominent a t Xi in Wil'orce last year. Brother Flnley was presat the opening pep meeting and promto enter into Kappa Chapter's program. Btfp more well-known Buckeyes are Prank ^ Paul Shearer, promoters extraordinary men about town. there are any others who make good • we Just can't think of them now, and try to relay the dope in the next lsue. —TOM YOUNG
A
2pha Lambda Chapter fhs Radio Broadcast Pfpha Lambda Chapter, Louisville, Ky., 4 a very successful Go-to-High-School, Mo-College Campaign. Our observance Educational Week this year was one of 1 most complete programs t h a t we have -been able to p u t over. ' o t h e r R. B. Atwood, president of the school for Negroes of Kentucky, 01-Je t ( ' who is the state director of t h e EducajD ^al Movement, was our speaker.' In ad'tth, we were highly favored with t h e r j. Jtence of Brother Channlng Tobias, who 7 us a most excellent talk. Brother ToWas also our radio speaker when we dcasted over W L A P. This was a feature of our activities, and I belt is the first time t h a t any fraterhas been permitted to broadcast over ^ jjuthern station. pjj'e authorities and attendants of W L e(l Were most courteous in every partlcuII and we feel t h a t not only was Alpha £ "Alpha raised in the estimation of the *r racial group but t h a t our partlcul facial group was helped by the splendid c 0 made by Brother Tobias, and the im_,. |Mon made on the other racial group. *0 'other H. T. Leubers, our local director. o( | *Ves much credit for this splendid proi **• He did splendid work in getting j>j cooperation of the Brothers of the ,1» pc e r , and was able through the schools. j+ ' hes, press, and radio to reach t h e p E of0wlnour o group In the environment. V kfB u r usual custom, we entere d the graduating high school class in • Heretofore we have entertained only boys, but this year we Included the
•L
f fe consensus of opinion of the brothers ,tl]5uf w e s h o u l d extend the educational J P t i e s of the Chapter over the entire 1 i u m a k l n g t n e Go-to-Hlgh-School, GoJJUege week the climax of our CamI I K b h . . B r o t h e r s °f Alpha Lambda desire to r&tulate Brother Young on the splenJl^saiiine he is giving us. Lambda is vitally Interested in Wog r e 8 s of Alpha Phi Alpha, and sinJc hopes t h a t In all things t h a t are We will be "First of All." —WILSON BALLARD
Ma Rho Men Do ilgs In Big Way h ./.i^'P'te the unfortunate economic con:*» existing throughout the country, f. [Satire membership with one exception, '«er George Shivery, has returned to ,* Rho ready to function. •^withstanding the fact t h a t we miss Mothers lost by graduation, their va. Posts will be admirably filled by the *ssive aggregation of Brothers from P-
t Pl'
•,
^ y bring with them football material •"'others H. F. Edwards, Fred D. Maize, *»• (Red) Jones. Brother R. Edwin iag is well known as a talented vloLe r and scholar, while Brother C. H. was an outstanding debater at At-
lanta University last season. The others are well known as students and baseball men. They are J. G. Lemon, W. J. Walker, R. A. Garnett, F. V. Brooks, and T. O. Watts. The members of Alpha Rho are planning their greatest year with most of the standard bearers returned, having attained great prominence and prestige by t h e winning of many prizes and awards the past year. Brother A. R. Brooks took the J. J. Starks prize as "The Best Man of Affairs". He also edited The Maroon Tiger, which had one of its best years. The Quaker Essay Prizes of $100 and $50 respectively were won by Pledge Hugh Glouster and Brother Houser Miller. The J. B. Blayton prize has remained in the ranks of Alpha Rho by the efforts of T. M. Alexander. Brother James R. (Red) Edmonds, a brilliant scholar, received the captaincy of the football squad because of his ability and dynamic personality. Alpha Rho is proud to announce to t h e Alpha world t h a t it took three o u t of seven keys awarded to varsity debaters by t h e college. May it be remembered t h a t this team emerged undefeated in forensic engagements of t h e past year. Brothers Moses and Colston are expected to retain their places in the first violin and clarinet sections of the orchestra. This chapter, whose prestige has been so widely known, bids for all scholastic honors for the coming year with energetic Brothers concentrating in science, education, and business administration. I n the science department Brothers Key, Roscoe Smith, R. C. Hackney, and Frank Q. Johnson are all outstanding. The burden of prominence in education rests on the able shoulders of Brother George E. Marshall. I n the department of business administration Brothers C. P. Johnson and James Murray are delving Into money and banking, while M. B. Coppage is applying h i m self to the problems of corporation and finance; accounting being the heart's desire of Brothers Alexander, Cablness, and Harrison. The three last named Brothers brought the debating keys, which were mentioned above, to the chapter. The student publication, which was m a n aged by Brothers last year, will again be handled by Brother Cablness, who contributed to its financial success last year. With such propsects as these, Alpha Rho plans a successful year and sends heartiest wishes to all the chapters for greater success.
Hit By Graduation, Beta Lambda Will Carry On Fall has come and with it the opening of school and the familiar warnings of the professors. It is intended t h a t Beta Alpha, Morgan College, shall lead scholastloally, fraternally, and socially. Needless to say, Beta Alpha has suffered from graduation. Brother Ed. "Lanky" Jones, captain of the basketball team for the past three years, will enter Howard Medical School. Brother "Pinky" Clark has been appointed athletic instructor In Baltimore. Brothers Waugh and Lawless plan to attend medical school in the near future. Brother Samuel Turpln completes our list of graduates. Football occupies the spotlight at present. Beta Alpha will be well represented on the gridiron by Brothers, Oliver, Davis, W. Turpln, Frazler, and Daly. —OSBORNE DIXON
Gamma Chapter Hard Hit By Graduation After a very quiet summer vacation, we of Gamma Lambda have resumed our fall session once more and with our staff of officers complete. Our first meeting started off with great gusto. In our very ex-
Page 33 uberant state of mind, we decided t o have a sumptlous set of club rooms for the ensuing year. We will have more t o say about t h a t later. At our last meeting we had on our committee entertaining for t h a t evening Brother Charles Roxborough, t h e Republican nominee for t h e State of Michigan. We all wish Brother Roxborough success In coming elections. Our summer was very pleasantly interrupted by the wedding of Brother Perclval R. Piper to Miss Margaret Johnson of this city on July 16. We all Join in wishing "Percy" every success in his latest adventure, which he deferred so long In consumating. Somebody said Brother Lowell will soon answer some maiden's prayer. Page Brother Baker! I (One a t a time. Don't crowd.) —LEONARD S. WILLIAMS
Alpha Upsilon Finds Its Pledges Promising After a hard struggle to gather t h a t much needed do-ra-me a few of us at Alpha Upsilon, Detroit, Michigan, are able t o return to our seats of learning. Unfortunately, due to t h e economic depression there are others who Just could not gather enough, b u t are still scraping t o gether what they can lay their hands on in a n effort t o reach their goal. Alpha Upsilon is struggling on. Our roster is small b u t t h a t does not deter us. We are coming slowly b u t surely. Brother Launey enters his Junior year as a medic. Brothers Evans Is having a successful practice In law. Brother Whibby has been for sometime a meat Inspector for Uncle Sam, whilst the writing Brother was presented with a sheepskin last June. assuring him t h a t he had earned a n A. B. degree after a long struggle. Brother Wm. Childs was transferred to Theta Chapter, where he is completing his work. I n our Sphinx Club we have a goodly number left. A few changed their place of learning, others were financially unable to return to school, b u t still have the hope of doing so a t t h e earliest opportunity. Among t h e new students there are many who have t h e deportment a n d intelligence to become associated with t h e remalnlnf; Sphinx! tes. The prospects to increase our roll is good. The majority of The Sphinx Club members are apparently younger t h a n usual b u t with t h e passing of time and their own energy they will be ripe for the harvest. —CLIFTON H. GRIFFITH.
Epsilon Proud of Brothers Tolan and Brooks With t h e close of summer, Epsilon, (University of Michigan) embarks upon another scholastic voyage, one which we hope will be productive of all t h a t can be obtained In the way of intellectuality and one t h a t will push the standards of Alph i Phi Alpha ever higher The University's report of general fraternity scholastic standing for t h e past school year found Epsilon occupying a high berth as usual. Pulling up each year this Chapter eventually hopes to top t h e lis'. of t h e leading fraternities on t h e campus. Degrees were conferred this year by the University of Michigan upon seven Brothers: R. G. Robinson, M. D.; B. A. Yancy, M. D.; J. D. Wilson, D. D. S.; J. A. Pierce, M. S.; J. B. Browning, M. A.; A. W. Mitchell, A. B.; C. L. Simmons, A B.; and W. D. Hines, A. B. In t h e field of athletics Brother Eddie Tolan again holds the spotlight. Burning up the cinder p a t h all t h e summer Brother Tolan added more laurels to his already weighty crown, as well as proveu
Page 34 indisputably his superiority over his closest rivals. Both he and Brother Brooks, Michigan's other outstanding Negro athlete, are expected to re-enter this fall. J u s t recent news confirmed t h e a t first unauthentioated report last spring of Brother Cass Johnson's marriage. This Chapter extends congratulations and best wishes for the success and happiness of Brother Johnson and his wife. Epsilon was deeply shocked to hear of the untimely death of one of her Brothers this summer, namely Brother B. A. Yancey, who was accidentally electrocuted in an X-ray machine accident at the District Hospital of St. Louis, where he was interning. Brother Yancey's death is indeed pathetic In t h a t he was called by the Grim Reaper Just as he was about to reach the goal for which he so zealously struggled. He was a student of outstanding scholastic merit in t h e University medical school, from which he graduated last June. Epsilon deeply mourns the loss of so promising a young Brother. Epsilon extends best wishes to all Chapters for a successful year.
Beta Beta Likes Prospective Members Again t h e Brothers have assembled to resume the activities of Beta Beta Chapter, University of Nebraska. All of the Brothers who were here last year have returned with t h e exception of Brothers Lloyd H. Williams, and Henry Botts. Brother Williams was lost as a result of graduation. Many of the Brothers have been visiting other Brothers in various sections of t h e country. Some visited Brothers of Theta Chapter, while others visited Brothers of Mu Chapter. In many cases Brothers of Beta Beta have met Brothers from many other Chapters. The Brothers here have expressed a word of gratification in becoming acquainted with these new Brothers. It was by the forming of the acquaintances of these new Brothers t h a t some of us have realized t h e scope and significance of Alpha Phi Alpha. Especially do I refer to the newly made Brothers. New men a t t h e university have been introduced to t h e Chapter a n d it seems as if we will be successful in getting new and good material for Alpha. A smoker was given in order t o entertain these men. A delightful repast prepared by Brothers C. H. Gordon, Howard Hatter, and Robert Fairchild was served a t o u r a n nual smoker. From all indications these new men were greatly impressed by the things said. They were also clearly informed of the outstanding thing to be considered in their efforts to become a, part of Alpha is t h a t they must qualify. In short, It Is quality not quantity Beta Beta is seeking. The whirl of activity has started and this Chapter looks forward to a very successful year. Efforts are being centered for the present upon a one hundred per cent grand tax. Brothers, Beta Beta will continue to hold t h e banner high for Alpha Phi Alpha. —ROBERT FAIRCHILD.
Mu Chapter Holds First Midsummer Initiation Mu Chapter, University of Minnesota. sincerely extends greetings and best wishes to all chapters In Alpha Phi Alpha. At this time we are looking forward to a more prosperous and successful year t h a n we have enjoyed for several years. .We expect several Alpha Brothers from other chapters to be on the campus as well as quite a few new men. We are glad to have Brother John Thomas, Mu, former coach at Johnson C, Smltli
THE SPHINX University, back with us. Around t h e faithful few of Mu, we shall build an organization worthy to bear the colors of Alpha at Minnesota. Our present program consists of enlisting the delinquents and getting grand taxes in for 1931. We feel t h a t this is the only thing t o do to get the right start. Then all other activity will follow. The first midsummer Initiation ever held here took place on t h e evening of August 30. At t h a t time Brother Paul W. Moseley was introduced to the mysteries of Alpha Phi Alpha. Brother Moseley was formerly a student at the University of New Mexico and is now enrolled In the arts college at Minnesota. Mu appreciates t h e part t h a t Brothers Gordon, Walker, and Swingler of Beta Beta took in the initiation. After the ceremonies Brother Raymond Cannon spoke on the fraternity, Its alms, accomplishments, and program. Refreshments were prepared by Brother John Lawrence. At the J u n e commencement, Brother M. E. Thomasson received his M. S. degree In agriculture and Brother R. Cannon, his L.L.B. from the Minnesota College of Laws To these Brothers Mu extends congratulations and wishes for a successful future. —JOHN ROBERT LAWRENCE
Phi Lambda Has Leaders For Members Phi Lambda Chapter, Raleigh, N. C , u n der t h e able guidance of its leader, Brother H. L. Trigg, and the hearty co-operation of the other officers and members has passed through a very pleasant and successful year. The meetings have been well attended generally, though quite a few of the members do not live In Raleigh b u t are located in tow"ns and cities from a radius of 3 to 60 miles away. Our Educational Campaign was quite a success, having carried into every high school of the state. Five Brothers are principals of high schools, Brothers Atkins, Cox, Segar, Lennon, and Brown, while most of the others are teachers in high schools or professors in college; one is a successful lawyer. There are two Initiates waiting to be accepted and four other Brothers now working in the state will be transferred to our Chapter as soon as the various institutions settle down to normal. Bro. J. W. Smith, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, has done a good service in the development of a fine group of Boy Scouts in Raleigh. He had them out for a vacation In camp this summer. This outing was appreciated and enjoyed by the boys. It was quite a beneficial venture. Several of the Brothers attended Summer Schools this summer; Brothers W. T. Dixon at Columbia; C. H. Boyer, at University of Pennsylvania; and J. L. Tllley on leave at Chicago University. We are looking forward to another year of activity and earnest endeavor. —CHARLES H. BOYER STATEMENT OF THE OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, CIRCULATION. ETC.. REQUIRED BY THE ACT OF CONGRESS OF AUGUST 24, 1912. Of The Sphinx published 5 times per year at Norfolk, Va., for October 1930. State of Virginia SS. County of Norfolk Before me, a Notary Public in and for the State and county aforesaid, personally appeared P. Bernard Young, Jr. who, having been duly sworn according to law. deposes and says that he is the Editor of the- Sphinx and that the following Is. to the best of his knowledge and belief, a true statement of the ownership, management (and if a daily paper, the circulation), etc., of the aforesaid publication for the date shown in the above caption, required by tJw Act of August 24, 1912. embodied in section 411. Postal Laws and Regulations, printed on the reverse of thiB form, to wit:
1. That the name and addresses of the J* lisher, editor, managing editor, and bus"1' managers are: [« Publisher, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity 719 E. Olney Rd., Norfolk, Va. Editor, P. Bernard Young, Jr.. 719 E. Olney * Norfolk, Va. Managing Editor, P. Bernard Young. Jr. Olney Rd., Norfolk. Va. Business Manager P. Bernard Young, Jr. ;i E. Olney Rd., Norfolk, Va. 2. That the owner i s : (If owned by » Deration, its name and address must be 8'«• and also immediately thereunder the names j addresses of stockholders owning or holding wi per cent or more of total amount of stocKnot owned by a corporation, the names a n . J dresses of the individual owners must be 2' If owned by a firm, company, or other unin'v porated concern, its name »nd address, as "j as those of each individual member, must given.) j, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Inc., 719 E. <» Rd., Norfolk, Va. 3. That the known bondholders, m o r w . and other security holders owning or hol*j 1 per cent or more of total amount of h°;J mortagages, or other securities are: (If * none, so state.) None. 4. That the two paragraphs next above, jjj ing the names of the owners, stockholders, M security holders, if any, contain not only ^ list of stockholders and security holders as ~ appear upon the books of the company but * in ruses. where the stockholders or seCll holders appear upon the books of the rotfPj 'I as trustee or in any other fiduciary relatiotH eianw^-'J name of the person or corporation for * ^ such trustee is acting, Is given; also that , said two paragraphs contain statements en>" ing affiant's full knowledge and belief *\. the circumstances and conditions under *, stockholders and security holders who do noi pear upon the books of the company as trU»' hold stock and securities in a capacity °* than that of a bona-fide owner and this *"j has no reason to believe that any other P*^ association or corporation has any interest rect in the said stock, bonds, or other secUr' than as so stated by him. 5. That the average number of copies o( issue of this publication sold or distrlWj through the mails or otherwise, to paid suW^ ers during the six months preceding the " shown above is (This informal'"" required from daily publications only.) Signed: P. Bernard Young. Jr.. EdiW'J Sworn to and subscribed before me this day of October 1930. (Seal.) Eleanor W. Young Form 3526.-Ed. 1924. (My commission ^"ij June 18. 1L Sworn to and subscribed before me this ' day of October 1930
FOOTNOTES ON OUR F U T ^ ' (Continued from P a g e 22) I in his own land and you a r e a t otic* home with him. ""T found t h e F r e n c h a t t i t u d e r e g a r ^ - i t h e N e g r o t h e best. T h e Fr<"J a r e liberal and seem to k n o w no & prejudice. All t h e y w a n t is t h a t y oU it like g e n t l e m e n . G e r m a n y a n d AU* a r e next. '
W
A G E S , I discovered a r e sm»" all t h e c o u n t r i e s , with t h e C 6 ' living v e r y high in p r o p o r t i o n . In . m a n y f a c t o r y employees work from m. to 7 p. m. for f r o m $5 to $6 a * Skilled labor g e t s f r o m $10 to $12 a ^ which is less t h a n a half of w h a t sk1 N e g r o labor g e t s in t h e U. S. My &. a f t e r w h a t I h a v e seen is for t h e N * to s t a y in A m e r i c a and work his t h e r e . Let t h e N e g r o e d u c a t e hi" 1 well and give to his children t h e t* 9
ucation that America has to offer."
THE SPHINX
True IVorth II.'
(Continued from Page 5) f'bility or liking. Phi Beta Sigma demotes its interest to a "Bigger and Beter Negro Business Program." Besides •J "e staging of this program every year 11 the early spring by the various chap* 6 r s, the national convention which meets 'yVery year during the Christmas holiivAys, devotes a portion of its time to if* he study of Negro business, and methEach 11 '"s by which it can be improved. f the sororities also has some special " ducational work that they lay before the „<<>eople yearly. Again you will find that j'ese organizations not only preach these ih<i '°ctrines, but that they advance large / m s of money in order that other perJTOs may realize those ideals. Alpha ' "i Alpha decided at its last convention jf ° set aside a certain sum of money for The scholarships are to be ur' ^Warships. *ir real financial worth to the recipients. ivl "e such scholarship is to go to a per• J*111 doing graduate work, while at least e lS i ^ is to go to an undergraduate. Every $ *ar Delta Sigma Theta Sorority awards *j °ne thousand dollar scholarship to one Alpha Kappa Alpha So0tf 'ts members. 2, r 'ty also has a national scholarship , (""d, while most of the local chapters rit' *ard one or two scholarships of one dollars or more to worthy stu,J *its. The chapter in New York re''j,i "tly awarded two such scholarships, ,11 , ' e just last September the chapter at ^'versity of Pittsburgh awarded a one fifty dollar scholarship to a li eht school ™ in order that she continuesenior her education. fi» A PTER reading the above facts surely *• the critics of Negro fraternities y sororities can not say that the orjH ^'zations are purely social; that they wholly selfish; that they are interin no one but themselves. The 0y ove . e program of the various ^Ply belie such contentions.
«• als, so ascertained that Negro fraA ternities show no cooperation among " j p other. Each thinks that his or her is superior to the other, e "nization n C e there is no working together. It J i r k s natural that any one would place fraternity first, but that is no sign »t cooperation does not exist. If this ' . e_ s°> how did the fraternities and so» t l 6 s at Pittsburgh get together the r v i t . s P•--... ' n g6 and «.„u Kgive i»c a formal Intersil ^ n a l Dance? How was it possible fl L ^ Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and l i L D e l t a Sigma Theta Sorority to get IsV ^ € P a s t w ' n * ' e r a n ( i £> ve a schol'P dance in Philadelphia? How was I Possible le for the fraternities and so-
iP
P a g e 35
rorities in Philadelphia to give a formal Interfraternal Dance during the recent Lincoln-Howard game? I am sure that cooperation between the groups was necessa y to put these affairs over as they were.
us all, fraternal and non-fraternal members, work together and try to put such an organization upon a still higher level, where they may do more constructive work for themselves and the race as a whole?
T Lincoln University, the Alphas give -a medal yearly to the student who stands highest in the freshman class, regardless of fraternal relations. The Kappas award a first and second prize yearly to the best speaker in a Freshman Oratorical Contest. These a l s o a r e awarded regardless of fraternity. The Omegas have given two athletic cups that are contended for by members of the various class athletic teams under control of the Intra-Mural Athletic Council. Do all these prizes that are awarded suggest selfishness and lack of cooperation? The men in the fraternity know when they offer such prizes that their men are just as likely not to get them as to get them. It seems to me if they were so awfully selfisli and self-centered they would not even think of such awards. Again when a fraternity or sorority holds its convention, all the chapters of the other fraternities and sororities located in that city send greetings and entertain for the visiting group. They are under no obligation to entertain, and if they were so selfish, or if they so completely lacked cooperation, I don't think they would.
Book Review
lOME claim that the abolishing of fraternities and sororities would solve many of the problems that exist on the campus. I cannot see how this can be done. Those schools that do not have fraternities have certain cliques and clubs that vie with each other for supremacy. I graduated from a school where the four Negro fraternities existed, and for four years I had been able to see the effect of fraternities in electing men to managerships, captaincies, and other offices. This year I am working at a school where there are no fraternities, yet the football team at this school was hampered in its progress by the division of the team into factions, with each faction trying to gain control of the team. From examples you can see that it is not only at schools which have fraternities that such evils exist, but at non-fraternal schools as well. lO in our criticisms of fraternities let us at least be just. If you are going to be a critic, be a real one, and point out constructive as well as destructive criticisms. Fraternities and sororities, criticisms. Fraternities and sororities, from the work they have already done, are here to stay. They are too strongly entrenched in the college graduate and undergraduate to be discarded. Therefore, instead of creating animosities by constant destructive criticism, why not let
(Continued from Page 10) upon the influence of Rev. R o b e s o n , Paul's father, but to all who read it is apparent that the influence of his early training wasn't sufficient to salvage the genius and ability that lay buried beneath the inert mass of his good humored laziness. Eslanda did that. She made more than a profession of it. She made a cult of the making of Paul Robeson. She has succeeded to a remarkable degree and perhaps it was because she realized this that simultaneously with the peak of his success she chose to interpret this success to the world. Necessarily the interpretation is pervaded by the spirit of rapt awe that grips an artist who stands before his masterpiece and if it errs on the side of ardency, then one must realize that proper perspective is very difficult in such a relationship. That the book digresses into descriptions of Negro life that are not material is a natural consequence in trying to write about a life that has been short and not particularly full of action. The details are interesting but they add nothing to one's understanding of Paul; they are not of the type that explain character or motivations. Too, one hears a great deal about Paul's friends without learning much about Paul except that they liked him and were all willing to contribute to his upward climb in any way possible. In fact as one reads one becomes more and more firmly convinced that if Paul were to have reached the top through his own unaided efforts he wouldn't have done so. He could have but he simply would not have taken the trouble. He'd still be Paul Robeson, dilettante. He needed his friends as he needed his wife and as apparently he still needs them to carry on. Eslanda Robeson's style is surprisingly good for a first book. She tells her story simply and naturally but beautifully. Her pictures are clear cut and if she puts a bit more of herself into the latter chapters than perhaps she realized, shall we say that the radiance of love meeting the dazzling glory that emanates from Paul's shining success blinded her and she lost her way a bit. EUNICE CARTER (In Opportunity Magazine)
THE SPHINX
36
Why Go to College? (Continued from Page 7) by political intelligence and not by political ignorance.
T
HE function of the college is to train leaders for these purposes. A well arranged college course provides adequate instruction in the use of the English language. It offers courses in the classics, in English literature and in the literature of other modern languages. The student who makes good use of these facilities is thereby enabled to communicate his ideas so that others may understand them. Moreover, by allowing the student the choice of serious studies in a wide range, the college enables him to make experiments which help him to decide upon the line of work for which he has the greatest aptitude. In this work he will be best fitted to serve his fellowmen. This effective guidance, then, may make it difficult for an intelligent youth to choose a life work for which he is manifestly unfitted. college course, moreover, if properly directed, must also train its students in the obligations of citizenship. This function is of the utmost importance in the United States. An American does not fulfill his whole duty if he is merely a good specialist. As a part of a sovereign people he has a broader duty. He must know the constitution of the United States and the spirit of her laws. These he must learn by virtue of a severe training in those principles of ethics and politics which are the foundation and preservation of a free state. He must understand both the direct and indirect effects of legislation. He must know the political history of his own country and that of other countries in order that he may be a leader who will sanely point out to his fellowmen what is the p r o b a b l e bearing of controversial issues, as they arise, on the future welfare of the community. In this training of the student to meet the obligations of citizenship, the college also tends to inspire those who come under its influence to apply in the conduct of the larger affairs of the community those principles of morals which are recognized as obligatory upon us in our relations to our families and to our neighbors. N intelligent study of the sciences should train a student in that respect for law which is the best antidote to capricious self-will on the part of the individual. The student learns that he is in the midst of an ordered world. He has a chance to gain an increasing respect for that order and to develop a readiness to make himself a part of it. If it
is true that virtue consists of placing one's self in harmony with the universe, college training is a necessity for the potential leader. To one whose universe is narrow, the conception of such harmony will be narrow. The one broadens with the other. Thus, if with this enlightened study of natural and moral law, there is combined the restraint of a healthful discipline and an enforced regularity, the student becomes gradually fitted for the highest duties of citizenship, namely, the acceptance of self-imposed burdens in the moral government. F what we have said is valid, then, higher education does benefit the community in at least three all-important ways. First, it makes of the people better workers in their several occupations. Second, it makes them better members of the body politic. Third, it makes them better people morally and spiritually. It is obvious that potential leaders should be exposed to this training, and it is equally obvious that they should not be handicapped by the presence in college of hostile or unqualified associates.
I
ECOGNIZING these fundam e n t a 1 principles, the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity urges the potential leader to go to high school and to go to college. The fraternity urges those who are trained to carry this message to the hedges and byways of America in order that the less privileged may become informed. It urges the educated to tell the uninformed of the opportunities to go to high school and to go to college. It urges the educated to explain to the uninformed why some type of education is becoming more and more essential to the well-being of every competent member of society, and of society itself.
E
HE Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, moreover, is consistent in its advice. It has made it possible for a few worthy boys and girls to enter college, or to continue their college training. Individual chapters of the fraternity have paid a part of the expenses of students in college. Thus, Mu chapter located at the University of Minnesota has sent as many as six Negro students to the freshman class of that University. Epsilon Lambda, a graduate chapter, located in St. Louis, Missouri, has sent a young man to the University of Wisconsin with tuition paid. Honor students in h i g h schools throughout the country have been given gold medals varying in value from $10 to $25 as an appreciation of their ability, industry, and evidence of purpose. Finally, the general organization of Alpha Phi Alpha has voted to award
T
to deserving Negro students scholarship3 in the sum of $1,000. The scholarship awards of 1929 were made without refj erence to sex, or to fraternity affiliation' Of the ten students honored, not mors than three were members of Alpha P"1 Alpha. Members of other fraternities and sororities were among the done*5, Subsequent awards will be made on th6 basis of the same high principles. Tl>e purpose of the fraternity is to increa*e the educational opportunities of th' worthy. In this effort, Alpha Phi Alph* joins hands with you, and with all those who are interested in m a k i " » America a better place to live in.
For Bishop (Continued from Page 18) he reported the first $1,000 for Doll»r Money in the South. This sum was W second largest amount reported that ye* throughout the entire connection. Gets High Office In 1920 Rev. Morris was elected g*"' eral secretary of the Allen Christian En deavor League, leaving St. John's aft' his fifth appointment with nearly $4,0°u in cash in all treasuries. His re-electi<> as general secretary in 1924 and 1"^ was unanimous. Rev. Morris was one of the organic of the Virginia State Allen Christian B"' deavor League, serving one year as c0 j responding secretary, one year as c° ference president, and fourteen years 1 state superintendent. Is Well-Educated He received his educational train'1 in the public schools of Norfolk Couiw' Va., Providence, R. L, and Washing 40 * D. C , his higher education at M<*r, Brown University, Gammon Theology Seminary, Virginia Union UniverWl and the Garrett Biblical Institute, F.v*" ton, 111. He was awarded the honor* degree of Doctor of Divinity by Wflp force University. He is described in the. resolutions i a dynamic and resourceful preacher^ successful and progressive pastor, an1 a general officer of vision. His presidency of the Civic Leagu' j Richmond and chairmanship of the yT Cross in Norfolk are given as indicati"" of his qualities as a community leaded Many Fraternal Connections I His fraternal connections include: "vl Grand Master of the United Order ^ True Reformers; Past Grand M a s t e r s the Ancient Free and Accepted M«s .J Prince Hall Affiliation of Virginia, tn Lj ty-third degree; Knights of PythiaSi Jj Luke, and Alpha Phi Alpha Frate'-n'jM married and three bys ,. HeHehasis previously been has endorsed Virginia, Western North CarolinaOhio Conferences. The General Co* f«r ence will be held in May of 1932.
Official Alpha Phi Alpha Directory— Continued (Continued from Inside Cover) 5TA LAMBDA, Atlanta, Ga.; Pres., B. T. Harvey, Morehouse College; Sec'y., Clyde L. Reynolds, care Citizens Trust Co., Auburn Ave. •OTA LAMBDA, Indianapolis, Ind.; Pres., Dr. Clarence Mills, Crispus Attucks High School; Sec'y., J. Harold Brown. ^APPA LAMBDA, Greensboro, N. 0.; Pres., A. W. Ferguson, A. and T. College. *0 LAMBDA, Washington, D. C ; Pres., Dr. Charles H. Wesley, Howard University; Sec'y., Prank W. Adams, 52 Quincy Place, N. W. •0 LAMBDA, Va. State College, Petersburg, Va.; Pres., L. Derblgny; Sec'y., J. M. Ellison. Q LAMBDA, Chicago, 111.; Pres., William H. Benson, 3507 South Parkway; Sec'y., Mason W. Fields, 6526 Eberhart Ave. P»OCRON LAMBDA, Birmingham. Ala.; Pres., G. W. Reeves, Miles Memorial College; Sec'y., Peter R. Shy.
RHO LAMBDA, Buffalo, N. Y.; Pres., M. S. Stewart, 137 WlUlam St.; Sec'y., O. H. Brown, 166 Goodall St.
ALPHA GAMMA LAMBDA, New York City; Pres., L. R. Middleton, 201 W. 120th St.
SIGMA LAMBDA, New Orleans, La.; Edward M. Coleman, 2420 Canal St.; Sec'y, Dr. J. Felton Brown, 1306 S. Genols St.
ALPHA EPSILON LAMBDA, Jackson, Miss.; Sec'yt, T. W. Harvey, Jackson, College.
TAU LAMBDA, Nashville, Tenn.; Pres., Calvin McKlssack, 1503 Edgehlll Ave.; Sec'y, J. R. Anderson, 1027 18th Ave. North.
ALPHA ZETA LAMBDA, Bluefleld, W. Va.; Pres., J. C. Klngslow, 421 Scott St.; Sec'y, Edward W. Brown, Box 548, Kimball, W. Va.
UPSILON LAMBDA, Jacksonville, Fla.; Pres., Dr. R. W. Butler, 627 Davis St.; Sec'y., L. A. McGee, Edw. Waters College.
ALPHA ETA LAMBDA, Houston, Tex.; Pres., John W. Davis, Jr., 419 y2 Milan St.; Sec'y., R. W. Lights, 819 Andrew St.
PHI LAMBDA, Raleigh, N. C; Pres, H. L. Trigg, 117 E. South St.; Sec'y., C. H. Boyer, St. Augustine's College. CHI LAMBDA, Wllberforce, Ohio; Pres., J. Aubrey Lane; Sec'y., T. C. Carter.
ALPHA THETA, Somerville, N. J.; Pre*., George Hoffman, 84 Second St. ALPHA KAPPA LAMBDA, Roanoke, Va.; Pres., Ellwood D. Downing, Brooks Bldg.; Rec. Sec'y George A. Moore. ALPHA IOTA LAMBDA, Charleston, W. Va.
PSI LAMBDA, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Pres., E. F. Mcintosh, 216% E. 9th St. Sec., L. L. Patton, 425% E. 9th St.
ALPHA OMICRON LAMBDA, Pittsburgh Pa.; Pres., Frederick D. Hawkins; Sec'y., Wilbur C. Douglass, 518 Fourth Ave.
LAMBDA, Little Rock, Ark.; Pres., M. R. Perry, 904 Broadway St.; Sec'y., C. Franklin Brown, 1019 Cross St.
ALPHA ALPHA LAMBDA, Newark, N. J.; Pres., T. D. Williams, 207 Bloomfleld Ave., Montclalr, N. J.; Sec'y., Lawrence Willette, 137 Stephens St., Bellville, N. J.
ALPHA XI LAMBDA, Toledo, Ohio; Pres., Ivan McLeod, 1150 Nicholas Bldg.; Sec. Herbert T. Miller.
MPHA PSI, Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Mo.; Pres., Nathaniel G. Freeman; Sec'y., John Turner.
ALPHA PI LAMBDA, Cleveland, Ohio; Pres., Robert Brooks, 2168 E. 90th St.; Sec'y, Addison Spencer, 2190 E. 85th St.
ALPHA BETA LAMBDA, Lexington, Ky.; Pres., Dr. H. A. Merchant, 128 Deweese St.; Sec'y., Dr. W. H. Ballard, Jr., 128 W. 6th St.