The SPHINX | Fall 1967 | Volume 53 | Number 3 196705303

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The

Sphinx

Volume 53

P.O.

Box

Lincolnton New

Editor-in-Chief

George

Editorial Assistant

Ernest

M.

York,

Number 3

1967

285 Station

N. Y.

10037 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, I n c .

D i r e c t o r y f o r 1966-1967

Daniels

B. B o y n t o n

October,

2306 E Street, N.E., W a s h i n g t o n , D.C.

Jewel H e n r y A. Callis

Jr.

Officers Contributing Editors Malvin R. Goode, Martin L Harvey, L W. Jeffries, Eddie L. Madison, Frank L. Stanley, Sr., Art Sears, Jr., L. H. Stanton, Charles Wesley, Randolph White, 0. Wilson Winters, Laurence T. Young.

3 2 8 6 E St., N.E., W a s h i n g t o n , D . C .

4432 South Parkway, Chicago, III. 4 6 7 6 West O u t e r D r i v e , D e t r o i t , M i c h i g a n

G e n e r a l P r e s i d e n t — Bro. L i o n e l H. N e w s o m General Secretary — B r o . L a u r e n c e T. Y o u n g G e n e r a l T r e a s u r e r — Bro. Leven C. Weiss G e n e r a l C o u n s e l — Bro. M o r r i s M. H a t c n e t t E d i t o r , T h e S p h i n x — Bro. George M. Daniels

470 Lenox Ave., New York, N. Y.

Vice Presidents 1929 W. Lanvale St., B a l t i m o r e , M d .

K e n t u c k y S t a t e College, F r a n k f o r t . Ky. 2018 Van Cleve, D a l l a s , Texas P.O. Box 1 3 1 1 , G r e e n v i l l e , S. C.

Eastern — Bro. F r a n k J. E l l i s M i d w e s t e r n — B r o . Gus T. Ridgel S o u t h w e s t e r n — Bro. E a r n e s t L. W a l l a c e S o u t h e r n — Bro. L u k e H. C h a t m a n Western — B r o . C. P. J o h n s o n

Editorial Advisory Committee Frank Ellis, Malvin R. Goode, Marshall Harris, John H. Johnson, Moss H. Kendrix, J. Herbert King, Belford V. Lawson, Samuel A. Madden, J. E. Martin, Lionel H. Newsom, Gus T. Ridgel, Floyd Shepherd, L. H. Stanton, Felix Warren, Laurence T. Young.

Assistant Vice Presidents Eastern — Bro. C o n r a d C a t h c a r t M i d w e s t e r n — Bro. E d w i n P a t t o n S o u t h w e s t e r n — Bro. J a m e s E. Glover W e s t e r n — Bro. H a r o l d T a y l o r Southern — Bro. Clifford Webb H i s t o r i a n — B r o . C h a r l e s H. Wesley Dir. Ed. A c t i v i t i e s — B r o . T h o m a s D. Pawley, III Chr

Staff

Photographer

Henry

Crawford

1084 P a r k s i d e , C l e v e l a n d , Ohio

1824 T a y l o r Street, N.W., W a s h i n g t o n D C. L i n c o l n U n i v e r s i t y , Jefferson City, Mo.

A l p h a Phi A l p h a B u i l d i n g F o u n d a t i o n , I n c . Bro. W i l l i a m M. A l e x a n d e r

4272 W a s h i n g t o n St., St. Louis. M o .

REGIONAL DIRECTORS T h e S p h i n x is t h e o f f i c i a l m a g a z i n e o f t h e A l p h a Eastern Region

Phi A l p h a F r a t e r n i t y , Inc., 4 4 3 2 S o u t h P a r k w a y ,

a year: February, May, October and

December.

„ M a s s a c h u s e t t s — B r o ^ J a m e s Howard Rhode i s l a n d - Bro. Ralph AlIan C o n n e c t i c u t — B r o . W. Decker Clark

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O p i n i o n s e x p r e s s e d in c o l u m n s a n d a r t i c l e s d o n o t n e c e s s a r i l y reflect t h e v i e w s a n d p o l i c i e s o f A l p h a Phi A l p h a F r a t e r n i t y , Inc., a n d use of a n y p e r s o n ' s n a m e in f i c t i o n , s e m i - f i c t i o n a r t i c l e s o r and

Sphinx.

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m i s s i o n , of the editorial or pictorial content

I n d i a n a — Bro. M o n t a g u e Oliver N o r t h e a s t Ohio — Bro. Charles N u n n C e n t r a l Ohio — Bro Oliver S " " ! 1 ; " . . . .. . H N o r t h w e s t Ohio — B r o . Robert S t u b b l e f i e l d Southern Illinois - B r o . Harold T h o m a s .

West M i s s o u r i a n d Kansas — Bro. E d w i n B y r d W i s c o n s i n — B r o . Hoyt H a r p e r S o u t h e a s t O h i o - B r o Paul T u r n e r l lNe rot rht\hTenr^nMIilnl i;n! soai sn - -— B r BBro o r 0 J .JV. ) lH ee ; rboeen rrtt B K rgdS.^Jr:... r\mg B a & . ^ E m e ^ u ^ r . ^ . ^

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The since

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published Editor:

continuously

Bro.

Raymond

W. C a n n o n . O r g a n i z i n g G e n e r a l P r e s i d e n t :

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H e n r y Lake D i c k a s o n .

d e n c e t o P.O. Box 2 8 5 , L i n c o l n t o n S t a t i o n , N e w Y o r k , N. Y. 1 0 0 3 7 .

3548 Park A v e n u e , Kansas City, Mo. 1010 L a f a y e t t e , J e f f e r s o n City, Mo. 404 West 4 4 t h Street, I n d i a n a p o l i s , I n d i a n a

Muskogee, Oklahoma ••••_ . J ^ T e r r a c e B l v d 7462 B e n j a m i n St., New O r l e a n s , L o u i s i a n a " ' - i t St., " 2 4 W. 2 :., LLittle i t t l e Rock, A r k a n s a s Dr., Ft. W o r t h , Texas 1 8 M B u n c n e S o u t h e r n Region

. _ , A l a b a m a — Bro. K i r k w o o d B a l t o n Georgia — Bro. H e n r y Collier Florida — Bro. H e r b e r t S t a r k e M ississippi — Bro T. J . Ranee MississiDDi — Bro. G HVa'uRhn N o r t h Carolina — Bro. G M - H ™ n S o u t h Carolina — Bro P ' . g e W James Tennessee — Bro. George

S e c o n d c l a s s p o s t a g e p a i d at N e w Y o r k , N. Y. P o s t m a s t e r : Send f o r m 3 5 7 9 a n d all c o r r e s p o n -

I l l E. 19th, Gary. I n d i a n a 10926 Pasadena Ave., C l e v e l a n d , Ohio 2724 Hoover Ave., D a y t o n , Ohio "1340 W. W o o d r u f f , Toledo. Ohio i V i ' i ' a i w A w i East St Louis I l l i n o i s 173 n 3 a ^ y Ave East B L U u H f c W M o *>** vv. r a s e Wisconsin v O M S r » r r i « n d a l « b r C o l u m b u s 19 Ohio s l ^ l v * " ' St.'.' S S « l ? C r e e k ? M i c h .

C h i c a g o , Illinois ,.47,28 D r e x . l Blvd., ' •• -• • 15 g L Mo « . . Des M o i n e s Iowa

S o u t h w e s t e r n Region O k l a h o m a — Bro. V e r n o n L. Foshee ...

L o u i s i a n a — Bro. Elliot J A 7 k V n M » - B ™ . " f . " EE. " P P'a t t e r s o n Bro Reby C a r y " " T e x a s _

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105 Greenwood St B o s t o n , Mass.

179 D o y " " A v e Providence. R. I. ••••••• e ^ ^ H M I Road. N o r w a l k , C o n n . u i r i i n , , , M I I I prf T a n n a n N Y

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Odell Lewis William Corbin C a r l t o n Dias

1303 M a i n St., B i r m i n g h a m , Ala. s a v a n n a h , Ga. s B L a n e Ave 2 7 t h ' S t , Fort L a u d e r d a l e . Fla. W a s h i n g t o n St.. B r o o k h a v e n , Miss.

U / v vShady a s m n gAve., i o n a tW - ;i,n_s^t_o_n -cS,a,l e„ mm , M r :........'-'....: 41708 N. C, P.O. Box 1 3 1 1 , Greeneville, S. C. 2 7 E 3 r d St " - Chattanooga, Tenn.

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Contents

TOP OF THE MONTH Convention Coverage Those who missed the August convention will find much to read about in this

Features

and succeeding issues. We espeically encourage undergrads to carefully read the Quality Education for All Lionel H. Newsom

presentations of Brothers William Alexander and Billy Jones. And to graduates 4

and undergraduates alike. Brother John Buckner and General President Newsom drive home with some of the burning issues facing Alpha today. Twenty-two

Convention '67

9

The Traits of Alpha's Young Mavericks William M. Alexander . . .

17 Undergrads 'Live it Up' Judge Billy Jones Alpha Faces Renewal John D. Buckner

21

thousand inactive Brothers, chapter brutality and a suitable headquarters building are only three which the sands of time are running against.

New Departments Coming Up For nearly two years now we have been promising several new departments.

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Well, one. Communique, starts this month. Next month Art Sears, Jr., Urban League public relationists and former Ebony-Jet staffer, will inaugurate an in-depth book review section and a special column of opinion. Along with Brother Sears, Brother Randolph White, another ex-Ebony-Jet staffer and now a teacher

Departments

and free lance writer, and Bro. Eddie Madison, former reporter with the Chicago Alpha Directory

2

Top of the Month

3

Communique

7

Alpha Workshop

10

Frat Humor

15

Editorials

19

Alpha in Action

23

Tribune, the Chicago Daily Defender and the Associated Negro Press (now with the Dept. of Labor), will join the editorial staff of The Sphinx.

Mr. Sears' first column explores speed reading, "a way to keep abreast of the times though pressed for time."

A long-range project that we hope will be ready for publication in February scholarships, their availability, how to go about getting them, and where, is being researched and compiled by Mr. White.

Also in February Frat Humor will take on a new look. Bro. O. Wilson Winters is going to include a column of "Quotable Quotes." The astronomical sum of $5

COVER: General President Lionel H. Newsom (I.) and General Secretary Laurence T. Young (r.) welcome Bro. Charlie F. Williams to the national staff as assistant to the general secretary. Appointment was authorized by the 61st Anniversary Convention, became effective on September 16. The first Brother to hold the newly-created office, his appointment becomes a milestone in Alpha history.

will be paid for each "quote" accepted by The

Sphinx.

Note These Deadlines: December Issue—Nov. 4

February Issue—Dec. 30

May Issue—Mar. 15

ALPHA P H I ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. - the first Negro college fraternity - was founded December 4, 1906, at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.

Beginning with its seven founders more than 30,000 men have been initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha. Interracial since 1945, there are now 131 undergraduate chapters on college campuses and 199 graduate chapters in 38 states, the District of Columbia, West Indies, Europe and Africa.

Its members have served and continue to serve with distinction in widely diverse areas and furnish responsible leadership in hundreds of communities. In the emerging economic advance, in their business enterprises, in the professions, in government and in civic life it is Alphadom that comprises the heart of the Negro market.

A close knit organization, bound together with common loyalty in the struggle for human dignity; with common causes for cultural enrichment; and with historic accomplishments in educational advance — Alpha Phi Alpha stands dedicated to the principles on which this nation was founded, Alphamen, everywhere, constructively help in achieving America's promise.

"Since Alpha Phi Alpha was founded at Cornell University in 1906. it has espoused many good causes and achieved many victories of benefit to the country, but its most important service has been in the development of the scholars and creative leaders who will assist our country in meeting the challenges of the I960's."

JOHN F. KENNEDY

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Quality Education For All

By LIONEL NEWSOM

It has been a genuine pleasure to serve you since we last met in St. Louis, Missouri, the almost geographical heart of our nation. In the city where the agrarian aristocracy of the south came up to meet the industrial democracy of the north, there on the banks of the mighty Mississippi was a clash. I reiterate that I have been happily engaged in Alpha's vineyard of concerns. However, this has been labor of love with full cooperation of our general officers, our appointed officers, our Chairmen of national and standing, as well as ad hoc committees and members.

IT IS A PLEASURE to report to you that the year 1966-67 has been a success. We have the largest active membership in our history, the largest income and the greatest differential between expense and income in the history of our beloved organization.

Today we stand face to face with a most sinister attempt to divide and conquer, and therefore it behooves us to develop intelligent and analytical appraisals of all leadership.

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Baldwin's words are apropos for the beginning as well.

"Everything now, we must assume, is in our hands; we have no right to assume otherwise. . . . If we do not now dare everything, the fulfillment of that prophecy — God gave Noah the rainbow sign, No more water, the fire next time."

Disciples of doom and demagogues of despair advocate an abdication of the basic American principle that quality education is the key to survival. Those who plead for and hurl fire bombs in frantic fanatical fits of passion claiming that this is the only way left to win a stake in the American culture deny every virtue of good citizenship, every trait of honorable character and every fibre of responsible leadership.

We, as Alpha men, can no longer give the command: "Forward March." But we must sing loud and clear, "Follow me."

We can no longer tell others what Alpha has done for us but we must tell the story of what we have done for Alpha.

Everything now, we must assume, is in our hands. If we do not dare everything now, then there is no future. The alterna-

tive to fire next time is quality education now.

Our greatest problem is that of living in and adapting to an ever changing world. Old world education of the horse and buggy age cannot prepare youth for living in the space age and surviving in outer space. The most important space in the life of any individual, especially brown Americans, is that space between the ears. It is here where we need power. Power between the ears to think out solutions to the many complex and confused problems of a world struggling to be free and man to be secure.

As Alpha men, we must constantly remind our brothers and others that high standards and more exacting criteria are demanded in any approach to quality education. We must teach youth that the pursuit of truth requires not only a vigorous search but the courage and a willingness to accept the truth once it is confined in the corridors of our minds.

Quality education is linked inextricably to the realities of life, and Alpha must not allow the realities of life to drown originality and imagination. In every instance, youth must be offered and encouraged to obtain the kind of education which will allow adjustment to the challenges of today and the opportunities of tomorrow. Pessimism bordering on despair with accompanying negative overtones is detrimental to our efforts for providing an intellectual climate for learning, and an environment for responsible leadership.

There are many who know the facts about race relations in America, there are those who know that "separate but equal" has always been separate but never equal. Although significant progress has been made in obtaining the agreement of school districts to desegregate their schools, as required

by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, yet, in the deep south, where most of our brothers still live, the number of Negro children actually attending school with white children is still very small.

WE MUST bend every effort to help move from collective separatism to group integration, legal equality and individual superiority while we simultaneously defend personal property rights and the dignity of the individual human. It is not now and never has been nor will it ever be the desire of Alpha to destroy that which is good, decent and right, but we shall keep a continued vigilance for winning our human and civil rights with dignity, with respect for others' personal and collective properties. We shall work with all legitimate and non-violent ways to destroy the roots of poverty, the causes of inequality and injustice, and the vicissitudes of poor and misdirected education. Most Negro Americans are concerned with eliminating the causes of riots, the seed beds of hate, the proving grounds of racial prejudice and discrimination.

As your General President, I am certain that 1 am correct when I say that every Alpha man across the world joins me in saying all American educational systems must provide quality education for black and white, yellow and red, and Alpha men across this nation will be in the front lines, not sidelines courageously seeking and fighting intellectually for

equality of opportunity in all other communities where such injustices exist.

The goals of integration and quality education for responsible leadership must be sought together for they are inextricably linked and inter-dependent. For it is still true that if you start slow in the race of life, you must run faster than those ahead if you ever hope to catch up. So it is with the Negro American — he must run faster than those ahead.

All about us, we see smoldering evidences and hot ashes of frustration resulting from the few consumed with hate and despair. Revolution almost always occur when the oppressed begins the climb toward a better life. The Negro has learned much from his white brothers who harrassed American Negroes in the twenties, the early thirties and more recently by murder of four children in a church in Birmingham — of Mrs. Luizzo on the Selma highway, Emmett Till in Mississippi — in the concrete jungles of our cities. These wounds must and will be healed but not by creating more wounds. The great tragedy will be if the whites do not listen with their hearts as well as their minds. This is no time for retaliation. Tell the story of the mechanic who listened to the hum of the motor of an ailing automobile.

Let us not fool ourselves, we cannot abolish the ghetto alone. The ghetto can only be eliminated by joint efforts of both black and white. As Brother Martin Luther King, Jr., has said, "The black man needs the white man to free him from his hate, and the white man needs the black man to free him from his guilt." We are builders of men, not men who are destroyers of buildings. It is not what you have but what you give that counts.

If the civil rights struggle is going to be successful, if quality education is going to be the paramount requirement of our time, both will require white and black participation and commitment in spite of Black Power advocates. A third grade student can understand a statistical difference of ten to one is a great advantage. Without white support and without the white power structure the civil rights struggle is doomed to failure. Thus the battle ground for quality education is in the hearts and minds of Americans, black and white alike. Our cries for justice, equality and quality education is in the hearts and minds of Americans, black by the seats of control any longer. The dialogue must continue and Alpha men everywhere must be participants. We must assume that the power is in our hands. The story of the two bad boys and the old wise man is apropos here.

At the height of the Adam Clayton Powell affair, I sent the following telegram: "Representative John W. McCormack House of Representatives Washington, D. C. "As General President, representing more than 35,000 college trained men of Alpha Phi Alpa Fraternity, I urgently request that action re: Adam Clayton Powell be postponed until any and all allegations of gross misconduct have been examined and subsequently

S

proved or disproved. To do otherwise may be interpreted by many of us as guilt because of race.

"We further request that after an impartial and full investigation that the resultant action determined by legislators be tempered with the principles of justice and equality on which this democracy stands.

"To unseat or deny seating of Representative Powell or to remove him from the chairmanship without proof of charges is to negate the votes of people who elected him in good faith, and to deny them a voice in our nation's government — a voice guaranteed by the constitution."

A letter and telegram was sent to President Johnson congratulating him on his appointment of Brother Thurgood Marshall a justice to the Supreme Court.

them financially but help them with good advice and guidance.

Yes, I realize that so many young people are in a state of rebellion, but most of them will accept money — not a bribe but an entrance fee to get your ideas into the recesses and crevices of their minds and thought waves. I therefore encourage both graduates and undergraduates to meet in friendly and brotherly dialogue.

We must work diligently with the National and the local Pan Hellenic Council. This organization will help us solve many of our problems once jurisdiction is established on campuses throughout the land. We need your individual concern and assistance, so I ask you to give both levels of PanHellenic your cooperation. Brother Walter Washington has done a fine job with it, and it is now a strong and viable organization. He is to be congratulated for such creative and durable labor.

I attended four regionals and gave an accounting of our condition to each group of brothers. In each instance, I tried to clarify Alpha's position on both black power and the Adam Clayton Powell affair. In summary relative to the above situation, I said that Alpha does not endorse wrong and damn right. It is as simple as that. Our JEWEL sanctioned my action and thoughts on both these matters as well as opposing brutality.

We must keep to our aim as the poet speaks: Be true to your ambition The thing you want to do And some day all the world will be Congratulating you.

Be patient with your critics, and Ignore their ridicule And do not listen to the tongues That say you are a fool.

During the year, I have visited with the brothers in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Frankfort, Kentucky; Knoxville, Stillman College and Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Alabama State College and Montgomery, Alabama; LaGrange, Georgia; Morehouse College, Morris Brown College: Johnson C. Smith University; Barber-Scotia College, where we established a chapter of Alpha during the month of April; South Carolina State and Orangeburg, South Carolina; Washington, D. C ; Fisk University, Tennessee State University, St. Augustine's College; Fort Valley State College; Savannah State College, and Savannah, Georgia; Virginia Union in Richmond and Virginia State at Petersburg; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Southern University, and Baton Rouge, and a few others.

BRUTALITY STILL exists and we must continue to work for its elimination. I congratulate all brothers who have had the courage to work toward its elimination. Especially do I congratulate Brother Victor Jackson, Southern Assistant Vice-President, who called a special meeting in Atlanta to consider this matter. Young brothers from over the South were in attendance. Young brothers will not pay their bills yet.

I encourage graduate brothers to take more interest in the young brothers in their nearby vicinity and not only help

6

I sincerely thank all appointed officers and Chairmen of Committees and Committeemen for such fine cooperation during the year. I take time out to personally honor Brothers A. Maceo Smith and James L. Hint for their presentation of a really fine proposal relative to our General Office. This presentation was evidence of many hours of both labor and thought. Alpha Phi Alpha thanks all who have served in our great cause.

Next year I will bring you a historical analysis of what Alpha Phi Alpha has done — its "raison d'etre" and a look to the future in terms of our rapidly changing society.

Five Fast General Presidents attended the 61st Anniversary Convention in Los Angeles, Calif., August 5-10. See Brother Young's report for names... One of the most stirring addresses was Brother John Buckner's keynote speech ("Adding Life to Our Years")...It appears in this issue...Arousing and packed full of dynamite, as usual were those

by Brothers Whitney Young (National Urban League executive secretary) and James E. Cheek (president, Shaw University)...Both will appear in future issues of The Sphinx.

One of the major "happenings" at the convention was the job interviews held August 7 and 8 by nearly 20 leading U.S. firms, including American Airlines, Proctor and Gamble, Eastman Kodak Co., Firestone Rubber Co., Gulf Oil Company, American Oil Company, Bristol-Myers, Trans World Airlines, Sears Roebuck, National Cash Register, IBM, Mobil Oil Co., Humble Oil, Agency for International Development, Lockheed, Chrysler Corporation, Pepsi-Cola, and American Can...

Program also include a panel on Equal Opportunity and Career.Choices.

There are four candidates for general president: Brothers Elmer C. Collins, Frank V. Ellis, Ernest N. Morial and LeRoy Patrick...

Biographical data and photos on each will appear in the December issue of The Sphinx...Special projects adopted include publication of the 1968 edition of the Directory, renovation and refurbishing of the General Office Building and acquisition of adjoining property, and the continued but stepped-up support for the NAACP, the United Negro College Fund, the National Urban League, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a $100,000 Life Membership Reserve Fund, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and the American Negro Leadership Conference on Africa.

Two Alpha wives are presiding officers in their respective Greek Letter organizations: Mrs. Frankie Muse Freeman, wife of Brother Shelby T. Freeman, is now president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and

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Mrs. Larzette Hale, wife of Brother William H. Hale, is Grand Basileus of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Alpha's Building Foundation, headed by Brother William M. Alexander, reports considerable progress on Alpha's ambitious Federal housing program...Money is nearly ready for West End Housing in St. Louis, Mo. ...FHA has given preliminary approval in sum of 12,162,900 to build a 145 unit low income housing complex...Alpha has agreed to serve as the required private developer of project that will be built to provide convenient, flexible and much-needed housing. Complex will include low-rise buildings and one and two-story apartments of various sizes...

See the December issue for details.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Alpha's Life Membership program...Brother 0. Wilson Winters was first life member...Fraternity and Brother John Buckner hopes to get 150 additional Life Members...

That will increase the Life Member reserve fund to $100,000...Chapters are being encouraged to include the 50th Anniversary Life Membership Program emphasis in their December 1967 Founders' Day activities...The Los Angeles Convention established a subscribing member partial payments of $100 for two consecutive years, exclusive of Grand Tax...

Each chapter should appoint a chapter Life Membership chairman and decide upon a fair share goal...This means each chapter should recruit and report before the Detroit convention...A reporting coupon appears in the General Secretary's Alpha Workshop report.

More regions and even chapters are establishing newsletters, improving communications at a rapid pace...The Sphinx office should receive them also.. .Deadline for the December issue of The Sphinx is November 4.

The message is getting around in Texas that it pays to start early in junior high to prepare for a vocation...youths attending schools in the Marshall and Longview systems are hearing the word from Gamma Upsilon Lambda, sponsor of one of the nation's most successful career day programs...Program stresses that the education young people receive in Junior High charts the course not only for their individual lives but for the welfare of the nation.

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ALPHA WORKSHOP Laurence T. Young, General Secretary

The 61st Anniversary Convention of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., concluded its final business session on August 10. Commendations are extended to (Los Angeles) convention Chairman Bro. Edward T. Addison, and Beta Psi Lambda Chapter President, Bro. Thomas W. Robinson, as well as officers and members of Eta Pi Lambda and Alpha Delta chapters, the Alpha Wives and Auxiliaries of the area.

Orchids should certainly go to Bro. Kermit J. Hall, general convention chairman. His reappointment was testimony to his outstanding service.

CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS: y Revised and codified the Constitution of the Fraternity; y Employed an assistant executive secretary for field services, and supervision; y Reported dramatic housing developments in federally assisted community re-development projects.

•J Reviewed the newly created, tax-exempt, Alpha Phi Alpha Education Foundation, Inc. / Announced the current value of the Alpha Founders' Memorial Scholarship at Cornell University stands at $30,747.89, and earnings exceed $2,000.00 per year.

J Received from Brother Frank A. Dee, a contribution of $500 on behalf of the Schenley Industries, Inc. of New York. / Received reports from Regional Officers and General Officers of enthusiastic and revitalized programs of advance.

VITAL STATISTICS: Past General Presidents in Attendance 5 (Brothers Raymond W. Cannon, Belford V. Lawson, Jr., A. Maceo Smith, Myles A. Paige and William H. Hale).

Registered Delegates 262 Chapters Represented 103 Undergraduates in Attendance 57 Graduates in Attendance 514 TOTAL REGISTERED BROTHERS 571 Alpha Wives 323 Alpha Children 189 Golf Tournament Participants 37 Hostesses 50 TOTAL PARTICIPANTS 1,193 63 Brothers were inducted into OMEGA CHAPTER AWARDS: Distinguished Service Awards: Brother Burt A. Mayberry Brother O. Wilson Winters Brother Andrew J. Lewis, II

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Outstanding Graduate Chapter Award: Gamma Lambda Chapter — Detroit, Mich.

Undergraduate Chapter Awards: Theta Chapter — Chicago, 111.

Gamma Phi Chapter, Tuskegee Institute, Ala. The General Secretary reported record high active membership of 7,108, including 2,020 undergraduates and 5,088 graduates.

There were 1,094 initiations during the year (ending June 30, 1967).

The 30th Anniversary of the Alpha Life Membership Program has resulted in 462 Life Members as of July 15, 1967, and the Life Membership Reserve Fund of $69,479.50.

Campaign goals of 150 new Life Members and the permanent Reserve Fund of $100,000 were set for the ensuing year.

See coupon below.

ELECTED OFFICERS: Bro. Leven C. Weiss General Treasurer Vice-President Region Asst. Vice-President Bro. Frank J. Ellis Eastern Bro. Conrad Cathcart Bro. Gus. T. Ridgel Midwestern Bro. Edwin Patton Bro. Earnest L. Wallace Southwestern Bro. James E. Glover Bro. Luke H. Chatman Southern Bro. Harold Taylor Bro. C. P. Johnson Western Bro. Clifford Webb APPOINTED OFFICERS: Committee of Election Bro. Clifton E. Bailey, Chmn.

Educational Activities Bro. Thomas D. Pawley, III, Chmn.

Committee on Housing Bro. William M. Alexander, Chmn.

Historical Commission Bro. Charles H. Wesley, Chmn.

Editor, The Sphinx Bro. George M. Daniels General Counsel Bro. Morris M. Hatchett Comptroller (to be determined) Committee on Personnel Bro. Bennett M. Stewart Standards & Extension (to be determined) Chapter President: Complete this blank and mail by October 1, 1967 Date-

-1967

To: Brother John D. Buckner Life Membership Chairman CHAPTER LOCATIONLife Our Chapter accepts a goal of Members to be recruited and enrolled before the Detroit Convention. August 1968.

Your Life Membership Chairman is BrotherSigned: BrotherChapter President or Secretary MAIL TO: John D. Buckner 4246 W. North Market Street St. Louis, Missouri 63113

convention

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Brothers meet in closed session..,

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. as youth frolic at poolside a n d . . .

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A sumptuous luncheon and elegant fashion revue are highlights of a whirlwind social season for wives and guests of Alphas.

A blaring juke box keeps these young ladies busy.

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Bro. Tolly Harris, as chairman of the Awards Committee, presents Distinguished Service Awards to Brothers Burt A. Mayberry, 0. Wilson Winters and Andrew J. Lewis, II.

Bro. 0. Wilson Winters Undergrad Brothers accept Outstanding Undergraduate Chapter Awards for Theta Chapter, Chicago, III., and Gamma Phi Chapter, Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, Ala.

Bro. Burt A. Mayberry

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General President Newsom presents Souvenir Journal Committee's annual award to Bro. Clarence L. Holte (second from left) for his pioneering in job advancement. Brother Holte was the first Negro to acquire top executive status in advertising field (Batten, Barton,

Durstine and Osborn). Extreme left is Bro. L. H. Stanton, coordinator of the souvenir journal and job interviews. Extreme right is Bro. Benjamin Wright, who headed job recruitment for Clairol.

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Bro. Martin L. Harvey, Chaplain 63 Brothers were inducted into Omega

American Airlines booth was a popular attracion for Brothers appearing with Stewardesses Judith Johnson, Rodney Rawling and Pilot Al Price, (c).

Bro. Leven C. Weiss (r.), general treasurer, accepts Outstanding Graduate Chapter Award for Gamma Lambda, Detroit, Mich.

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As a fraternity fun column of humor for this post convention issue of The Sphinx, I should like to share with you some imaginary slides, snapshots and assorted stories that helped make this convention very pleasing and memorable to me.

The first slides show me enroute to Los Angeles. I'm boarding American Air Lines Flight No. 63 at International Airport, Philadelphia, Pa. Trance-like, I have shaken hands

Among these slides is the noon dinner 39,000 feet above the clouds. Third seat mate was Nordic Thomas Powell, 20, a lad from San Diego, Boeing aircraft mechanic, very interesting, ardent civil righter who bemoaned the Negro's acceptance of white power treatment. Conversation disclosed he was born in Chinquateague, Va., a few miles from my father's last ministerial pastorage, Pocomoke City, Md. We are coming down; it is 3.25 P.M. Los Angeles' time.

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Here is a broad view of the Pacific Ballroom of the Statler Hilton Hotel. Bro. Whitney Young is the guest speaker and Rev. Bro. H. Hartford Brookins is master of ceremonies at the public meeting program. Brother Brookins, pastor of a local Methodist Church requests the audience to sit. He explains that Brother Harvey is a Baptist and they have been sitting on prayers for a long time. He also apologized for the absence of his choir which was scheduled to sing. He found out that it was necessary to be financial to participate at the convention and none of his choir members was financial.

By O. WILSON WINTERS

with son, Oliver, and other goodwill friends; kissed goodbye to Esther, my wife, Helen, Ruby, Juanita and another pretty girl whom I didn't know and was not in our party but was dishing out sweet, juicy mouth-to-mouth kisses and I wasn't too hypnotic not to horn in on the "kiss-out," with seconds, too. 10:05 A.M. we are airborne.

These slides show me in seat 13 F shaking hands with a fellow passenger, Rushton Miller, Omega man, graduate of Tennessee State College, classmate of Bro. Judge Billy Jones.

Mr. Miller, a Social Security executive who lives in Altadena, Calif., could see my face was in acute fright pallor and did not match my hands, took me in charge, suggested I sit on the aisle rather than the window seat, briefed me on take off, relaxation and turbulence, of which was only ten minutes duration during the Philadelphia to Los Angeles flight. The young lady in the picture is suggesting that 1 put on the head set ear phones to hear the stereo music. 1 am earnestly suggesting that she take me to the rest room.

Bro. Whitney Young, after a fine introduction from President Lionel Newsom suggests that his address be recorded so his wife can understand why he is away from home so often and exactly where he is. He tells us that the quantity of filial constancy does not compare with quality where domestic felicity is concerned. The answer to the coefficiency of economy is not that "We shall overcome" but some new songs like, "Anything you can do we can do better." He said, "It is not 'Fire power,' nor 'black power,' but brain power we need." He tells us of Hobson City, Ala., which has a black Mayor, black firemen, black city councilmen, black policemen, but no money, no fire engines, no economy. He left us repeating Browning who said, A man's reach should exceed his grasp or what is heaven for.

Here are slides from the Life Membership Banquet with Bro. Raymond Cannon representing the 462nd member since I became number one life member in New Orleans in 1937.

Here, I am the honored guest. Don't look at me brushing the near tears away; asks someone to tell you what I said about the Negro who wanted to be white.

Here is Bro. General Counsel McGhee, Dayton Ohio's pride, introducing the incomparable, nonpariel, Bro. John D. Buckner of St. Louis. After a super market list of accomplishments, he rounds out his eulogy by saying, "Our speaker has participated in many other activities, but upon replay of an unofficial tape recording it sounded like, "Our speaker has dissipated in many other activities."

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Buckner's keynote address, Adding Life to Our Years gave us a new forensic, philosophical, and fraternally practical dimension to the usually genial, quick-witted, but facile tongued Buckner.

The Medgar Evers plaque being presented to Brother Prexy Newsom, elicited this story. "A Negro boy fell into a barrel of molasses. With molasses all over his face, his tongue reached out as far as possible, up, down, to the sides, in a sweeping circle. He looked up and said: "O Lord, make my tongue equal to this occasion." *

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Emphasizing efficiency and quick decision the story was told of a lady who finally married one of two ardent suitors.

Very shortly afterwards he died. The other suitor promptly returned and began to commiserate the lady, lamented the sudden death, apologized for the seeming inappropriateness but suggested that they take up where they left off. He hoped it would not be offensive to the memory of her late husband who lay dead and was not yet cold. She answered, "Oh that's all right. The funeral is already listed and hot or cold he goes out of here at noon today." *

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Bro. William Alexander looks scholarly here in this picture as he gives his report on the Alpha Housing Foundation. He waxes eloquent as he declares the "learner can't learn if the teacher can't teach." Ergo, "Johnny can't read." That "aint" the way I heard it. I heard that Johnny couldn't read because he had a seat in the front row near the teacher's desk — and the teacher wore a mini-skirt. *

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Handsome, distinguished and memorable Bro. Charles Green, the Atlanta Life executive from Maddox County, and Mrs. G. B. Green, whom I had the temerity to plant this sincere kiss on her dimpled cheek and call her "Gurley." *

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Over fifty old friends and admirers having a brief respite from convention rigors to frolic at Mydotte (my concoction of a name for a beautiful mansion), the home of retired Judge Myles A. Paige (past president) and his gracious Dorothy. Convincing hospitality, exquisite catering, happy memories. Look closely, see Maxine and Prexy Lionel, Antonio Maceo and Fanny Smith, Princess Mary and Elmer Collins, Commander-in-chief Kermit and Ethel Hall, peripatetic Marcus Neustader from New Orleans and many parts of the earth; many others, you pick them out. Scientist from Chicago Bro. James Hall and the "Missus." The Detroit Weisses.

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This slide is a breakfast with Bro. Meredith Ferguson, host to the Youngs, Lawrence and Rebecca, Buckner and Winters.

The laughter is because I am telling them I don't eat much.

I miss my wife because she watches my diet, scolds me if I get gravy on my necktie and get careless about zipper closure.

I have a reel showing kindly Arthur G. Price, Jr., Redevelopment representative motoring to Forest Lawn with Brothers Ferguson, Buckner and me as guests. *

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Look here at Bro. Frank E. Lewis having dinner with his folks at the hotel drug store and imploring the waitress to find some gravy (any kind) to put on his broiled chicken.

Here is Bro. John W. Hurse, of Detroit, Mich. Whom does he look like or rather who looks like him? Bros. Henderson and Weiss tried to take at least six snapshots of Hurse and me and every one of them was spoiled. *

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I am framing these cherished snapshots with convention memories: Brothers Tolly Harris, Dr. Thomas D. Pawley, Rho Chapter's Bill Ross, Jr., Dr. Thomas Georges, Sr. of Philadelphia, Pa., father of Pennsylvania's Dr. Thomas Georges, Jr., new Secretary of Health and Welfare Department. Burt A. Mayberry, convention secretary, Fred Atwater, sergeant-at-arms, distinguished Connecticut legislator Otha N. Brown, Jr.; the smooth eloquent, Bennie Harris, Chattanooga assistant district attorney, super contented Andrew Lewis, history-making Marshall E. Williams. *

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Bro. Addison believes sex education should be taught our children in public schools but he doesn't think they should be given homework. *

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Bro. Sweeney of Asbury Park, his wife and daughter on the homebound plane, Heine Crawford, convention photographer who promised me an ultra violet treated photo of me for The Sphinx. Chicago slides: Sister Rosa Jackson, Bennett Steward, life members Dr. Benson and Judge Sydney Jones.

My favorite slide is this last one. It is Bro. Wm. Byron Rumford, California's noted former legislator who will live in history for his Physicians' Immunity Act which protects doctors rendering assistance at accidents. Several states now have the law on their books. His Open Housing Act was made law but has had rough treatment. Even one of his good friends and neighbors disagreed with him, saying she did not approve of open housing because she didn't have inside plumbing and didn't think she should be compelled to leave the door to her outhouse open.

THE TRAITS OF ALPHA'S

The chairman of Alpha's National Building Foundation has discovered a tendency on the part of some undergrads to make it appear that fiscal and moral irresponsibility is the normal pattern of behavior today.

As chairman of the National Building Foundation for the past 10 years, I have been forced to come to grips with many facets of the undergraduate problem. The time has come when we must make an organized and determined attack upon these problems, for unless we can emerge with a long range solution, it is my candid opinion that our undergraduate problem, in most parts of the country, will deteriorate at an accelerated rate.

Not being a sociologist, I have not delved into the "why" of these things too deeply, but my many years of experience indicates clearly, many of the reasons for their being.

Since this report is to stimulate an inter-change of ideas involving persons in every walk of life of the Fraternity.

I will not bore you with gruesome details.

It may be significant to state that one of our undergraduate chapters at one of our oldest institutions in the mid-west was recently expelled from the campus for violation of just about every code that could possibly have been violated.

young mavericks

By WILLIAM M. ALEXANDER

Lack of fiscal responsibility, moral integrity, the ability to evaluate substance from status symbols, the absence of the pursuit of excellence in scholarship, the lack of even the most rudimentary business practices and plain basic dishonesty, coupled with direct violations of the rules of the Fraternity, itself, have brought us to a situation where we must take direct and forceful action to correct, at its source, the further expansion among our undergraduates of this trend.

This is not, in any manner, intended to reflect discredit on the many fine

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undergraduates who conduct themselves with honor and integrity. We recognize their merit and worth and solicit their aid in improving and controlling the growing group of irresponsibles who attract attention and reflect discredit upon others.

uncontrolled or poorly directed "give away" program that would magnify the growing tendency on the part of many of our undergraduates toward fiscal and moral irresponsibility. We must not, under any circumstances, aid or abet by our actions this regrettable trend.

Many of these problems, to some degree, can be assessed with validity against certain graduate groups who have attempted to guide and lead undergraduates. President Newsom and a number of our Regional Vice-Presidents have been kept busy, attempting to stem the tide of this rising sense of irresponsibility.

The tendency is to seek something for nothing, to buy what one wants and beg for what one needs, to emulate the affluent society that surrounds us, when we do not have the economic means to imitate. The time has come to remember that "The learner does not learn when the teacher does not teach." This goes back to the home, the school, the community, and certainly to the leadership of our Fraternity.

However, we must recognize an obligation to aid and encourage sincere and responsible action on the part of our undergraduates. If I interpret the general feeling of the vast majority, the reasonable use of funds to support promising undergraduate programs (where no hope of recovery is expected, except in services rendered to the undergraduates of Alpha, to the end that they can better continue the thrust for equality of opportunity) is desirable, needed, and should be continued on some basis by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

To quote Prime Minister I ee Kaan Yew of Singapore, "Either we teach our children how to grow up as robust, wellorganized, socially-conscious human beings, or we will disintegrate."

This is our challenge and we must meet it head-on.

There is a tendency on the part of even the best undergraduate groups we have, to make it appear that fiscal and moral irresponsibility is getting to be the normal pattern in matters related to finances or responsible behavior in the maintenance of property or the keeping of even the simplest promises that one makes. To be certain, this is not confined exclusively to the undergraduate.

However disturbing it may be (and, it is serious to the point of frustration at times), if we are to continue our thrust toward equality of opportunity, we must not despair or give up. We, of Alpha, must roll up our sleeves, put on our spurs and "ride herd" on these traits of our young mavericks. We cannot throw them away, or shrug them off — they are the best we have, like it or not; for better or worse, they are Alpha men, and we must take measures to help as best we can.

I would be reluctant to encourage any

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The Building Foundation has, by experiences of the past decade, set up a complete set of guide lines that, if followed, would tend to guide and control many of these problems. The control of all projects by adult sponsoring advisory groups (close enough to actually give some physical supervision), the handling of all funds by joint control of the graduate sponsor and the undergraduate chapter, the use of student rental contracts, the insistance on various precautions in handling of telephone service, food service, house rules, record keeping and reporting, would have, if followed, prevented many of these problems. This now looms as a full time job at some level of our structure in the near future.

I make no apology for what we have been able to do, when you consider the fact that we invest the paltry sum of one dollar and twenty-five cents per Grand Tax per year to support this program. in its entirety.

We must work more diligently as a total group to give our program a chance to succeed. It is not primarily a problem of lack of money as much as it is one of a lack of guidance and supervision in the following of good business procedures.

Does Alpha Phi Alpha have the leadership to help our young brothers do a better job, under the trying circumstances, or shall we take the easy way

out and wash our hands of the sorry mess, to our eternal damnation?

To my young brothers, the undergraduates, I issue the challenge learned from nearly five decades as a member of our beloved Fraternity. Shall we return to some of the lessons learned in our long and hard struggle to a position of respect in the councils of America, or do we rest upon our laurels? Shall we seek to return to position of "high aim and moral courage" in our quest of leadership?

You lose your leadership when you cease to lead. You cannot rest upon your past laurels; we cannot reach a plateau and level off, even though it may be a very comforting feeling to settle back in self-satisfaction and mutual admiration of ourselves and the past. To walk in the footsteps of a yesterday, on the modern highway of life today, could be fatal. Too many are content to arrive at a position of self-satisfaction, to settle down in a comfortable rut! "Comfort comes as a quest, lingers to become a host, and stays to enslave us." At this point, the three " I " sins usually show up: Indifference, Ignorance, and Indecision. We must continue to improve, to perfect, to better qualify ourselves. We can never let up. Alpha Phi Alpha can afford no such lethal bromides.

Brother William M. Alexander is a Life Member of Alpha and chairman of itsNational Building Foundation.

Editorials

Our Public Policy

(One of the most important permanent committees of Alpha is the Public Policy Committee, long chaired by Dr. Charles H. Wesley. It sets forth, in a preliminary manner, the economic, sociological and educational stance of Alpha and, on revision and adoption by the annual convention becomes the light by which Alpha is guided for another year. This year the Committee, and finally the Convention delegates, again stated Alpha's position on the relation of the American Negro to Africa, the NAACP and organized labor. Having never believed in violence, Alpha strongly re-emphasized its opposition to rioting as a means of achieving civil rights. All of the statements appearing on this and the following page are vitally important, and we urge every Alpha and Alpha wife, and every friend of Alpha to study them carefully. Because of Dr. Wesley's absence this year, the Public Policy Committee was chaired by Bro. Clifton R. Jones. Serving on the Committee with him were Brothers George M. Daniels, Jerry L. Martin, Edward L. Madison, Jr., Thomas Rogers, Leroy W. R. Gates, Leroy Patrick, S. Calvin Johnson, Joseph A. Clarke, Marshall E. Williams, Marcus Neustadter, Jr., and John T. Clark.)

AFRICA As we reiterated last year, Africa is the homeland of one tenth of the American population which has been isolated for centuries in subject matter and contacts by other matters. As black Americans, we then stated, we must continue to show our interest in Africa's history, in its trade, in its emergent governments, and give to it the leadership in better relations which will be effective for Africa as for the other parts of the world.

We fully recognize that there are some American Negroes who are not concerned about Africa and could care less about her relations with the U. S. These are minds that must be changed, for the American Negro community has a responsibility to speak out in the community on matters that affect United Sates-Africa relations.

Early this year the American Negro Leadership Conference on Africa, supported financially, morally and philosophically by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., as one of its sponsors, pointed out that it is clear that "America's 22 million Negro citizens will be concerned continuously with improving U. S.-Africa relations." "This is a significant trend and one with tremendous socioeconomic possibilities for the future. For in the United States resides a large segment of American people who not only identify ethnically with black Africa but have equal concern for the prompt elimination of inequities based on race or color."

It is thus imperative that Alpha and America become fully conscious of a heritage in America and Africa that reaches back in time to our beginnings. Through the pages of our general magazine, The Sphinx, and through educational forums conducted by our chapters in each community, Alpha must support and even initiate efforts to find a way to express concern that is non-partisan and non-factional on all issues concerned with United StatesAfrica relations.

N.A.A.C.R In these times of gross confusion and massive discontent, several traditional civil rights organizations as the NAACP have made consistent and remarkable contributions to race relations in the United States, have come under attack by

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some individuals and groups that have grown to feel that prudence, wisdom and patience are not longer virtues in the struggle for full citizenship and full participation in the mainstream of society. Military, some say is the only realistic path to equality. We believe, however, that there is room in the civil rights movement for diversity of tactics and approaches to a solution to the hunger and poverty and racial prejudice that stalks our nation.

We believe more in the rule of law and for less in the many forms of militancy that have led to violence, death and destruction. For these reasons and many others, we continue our support of the NAACP and again urge all members and chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., to not only continue but to increase their support of the NAACP Life membership campaign.

BIG BROTHER PROGRAM As Thurgood Marshall stated in 1966, "We in Alpha must get with it." It should be the part of every Alpha Chapter program to go into the ghetto — take one man or boy and share with him some of our own life experiences. Our fraternity proclaims "Love for all mankind."

Let us make this a reality.

Our work with the ghetto man is for the purpose of raising his aspirations and helping all of us understand the basic problems involved.

POLITICAL ACTION Involvement with and commitment to the governmental processes of the United States is a continuing concern of this fraternity. We take note of the election of Brother Edward Brooke to the United States Senate, the election of Negroes as mayors of several midwestern cities, and most recently, the election of a Negro Justice of the Peace of Mississippi.

We of Alpha must continue to participate in these elective processes and actively encourage all Afro-Americans to face up to the responsibilities and take advantage of opportunities as we become aware of them. Most especially, we must concern ourselves on the local level, be it precinct, parish or rural crossroad.

RIOTS Alpha Phi Alpha is deeply concerned about the numerous riots which have occurred during the first seven months of 1967, in some 80 U. S. cities. The death toll in Detroit and Newark alone, amounts to some 70 lives. The cost in destruction of property is more than one billion dollars.

Alpha Phi Alpha unalterably is opposed to violence as a

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solution to social problems; however, our greater concerns is with the intolerable conditions which give rise to these riots. Alpha Phi Alpha is cognizant of the exploitation which this segment of the population has been the victims of; its feeling of despair over the failure of the powers that be to follow through with employment and better housing.

There are reasons to believe these acts of violence are an expression of the hopelessness. This group is no longer willing to accept "solution by crisis."

There is an upsurge of demand for more employment, better housing, a higher quality of education for everyone.

Alpha Phi Alpha takes note of the Senate Committee investigating these riots. Present procedures suggest that this committee is more concerned with placing blame, than with taking responsible leadership to solve the problem.

While Alpha Phi Alpha backs every effort to preserve law and order, it is not unmindful of the fact that there was no Senate investigation in the bombing of the Church in Birmingham, Ala., in 1963, killing four Negro girls, or the hundreds of killings of Negroes in the South since Emancipation.

EDUCATION Alpha Phi Alpha urges a reexamination of our policy on education. Our historical program of "Go to High School — Go to College" has made a significant contribution to the education of Negroes. However, we must remember that a college education is not always necessary for a successful life. We do not suggest a lesser emphasis in this regard. Rather, we urge guidance and counsel beginning in the Junior high school to Negro youth who have an interest in technical education. Too often Negro youths are not given wise counsel in vocational and technical programs. In addition, they often receive inferior training and they are not referred to industry for employment.

Alpha Phi Alpha must take every step to remove these inequities.

ORGANIZED LABOR Alpha Phi Alpha deplores the continued discriminating practices of too many labor unions, which exclude competent Negroes from employment for apprenticeship training programs, and for the opportunity to earn a decent living. These practices have no place in the American Labor Movement. Alpha Phi Alpha urges all National Brotherhoods of organized labor to use their power to erase every vestige of racial discrimination so that all Americans regardless of race can be employed on the basis of ability.

By JUDGE BILLY JONES

We of Alpha face a dilemma. We must now meet squarely a situation that has been plaguing us for years — a situation that demands our serious consideration, wise deliberation and prophetic foresight. So let me pour forth from the depths of my heart some innermost thoughts of a present day sad state of affairs and a look into what could be a dismal future.

History tells us that Socrates walked and talked with Plato and Plato walked and talked with Aristotle. In ancient times students learned from the teacher by association on an around the clock basis. It is a known fact that no stream can rise above the fountain. You cannot bathe in the same river twice, for the spot where you stood in the morning no longer contains the same waters when you take the evening bath.

We realize we are living in a changing world, that everything changes and that there is nothing in this world that does not change except change itself. Yes, for change is constant, change is inevitable. Alpha Phi Alpha faces a serious — and almost dramatic change. Someone might like to call it traumatic change.

The hue and cry from college students is "Freedom" and more freedom." Likewise the young men who make up our undergraduates and those who are eligible to join, including Sphinx men, all want this freedom. But Brothers — does this Freedom mean — Freedom from responsibility, Freedom from maintaining and following Alpha's long adhered-to precepts, "The Pride of Our Hearts, Manly Deeds, and Scholarship."

disgust of the total undergraduate force. But I must say that the dismay should allude to wherever and whenever applicable — that for whomever the shoe fits, let them wear it.

When the axe is swung the chips must fall wherever they may.

Now to get down to specifics — today, while we bask in the limelight of almost total sufficient student finances — while scholarship —• government loans and grants make it almost impossible for any hardworking and ambitious youth to be unable to attend college because of a lack of funds some of our undergraduate Brothers are spending themselves into bankruptcy.

Many of our undergraduates are prone to "live it up."

They go in debt — both personally and fraternity-wise, to give parties. They don't pay their honest debts. They run up excessive bills. We wondered why the telephone at one of our undergraduate houses was cut off — the answer was, an unpaid telephone bill of over $500.00. Irresponsible spending and abuse of credit have become the precepts of the Brothers in question. The cases of the undergraduates collecting money from the Pledges — initiating them — never sending the money in or notice in to the General Organization and leaving the Neophytes stranded without pins, pass card, shingles, histories and the like are no longer isolated matters. It is a common occurrence. On one of our campuses there were a few Sphinxmen who transferred from other schools who began operating as Alpha men—and who organized a Sphinx Club — maintaining obedience and devotion with regularity of a group of Sphinx men who had failed to make Alpha at other campuses — and calling themselves Alphas — registered with the school administration as Alpha Fraternity.

While we all want our undergraduate Brothers to gain modern day freedoms, do w want them to lose the principles of Alpha Phi Alpha? When they raise the picket signs — of protest — let them not forget the words of the hymn, "We cherish thy precepts—thy banner shall be raised."

Brothers, raising the picket signs does not mean for us to tear Alpha's banner down.

Let me pause here Brothers to let the record show that the Midwestern Vice-President's statement at this time is not intended, directly or by innuendo, to be a blanket remonstrance, total denouncement, complete criticism or general

College fellows—supposedly intelligent—above the masses, in a state of constant conduct unbecoming Alpha Men — are drinking, gambling, carousing, cutting classes, punching out in school — breaking the rules of college and breaking the rules of the Inter-Fraternity Council.

Brothers, with apologies to those groups of fine young undergraduates who are holding high the name of Alpha Phi Alpha, let me give up the startling information that we have a goodly number of Neer-Do-Wells that are causing a great deal of alarm in Alpha.

We are running into difficulties with almost all of our

A former Midwestern vice president charges that while students cry for 'freedom and more freedom,' they're increasing in irresponsibility.

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undergraduate Fraternity Houses. Almost all of the institutions in the Midwest where we have Chapter Houses require that each House have a housemother on hand and in charge at all times. Most times our fellows can hardly keep up the rent and other expenses — to say nothing of being able to pay a housemother. In several instances if the University furnished a housemother and paid her salary — we would still be unable to qualify because we have no quarters in the house for her stay.

The Midwestern Region comprises the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota. It covers an area from the foothills of the Appalachians in West Virginia on the East to the sprawling plains of Nebraska on the West. Canada and the Great Lakes form its Northern Border, and the Southern extremity includes the bootheel of Missouri, the blue grass of Kentucky and the Ohio River. The Midwestern Region numbers 88 Chapters. Of the 40 graduate Chapters only 3 are inactive and of the 47 undergraduate Chapters the number of inactive has grown to 10. At last count these were active Brothers. Almost 15 percent of these are life members, of which over 125 comes from Illinois and Missouri with almost 100 coming from the St. Louis area.

During the year, Gamma Eta chapter of Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, was reactivated, and Zeta Delta, an undergraduate chapter at Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, was established.

The midwestern region has the chapter with the largest membership of any chapter in the country, Epsilon Lambda in St. Louis, Missouri, with a total membership of 221. Gamma Lambda, Detroit, Michigan is the third largest chapter numbering ninety-eight (98). XI Lambda in Chicago, Illinois is ninth largest with a membership of seventy (70).

Thus the Midwestern Region has three of the leading "Big Ten" chapters and particularly holds the first and third spots in the nation. The Midwest also boasts of the chapter having the largest number of life members. Here again, Epsilon Lambda of St. Louis takes the honors with seventy (70) fully paid life members. Epsilon, University of Michigan is the fifth largest undergraduate chapter with thirty three (33).

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The question of fraternity houses in the undergraduate chapters then is still our utmost and foremost problem. We must face up to the question as to whether or not the small amount which we are able to contribute is going to be able to do a job. If we depleted our entire housing fund treasury today and spread it among the undergraduate chapters on so-called white college compuses for fraternity houses, we would be offering a mere pittance which would fall short of even equipping one house sufficiently. On the other hand, if we took our entire funds and picked out one of these undergraduate chapters and secured a house completely, the question arises as to what happens to all of the other undergraduate chapters and what lies ahead as for upkeep, maintenance, continuity of operation and the like. Kappa Alpha Psi is a living example of this latter alternative. In their undergraduate fraternity house movement in Bloomington, Indiana, they invested a tremendous sum to build a single undergraduate fraternity house which today has not proven to be a successful venture.

Brothers, our answer lies in acquiring the rights to single dormitory buildings, or interest in parts of multiple buildings which are being built on various college campuses under federal backing. We have the men with the connections and the know how to pursue this area of possibilities and development. At Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Alpha Kappa Alpha each has a quarter million dollar student campus building.

The university has fourteen such buildings which it turned over to the various organizations including the three I named.

In this kind of situation, all we have to do is take charge of the building and operate it, including dining facilities.

There is space for fifty-two students and a housemother and house manager. This is the kind of operation we are conducting in Carbondale, and this would seem to be the solution of our being able to promote the fraternity housing for our undergraduates.

What is the answer to these problems which I have raised?

The answer is clear. Supervision and more supervision. It seems as though we may have to apply the One Man — One Vote — idea. We've got to have a Graduate Brother at every undergraduate Chapter — to give constant supervision and guidance. We've got to have every undergraduate Chapter sponsored and looked after by a Graduate Chapter.

If we are to see a steady stream of good, strong, qualified young Alpha men finishing college — coming out on to the stage of life to take our places — we will have to give a whole lot of training and supervision in this cause.

AM

Alpha* in* Action

Gamma Chapter at Virginia Union University in Richmond will celebrate its 60th Anniversary in December...All interested Gamma Brothers are invited to contact Bro. James E. Wright, Jr., at 1500 North Lombardy Street, Richmond, for particulars...Former Superintendent of the Enterprise City School District of Los Angeles County, Bro. Arthur E. Prince, was presented the Alpha Delta Chapter "Man of the Year" Award.

Now retired, he taught for thirty-eight years in California public schools.

The Sphinx will shortly publish a four-part condensation of the Alpha Phi Alpha History, by Bro. Dr. Charles H. Wesley, historian...

In a move to help close the communications gap, Delta Gamma Chapter at Alabama A. and M. College is publishing a duplicated newsletter covering Alpha activities in the Normal, Ala., area.

Bro. Dr. Robert L. Smith, chairman of the National Dental Association Executive Board, presided at the Association's National Convention in Los Angeles...A "first", he received the "Dentist of the Year" Award.

Zeta Phi Lambda Chapter's Alpha Outreach program in Stanford, Conn., got off to a simp-ly de-light-ful start with a presentation of "My Fair Lady"...Held its second annual Black and Gold ball...And saw two Neophyites cross into Alpha Land: Bros. William Smith and C. Durant.

"The unfinished task of our democracy is the effacement and erasure of the false idea of what a Negro is," baccalaureate speaker Bro. Dr. Charles H. Wesley said. The director of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History explained: "There is no such thing as a Negro. White authors and white people invented this thing we call the Negro." Bro. Wesley appealed to the more than 300 Tuskegee Institute graduates to use their "finesse and strength to emancipate" what he called "thoughtful white Americans."

Statistics usually make boring and sometimes confusing reading. But these should be of particular interest to Alpha Phi Alpha Brothers who are concerned about reactivating lapsed Brothers.

Just released minutes of the 52nd Alpha General Convention show there were 6,920 active Brothers as of June, 1966. Since then the Fraternity has grown to over 7,000 fully paid members...Graduates continue to outnumber undergraduates nearly 5 to l...Life members now number 293. The Southern Region is the only area with more than 2,000 active members...Since 1906, 1,809 Brothers have joined Omega Chapter.

Most startling fact is that there are today some 21,000 lapsed Brothers. And there are 45 inactive chapters — 26 undergraduate and 17 graduate. Last year only nine chapters were established: three undergraduate at the University of Missouri, Ferris State College, and Central Missouri State; six graduate chapters at Natchez, Miss. ; Helena, Ark. ; Fort Wayne, Ind. ; Bennetsville, S.C. ; Schenectady, N.Y. ; and Somerset, N.J. In El Paso, plans -are being developed to establish an undergraduate chapter at the University of Texas. A social study club will be operated initially until negotiations are completed for an undergraduate chapter...Fall membership campaign among Pasadena youth by Eta Pi Lambda Chapter is under way. The Chapter is seeking memberships to its Good Citizenship Society through P.T.A. units, schools and other youth groups.

Will it stop? Did it stop? Raining, that is. Of course not. But this didn't dampen Beta Kappa Lambda Chapter's picnic. Indeed, a drenching good time was had at the country estate of the heirs of the Fielding Home for Funerals in Lincolnville, S . C , "the only town left in the world that is completely operated and controlled politically

by Negroes. " Eta Chapter of New York has initiated a Negro Heritage Project to give some intellectual content, above and beyond the regularly required Fraternity history, to its pledge program. The program will strive to make known the American Negro's contributions to society, to supplement the usual fraternity emphasis on "show" with some amount of intellectual endeavor, and to provide college men with a basic, if somewhat hurried, knowledge and appreciation of their black heritage.

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V

HEAR PRESIDENT In the course of the visit to Alpha Mu Lambda in Knoxville, Tennessee, General President Newsom addressed the 1967 graduating class at Knoxville College, visited with Alphas at dinner at Farragut Hotel. Shown (I. to r.) are Bros. Charlie Welch, Ronald Damper, Horace Andrews, William V. Powell, E. 0. Hill, Leonard A. Jackson, J. H. Harper, Lawrence Webb, Dr. Newsom, Algie Jordan, Walter Harris, and Jefferson Owens, behind the camera.

JUNIOR LEAGUE Members of the two winning teams in the 1967 Alpha Phi Alpha Junior League Tournament at Tuskagee Institute, Ala., pose at the end of the Alpha Nu Lambda Chapter sponsored program. Designed to provide 5th through 8th graders with an opportunity to improve and develop good sportsmanship, the teams are coached by Bro. Ronald Williams (c), a physical education instructor at Chambliss Children's House.

MODERN MAN Another Alpha on the go . . . breaking new ground... exploring new territories —Bro. Dr. Thomas J. Craft. President of Chi Lambda Chapter of Wilberforce, Ohio, and associate professor of biology at Central State University, Bro. Dr. Craft is in Ahmedabad, capital of Gujarat State in India.

He is in India as a consultant for the National Science Foundation working with the United States State Department AID program to help upgrade the science program in Indian universities. A graduate of Central State University, Bro. Craft received a Master of Science degree from Kent State University and was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree by Ohio State University. He is married to the former Joan Hunter; they have two children.

CHAMPION COACH Bro. William (Cy) Butler (I.) poses with Principal Edward Willis of Champion Junior High School and exhibits plaques awarded the noted Basketball Coach. February 2, 1967, was proclaimed William Butler's Day in recognition of Butler's 18 years as Head Basketball Coach, from 1943 to 1960. One award will be placed in Champion School trophy case.

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GAMMA ETA LAMBDA Gamma Eta Lambda Chapter of Austin, Texas, has set as its goal the creation of new lines of communication between major business leaders and Austin industry with Negro residents. The Chapter wants to establish, said Bro. President M. D. Edwards, "positive community relations." During the year business representatives will speak at monthly meetings of the Chapter. Recently, Assistant Commissioner of Vocational Education for Texas, John Guemple, (standing, back row, r.), related how a graduating high school student with a vocational skill could help support himself while attending college. He urged support of broad-based student participation in vocational courses offered by public schools.

MU LAMBDA Attorney Marjorie M. Lawson, vice chairman of a President's Commission and wife of past general Alpha Phi Alpha president, Bro. Belford V. Lawson, discusses contents of Commission Report with Brothers Judge Joseph C. Waddy (I.) and Judge Richard R. Atkinson. The judges serve on the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions.

FETE ANNIVERSARY The anniversary of the founding of Delta Eta Lambda Chapter of Topeka, Kansas, was the occasion of a banquet. Shown above are (seated, I. to r.) Brothers Lab Arrington, vice president and associate editor to THE SPHINX; Edwin Byrd, West Missouri and Kansas regional director; Dr. J. C. DePriest, president; Harold Owens; (standing) James Coleman, P. A. Townsend, Vance Williams, Fred Glass, P. A. Townsend, Jr.

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SCHOLARSHIP WINNER Philadelphia high school scholarship winner, Umbrenda Herrington, receives a cash award from Bro. Frank E. Devine, eastern district director and a member of Zeta Omicron Lambda Chapter. Another honoree, James Derr, also of Thomas Fitzsimons Junior High School, received a $25 Savings Bond. The scholarships are given annually by the school faculty members of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

RED CROSS Eric A. Harding, native of Portsmouth, Va., has been appointed Program Assistant on the national staff of Red Cross Youth, John M. Manthei, national director of American Red Cross Youth, announced. He will assist in developing volunteer Red Cross programs among students in junior and senior high schools. Harding came to the Red Cross from two years as a high school teacher in Wilson, N. C, where he taught history, civics, and vocational education, and served as assistant coach of the school's athletic and debating teams. He also supervised baseball and other outdoor activities in the city's summer recreational program for youth. Mr. Harding was graduated in 1965 with a A.B. degree in history from Shaw University, Raleigh, N. C, where he was active in student affairs. He served as vice president and president of the student body and president of Beta Rho Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Since his graduation from Shaw, Mr. Harding has taken graduate work at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, and at Duke University in Durham. He and his wife, the former Miss Anne Robinson of Wilson, N.C., live in Landover, Md.

HONOR GRADUATE Outstanding Des Moines, Iowa, high school graduate, Dartanyan Brown, receives the 1967 Zeta Kappa Lambda Scholarship Award from Chapter President, Dr. Eddie V. Easley. Shown with Dartanyan and Bro. Easley are (I. to r.) Bros. Dr. S. J. Williamson, Jr., Dr. Lewis James, Paul Danforth, and Everett A. Mays.

HONORED AT TUSKEGEE Tuskegee Institute President L. H. Foster (c.) seen here after the 1967 commencement exercises with Alumni Merit Award and honorary degree recipients. They are (I. to r.)

Herman J. Russell, Atlanta businessman; Dr. Montague Oliver, biology department chairman, St. Joseph's College and president of the Gary, Ind., school board; and Dr. Ptolemy A. Reid, first deputy premier of Guyana, who were honored with the 1967 Alumni Merit Award. Honorary Doctor of Laws degrees were conferred on the baccalaureate speaker, Bro. Dr. Charles H. Wesley (3rd r.), director of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History; Dr. Harlan H. Hatcher, University of Michigan president; and Dr. William H. Steward, U.S. surgeon general and commencement speaker.

HATS OFF, EAGLES ON Brother Col. Roscoe C. Cartwright shown as he received the eagles of full Colonel from his wife, Gloria, and Brigadier General Roland M. Gleazer, director of management of the Office of the Comptroller of the Army, at a ceremony in the Pentagon. He is the sixteenth Negro Colonel in the Army. Bro. Cartwright's new assignment is as chief of the Management Systems Research and Development Division in the Office of the Comptroller. A native of Kansas, Bro. Cartwright attended Kansas State Teachers College in Pittsburg, where he was a member of Upsilon Chapter. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from San Francisco State University. He also holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Missouri. Bro. Cartwright and his family reside in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Both of Bro. Cartwright's sons are members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity — Roscoe, Jr., at the Langston University Chapter and Stanley at the Lincoln University Chapter.

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After nearly 61 years America's oldest interracial fraternity is discovering new tasks and setting new goals. A Life Member, the author challenges the Fraternity to add life to its years.

ALPHA Faces

By JOHN D. BUCKNER

Most if not all of us often reflect over the six decades of glorious history of this, the first and greatest of fraternities.

Our historic perspective projects images of the lives and personalities of the men who strode across the developmental days of our fraternity and of this great country in the 20th Century. One famous insurance ad boldly says, '"You don't buy insurance . . . you buy a man . . ." The story of Alpha Phi Alpha's sixty years of leadership is the story of Alpha's men: — Callis, Tandy, Chapman, Jones, Giles — pioneers, leaders — Long, Dickason, Evans, Trenholm, Wesley — human engineers, leaders — Jerrick, Boyd, Cyrus, Ferguson, May berry — uncommon men, leaders — and hundreds more in any decade.

And the parade continues today — still marching to the beat of a distant drummer unheard by the common man •— pioneers still—leaders all: — Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall — Hon. Edward W. Brooke, U. S. Senator from Massachusetts — John Hope Franklin, Chairman, Department of History, University of Chicago

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—• Whitney Young, Jr., Executive Director, National Urban League and hundreds more in leadership positions in states and cities, schools and businesses all over this country. This is the Alpha mystique. These are Alpha's men. This is Alpha's greatness in retrospect.

But, Lewis Carroll had the queen to comment, "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards."

It appears that we must constantly be reminded that we are old. Our structure is old. Our ideas are old. Our membership is aging. I hazard an estimate that our median member's age is 45 and has been a member of the fraternity for 20 years. So, if we are to survive we must take inventory now. Here and now we must become viable again.

Recognition of the Need For Renewal is Not Enough A society decays when its institutions and individuals lose their vitality. Can our Fraternity after sixty years be compared to an aging "old line governmente agency?" "It doesn't get much public attention and has gone quietly to sleep.

When there is a change of administration it stirs fitfully, but it doesn't wake up."

Arnold Toynbee observed that, "Civilization is a movement — not a condition, a voyage — and not a harbor." In his monumental work Self Renewal, John W. Gardner states that, "When organizations age, vitality diminishes — flexibility gives way to rigidity — and there is a loss of capacity to meet unexpected challenges." The only way for an organi-

new ways of doing things, new approaches . . . An aging society loses its adaptiveness and stifles creativity in its members. In an ever-renewing organization what matures is a system or a framework within which continuous innovation, renewal and re-birth can occur."

Alpha Phi Alpha must look at itself in terms of today and the future. Alpha Phi Alpha must innovate. Alpha Phi Alpha must continually renew itself if it is to survive. No society is likely to renew itself unless its dominant orientation is to the future. We went to Los Angeles in August to re-orient our focus on the future.

RENEWAL zation to survive is continuing self renewal and innovation.

Recognition of the need for renewal is not enough but an organization must have the structural arrangements that make orderly renewal a possibility.

Gardner continues, "The ever-renewing organization is one which is convinced that it enjoys eternal youth. It knows that it is always producing deadwood and must, for that reason, attend to its seedbeds. The seedbeds are new ideas.

We need a new General Office Headquarters Building. We need the aesthetic lift of a new image and the pride in a madern architectural conceptualization of the new life in Alpha Phi Alpha and its orientation to the future. Our present headquarters building is inadequate to our needs, is costly to maintain and is not designed for efficient service to our chapters and members. A completely new facility should be constructed in a central location with adequate space needs and equipment provided in addition to common use space and supporting community facilities.

Much has been said in recent conventions of the need for expanded field staff and services within a centralized concentration of all operational facets of the entire organization in the General Office headquarters. Emerging new patterns of direct contact with members, new publications, new direct supervision of chapter activities, and new regional or district alignments all will demand surveys and studies, development and administration from the professional staff. A General Office designed and equipped to meet the new dimensions of the bold new concepts of serviceability is imperative for now and the future.

We Have Met the Enemy And He is Us That bit of philosophy as expressed by Pogo prepares us for the task of self renewal. But remember that renewal depends on motivation, commitment, conviction — the values men live by. John Saunders, Managing Editor, Philadelphia Tribune, recently expressed the challenge, "Negro businesses fail; Negro programs flop and Negro organizations go down the drain . . ." because they will not change. Or, as another editor said, "To change is always difficult, but not to change is sometimes fatal."

At Tulsa 20 years ago, Bro. Howard H. Long admonished all Alphadom of its need for continuous renewal in the language of the Declaration of Independence, ". . . all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."

There is no shortage of new ideas; the problem is to get a hearing for them — to break through the crusty rigidity, the choking underbrush of rules, traditions, precedent, vested interests, and the stubborn complacency of the status quo.

Being fully aware of the obstacles to renewal which discourage innovation, I proceed to share some cautious predictions of new perspectives for Alpha Phi Alpha that will give it new life.

Management by Objectives The newest organizational theory sweeping the business world is the "Management by Objectives" scheme in which each executive level within the corporate structure develops clear goals and production quotas for a specified period.

Management thus has a complete and coordinated set of specific objectives for periods of a few months, a year, or five years as desired, with evaluative inventories of progress in goal attainment built in.

What are Alpha Phi Alpha"s objectives for the next five years, What are our challenging goals for 1968?

I'll hazard a few quotas for us to be attained before our Detroit meeting: / Let's double our undergraduate initiates by June 1968. / Let each graduate chapter initiate ten men in 1968.

•J Let each region charter five new chapters in 1968.

If you don't like my goals, then substitute yours, but add "life" to Alpha Phi Alpha.

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Let me pierce one stubborn, discouraging obstacle to renewal (money) so as to refuse to allow it to distort judgment of the idea above.

We have 462 men who have chosen Alpha Phi Alpha for life. We now plan the 30th anniversary celebration of Dr. O. Wilson Winters' compassionate vision. As a result of wise and prudent investment this permanent life membership fund returns an annual income to operations equally approximately one half graduate grand tax payment for each life member each year — forever — and these dividends continue after death. In the meantime, the total principal of the fund, including all monies paid into this permanent fund less nominal expenses, remain untouched and intact among the assets of the fraternity. The fund stood at $69,479.50 on July 15, 1967. A mere 150 additional life members will boost this permanent fund over the $100,000 mark.

Even the skeptics among us will agree that a hundred thousand in cash or securities form a most formidable support base for any proposed new construction. When combined in a bold new housing development complex these life membership permanent funds become "pledged" as backing for your ability to participate as a non-profit developer in useful urban development projects limited only by our vision, our creativity, and our persuasive ability.

The money is attainable and the need is clear and present.

Expanded Housing Program In response to the convention challenge in 1965, the Alpha Phi Alpha Building Foundation, Inc., has greater activity than at any time in its thirteen year history. Its experience has shown repeatedly that as a fraternity we will never construct nor own a string of chapter houses on college campuses across this country. The current program includes leases, loans and grants to activated groups with sufficient interest and motivation to develop a program and submit it to the foundation for a feasibility study.

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Chairman William M. Alexander has guided the foundation into readiness to assume a much larger role in participation as a non-profit redeveloper in federally assisted projects in the field of housing. This allows our chapters or regions all over the country to be able to sponsor innovative urban housing development projects for the elderly, for our members or for our communities utilizing the equity capital which we have in the housing foundation, which amounts to some $68,000 at this time, to support the requests for federal funds.

Our housing program needs now to turn to the training of management and operational personnel for such projects and to assemble printed brochures that will facilitate every phase of acquisition and presentation of such housing development proposals and the guidelines to management of them.

Each Alpha should study carefully the report of this foundation to this Los Angeles convention. See how Alpha Phi Alpha can take on new life and new relevance in your community.

I have heard Chairman Alexander at our regionals indicate a second great need which I make a part of this renewal platform. Our undergraduate officers need training in responsible leadership. He means how to pay their chapter bills and how to bite a "chewable size" new obligation! We should have a leadership development program and an officers training program for responsible management of chapter business affairs.

Scholarships vs. Education We should get out of the "scholarship" business.

Recently news media reported the Illinois plan appropriating $29 million for state scholarships during the next two years. A conservatively similar program is law in our state (Missouri), too. I am certain your territory is planning such support for higher education as being in the public interest.

These are all in addition to hundreds of millions in federal programs of scholarships, fellowships, loans and grants. At both levels the programs and the funds are available to all who can profit from their use and discrimination in their distribution is prohibited.

In view of these developments and similar ones in the private sector, I say the time has come for us to take the few thousand dollars annually distributed in $400 or $500 awards called "scholarships" and re-think the use.

Our Education Foundation should react to these reorientation possibilities: / Establish an effective Alpha Student Loan Fund where small loans or grants to achieving college students (brothers) may be received at the time of need to continue in school or for some special project. / Develop a national program of distribution of books of, by, and about the Negro in schools and public libraries throughout the country. / Develop another new national program among Alpha authors commissioned to produce monographs, books or guidelines to problems facing urban society. What is Alpha Phi Alpha's role in helping urban man?

/ Plan and develop a series of regional (state) leadership training conferences in the Leadership Development Program for our undergraduate chapter officers and members. The expenses should be paid from foundation funds. This is effective education where it is needed most.

Leadership — Our Single Most Important Task Alpha Phi Alpha's contribution to the leadership of the future will depend directly on the lives and personalities of Alpha men in the future. Our greatest task, therefore, is the recruitment, selection and training of initiates for leadership.

Brother Charles H. Wesley challenged us all at the close of Alpha's "greatest convention," at St. Louis last year to find a "new breed of men — a resolute breed of men." Brother Thurgood Marshall pleaded with us to find them where they are and to work with them where they are. That means in the slums and ghettos as well as in the middle class communities.

Recently I was in Minneapolis where Bro. Stephen J. Wright, as president of the American Association for Higher Education, conducted a symposium on the "Campus 1980."

It was forecast that the campus will be ready for the new breed from this large birthrate generation but it will be a new breed campus, too — average size 20,000 students — urban, mobile — computerized, programmed instruction — large, complex, federated — gone will be the small tranquil place isolated far from the city. The focus will be on the student as communities demand that each has a right to reach his potential.

Alpha Phi Alpha has a role in searching for students, too.

Alpha must find undermotivated college capable students and help them destroy the negative so the positive can soar.

Alpha must conduct counseling sessions beamed at teaching them to contribute, not consume — lift and not lean — give and not take. Alpha must teach leadership.

Alpha Phi Alpha should not be recipients in the poverty program. Alpha Phi Alpha gives leadership to the program through Ted Berry, Maurice Dawkins, local men such as St. Louis' A. Donald Bourgeois, and hundreds more. Alpha Phi Alpha gives leadership in the new breed of college administrators like John B. Ervin, Joseph T. Taylor, James E. Colston and John Hope Franklin. Our role is to find and develop leaders within the ranks. This is our single most important task.

The future of Alpha Phi Alpha rests like President Herbert Hoover said, "The future of America rests not in mediocrity, but in the constant renewal of leadership . . ." He, too, called for the uncommon man, saying, "It is a curious fact that when you get sick you want an uncommon doctor; if your car breaks down you want an uncommonly good mechanic; when we get into war we want dreadfully an uncommon admiral and an uncommon general."

Alpha Phi Alpha wants uncommon men for leadership.

Pursuit of Excellence I am privileged to teach. It has been my privilege to share the lives of many young people who are headed for the stars.

For example, a few in California include the Director of Ground Systems Control for North American Aviation Corporation; another is design engineer, Rocket Thrust Chambers, at Aerojet General Corporation; another is aeronautical engineer, who at Hughes Tool Company directed the design and construction of a rail launched, computer guided, jet propelled missile system. Now let me remind you that these are all Negroes, graduated from high school before 1954.

I am privileged to teach in the first high school for Negroes west of the Mississippi and probably the oldest secondary school for the exclusive education of Negroes in the country.

For eighty years prior to the Supreme Court decision on school integration this high school, the Charles Sumner High School in Saint Louis, had chosen to demand and instill in its students the pursuit of excellence as a way of life. Sumner is proud to note among its more than 14,000 graduates an Ethel Hedgemon Lyle, founder of Alpha Kappa Alpha, and her husband George Lyle, a renowned Alpha man of Philadelphia; a Grace Bumbry of the Metropolitan Opera; a Dick Gregory, world-famous comedian; U. S. Davis Cup Tennis Star Arthur Ashe, recent National Clay Courts Champion; the Senior Staff Physiologist of the Philco-Ford Corporation, and the Director, Department of Atmosphere Science, U. S. Weather Bureau. Excellence is not new at Sumner.

Young people need models. Alpha Phi Alpha, like Sumner High School, must strive to provide human models of this leadership and this excellence. Today's youth learn attitudes, habits and ways of judging in intensely personal interactions.

They do not learn ethical principles; they emulate ethical or unethical people. They do not analyze or list the attributes they wish to develop; they identify with people who seem to them to possess these attributes. Youth will be served. Their freshness of vision and rebelliousness of mood make them highly effective in stripping the encrustations of hypocrisy from cherished ideals.

Alpha Phi Alpha can furnish these models—models of what man at his best can be.

But, excellence goes beyond mere competence. Excellence is not democratic, for the average or the common man is not a leader.

Alpha Phi Alpha must renew our priority commitment to that uncommon man on the college campus and the academically talented in our secondary schools all over this nation — locate him, recruit him, train him, fraternize with him, financially aid him, prepare him to meet the standards implicit in our ideals of individual freedom and dignity; but at the same time to give his allegiance to values more comprehensive than his own needs.

Let him assume the responsible leadership role of the society in which he will find himself in the years ahead.

No organization is likely to renew itself unless its orientation is to the future. The clarion call of this message is that we highly resolve that Alpha Phi Alpha has a future — that we add life to our old organization, ever renewing, relevant, virile, viable, innovative and creative methods in a structure that will assure that change is possible and will occur.

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The Sphinx

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A special breakfast gathering of Life Members has become a traditional and significant affair at Alpha conventions. This year marked the 30th anniversary of the Life Membership Program.