The student voice of Midwestern State University
The Wichitan page 5 Animal anniversary Thirty years later, ‘Animal House’ still holds some truth when it comes to fraternities.
page 7 ‘Stepp’ing up
Katie Stepp become’s cross country program’s first ever All American at national meet.
WEDNESDAY, December 3, 2008
MSU history remembered, for better or worse Chris Collins Managing Editor
When it comes to racial diversity, MSU has come a long way. But most students don’t realize how much progress the university has made in assimilating different cultures since the era of segregation. In fact, it would be very difficult for them to find out, since information on the topic is almost non-existent. Seniors Robert Stewart and Michael Thornton, both Student Government Association Senators, are trying to fix that problem. They’ve provided Moffett Library with transcripts of the landmark civil case that challenged segregation at MSU in 1951, Battle, et al v. Wichita
Falls Junior College District, et al. They’ve also given copies to county archives and the African American Museum in Dallas. Their goal: to make sure no one forgets the legal battle between MSU and prospective black students. “We’re going to make sure this information is out there and people have access to it,” Stewart said. The mission began as an assignment for Dr. Ernest Dover’s Black Politics class. Stewart initially wanted to find out how the local press handled desegregation in the early 1950s. After some digging, however, he switched gears and began researching the history of MSU’s
desegregation and assimilation. Thornton, a political science major, came on board to help research and interpret legal documents. The two began laying the groundwork for the project in April. Stewart gained valuable information from articles in the Wichita Daily Times and the Record News. Beyond that, there wasn’t much to be had. His findings were troubling, not because of what he found, but what he didn’t. “I went around to see what I could find on the subject,” Stewart said. “I went to the [MSU] administration and said, ‘Have you heard of this case?’ I just got funny looks.” Even county officials had no
information about the case. “There was nothing at the county,” Stewart said. “I even went to the district court and they didn’t have anything on file because it was so long ago.” The two had their work cut out for them. With so little information available in Wichita Falls, they traveled to the National Archives in Fort Worth to scrape up what they could. “This is the history of Midwestern State University,” Stewart said. “It may be viewed as a black mark, a part of history we don’t want to remember. But without knowing what happened here, we can’t understand where we are today.” In 1951, inequality was prevalent in the United States. Whites
had the privilege of attend- applied to MU for the fall seing college, while the majority mester of 1951. They were sent of blacks were forced to work six letters of rejection the same in maintenance or vocational day. trades. The civil case that followed MSU, then known as Mid- was unprecedented. western University, was segreCivil rights leaders and the logated. Six local blacks, Mary- cal NAACP filed suit against the land Menefee, Helen Davis, school district after it refused the Willie Battle, G.E. White, Carl students. It was the first case to McBride and Wilma Norris, challenge the constitutionality of would try to change that. segregation on the college level. They, along with NAACP and All previous decisions, such as church leaders, formed a council Murray v Maryland and Sweatt to plead that MU allow black v Painter, had regarded one instudents to attend. The school’s dividual, but this case pertained Board of Trustees unanimously to all African-Americans. rejected this idea. Their decision In November, the blacks won was guided by a Texas state law the suit. It would still be some that would later be declared un- time before they could actually constitutional. attend the university, though. Undiscouraged, the six blacks See DESEGREGATION page 4
Diplomas await winter grads Russ Lawrenz For the Wichitan
Sign language interpreter acts as ears for deaf students
for the Deaf. At the age of 15, Shirah taught sign lan Lori Shirah is the ears for guage at a community coldeaf students at MSU. She lege in Phoenix. When she married and attends classes, registration, moved to Alaska, she signed advising sessions, and extrathere as well. She has been curricular activities with her an interpreter for the deaf for charges. She is an interpreter almost 20 years and working for the deaf. with MSU students for six Shirah began to learn years. to sign when she was five According to the Disability because she has a friend Support Services web site, who was deaf. She has not six deaf or hard of hearing stopped since. students attend MSU. Shirah began taking forShirah does both signing mal classes in sign language and oral interpretation (lip when she was ten. A native Denise Miller For the Wichitan
of Arizona, she became active in the Phoenix Theater
See SIGN LANGUAGE page 4
Mid-year graduates get to strut across the stage, snap up their diploma and toss their caps high into the air come Dec. 13. Four hundred and ninety-one students are scheduled to receive their degrees. The commencement ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. in D.L. Ligon Coliseum. It is expected to last about two hours. MSU President Dr. Jesse Rogers will be the keynote speaker. Four hundred and eighty-one prospective graduates are current
students. Sixty-two are August graduates. Fifty-two graduate candidates will get their diplomas in absentia, meaning they cannot attend. Following the commencement, a graduation celebration will be held inside the Clark Student Center Atrium. Here the graduates can pick up their free alumni membership card and certificate, purchase a Wai-Kun yearbook and learn more about job-finding through the Career Management Center. For further questions contact the Office of the Registrar at (940)-397-4116.
Spring speakers offer hard-earned words of wisdom Russ Lawrenz For the Wichitan
Two former MSU graduates, one a Hollywood producer, and the other a physicist who specializes in satellite imaging, shed some wisdom with May graduates. Glen Veteto and F. Lynwood Givens delivered separate speeches to the Spring 2008 class. Veteto has acted in, written, directed and produced many films in Hollywood but it is the ocean that is his passion. Veteto, an avid scuba diver, said he spends his spare time looking for underwater treasure. “I have never found an emerald necklace yet my soul is filled with treasure,” he said. “You are one step away from magic if you will take that step,” he told the graduates. “Make this life yours. I am grateful for what you will do to improve my life and the ones I love.”
Veteto, an actor in “Who’s Happy Now?”, said that students choose their future careers from a list. “But have you chosen from the right list?” he asked them. “You belong to yourself. Create yourself.” He told students that if they have become the person they do not wish to be then they should change. “Change your name. Color your hair. Bond your teeth. Have something tucked or enlarged or reduced. Get lipo, implants, lips. Speak with a different accent or in a different language. Wear an eyepatch. Walk with a limp.” The audience laughed. “Do anything you want to do. If you’re an engineer and want to run a guided bus tour, do so. If you’re a musician and want to be an accountant, do so. Let there be no fence surrounding your possibilities.” See SPEAKERS page 4