The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 39, Ed. 1, Tuesday, February 23, 1999 Page: 3 of 16
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Abilene Christian University Library.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
.
. f
K(
tMI .21 . w . m. T ... j-
f aUMFaaft --nixn
y mia : -
i y . j
Iff! fyfX
i i i I i ' i ' 'l i 'i i i i i in
5 - V A. v "? ' 1 ft ' If i 4' i t' ' f
" vr v
f ..
yt
$4
l A'.i
s
! HI & ' V i i j
)
February 23 1S99 Ttatttlay Pge-3a
P P
' ''' ' '
' - f - -- . f tlllMBiWifMM
HI ' ' ' - v 8RH mm
WmBMBJto 'IHHhHBBHSWHHHI JM
utttDoBflHfllpHSSnfiHH iw -i3IHBBRF?Si3iBBwlHiHiHHIlllHISlBBlHr ' i
HH riKL" r '"'1''- "eydKIHBHlH
HHHBHt 1HHiiuuis9BHi
HBH9.Ai fl-; '"''m3BHMSmBm ; 1
A-2? TJTiTi
" rSO i"1 f-tl
f .
tVJWi j iw rpiw L ' . -. -'
BrH'-
1 1 ii.
J 3
.;f?4S5
i?y
$&
in9J"?ifTs :tJ"- 'f'
mi
xr
fir"
i
"
?t..A i'1
. k "
'ft&i v
f '
lit
?'
i4
i
B W ' -i -9s
m
J
V
Mix
'V
A
HLHLfl
9HP9F lf
Bag
Minority numbers rist toward
increased rcprtstntation diversity
Now is the time to rise from the
dark and desolate valley of segrega-
tion to the sunlight path of racial
justice. Now is the time to open the
doors of opportunity for all of Gods
children.
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. - I
Have a Dream speech (Aug. 23
1963.)
Ti
V(l)lT7Wfe. til' a jl
i; ;c .IMM
'J4'
t
0
h
5fe
.
v
i
-
f
t V
.""J
he time Tor ACU had come. It came in
1960 when Carl Spain professor of Bible at
the time delivered his powerful speech
during Lectureship that changed the course of
ACU history.
Spain's speech led to the integration of
African-Americans to the ACU campus helping
to create a more diversified university. In the fall
of 1962 Larry Bonner and Billy Curl became the
first African-Americans to be enrolled in classes
at ACU. This was the first step taken to promote
racial harmony on campus.
Now 38 years later the number of minorities
on campus is rapidly increasing.
Mark Lewis coordinator of Spiritual Develop-
ment and Campus ministries said "The leaders
of the university have determined that wc need to
have a greater representation of our world specif-
ically our culture here but also globally on our
campus.
"We do not want to appeal to only one ethnic
group. We want to appeal to the kingdom."
Lewis said Campus Life Office has planned
several activities this year to promote racial har-
mony on campus. Last semester Multi-Cultural
Chapel a Small Group Chapel formed by tho
University Counseling Center and Campus Life
Office was formed to focus specifically on Issues
dealing with racism and racial harmony.
Helen Marshall counselor In Health Services
and director of Multi-Cultural Chapel said the
purpose of the group Is to support and nurture
members of different ethnic backgrounds to pro-
vide an environment where members can openly
express their views about cultural Issues and to
provide an atmosphere of encouragement for the
members.
"I feel the group is a way to bridge the gap or
all those differences and to help us understand
each other and to really grow in unity" Marshall
said. "Wc cannot make people change. People
ft' have their own ideas and feel comfortable in their
own groups but 1 would like to see us come
together more on campus."
Marshall will conduct a workshop Bridging
the Gap on April 20 to focus on issues of race
and diversity
"Ifwe give people an insight Into the way God
wants us to be as one people I think that would
help us to appreciate one another better" Mar-
4 snail satd. -itsa start here on campusr
tjk The group1' meets every Thursday during
Chapel time in the McKinzic Hall lobby
Marshall said she would like to sec membtrs
of all ethnic groups attending Multi-Culiuial
Chapel. Right now the group is predominantly
African-American. L
Lewis said the campus life office also brought
Terry Childcrs member of the ACU board of
trustees to speak in Chapel on Rev. Martin
Luther King Jr. Day as part of its commitment ti
Ministries. Money said Urban Ministries is a new
center that they arc creating for students who are
interested in working in the inner cities. Seamster
will teach a course in this area during the
Maymcster.
Money said the Center for the Advancement of
Community also helps in creating diversity on
campus. The group led by Dr. Gary McCaleb
vice president of the university focuses on having
focusing on cultural Issues. Childcrs spoke about a diversity of speakers on campus to speak about
Kings dream and how it relates to the dream on various issues
God ' "We want to have a steady stream of different
"Racism still happens. Discrimination still backgrounds to give our student exposure"
happens. We haven't arrived" Lewis said. "This ' Money said. " think the biggest task ahead and
Is not the time to sit back relax and be proud of I the most change will have to come from the
ourselves. Yes things have been accomplished 1 ethnic majority and not the minority. Through
but wc haven't fully arrived." 1 the power of Christ wc have to overcome these
Dr. Roycc Money president of the university marriers."
said his office is in the process of forming n cul- Wayne Barnard dean of students said it is
tural diversity committee with faculty. The com- important for the campus to be culturally diverse
mitiec which is in ills beginning -stages is yet ' "I think there is a power in diversity where wc
unnamed and will deal specifically with racial ire able to learn more and be made better peo-
Issues. They arc currendy forming a job descrip- pic" he said. "Wc learn and develop better
tion and looking for someone to fill its role. because we lcam that the world is different."
"That person will be a coordinator of events 1 Barnard says racial tension exists and "we have
that promote cultural diversity and more than bn remiss in not addressing the tension."
that I think that person will be an advocate for 5cvcral minority groups on campus exist to
students of all ethnic backgrounds" Money said promote more awareness of cultural issues. They
Dr Ervin Seamster minister of Marsalis Church
of Christ in Dallas was hired by the presidents
office as a part-time consultant to the president.
He will help in figuring out a strategy for
recruitment of more minorities and will help in
advising the faculty on ways to improve the cul-
tural climate on campus.
"Recruiting ethnic minority students ts one
issue that I'm concerned about but also retaining
them onccthcy are recrulted"'Moncy said. "And
I think wc hav a long way to go In making our
campus culturally friendly and accepting of
minority students."
Seamster will also teach one class in the sum-
mer and a sophomore Bible class in the fall. He
said he plans to help by observing campus life
and taking part in other areas such as the recruit-
ing of minority students.
"I will work with him to try to open the cam-
pus to minorities and try to illuminate as many
barriers as possible without compromising the
schools values or mission statement " he said.
Seamster said he will also be working with Dr.
Gallyn Van'Rheenen professor of Bible in Urban
include Essence of Ebony Hispanic Unidos and
InKrnational Students Association.
Vonna Larry junior electronic media major
from Dallas and founder or Essence of Ebony
saiujhe group focus Is to "bring African-American
culture awareness on campus and hopefully
to integrate it into the predominant culture."
Tdc group does activities like Black history
showd to help promote harmony by sharing dif-
ferent aspects of culture.
Ta like to sec more integration as far as cul-
tures We concern and more activities' geared
toward minorities" Larry said. "I'd like to see
more participation from non-minority students
In minority programs and activities." .
Heidi Bishop sophomore environmental and
political science major from San Antonio safd
she thinks racial tension exists at ACU.
"At Chapel you could see all the Blacks sitting
togetherUall the Aslans'and all the CaucasianSj"
Bishop sWd. "More Caucasians should be encour-
aged to ukc part in activities like Multi-cultural
Chapel. T 1sq think we should have a Black social
group toil
. a -
Story by Michelle Charles Photo Illustration
Amanda
Reiter
'
'
iar r wr ifetu
C'4
1 '
lk'
I " & eM lfVH ' ? '
!fef ;
r
r " M
a w- - "i
r. 4Mri if t
A $) ?V
-mr
t r
.- 5
f
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 39, Ed. 1, Tuesday, February 23, 1999, newspaper, February 23, 1999; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth99836/m1/3/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.