Stereotyping HBCU's

[Eclipse]

Originally Posted by Phrozen1ne

Does anyone know if Morris Brown College is still functioning? I heard they are, but just that enrollment is low. I wonder how long it will take for the school to be restored to its former glory?

Morris Brown is stil functioning, but as you said enrollment is low. They will need to be accrediated again and I don't think they are close to that. It will be a serious up hill battle and with out a steady influx of money, I personally don't see it happening. Shame too. MBC is the only school in the AUC founded by Black people.

[Eclipse]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

It looked like your point was that having darker hued blacks present meant there wasn't a paper bag test.

I said :

there certainly is not evidence that this was the case.

To say that there is no concrete evidence that there was a paper bag test at Spelman and here are some examples of students who would not have passed a paper bag test.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by 12dn94dst

I agree with you. I don't know if that's the reason given or not, and really didn't know the practice existed until today, I'm just sayin'.

I found a 1969 article on this in JSTOR.

There should be more stuff out there, even if schools are better at covering their tracks.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Eclipse

I said :

To say that there is no concrete evidence that there was a paper bag test at Spelman and here are some examples of students who would not have passed a paper bag test.

Yep.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Phrozen1ne

Ladygreek are you coming down for black alumni weekend in July??

Black Alumni Reunion always seems to conflict with the Delta midwest regional conference. I have yet to attend one, although it is planned by my soror.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Quite a few schools (both PWI and HBCU) ask for photos. This allows them to judge you based on your looks and whether they think you'd "fit in" with the campus climate.

There's no other logical explanation for it.

My first school asked for photos, because they published a freshman facebook and sent it to us before we arrived on campus.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

My first school asked for photos, because they published a freshman facebook and sent it to us before we arrived on campus.

I know a couple of schools that did a freshman facebook. Those are interestingly pointless.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by Eclipse

What is the point of recounting something like that when there is really no evidence that it happened?

I only have personal evidence. It may not be like that for everyone admitted. I concede that point.

In hindsight, in the late 1980's, Spelman barely had the computer support equipment to generated card identification. Spelman did not have a lot of things I had cavalierly thought everyone in America should have. Back then, I was young and naive. That is my personal story.

I thought you were connecting it to the "paper bag" test and going to repeat another unsubstainated story that I "heard" about how Spelman came to be. I certainly won't repeat it here.

Well, yeah, we are passing on some stereotypes about some HBCU that are notorious for have these "tests".

Many people from the Atlanta Metro area have come right out and happily told me all the inadequacies of a Spelman education while I was going there. Their stupid comments made a huge impact when I was harshly treated by the Spelman Admin.

I remember a lot of girls, besides myself, crying profusely due to lack of "social assistance resources"... And I say all this to say in the late 1980's, Spelman Admin. had a piss poor plan for kids in mental/physical trouble. The **** I went thru--let's just say it was paltry after I found out a lot girls had been physically/sexually abused and were trying to slit their wrists.

I think we all know that paper bag tests have happened in the past. It is important to remember from wense we came, but why pass along things that might not be true?

Let me say for the record: A Spelman Education is DIFFERENT from ATTENDING Spelman. My education was MORE that scientific and technical--it was a time of a truly Spiritual rennovation and recreation of myself and my entire world. It took >2 years after graduation for the Spelman-mania to wear off in my hiatus in SoCal. And to this day, I still am nervous when I set foot on that campus no matter what new buildings are there or how beautiful it has become.

Spelman will always be my alma mater, I met some great ladies there who ofter remember me. Spelman did prepare me for my current successes. It would be a lie to for me to say that it did not. And Spelman still is about cultivating women to acheive. And IMHO, Spelman's plan to do that thru alumnae associations is poor. I pay my Alumnae dues and I donate to the funds.

I like to think that I know what it takes to get African American girls to womanhood out of any college. I have been doing it nearly 20 years at all universities I have attended. And on the eve of my professorships at a PWI, I already expect to get routed all the Black kids who are suffering in the sciences, then wondering how I made it...

Well, YOU KNOW Mrs. Gebre-Hewitt, Dr. Bayse, Dr. Rena Jones, HAYLE, Dr. Jann Primus!! You really think they LET me give up on myself? Really? That care can be re-paved.

Even my husband had Dr. Clark, Dr. Mapp, and Dr. Story at Morehouse... Of course his dad paved the course...

[Wonderful1908]

I am sorry but I graduated from Southern and am finishing my masters at PVAMU and for the first time I have no desire to continue my education at a HBCU. I could tolerate the foolishness undergrad at Southern but now that I am a grown women who realizes I am paying for this, I am looking for doctoral programs at PWI's now. I just don't understand why we have to be so unorganized. How hard can it be?

I will spare you the details but I really feel like my masters is a series of power points and take home test (which I do appreciate ) but the lack of organization is disgusting, the lack of wanting more for the University and the fact that I would work on my doctorate there if someone would just be ORGANIZED!

[ladygreek]

@ Eclipse,
You sound so defensive. I don't think anyone intended to target Spelman. We all know it is a great school. Heck, my step-grandmother didn't pass the brown paper bag test at Howard. She exceeded all of the minimum qualifications, got positive responses until she had to submit her picture (and back then they were only black and white.) Then came the rejection letter. And she didn't tell me all of this until my daughter applied to HU, because she hoped it still didn't exist. Thankfully it didn't, because my daughter would not have passed the test--okay, maybe barely--she was Minnesota pale when she applied. LOL.

So it was not just Spelman, but I suspect all of the "elite" HBCUs--yanno the Our Kind of People HBCUs. And the fact is, it did exist. The fact that is doesn't now is a positive.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Wonderful1908

I am sorry but I graduated from Southern and am finishing my masters at PVAMU and for the first time I have no desire to continue my education at a HBCU. I could tolerate the foolishness undergrad at Southern but now that I am a grown women who realizes I am paying for this, I am looking for doctoral programs at PWI's now. I just don't understand why we have to be so unorganized. How hard can it be?

I will spare you the details but I really feel like my masters is a series of power points and take home test (which I do appreciate ) but the lack of organization is disgusting, the lack of wanting more for the University and the fact that I would work on my doctorate there if someone would just be ORGANIZED!

I hate to say it, but that is the very reason my daughter sought out a PWI for her MBA. She looked at the program rankings and job placement numbers and the only HBCU that was even in the ballpark was FAMU--but it was/is not accredited. (But I still think that it is one of the best B-programs.)

[Eclipse]

I started a message at home this morning before work and my laptop started acting koo-koo!

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

Their stupid comments made a huge impact when I was harshly treated by the Spelman Admin.

I remember a lot of girls, besides myself, crying profusely due to lack of "social assistance resources"... And I say all this to say in the late 1980's, Spelman Admin. had a piss poor plan for kids in mental/physical trouble. The sh** I went thru--let's just say it was paltry after I found out a lot girls had been physically/sexually abused and were trying to slit their wrists.

I would definately have to agree there! McVicar (is that right?) was not known as a great healthcare facility. A friend of mine (who happens to be a physican now--she of course was premed then) was having major chest pains on afternoon and I called McVicar and they would not come to the dorm--LLC--even though it was right behind the Infirmary. I also remember a girl who everyone knew "threw up" (that's all we knew then--it didn't have a name) and the only thing I knew is that folks tried to get her to eat.

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

Let me say for the record: A Spelman Education is DIFFERENT from ATTENDING Spelman. My education was MORE that scientific and technical--it was a time of a truly Spiritual rennovation and recreation of myself and my entire world.


Well, YOU KNOW Mrs. Gebre-Hewitt, Dr. Bayse, Dr. Rena Jones, HAYLE, Dr. Jann Primus!! You really think they LET me give up on myself? Really? That care can be re-paved.

Even my husband had Dr. Clark, Dr. Mapp, and Dr. Story at Morehouse... Of course his dad paved the course...

I certainly agree with you on the total Spelman education! I didn't take most of the professors that you mentioned and I think some of them came after my time (like Dr. Primus; I do remember when she made her transition though) I was an Econ major so I tried to stay out of Tapley as much as possible! LOL

[Eclipse]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

@ Eclipse,
You sound so defensive. I don't think anyone intended to target Spelman. We all know it is a great school. Heck, my step-grandmother didn't pass the brown paper bag test at Howard. She exceeded all of the minimum qualifications, got positive responses until she had to submit her picture (and back then they were only black and white.) Then came the rejection letter. And she didn't tell me all of this until my daughter applied to HU, because she hoped it still didn't exist. Thankfully it didn't, because my daughter would not have passed the test--okay, maybe barely--she was Minnesota pale when she applied. LOL.

So it was not just Spelman, but I suspect all of the "elite" HBCUs--yanno the Our Kind of People HBCUs. And the fact is, it did exist. The fact that is doesn't now is a positive.

Ladygreek, you really think I sound defensive? I certainly don't see it that way. What makes you feel that?

[Wonderful1908]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

I hate to say it, but that is the very reason my daughter sought out a PWI for her MBA. She looked at the program rankings and job placement numbers and the only HBCU that was even in the ballpark was FAMU--but it was/is not accredited. (But I still think that it is one of the best B-programs.)

Its rather sad

I can say however that their President does seem to be concerned about students. I emailed him and I got a response both times, and Wend. someone personally called to apologize to me I was like whoa! I just have to bad a taste in my mouth. I mean I'm not some chicken head running to the mall with a loan check, 18 year old.

[nonchalant]

I've heard a lot of stereotypes pertaining to the school I attended. I went to Alabama A&M University. A lot of people say they won't go there due to it being extremely ghetto. There have been people killed on campus. I have been told you shouldn't go there unless your major is music or education. I was a computer science & mathematics double major. To be fair, the mathematics department was on point. However, the computer science department sucked. They didn't have enough computers in the classrooms to accomodate the students. Needless to say, I ended up transferring to another school. I love AAMU, but you know your school is ghetto when you chant "AAM, AAM, AAM, AAM, U woooo a booty booty." I still claim being a bulldog, and I still go the homecoming. Also, you know something is wrong when the dancing girls constantly change their name.

"Alabama A&M. Rich in Heritage Divine....."
Normal's Hill brings all types of thrills.