O UAC H I TA
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the
SIGNAL
9.29.17
Vol. 126, Issue 5
SINCE 1890 FEATURES | 4
CAUSING A “RACQUET” Dr. Daniel Grant reflects on a lifelong love of tennis
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Arkansas honors 60th anniversary of Central High integration By ETHAN DIAL Online editor
Gathered together on one stage, eight modern day civil rights activists sat in the Roosevelt Thompson Auditorium at Little Rock Central High School. All of the historic Little Rock Nine, except for the late Jefferson Thomas, were honored at a Commemoration Ceremony in observance of the 60th anniversary of their integration of the Little Rock School District on Monday, Sept. 25. 60 years ago that day, the nine attended their first full day of school at LRCHS. While this would forever change history and eventually transform Central into a National Historic Site, these were not their intentions. Their goal wasn’t to change history, but to change their lives by receiving an equal education. “I think none of us, 60 years ago, as we arrived on the back of army jeeps, knew that we would be standing here today. Making history is not something we aspired to do. We wanted the best education our parents’ taxes afforded,” Ernest Green, the first African American who ever graduated from LRCHS, told the crowd. “I may have been the first to graduate, but I didn’t cross this stage by myself. I crossed that stage for my eight compatriots over here.” The Little Rock Nine, consisting of Dr. Melba Beals, Carlotta Walls, Elizabeth Eckford, Green, Gloria Ray, Thomas, Minnijean Brown, Dr. Terrence Roberts and
Ethan Dial z Courtesy
Ethan Dial z Courtesy TOP, the Little Rock NIne sit from left to right: Minnijean Brown, Terrence Roberts, Carlotta Walls, Gloria Ray, Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford and Thelma Mothershed. ABOVE is Dr. Melba Patillo Beals. RIGHT, Former President Bill Clinton challenges those present to pursue change.
Thelma Mothershed, also wanted to change the education standard for all Americans. “The theme of the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site is ‘it’s about education,’ and it always is about education. It was then and forever shall be about education,” Brown said. Throughout the ceremony, almost every member of the Little Rock Nine discussed progress. Although they were key players in progressing the American education system, they believe anyone can make progress. “Elizabeth coined this phrase. Don’t think of us as
special because we’re ordinary people, but ordinary people can do extraordinary things, and we’re proof of that,” Brown said. Today’s America and current choices being made were also heavily discussed. “We’ve become as we were 60 years ago—anxious, and worried and concerned about what lies ahead... We know these things though. As a human race, we are a strong people, and in the words of an old negro spiritual, ‘we have come too far to turn back now,’” Walls said. However, Walls and the others feel that positive change is possible. “We all like to say have a
Tigers serve in Harvey aftermath By SAVANNAH HOGG Staff writer
On September 22, a group of 30 Ouachita students traveled to Houston to spend the weekend assisting with disaster relief efforts following the damage from hurricane Harvey. Carlos Ichter, the music minister at Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston and a Ouachita alumnus, contacted Ouachita’s Elrod Center to see if they would be available to spare any type of help to the projects that needed to be done in Houston. Ian Cosh, vice president for community and international engagement, was put into contact with the missions director at the church, and that’s when a campus-wide email was sent out to students asking for volunteers. Tallowood offered housing and food for any groups that could be sent to help with “mud outs.” However, an overwhelming 80 students responded to the call. When the Elrod Center contacted Tallowood with this number, Elrod Center associate director Judy Duvall was informed that due to the nature of the situation changing daily and because Tallowood
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Andy Henderson z Photo Lab JUNIOR COLTON SIMS unloads relief boxes from Texas Baptist Ministries as part of their hurricane relief efforts. Sims, along with other Ouachita students, traveled to Houston for disaster relief in conjunction with Tiger Serve Day.
had finished their work, there were not enough places to house such a large number of students. There was another church in the area that needed volunteers, but they didn’t have the resources to house a group of any number over 30. After turning several students away, a caravan of 30 Ouachita students and 3 faculty members made its way to Houston on the afternoon of Friday, September 22 to help Kingsland Baptist Church. Upon arrival, the group was shown where they would be sleeping and they took the time to unpack. The next morning, the group went
to Kingsland Baptist Church, where they were given details about the type of work they would be doing. On Saturday the students had a long day of jobs, such as “mud outs” and cleaning containers that the Red Cross used to send food to disaster relief volunteers. There were also units that delivered boxes, tape and bottled water to the victims who were going through their homes and needed dry boxes to pack the salvageable items. Some students were also assigned to cleaning the facilities that the volunteers were using. One of the main lessons see Houston z 2
Ethan Dial z Courtesy
good day. I say to you, have a day that matters,” Walls said, encouraging the audience to take a stand for what is right. Green also stated that “progress is not a single action or movement,” but that it can happen slowly through “every day action.” Former President Bill Clinton, the keynote speaker at the event, also encouraged the crowd to pursue change. “Are we really going to let more than 200 years of our struggle to get over the idea that our differences are more important than our common humanity just be blown away?” Clinton asked. “(They) taught us that in economics, in social policy
and in politics, addition is better than subtraction and multiplication is better than division,” Clinton said. He wants this to carry out through our society today and see progress and positive changes being made to create a world where “subtraction” and “division” are not taking place. “So, celebrate today. Feel like wise older people. Put on your dancing shoes tonight. But tomorrow…we need you again. Put on your marching boots and get in the way,” Clinton said. LRSD Superintendent Michael Poore believed the insee Nine z 2
Berry Bible renovations to begin By ANNI WILLIAMS Staff writer Plans for the renovation of Berry Bible Building have been in progress for years, and Ouachita President Ben Sells announced after September 21’s Board of Trustees meeting that Ouachita has met its funding goals to get started on the renovation project. Throughout the past years, renovations have been put off for lack of funds, which is why this Fall’s Board of Trustees meeting held such good news. “We had our Fall Board of Trustees meeting, and we were able to announce that we have received all the money for this project, approximately two million dollars.” He further said that, “We are delighted and grateful for the many generous donors, and excited for what this means for faculty and staff, and mostly what it means for students,” said Sells. Sells also stated that construction is set to start in January 2018. The construction is estimated to go through spring and summer 2018, with the renovations done in time for the Fall 2018 semester.
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“The whole interior of the building is going to get a facelift,” said Danny Hays, dean of the school of Christian studies. “It’ll look a little more modern, so we’re excited about that.” Renovations to the building include changing the orientation of the building so that it will face the center of the campus. New heaters and air conditioners will be installed, and the building’s cinderblock wall will be covered with drywall. The building will be getting new tile floors, and classroom 126 will be converted into a preaching lab. It will look like a small church and will be used to practice preaching, but will also continue to be used as a classroom. “We’re excited,” said Hays. “We’re going to fix the little square in here; we want to make it more student friendly with places to study. So, we’ll have more benches out front, a little bit more of a garden area. We have the atrium loft like areas that we’ll do a little more work in so students have a place to sit, hang out, and study a little bit.” During the renovations, most professors’ temporary see Berry z 2
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