Atlanta Daily World

SEEING AND SAYING
By Wm. Fowlkes, Jr.
Yesterday afforded the opportunity of visiting the Atlanta slum clearance projects, unfinished, in the shadows of Atlanta University Morehouse, Spelman and Morris Brown Colleges.
One is amazed at the extensiveness of the project and the quality of work and materials being used in the construction. We are happy to say that the project is worthy of Atlanta and the nation. The Rooseveltian Administration is to be commended in the promotion of such social betterment projects that will tend to clear out the filth, disease and other bad living conditions of our people in the University area. The projects will not only be cheap in rent, beautiful and uniform, but will tend to raise the ideals of family life in the whole city. When persons who are able to build and will not do so, see the beauty and uniqueness of the housing, apartments, they will remodel their "shantys" and come up to the level of the environment. The area had ever been a blight to the Colleges that surrounded it, and President John Hope deceased, of Atlanta University put forth much effort in the promotion of the project. He will ever be remembered for it along with his other great accomplishments.
It is ever a pleasure for the observer to go about the college campuses and watch the behavior of students who will soon take their places in the world of work. The apparent carefreeness of most students would serve to indicate that all is well or, the race's front. College actual situations are equally artificial campus where children go to compete with the other sons of ex-slaves in dress selection of parking spots for holding hands, and appearing as big shots from the country home town. No little attention is given to membership in organizations that specialize in giving socials and proms, wholly in contrast to sponsoring programs that will help our position in the social and economic strata of the human race. (This is no criticism from one of the so called pious glass-wearing haters of socialization, but from one who has been in the thick of it and realizes that most of it is of no bearing.) All groups are tendered apologies that sponsor the useful along with the above, so-called, programs for the year.
It is impossible to expect to be leaders of people, as college people become, almost by necessity and attempt to live, snootily above them.
One should not go to college, if he intends to wallow with the scum of society.
But, equally as bad and for a like reason, we should not go to college if we intend to lead the people and be of superficial, unrealistic natures (acquired and personal ties. The reasoning is that we shall be of cooperative natures even in every day practice rather than wait until we get the jobs and then start smiling at our patrons. There's something to smiles and courtesies, after all.