the Penn State-Behrend MARCH 19, 1987 Celebration of Afro-American Culture begins by Michele Miller Collegian Staff Writer Last minute hicthes? "None," said ABC student director Greg Goldsmith. All is ready, set, GO for the week-long "Celebration of Afro-American Culture: Here and Now." Featuring lectures, workshops, poetry reading and a screening of the Roots television mini series. The March 22-28 event promises to be an educa tional and thought-provoking step toward greater black awareness. When the week ends, Goldsmith hopes "people will be more aware of the effects of black culture in America. We (the sponsoring Association of Black Col legians) want to educate people as to why blacks are the way they are. People assume too much. They don't all realize that many of our customs come form our roots, our ancestors in Africa." The program opens. with Dr. Pearl Primus, the world's foremost authority on African dance. Following a press conference, the internationally recognized scholar and anthropologist will hold a workshop at 3 p.m. in the Reed Lecture Hall for interested students. Participation is limited to the first 50 students who pre register at Student Affairs before Thursday, March 19. Primus' lecture and dance presentation are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the Reed Lecture Hall. The Roots series begins March 23 at-8:00 p.m. in the Reed Lecture Hall and will run through March 27. Prior to Wednesday's 8:30 p.m. showing, renowned poet and author Amir Borraca (Le Roi Jones) will present "The Forgotten Beginnings" at 7:00 p.m. a poetry reading and discussion on the Roots series. A packet of Bor raca's poetry will be made available at the door of the Lecture Hall. Borraca, who received the Obie Award for the best American play in 1964 for "Dutchman," will also host a 2:00 p.m. workshop on the 25th. Called "Afro- American Culture in the Theatre," his program is limited to 25 students. As with Primus' workshop those interested must sign-up by March 19. Said Goldsmith, efforts to co-ordinate the program with Tony Elliot's theatre classes haven't produced any definite results. If arrangements can be made, the program will take place in the studio theatre and will be open to Elliot's classes— in addition to the 25 who sign up. Otherwise, Reed Lec ture Hall is the location. _ The grand finale occurs March 28 when Alex Haley, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the autobiographical Roots will hold a lecture at 7:30 p.m. in Erie Hall. "We feel very fortunate to have him," Goldsmith stated. The author will discuss the search to uncover his maternal roots, a journey that began in his childhood when Aunts Cynthia and Georgia regaled him with tales of a man named "Kin-tay" who called a guitar a "ko" and a river a "Kamby Bolongo." Through hundreds of libraries and thousands of records, his search led him to The Gambia, West Africa, where he met with a local "griot" who provided Haley with the missing link. (A "griot" is a combination historian-entertainer whose soul occupation is to memorize tribal history and travel from village to village reciting it). He told Haley of a Mandika named Kunta Kinte who was captured by the "toubob" (white men) during the rain (year) the king's Celebrity gymnast keynote speaker for Wellness Fair by Vicki Sebring Collegian Staff Writer Cathy Rigby McCoy, the woman largely responsible for popularizing women's gymnastics in the United States, will be guest speaker April 1 during the Wellness Fair Week at Behrend College. Ms. McCoy will be giving her own personal account of the horrors of eating disorders Cathy Rigby McCoy and how she overcame those obstacles to achieve her goals: Olympic athlete, household name, best gymnast in the country: Cathy Rigby seemed to have more than what any young person could ever dream of capturing. But things were not exactly how they appeared to be. The leading women's gym nast had what hundreds of thousands of other Americans suf fer from...anorexia and bulimia. men came from across the big water-1767 Hard and soft back copies of Roots can be purchased at the bookstore or in the lobby of Erie Hall prior to passes. All other events are free as well as the series with For more information about the celebration or to Haley's lecture. He will be holding an autograph session an activities card. purchase advance admission passes, contact the office afterward_ For those who prefer to watch the saga Following each lecture, receptions will be held to of Student Affairs at 898-6212. Donnie Iris ticket sales continue Students form a line to purchase tickets for Behrend's first rock concert. see contest p. 6 Like most dedicated athletes, Cathy had an extremely intense training program which she follow ed tightly for many years. Although her desire for perfection lead her to the Olympics in 1972 and to 12 metals in international competition, it also took a toll on her health and well-being. She ex perienced a disease that is reaching epidemic heights in America. After a constant battle between herself and the disease, she has finally come to grips with her body and is in control. "By learning about proper nutri tion and by changing my lifestyle and eating habits, today I'm much more aware and careful about how and what I eat," says Ms. McCoy. She is now retired from competi tion and has taken up a much dif ferent way of life. A full-time wife and mom, Cathy is now actively pursuing an acting career. She has had leading roles in such musicals as "The Wizard of Oz," "Paint Your Wagon," and "They're Play ing Our Song," and she has ap peared in several network TV shows also_ Soon her own show in Las Vegas will debut. But gym nastics has not completely left her life. She can be seen frequently as a commentator for ABC Sports. The Wellness Fair, which runs from March 30 through April 3, is being sponsored by the Health Ad visory Board. The board, which was just created last fall, is made up of members from Police and Safety, Student Affairs, Housing & Food Services, Resident Life, Health & Physical Education "& Recreation, Health Service, and two students—Craig Altmire and Kirk Stewart. According to Assis tant Dean of Student Affairs Jamie Grimm, "The board came together out of a need to coordinate pro gramming on campus. Before, each organization didn't know what the other was doing, now we are a o ian STATION ROAD, ERIE, PA 16563 continued on page 3 rather than read about it, $3 week-long passes may be allow the audience to meet the speakers and ask ques purchased in advance of the Roots screening. Asl ad- tions. Haley's will be located in the Wintergreen Cafe. mittance fee must be paid at the door for those without Dr. Anthony Salvia Inside this issue Salvia receives Quality Control honor by Tracy Muffett Collegian Staff Writer Several people from Behrend's engineering department have won recognition for outstanding perfor mance in the area of Engineering. Dr. Anthony A. Salvia, a member of Behrend's Engineering faculty, has been chosen as the reci pient of the American Society for Quality Control's 1987 "Outstan ding Member" award. Dr. Salvia's activities on behalf of the ASQC include: lecturing and offering, VOLUME XXXV, NUMBER 11 through the Continuing Education program, seminars and mini courses on the topic of quality con trol; acting as Director of the Quality Control Institute at Behrend; and funtioning as Editor of the ASQC Newsletter's Statistics section. The ASQC is part of the Erie Engineering Societies Council; each Society in the Council present this "Outstanding Member" award to one member annually. Dr. Salvia feels that the issue of quality control is "...a natoinal continued on page 2
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers