Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Harriford: I BY BETTY ANNE WILLIAMS How could a man who has never even had a black teacher relate to black students on a predominately white university campus? Being black helps, but blackness is not the only basis for Willie Har riford's successes in dealing with students. As assistant dean for special pro jects, Harriford handles not only that job but also all the other func tions that would fall to one of six black faculty members on a cam pus with about 600 black students. His experiences have taken him from a predominantly white high school where he was the only black in his class, to the University of Kansas, to the army and travel and then to two positions as an archiv ist before coming to USC. He is not satisfied with the figures that show blacks as being a third of South Carolina's popula- 0 tion and less than four per cent of the Carolina community. More financial aid of all kinds for black students is one way Har riford sees to increase the enroll ment. "Loans make it possible for kids to go to school, but in some bl ways they create a burden because a many come from large families. " They are expected to help the id others along." He said most of U Carolina's black students qualify st for work-study. PE Recruit black faculty hE In addition, "We need a concrete cl concerted effort to recruit black ce faculty people." Though the P( University is hiring more sec- M retaries, he said, the staff should w1 be increased to include "black th people who are going to have mean ingful jobs, not just in terms of e) black students but as for the ar University as a whole." ei Harriford described the present as a transitional period in which b the number of black students from recently integrated schools is ~ increasing. In such a period, he ci said, "THERE IS A TENDENCY n TO HIRE BLACK PEOPLE ON A ta HORIZONTAL PLANE." The tras-t itional staff administers the immediated needs of black stu- t dents and broadens faculty rep- S( resentation. "It is now time to seek ti people who qualify in other areas."~ Advertise In The Gar ARLEEN'S HEALTH F AT 5 Points NATURAL VITAMINS PROTEIN SUPPLEMEN WHOLE GRAINS WHOLE GRAIN FLOU: HERB TEAS JSC needs mor Harriford Black visibility needed maybe because Black "visibility" would help was president of ack people and the University as in high school. F whole, according to Harriford. "the only one" pi Ve can offer certain concepts and to do with it. eas that would be good for the In his school niversity. In terms of races the "Parents gener, ructure needs to be modified." very well excel The presence of more black singled out to bE ,ople here would bring changes, were amazed wht continued. "One immediate going to attend cc ange would be in how you per- steretoypes for ive the University. Most people you don't fit, y rceive this as a white university. you're different. ore black students and faculty he said, its just Duld change this, he says. "I think like them." at would be good for the state." Harriford said Though Harriford had no real was probably the ;posure to the South until he was ern school integn i adult he said, "The basic differ- too few black ,ce between the South and separate schools sewhere is that there are no therewerenoteni lacks except in cities in other roblems." arts of the country. He grew up 'Never forgei Kansas with white and Indian With all his va assmates. "They would call you he said, "I have gger, not being vicious. That's to forget that I w hat their Mammas and Papas In the Army h ught them." an electronics t< He said that pre-1954 Kansas is stationed in Hur e equivalent of present-day number of racia iuth Carolina as far as race rela- made him seek a mns go. soldiers were a114 Despite his minority position, or movies and the s' ne cock OODS Recently Oj Great food and dria Ts an old English atii RS 12 p.m. - 2 a.m. 5 .m. - 12 p.m. a black faculty base but not in town. There were separate taxis for blacks and whites. While a white cab driver could not pick him up from town a white driver from the base would chauffeur him all over town when he was on army business. Even in the Orient, black people stood out. "In the Far East people looked at you and pointed," though blacks were generally treated bet ter there than here, he said. Black students, no matter how bad their personal experiences have been, still choose to come into this type of atmosphere. Harriford thinks they come for the facilities and the recognition. "A degree from USC is said to be worth more than one from South Carolina State College. In many ways that's true. Most of the people that are hiring are white and all they know is that you came from a black school. "I haven't found much differ 7%" ence here than I did in Iowa. I think o. A the difference is that the Souther ners are learning to be like Northerners. That means stopping the overt racism," he said. of it, Harriford his senior class Black students' needs different e said his being Harriford said that this Univer obably had a lot sity is changing. "There are efforts being made. mates' homes, When you improve the conditions illy treated me of the state you tend to improve it I was always the condition of black people. nice to." Many There is an attempt on the part of n he said he was some individuals to fulfill the llege. "There are needs of black students here. One black people. If of the basic problems is that black )u're not white students' needs are not always the You're not equal same as white students' needs." that "You're not He said Carolina is changing from a small elitist school that was that economics to educate the state's rich white reason for West- kids. ition. There were The addition of the Department >eople to build of Afro-American Studies is one for and the few change. Harriford said its goal is )ughtocreate"p- to try to develop and create courses that meet the needs of I was black' black people. "Sometimes it is dif ried experiences ficult convincing professors that never been able there is a need for these courses. as black." Most of the courses of study have a was trained as not really been prepared to deal chnician. While with our problems." itsville, Ala. the Such courses are necessary, he 1 contradictions said, because, "Black people in an transfer. Black attempt to make changes in the wed to go to the country need to see what others vimming pool on have done." >ened ik served in MWEME iosphere. 'A -Mon. -Sat. -Sundavy -