As we celebrate the 100th birthday of this independent newspaper, it's interesting to look back at some important journalistic events in the United States, Georgia and Emory. I was editor-in-chief of the Wheel from 1956 until 1957. At that time, the governor of Georgia was Marvin Griffin, a solid segregationist. Even though the U.S. Supreme Court had nullified school segregation, Georgia was among several states which defied the court. Nevertheless, we ran an editorial in the Wheel in 1956 suggesting that "the University should consider enrolling qualified colored students.” We knew this was impossible because, regardless of the ruling, the state of Georgia prohibited any racial integration in educational institutions with penalty that their state tax exemption would be abolished. But the Wheel editorial inaugurated a lot of discussion on this subject.
It took some time and another ruling by the Supreme Court, but, finally, in 1962 Emory was able to admit African American students. This was not celebrated everywhere in Georgia. Not only the Wheel, but The Atlanta Constitution was very positive on the issue, but many politicians still liked to attack "them lyin’ Atlanta newspapers.” (Does that sound like something we hear again these days?)
Race was not the only monumental change at Emory in that period. In my freshman year, 1953, a major event took place — Emory campus became "co-ed.” The first female students were admitted to the College, the Business School and other divisional schools. There was just a small group of these brave co-eds the first year, but it was the beginning of a new era. The Wheel started featuring "Wheel Girl of the Week" photos, even one of a visiting "playmate" from Playboy Magazine. But old habits didn't disappear immediately. For example, that first year, the physical education courses in the swimming pool remained all-male, and "all nude!"
The political situation in Georgia began to advance (if we can forget about former Gov. Lester Maddox), with more progressive governors, especially Jimmy Carter in the early ’70s. And then he became president, with such bold decisions as appointing Atlantan Andrew Young as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Young had already served as a principal member of the team of Martin Luther King, Jr., and later, he was mayor of Atlanta. It was an excellent choice that he was the principal speaker at Emory's commencement last year. I had the pleasure of traveling with him in Europe when I was Georgia's European representative for economic development, and he came with delegations of Atlanta's business leaders.
In short, that was a period of enormous changes, and I am glad to have participated a little, thanks to our newspaper. So, congratulations to the Wheel for 100 years of contribution to the great reputation of Emory, and I am hoping for another 100 years of imaginative, independent journalism.
Jack Turbiville (57B) served as the 1956-57 editor-in-chief of the Wheel.
