Minorities and College

Smith’s article is a realistic yet incomplete overview. Harvard and Berkeley are commendable for their efforts towards minorities, however, only so much can be done on a grand scale. The rest is the responsibility of the intelligent and capable student who, hopefully, has been chosen out of the competing many, deserving the trust and confidence of organizations that awarded him or her a scholarship for success (success meaning doing what one wants to do.)

Prejudice exists always. It’s healthy; and the only prejudice that affects a bright student is his own prejudice against himself. This requires a life-long process, no overnight programs are a cure. Alienation is not an ethnic issue either. It is found among the bright, the creative, etc. Besides, the Americana boys have it tough too. Their values and ethnic psyches are less concrete, and they suffer from lack of alienation. I know. I befriended a very successful WASP poet who was so chipped on the shoulder that our professional relationship had to end. I, in turn, am a corporate poet--a poet that does it in the dark! Talk about alienation: Armenian (one of the oldest people still around!), scientist, poet, six languages. . . . At work, they make fun of my talking, dressing, thinking. I collect material for poetry.

ARPINE KONYALIAN

GRENIER

Pasadena