University of Virginia Library

A Censor's Swift Sword

By Steve Sockwell

The newspaper of a small
southern school recently felt the
sting produced by censorship. The
Samford Crimson, the school newspaper
of a small Alabama school,
had an article, entitled "Relevant
Churchman Leads Weekly Discussion,"
sliced out of its issue of
October 9.

Samford University is a Baptist
college which lies on the outskirts
of Birmingham, Alabama. The
school's campus is landscaped stop
a small hill, separating Samford
from the impinging city. The
separation has created a placid
atmosphere which was somewhat
disturbed by the events centering
up on the school newspaper.

Strict Control

The Samford Crimson is under
strict control of the school's administration.
As such, it has been the
paper's policy to allow its stories to
be read in advance by several
faculty members. The issue of
October 9 contained an article
which was a profile of a somewhat
liberal local Catholic churchman.
This article was ordered deleted, by
the authority of the President of
the University, Dr. Lesly Wright.
The administration gave no reason
for this action.

The editor of the paper, Miss
Nita  Satterfield , wrote the article.
This article, with an intent headline
and blank rows of black lines, was
written as a protest of the decision.
This protest was based upon two
observations: 1. "As editor she
should have final authority over
what is published." 2. The content
of the article did not merit such action.

Possible Suspension

The President of the University,
Dr. Wright, then called Miss  Satterfield 
to his office and told her that,
in lieu of a forthcoming sufficient
explanation of her actions, the
possibility of a suspension was
existent in her case. Miss  Satterfield 
answered by printing an editorial
retraction in the October 16 issue
of the newspaper.

In this retraction Miss  Satterfield 
reiterated "the Samford Crimson
is published under the control
of Samford University as a communications
medium for campus
programs and activities and as a
laboratory for the journalism
department." She concluded that,
in line with policy, she had no right
to print the obliterated story,
though she might not personally
agree with all facets of such policy.

In a subsequent quote in The
Birmingham News, Miss  Satterfield 
said, "I love the school, but to
practice fair journalism we need the
right to say both positive and negative."
There was no administrative
comment and the matter stood
closed.

The connection of this southern
school, some 700 miles from Charlottesville,
with the University is
important. The Jeffersonian attitude,
on which this school is
founded is the opposite pole from
that of censorship. However, in the
absence of free speech, one realizes
how dear this right is. Unfortunately
no one recognizes the worth
of an "inalienable right" more than
the victims of the censor's scissors.
Yet the victims are not those who
are punished, but rather those who
have no opportunity to read or
hear.

To the civilized man, a row of
blank lines should be of far more
concern than a row of filled ones.