When I was applying to college, I don't think my college even asked about race.
You and I were in college at the same time. In those days, quality small schools, at least, interviewed all the students before admission looking for interesting qualities. Mine gave points for geographic diversity because most applicants were in state. I know that they gave points for economic diversity; otherwise I wouldn't have been there. They even gave me a scholarship. Starting my junior year, they developed a relationship with Fisk and traded a few students each semester to get some racial diversity.
You need to put racial diversity into context. When I entered college, there were still housing restrictions on Jews, Catholics, Irish, Polish, etc. My father couldn't join at a country club, even if he could have afforded it; he could only caddy and play a few holes at odd hours when no one was looking. There were sororities that wouldn't take the likes of me, a blue eyed blonde, because I wasn't a WASP. Schools were still trying to get religious and ethnic diversity, which was a very big deal at the time. Blacks were barely a glimmer on the horizon.
I woke up this morning remembering a student who only had one hand. I haven't thought of her in decades and only knew her slightly then. The first time I saw her, she was knitting. How fast she could knit really made an impression on me. I'll bet the person who interviewed her took her handicap into consideration.
As for my use of the word, always, it was sloppy. I meant that interest in campus diversity dates back to the times before government tracking and groupism.
Karen |
