I
Vag* 2
Portland/Observer
Thursday. September 27. 1973
E WORLD
ACK EYES
ALFRED L. HENDERSON
E d ito r/P u b lis h e r
EDITORIAL FOCUS
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Printed promotes tension
Dear Sir:
The September 24. 1973
article on Boise School by
Bill K eller in the Oregonian
w arrants immediate adminis
trative evaluation and par
ental attention. In my opin
ion, the statement “eaten
McCrae indictes
Black students
W e d e m a n d th e im m e d ia te re m o v a l o f D avid
M cCrae, p rin c ip a l o f Boise E le m e n ta ry School. The
ch a rg e -- racism .
In an a rtic le in th e O re g o n ia n on S e p te m b e r 24,
M cCrae is q u o te d by s ta ff w rite r B ill K e lle r as
sa yin g, "T h e id e a o f busing w h ite kids in here is
.u n th in k a b le . T h e y'd be e a te n a liv e . " He rela te s
th a t Boise students, 90 p e rc e n t o f w h o m a re Black
a n d 90 p e rce n t o f w h o m a re e d u c a tio n a lly d is a d
v a n ta g e d , h a v e a stron g p e c k in g o rd e r in w h ic h
p h ysica l p row ess a n d a b ility to s o c ia liz e a cc o rd in g
to th e rules o f u rb a n Black c u ltu re a re th e d e te r
m in a te s o f status.
M ost w h ite students, he co nclud es, e ven those
strong e n o u g h to d e fe n d th e m se lve s p h y s ic a lly ,
a re n 't used to th e so cia l ritu a ls o f a Black
school -- th e d a n c in g , th e c lo th in g , th e jive.
W h ite s m a y be a cce p te d , b ut th e y d o n ot b ecom e
lea de rs. " A w h ite k id ca n n o t e xce l h e re ."
A fte r a n in c id e n t in w h ic h a n e ig h th g ra d e g irl
th re w h e r c a k e -c u tte r co m b a n d h e r shoes a t a
b o y, in c id e n ta lly s h a tte rin g a c a b in e t w in d o w , th e
PE coach, Je rry S im n itt said, "T h e va lu es h ere are
a little d iffe r e n t. S p ontaneous e m o tio n is p a rt o f
th e a cce p te d o rd e r w ith these kids. You have to
to le ra te a little m o re than yo u w o u ld fro m o the r
k id s ."
M cC rae goes on to say, "W e d o n 't h a v e the
standards o f o th e r s c h o o ls ."
Boise s ta ff a re a c
cu stom ed to p u ttin g up w ith occassional o u t
ra g e o u s b e h a v io r, fre q u e n t ra cy la n g u a g e , a n d
a c tiv itie s w h ic h o th e r schools c a ll in s u b o rd in a tio n ,
th e a rtic le goes o n.
M ost te ach ers w ill to le ra te
o b sce n e la n g u a g e , as lo n g as it is n o t d ire c te d a t
th em .
It seem s the g lo rific a tio n o f th e se e m ie r side o f
g h e tto c u ltu re is p ro m o te d a t Boise. Rather th an
le a ch c h ild re n a sta n d a rd o f b e h a v io r w h ic h w ill
e n a b le th e m to c o n tin u e in sch oo l, in w o rk or
th e p ro fessio ns o f th e ir c h o ice , th e c h ild re n are
a llo w e d to set th e ir o w n a c c e p tib le standards.
Those standards a re in turn used as an excuse to
is o la te these c h ild re n fro m th e rest o f th e p u b lic
school p o p u la tio n .
H o w does th is m a n p ro po se to te ach ra c ia l
u n d e rs ta n d in g w h e n he p ro m o te s th e id e a th a t
w h ite c h ild re n c a n n o t be to le ra te d in th e ir school.
W h a t k in d o f c h ild is he c re a tin g ?
W e c a n n o t a cce p t th e id e a th a t the Black
c h ild re n th a t liv e in th e Boise d is tric t a re as a n ti
so cia l as d e p ic te d b y M r. M cC ra e a n d som e
m e m b e rs o f his s ta ff. If th e y a re , th is is a fu rth e r
e x a m p le o f th e e ffe cts o f te a ch e r a ttitu d e a nd
ra c ia l is o la tio n on y o u n g c h ild re n .
A n o th e r g h e tto school exists o n ly a fe w blocks
fro m Boise.
Im m a c u la te H e a rt is a lso o v e r 90
p e rce n t Black. The Black students d o n ot d e m o n
strate u n c o n tro lla b le b e h a v io r, th e teachers e xp e ct
a n d re c e iv e respect, a n d th e students le a rn . The
fe w w h ite students a re a b le to e xce l a n d to be
le a d e rs, a c c o rd in g to th e ir a b ility , a n d n ot o n ly are
a c ce p te d , b ut share in the "d a n c in g , th e c lo th in g
a n d th e jiv e ."
Black students fro m th e Boise d is tric t w h o a tte n d
w h ite schools are a b le to a c h ie v e a n d b e c o m e
le a d e rs — w h y is it so d iffe re n t?
We dem and:
1) The im m e d ia te re m o v a l o f D avid M cC rae;
2) A h a lt to th e c la n d e s tin e p la n s to close
B oise a n d o th e r A lb in a schools;
3) C ross-busing to a lle v ia te ra c ia l is o la tio n in
Boise a n d o th e r m a jo rity -B la c k schools;
4) A sta te m e n t o f p o lic y fro m th e School
B oard a n d Dr. B la n ch a rd on th e c o n d itio n s a nd
p o lic ie s o f Boise a n d o th e r schools in A lb in a .
C o u ld it be th a t at Im m a c u la te H ea rt a n d at the
w h ite schools c h ild re n a re e x p e c te d to c o n fo rm to
th e ru le s a n d to respect each o th e r a n d th e ir
teachers? C o u ld it be that th e y are e xp e c te d to
le a rn
— a n d th e re fo re th e y do?
W h a t is th e school d istrict p o lic y ? Is M cC rae out
o f step or is he c a rry in g o u t th e m a n d a te o f the
d is tric t — to p ro v id e a h o ld in g fa c ility fo r u n ru ly
Black c h ild re n ? Is th a t n e w sp a p e r a rtic le d e s ig n e d
to p ro m o te an o u tcry to close Boise?
O r is it a
case o f an in d is c re ie discussion o f an a ccep ted
p o lic y by an in se n sitive w h ite a d m in is tra to r.
The m o ra l q u e s tio n o f a school se izin g hom es,
la te r to sell the p ro p e rty fo r a c o n v e n tio n fa c ility ,
is a serious o n e
But th e d e stru ctio n o f yo u n g
c h ild re n is fa r m o re serious. Can the school b oa rd
re a lly a ffo rd to p ro m o te this typ e o f " e d u c a tio n a l"
e n v iro n m e n t?
House upholds veto
The U n ite d States House o f R ep re se nta tives has
fa ile d to o v e rrid e P resident N ix o n 's v e to o f the
m in im u m w a g e b ill. U n d e r th is la w m a n y m illio n s
o f w o rk e rs w o u ld h a v e b e e n c o v e re d fo r th e first
tim e by th e Labor S tandards Act. T heir w a g e flo o r
w o u ld h a v e risen fro m $0.00 an h o u r in states th a t
h a v e no m in im u m w a g e la w to $1.80, th e n to
$2.00 n e x t J u ly 1, a n d to $2.20 on J u ly 1, 1975.
N ix o n c a lle d th e b ill d a n g e ro u s ly in fla tio n a ry .
O n e g ro u p o f w o rk e rs th a t w o u ld h a v e been
a ffe c te d by th is la w w as th e d o m e s tic w o rkers.
The m e d ia n y e a rly e a rn in g s o f y e a r-a ro u n d , f u ll
tim e d o m e s tic w o rk e rs is less th a n $1800, a n d o n ly
o n e in six w o rk s fu ll tim e .
The ty p ic a l d o m e stic
w o rk e r gets no fr in g e b e n e fits . A lm o s t no states
h a v e c o m p u ls o ry u n e m p lo y m e n t in su ra n ce or
w o rk m a n 's c o m p e n s a tio n fo r d o m e s tic w o rk e rs
u n a b le to fin d w o rk or in ju re d on th e job . O n ly
M a ry la n d , M o n ta n a , N e w Y ork a n d W isconsin have
e ffe c tiv e m in im u m w a g e c o v e ra g e fo r d o m e stic
w o rk e rs .
Y et P resident N ix o n says a w a g e increase to the
lo w e s t la b o re r on the p a y scale w o u ld be so in
fla tio n a r y as to e n d a n g e r th e e c o n o m y o f the
c o u n try .
But m o re p u z z lin g th a n N ix o n 's v e to w as Edith
G re e n 's v o te .-- "P re s e n t".
W h a t is this sup
posed to m e a n ? W e w o u ld not h a v e p re d ic te d a
" Y e s " v o te fro m Mrs. G re e n , w h o has co nsiste ntly
v o te d a g a in s t b ills d e s ig n e d to a id the p o o r o f the
d istrict a n d o f th e n a tio n , b ut "P re s e n t" . . . ?
M rs. G re e n is u s u a lly not a fra id to express her
v ie w s . She has b e e n vo cal in her o p p o s itio n to
b u s in g a n d to th e " W a r on P o v e rty ". S u rely she is
n ot a fra id to speak o u t a g a in s t th e m in im u m
wage!
M a y b e Mrs. G re e n re m e m b e rs th e re is an e le c
tio n c o m in g up. W e h o p e she senses th e g ro w in g
a w a re n e s s o f her co n s titu e n c y — th e a w a re n ess
th a t she is n ot th e g re a t " lib e r a l* * 1 she w as once
b e lie v e d to b e ; th a t h e r a c c la im e d a c tiv itie s in
b e h a lf o f th e M ississipp i F reedom D e m o cra tic Party
w e re a s e ll-o u t; th a t her in te re s t in e d u c a tio n does
n ot in c lu d e th e Black c h ild . W e h o p e she fe e ls the
g ro w in g in s ig h t o f h e r w h ite c o n stitu e n ts -
w ho
n o w re a liz e th e OEO is n ot a " B la c k " p ro g ra m and
th a t th e y to o a re b e in g d e p riv e d o f p ro g ra m s d e
s ig n e d to assist th e m ; w h o h a v e le a rn e d o f her
re je c tio n o f s u p p le m e n ta ry U n e m p lo y m e n t C o m
p e n s a tio n in a p e rio d o f g ro w in g u n e m p lo y m e n t;
w h o q u e s tio n her co n c e rn e v e n fo r th e e ld e rly a nd
th e d is a b le d .
It is to o m uch to h o p e th a t M rs. G re e n w o u ld
b e g in to su pp ort p ro g ra m s fo r th e p o o r a n d o p
pressed o f her d is tric t. M a y b e w e sh o u ld just be
h a p p y fo r a "P re s e n t" v o te ra th e r th a n a " n o "
vo te . But this c o u ld h a rd ly be c a lle d " le a d e r s h ip "
on th e p art o f o n e o f th e n a tio n 's m ost p o w e rfu l
wom en.
Brooke best bet
There is g re a t s p e c u la tio n on w h o the n e x t V ice
P resident w ill be — if A g n e w resigns.
If this
sh o u ld h a p p e n . P re sid en t N ix o n w ill a p p o in t a n e w
V ice President.
M a n y p ro m in a n t R ep ub lica n s a re b e in g d is
cussed — G e ra ld Ford, N elson R o c k e fe lle r, John
C o n n a lly , M e lv in Laird.
But th e m ost o b v io u s
se le ctio n , if N ix o n is w is e , is b e in g o v e rlo o k e d .
W ith a Black V ice P resident, Mr. N ix o n w o u ld be
secure.
He w o u ld h a v e no m ore w o rrie s a b o u t
im p e a c h m e n t or a fo rc e d re s ig n a tio n . The W a te r
g a te scandal w o u ld soon be fo rg o tte n .
N ix o n 's
p o p u la rity w o u ld rise s p e c ta c u la rly .
S enator E dw ard B ro oke is the o b v io u s ch o ic e fo r
the V ice Presidency.
W ith V ice President B rooke
o n ly a h ea rt b e a t a w a y fro m the P residency, the
e n tire n a tio n w o u ld be g u a rd in g the life a n d the
re p u ta tio n o f th e President.
Two m o n th s a g o John K e n w a rd a n d s ta ff
m e m b e rs o f the P o rtlan d D e v e lo p m e n t C om m issio n
m et w ith th e O b s e rv e r to discuss re s id e n ts ' c o m
p la in ts on h o u sin g r e h a b ilita tio n .
A n a g re e m e n t
w as m a d e th a t th e O b s e rv e r w o u ld n ot p rin t a n y
" h o r r o r " stories fo r tw o w e e k s to e n a b le PDC s ta ff
m e m b e rs to contact c o m p la in ta n ts th e m se lve s a n d
try to w o rk o ut s a tis fa c to ry m e th o d s o f in s u rin g th a t
th e p e o p le re c e iv e q u a lity w o rk a n d co u rte o u s
tre a tm e n t.
D u rin g th a t tw o w e e k s a n d th e w e e k s fo llo w in g
w e h ave seen no im p ro v e m e n t. The reside n ts w h o
c a lle d the PDC o ffic e w e re g iv e n no c o n s id e ra tio n
or assistance
The h arassm en t co n tin u e s.
The w e e k fo llo w in g th e m e e tin g w ith the
O bserver, K e n w a rd a n d his s ta ff m e t w ith the
A lb in a C ontractors A s s o c ia tio n , a lo n g w ith re p re
se nta tives o f the M a y o r's o ffic e , C o m m issio n e r
S ch w ab 's o ffic e , a n d M o d e l C itie s
K e n w a rd
a g re e d : th a t Ray W ilso n w o u ld m e e t w ith A C A to
w o rk o u t a n e w system fo r a llo c a tin g co n stru ctio n
jobs; th a t Ray W ilso n a n d s ta ff w o u ld d e v is e a n e w
c o m p la in t p ro c e d u re a n d p re se n t it to A C A fo r
re v ie w ; th a t PDC a n d M o d e l C ities w o u ld n o tify
AC A w ith in o ne w e e k w h e th e r th e y w o u ld tran sfe r
M o d e l C itie s ' h o m e re p a ir p ro |e c t fro m PDC to
ACA. A C A has h e a rd n o th in g m o re a b o u t a n y o f
these th re e proposals.
It seem s th a t M r. K e n w a rd a n d his s ta ff are
p e rfe c tly w illin g to m e e t a n d discuss — b ut w h e n
it com es to a c tio n , th e y a re n o w h e re to be fo u n d .
Enough tim e has passed fo r som e co nstructive
ch a n g e s to h a v e b e e n m a d e
A re w e to b e lie v e
th a t M r. K e n w a rd is in c a p a b le o f c o n tro llin g his
p ro g ra m ?
O r does he th in k he is secure in his
p o s itio n a n d th a t he w ill n ot h a v e to a n s w e r to
th e p e o p le ?
Another Point of View
A Little More Candor
(R e p rin te d fro m the OREG ONIAN)
The P o rtla n d School D istrict c o u ld use a re fre s h e r
course in h o n esty.
The d is tric t re c e n tly re le a s e d to th e press a n d its
c itiz e n a d v is o ry c o m m itte e s a " p r e lim in a r y r e p o rt"
on h o w a y e a r-ro u n d s ch ed ule w o u ld a ffe c t th e
c ity 's schools. The re p o rt w as d a te d A ugust, 1973
The re p o rt w as an a p p ro p ria te k ic k o ff fo r the
firs t fo rm a l discussion o f 12-m onth s c h o o lin g in
P ortland, b ut it w as n ot w ritte n th is su m m er. It w as
c o m p le te d a lm o s t tw o years a go .
Though in fo rm a tio n in th e re p o rt w as p u b lic ly
discussed in n e w s p a p e r in te rv ie w s a t th a t tim e , th e
study its e lf w a s k e p t u n d e r w ra p s u n til this m on th,
w h e n it w as issued u n d e r th e p h o n y d ate .
It seem s lo g ic a l to ask w h y . A n d w e m ig h t a lso
ask w h y , tw o years a fte r its study, the best the
d is tric t can c o m e up w ith to d a y is th e sam e " p r e
lim in a r y " re p o rt.
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Address
MEMBER
C ity ,
State & Zip
T ele ph on e
tion of education to achieve
an atm osphere of under
standing for all racial and
ethnic groups!
Sincerely.
Mrs. Osly J. Cates
Will community react to racism?
Dear M r. Henderson:
I spent all of my childhood
and young adult life in an
inferior school. I know for a
fact now that those schools
were inferior because of the
v in d ic tiv e , p re ju d ic ia l and
racist attitudes of whiles as
aired in the Monday O re
gonian by David McCrea.
I ’m not surprised to read
what he had to say nor the
fart that he was given the
publicity and coverage. I'm
sure his remarks were well
received by Portland's pre
d o m in a t e ly c o n s e r v a tiv e
white population.
And I
doubt very seriously if he'll
be reprimanded by his white
peer group as suggested by
Ellis ¿'asson for saying what
they all think. His actions to
remedy many of the condi
tions that might exist would
probably be sanctioned only
if they continue to repress
and retard the spirit and
motivation of the Black in
novative mind.
I've lived in Portland for a
year now and 1 imagine that
the Black parents of Boise,
the board members, and the
one or two Black officials in
positions to rectify or correct
the situation or the attitudes
and management of the Boise
Elementary school will reg
main as dormant now as in
the past, continuing to allow
their children's education to
remain in the control and
destiny of bigots insensitive
to culturally deprived and
underdeveloped communities,
it's inhabitants and their n r
cumstances. Sincerely, from
a Blark who has been there.
Joseph W. Bostic
Special Consultant for P P & I,
Boise teacher defends school
121 Bill Keller did not re
p o rt the s ta te m e n ts of
teachers with several years'
On two successive morn
experience at Boise, who did
ings this week. Boise School
tell him of academic gains
faculty members read their
and general improvement of
m orning new spapers w ith
the learning situation.
It
dismay. The first article by
seemed to us on the staff
Bill Keller about our school
that M r. Keller had pre
featured negative and sensa
conceived ideas about what a
tional aspects of our situa
m a jo rity B la rk school was
tion. without adequately in
like, and he featured the
eluding the gains that have
items that reinforced those
been made in academ ic
ideas. In this, he did a dis
ac h ie vem en t and lea rn in g
service not only to our school
achievement. The following
but also to the entire busing
day we read that M r. Ellis
program.
Casson. re p re s e n tin g the
(3) The principal's state
N A A C P . had advocated the
ments about the experience
removal of the principal.
of white pupils at Boise need
W ithout waiting to read what
to be received in the context
the report of the Observer is of the complexities of our
going to be, I am w riting to
racist society.
The experi
present one concerned teach
ence of white pupils at Boise
er's point of view. There is
is not the exact counterpart
much that could be said, but
of the experience ot our
I will lim it myself to three
bused out Black children at
main points.
previously all white schools,
I l l M r. Casson's protest
simply because the experi
was based on the news arti
ence of Blacks in American
cle by Bill Keller. He had a society is not the same as
right and obligation to be that of whites in American
concerned, but to my know
society. I t is naive to hold
ledge he did not come to that children are children
school to talk to staff mem
and a minority is a minority,
bers and determine whether
and ignore the historical and
David McCrea is racist in social situation that the chil
policy or attitude. If he had. dren come from. I would not
he would have received a depreciate any of the pain
different picture.
experienced by our Blark
Dear Editor,
children who go into pre
judiced situations, but I have
observed that over the tragic
years Black families have
developed a magnificent inner
strength that has enabled
them to survive in a racist
society.
Few whites have
had a comparable need to do
so.
Whites have had less
experience at being in a
minority situation, and they
do not cope as well. Some
white children at Boise ap
pear intimidated, and their
ap p are n t w eakness com
pounds their problems of
relating in a group in which
self defense is important.
In conclusion. I hope that
we realize that there is no
simple way to remedy an evil
that has been compounding
for several generations. It is
not possible for one instilu
tion in our society to repair
all the damage that has been
caused by the behavior of
the total society. The needs
of Boise School and any
other school require the co
operation of family, com
munity. churches, as well as
the school system.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Nance
Li bra r ia n/Teach e r .
Boise School
Census cooperation needed
Dear M r. Henderson.
I am w riting this letter to
emphasize the farts brought
out in M r. Vernon Jordan's
article. "Census underrount
loses dollars” (September 20.
p. 2. col. 3).
In 1970 I was a Census
Crew le a d e r.
M r. Jordan
stated the values of being
counted. My responsibilities
included attem pting to ex
plain these values and federal
revenue losses as a result of
an undercount. Many people
felt their rights would be
infringed upon. They feared
the fe d e ra l g o v ern m e n t's
record keeping policies. How
ever, similar questions have
been asked and received by
private and public groups.
Therefore it was not neces
sary to deny the government
the information they needed.
Some of the problems re
sulting in not being counted
were given by M r. Jordan.
M inority members and the
college age group will suffer
the most.
Census enumeration will
always be inaccurate until
the people fully support the
count.
The Departm ent of
Commerce has the responsi
bility of educating its citizens
as to all the advantages of
participating. This includes
informing the public of forms
available in other languages.
C itizen s have the re
sponsibilily of analyzing any
governmental action.
They
must review a program and
see if they or their com
munity will benefit.
Once
they have considered the ad
vantages and disadvantages
.. program they are in a
<elter position to accept or
deny that program. In the
case of census counting, in
the future such action would
m e rit support of census
taking.
Mrs. Berna D. Plummer
A concerned citizen
Subscriptions: $5.25 per year in the Tri-County area. $6.00
per year outside Portland.
THE PORTLAND OBSERVER
P.O Box 3137
P ortland, O re g o n 97208
A pt. ( if a n y ).
I
action
alive” reflects on the prin
cipal and the administration.
W hether figuratively or lit
erally, such a statement pro
vokes and promotes racial
tension. I feel that it is still
the responsibility and func
MW, A™,
Attoclation - Foundad 1M5
member
Weather wrong for all year school
To the Editor:
In our Oregon climate,
summer is the time of sun, a
time when children can and
need to be outdoors. Even
the most economically de
prived child can enjoy sum
mer days outside. No child
should be imprisoned during
the summer in an air con
ditioned building.
Please,
let's not start year round
schools here.
For the child ot a low
income family, a w inter vaca
tion indoors in an impov
erished home, without benefit
of school breakfast or lunch,
and perhaps without heat,
could be very bleak.
Summer is for most chil
dren a time to unwind, to dig
the earth, to ride bicycles, to
pick berries, to swim and to
participate in park physical
education programs.
What
would happen to our city's
summer park programs under
YRS? Is it reasonable to ask
children to go to bed early
on hot. sunny evenings?
The cost of air conditioning
schools is tremendous (an
estimated $15 million), and
the drain on our already
strained electrical resources
is foolish.
Learning for living does
not have to be efficiently
packaged into segments paced
so that there is little need
for review of school work. It
takes a lifetime ot oft and on
learning experiences to edu
cate a person.
Ije t’s keep summer an ex
tended period when children
can be free to be themselves.
of freedom, and to really
assimilate what living is all
about.
Very sincerely yours,
Deanne S. Ater
Write oni
Dear M r. Henderson:
Bravo your September 12
issue!
Your editorials had
clout and I couldn't agree
with you more.
Mont distressing to me is
that some of the news stories
such as the one about Clar
ence Harper hadn't even ap
peared in any of the local
radio or T V broadcasts.
Sincerely,