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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1973)
Portland Observer |hy Gladys McCoy Laat week Dr. Hlanchard expreaaed the final word from the ad m in ia tra tio n '« position concerning the un fortunate new» story u I hiu I Boise School. Principal McCrea: Careless and insensitive Thia week I would like to w rite the final chapter from the poaition of a Board mem ber. I should like to deal with the issue and the pro cess. Having had some exper ience with news stories that came out differently from what I thought I was ex pressing, I had no difficulty in giving M r. McCrea the benefit of “due process’*. Further, when I was asked to make a statement, I de ferred as a Hoard member stating that positions of the Hoard are made by the Chairperson and asked that my personal opinion tie kept off the record at that time. However, as a person, es p e ria lly one deeply com mitted to public schools in Portland, my immediate re action was one of anger and outrage that any adult in this system could utter some of the negative remarks in that article. And when he ad mitted to some of the re marks in that story, it was no comfort that some of the p o s itiv e r e m a r k s w e re omitted. M r McCrea is guilty of carlessness and insensi liv ity that shall not go un recorded. Obviously Mr. McCrea was aware of that when he made public apology through a letter to the editor plus copies to various mem tiers in the community. Such remarks did reflect a bad image of one of our schools, a school where children are enrolled with the promise of being provided a "good edu cation”. Even so, M r. McCrea re ceived very strong support from those closer to the sit uation and in a better posi tion to judge him, and while my attitude toward his re marks will remain the same, I am satisfied to accept the stance of his staff and par ents and the best judgment of the Superintendent, who assures us that he “would not hesitate to bring rharges against any employee who demonstrates a continuing pattern of incompetence“. This brings us to the CAUCUS TIME by Jetie It. Wilds, Jr., Chairman, Oregon Black Caucus McDonalds is where its at. McDonald's is the place to be for good food and good times Big Mac. Filet-o-Fish, Cheeseburger, whatever you've got the hungnes for McDonald's is the scene Make it You deserve a break today I wish to give you an op p o rtu n ity to share some words from the President of a small all male Black College in Atlanta. Georgia. I share this message for the follow ing reasons: i l l It makes provacalive statements about superficial trappings, e.g. hairdos and costumes. 121 It shows a Black Col lege President before a Black student body advancing no lions that may be considered by some as being less than popular. (31 It admits to racism in America but challenges the graduates to o v erco m e r a th e r than succumb . . . for the sake of self and the deprived and disadvantaged. (4) Many of today's pro fosstnnal or other Black men who are newsworthy contri butors bav«4i.M| s o a r contact with Morehouse, i.e. grad uated, attended, taught by Morehouse graduate, More house graduate was College President, etc. The following is the More house C ollege P re sid en t's charge to the May, 1973 graduating class: "On this occasion it is cus tomarv for the President of the College to make a farewell statement to the members of the graduating class. 1 take this occasion very seriously because I want each of you to be successful not only in your future studies and professions but also in your service to humanity and especially to our deprived and disadvan taged people. In three short minutes what ran I say that will have the maximum mean ing in your lives? This is a task that is a challenge to my best abilities. "This ceremony brings an end to your college years, but it also signals the beginning of your careers as professional men and therefore is called Commencement. “A fter today some of you will go directly into the world of employment, and others will proceed to graduate add professional schools. No m atter which path you take, the requirements will be de manding. Employers will expect and demand punc tuality, efficiency, and initia tive. Most graduate schools will require an average of "b" and will accept no grade less than “C". The competition will be tough, and there will be less time for pleasures and pasttimes. "In college some of you have had a good time with hairdos and costumes and with rhe toric and handshakes: but from now on these things, which are superficial, will be less important. In the years ahead you will move from a world of sound and symbol to a world of struggle and sur vival. In this new world you will be measured by your brains and not by your black ness, by your character and not by your color, by your proficiency and not by your pigmentation. You will not be able to get anywhere by pro claiming that Black is beauti ful. In order to move forward, you will have to show in your lives and achievements that Black is many other things that are more important, such as in te llig e n c e, in te g r ity , unity and power. "During your four years at M orehouse speakers have made various proposals for the solution of the race prob lem in the United States - exodus to Africa, separation in a state, revolution by force, and integration in this society. As far as a return to Africa is concerned, I have not heard of a single African nation that has invited all of us to come bark. As far as separation in this country is concerned, I have not heard of a single state that is willing to make property dispositions that will enable us to enter en masse. As far as revolution is con cerned, I have been advised that you cannot defeat an atomic bomb and a guided missile with a switchblade and a revolver. As I see it, we .must win or lose and live or die by striving for freedom and justice in this country. "I regret that I must remind you that you will bear a heavier burden in this country than will the white students who arc graduating from col lege in 1973. Like them, you must compete in employment and in graduate and proies sional schools; but, unlike them, you must endure the ad d itio n al d isad vantage of being a member of a minority that is the object of prejudice and persecution in this coun try. In American history Morehouse men have made outstanding contributions to the improvement of the status of the Negro, and I hope that members of your class will follow in the footsteps of M artin Luther King, Jr. and many other alumni in making a significant contribution to Black progress in the United States. “Yes, you will have special handicaps and disadvantages in this society because you are Black. In some cases you will find it harder to get a job and even harder to get a promo tion. Some of you will also encounter racial problems in renting apartments and buy ing homes for your families and in getting first class schools and playgrounds for your children. "Despite these racial dis advantages, I urge you to succeed despite the odds as so many Morehouse men have done before you. I also urge you not only to make your mark as professionals but also to help solve the problems of our people in this prejudiced land. “While seeking professional success and rendering social service, remember that what ever you do with your life will affect Morehouse. I f you achieve. Morehouse will bene fit. If you fail, Morenouse will suffer. You and Morehouse are one. Your record is M ore house's record. "W e have come over a way that with tears has been watered, "W e have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered . . . “Facing the rising sun of opr new day begun, “Let us march on till vic tory is won." Hugh M. Gloster. President Morehouse College process. It is the role of the Board of Education to hire and fire personnel in this district; however, it is not done on the basis of personal whim. Bather it is based on sufficient evidence that re veals beyond a doubt that an employee is incompetent and unfit to teach children or to be an administrator in this district. Each of us would expect to receive the benefit of this position of justice and charity, even though in per iods of anger and outrage, we tend to deny that right to those who have upset us. Also, in this day with quick appeal to the courts by stu dents and employees, and rightly so, one must not and should not move hastily when there is any possibility that such haste may be more damaging than the alleged unjust act. So, process follows some prescribed line negotiated and agreed Upon between the Board and teachers and a d m in is tra tiv e représen ta tives. That process must allow for filing of a grievance, a thorough investigation of the allegations, hearings at the area level, the central administration level and. if not resolved, to the Board, which must act based on its co lle ctive best ju d g m en t. However, when the evidence is so apparent, I believe this Board would initiate pro ceedings to remove any per sonnel believed to be con sistently damaging kids and their education This will not satisfy some of you in the case of Mr. McCrea. But in the light of evidence available, the deci sion has been made. Mean while, I appeal to each of you for constructive support to wards providing good quality education for all our kids. While we expect and welcome criticism, if it is to be useful, it must be constructive. We need your help to help our kids. .G etting Smart lENOW'S National Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers program. Since the mort gage insurance under 331 Id! (3) is available only to non profit organizations, the de veloper had to "hustle" an organization for this purpose as a front. He chose a church. He approached a minister and said, in so many words, that his church could own and construct a new apart ment complex for the poor w ith o ut m onetary outlay Excited at the prospect, the m in ister accepted w ith o ut being fu lly know ledgeable about the F H A insuring pro gram, the legal responsibili ties of all parties involved, the goals or intents of such legislation, and the parame ters of the program Without •his knowledge, the church relied on the developer to make all of the decisions re lated to the proposed hous ing, i.e., choice of architect, design, density, room sizes, number of bedrooms, and so on. The rhurch, having put up no funds, simply couldn't believe that it could have a strong, even a controlling voire in surh matters. In fart, the rhurch was the em ployer of the developer and controller of practically every aspect of the construction and maintenance of the apart ment complex. Although the people, by law, were in con trol, the developer, in fart exercised near absolute power over all decisions. Thus, the end product almost always failed to meet many community objectives. Moreover, a federal enact ment created to rid our cities of slum housing is being misused to recreate new slums. FOR B R A N D S you know V A R IETIES you l>k< SIZES vou w a n t • l«»b A SI A M l M l » S I • SS»* 4 I A.r«*t>Ar • Ufoa I M I M * * • M k»< wA«>d «♦ L»r«»b«<d • ■«>*.<** h . iis r u f« cip* H.IH • »A?«d M if *• S S I I o.. D . S v «e • J 1« d • u A "it's fin d e r lickin' n o o d ' ? Buy it by the Box Bucket or Barrel P e rfe c t for P a rtie s , P icnics, Lunch, o r Dinner C^ c k en T ake It Home, Eat It Here, or In Your Car the See Yellow Pages for Store Nearest You US BANK I Cai ervi ic e , m MK . A, Member F.D.I.C O wm ^ a * » • M fM B fR O f UNITED GROCERS America loves what the Colonel cooks Betty Palmer and Barbara Brown are our Personal Service Representatives at the Union Avenue branch. And if you don’t know them, you should. Because their only job is to make your banking a lot more pleasurable. That means introducing you to the right people for faster service. .And helping you choose the right kind of cheeking or savings account. They'll even help you balance your checkbook if you want. A long time ago U.S. Bank promised to make banking a very personal thing. People like Betty Palmer and Barbara Brown are helping us keep that promise. Come in and meet them. They'll be waiting on a red carpet to greet you. BANK OF OREGON **•*» < •■ * t I»«•»>«** • 1l.<i A We»» A • !♦»* A S Bank with Betty and Barbara. U N H ID SI A I IS NATION Al 5505 N.E. Union WilliamC. Spicer, Manager I'.igi t SHOP BY WALTER L. SMART Executive Director In 1961, the Congress of the United States amended the Housing Act of 1949 to provide federal mortgage in surance to non profit organi zations who desire to con struct housing for low and moderate income families. I t is important to note that prior to this Amendment the only form of housing con structed on land within an urban renewal area was "lux ury housing". The majority of the apartments destroyed to "clear the land" for new construction, however, were occupied by the poor. The government, therefore, was under tremendous pres sure, primarily from social agencies and churches, to aid the construction of housing which could be made avail able to low and moderate income families. A fter the 1961 legislation, F H A 221 (d) (3) was passed, former Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois remarked that the organizations with a social conscience could now art where others had failed. It seemed clear, in the minds of some congressmen, that non p ro fit o rg an izatio n s like churches, settlements, fra ternal organizations would pick up the challenge and rause housing to be con structed for the poor and controlled by non profit or ganizations. What actually happened, however, subse quent to the 1961 Amend ment, was something quite different. I worked in a city where a developer la person who or ganized construction efforts! saw the potential for making huge profits through the construction of housing in sured under the new (d) (3) Thtirsd.iv. Xovemlier I 1971 A very personal thing.
