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
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"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.