Portland observer., February 21, 1974, Image 1

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Teacher finds progress of justice slow
f
R uth Spencer, P ortland
school teacher who sued the
Portland School D istrict for
racial discrimination, ia find
ing that the wheel« of justice
turn «lowly. It ha» been four
year» »Ince Mr». Spencer
filed charge» again»t the
»chool d istrict and her case
has not yet been heard.
Mrs. Spencer earned her
Master of Education degree
at New York U niversity in
1958. In 1966 »he obtained a
leave of absence from the
Portland Public Schools to
lake a position with the
Teacher Corps in Boston.
Eor three year» »he was
Associate Director of the
Teacher Corps program at
Boston College. She super
vised and trained teacher
corps interna for the Boston
Public Schools and luught at
Boston College.
Mrs. Spencer returned to
Portland In 1969 when the
School D istrict would not
continue her leave.
Since
one objective of the Teacher
Corps was to train Blacks for
administration and she had
taken courses in administra
lion at Boston College, she
applied for an administrative
position with the Portland
Public School».
Mr». Spencer applied with
the school district for an ad
m inistrative position in May
of littiP, a position for which
she was qualified by experi
ence and academic bark
ground.
She was refused
th a t position and o th e r
administrative positions that
became vacant later.
When the C ivil Bights De
partment of the Oregon State
Bureuu of latbor was unable
to conciliate the case, a com
plaint was filed for Mrs.
Spencer by J.B. Belton Ham
ilto n , A ssista n t A tto rn e y
General for the State of Ore
gon, in behalf of the A t
torney General, lace Johnson.
The su it charged th a t
School D istrict *1 had "de
nied her opportunity for pro
motion from the position of
elassroom teacher to an ad
m inistrative position . . . . be
cause of her rare and color."
The specific charges of the
complaint were: ID that the
School D istrict has, since
1941. engaged in employment
practices which deny Ameri
cans of Negro ancestry, be­
cause of their ancestry, race
and color, equal treatment
and opportunity for employ
rnent, tra n s fe r, prom otion
and employment security; (2)
that the procedure nl dealing
with employee* and prosper
tive employee* according to
racial specifica'ions operates
in such a mann-r as to result
in awarding job» with better
pay, higher status, greater
authority and responsibility
to persons of ( aucasian rare;
131 that for more than 23
years the employment pro­
cedures have worked to the
detrim ent of Ruth Spencer
and other persons of Negro
extraction by limiting their
opportunity for employment;
14) that because of Mrs.
Spencer's complaints she had
been blacklisted by some
School D istrict employees;
and 15) that she was not
given fair consideration for
promotion because of her
race.
When the case was set for
hearing and the School Dis
tric t required to produce
personnel records of the Dis­
trict's employment history
since 1941, the D istrict then
filed a petition for a “ w rit of
prohibition", stating that the
law did not allow for the
specific charge of discrimina
tion against Ruth Spencer in
May of 1969 to be enlarged
into a general charge of dis
(Please turn to pg. 6, col. 5)
P O R TLA N D <3 OBSERVER
Volume 4. No. Hi / 7 Portland, Oregon
'
OFFOtTUNITY IM H O Y M
Thursday. February 21. 1974
IM I ONI Y HtWSFAFER IN THE WHOLE WIDE WOULD THAI REALLY CARES ABOUT FEOFIE
Freedom Bank marks third year
Freedom Bank of Finance
in Portland recently declared
its third successful fiscal
operating year. For a young
twink to be marked w ith con
tinued growth is one thing,
but for a young m inority
liank w ith that same identifi
cation is quite another.
A t the close of fiscal 1973
Freedom Bank of Finance
(Misted a 20°,i increase in de
posits of $4,561,162. Share
holders' earnings rose from 10
cents per share in 1972 to 54
cents per share in 1973. Al
though the hank has not de
dared shareholder dividends,
the measure of managements'
fiscal responsibility is ap
parent.
"We are proud of
our progress to date," says
V.F. Booker, the bank chair
man and chief financial ex
ponc-nt. “ and we re not «top
ping here."
As Portland's largest visi
hie m in o rity e n te rp ris e .
Freedom Bank of Finance
serves as a possible corner
stone for the future of mi
nority enterprise in Portland
Both area business and com
iioouly .ire looking uftssvty at
the Bank's ability to remain
profitable (or its investors,
anil viable for the community.
Since opening its doors four
years ago in Portland's pre
dominantly Black community,
the bank has received c rili
ristn from area residents who
disfavor the liank's conserva
live loan policy.
"When
you re growing." says Il'Miker,
"you must minimize risks.
We must grow in our de
poaitor strength to enable
our services and policies to
expand.
If our present
growth rate is sustained, we
can begin to offer a broader
loan policy to encompass
otherwise hard to qualify
loan applicants.
By coni
parison to other m inority
banks across the country we
are approaching that point a
lot »(Miner than most.
At
present one would have to
agree it is a simple rase of
business priorities."
Despite the lack of com
p e tltiv e a d v e rtis in g and
prem ium prom otions, the
batik is actively seeking new
individual and corporate ac
counts.
Without details,
Booker views the current
strategy as one thut will
nurture confidence in the
liank's ability to service the
financial needs of the com
munity. The economic pro
gress of minorities in Port
land may well lie gauged on
the bank's ability to invest in
new minority enterprises. If
successful, the bank's pro
gress may no longer just be­
an idle gesture of a few. but
moreover a reality for many.
Economist finds challenge
Cal Robertson, originally
from Ruleville, Mississippi,
took the position of Home
Econom ist for M ultnom ah
County in July of 1973 Ms.
Boliertson was chosen from
to other students interviewed
at Al Corn A tiM College in
lairman, Mississippi.
She
received a degree in Home
Economics E d ucation and
after a visit to Oregon, de
nded to stay and take the
job.
"There seemed to lie a
problem in my community
with unwed mothers
Girls
were having babies at 12, II
and 13 years old. I saw a
grow mg need for concern
and someone to work with
unwed mothers." Ms BntM'rt
son said in explaining her
interest in home economy
and family living. " I enjoy
helping people help them
selves," she continued, "to
make life better for them
now."
Cal is from a family of 14
children. 5 girls and 9 boys.
She was raised on a small
farm where her parents were
formerly sharecroppers
My
mother started the girls off
cooking at th - age of cine
years or y o u n g e r,“ Ms.
Robertson said.
As M ultnom ah County
Home Economist for the Ore
gon State U niversity Exten
sum Service. Ms Robertson
works mainly w ith adults in
the areas of food nutrition,
clothing textile, home (urn
ishing. money management,
family relationship, child care
(Please turn to pg. 3. col. 4)
Police activity frustrates victim
Vernard l.ivlo r. a 21 year
old hard w o rkin g young
Black businessman
co
owner of la-on's Man's Shop.
4950 N.E. Union
has
been a resident of Portland
for 20 years.
On August 20. 1973. while
Mr Taylor was away al an
out of tow n s I i i m - convention,
his home was broken into
and vandalized.
A color
television, one black and
white TV. 12.300 worth of
stereo equipment and a few
other things were stolen.
Mi Taylor, fairly familiar
with the Albina community
and some of its residents,
traced down the (oration of
some of his stolen goods and
also the thieves who did It,
Mi T a y lo r re p o rte d the
break in and evidence of who
the thieves were to Portland
Police officers Darrell Dick
and Holmes lie explained to
the police that he had two
witnesses and had actually
found some of the stolen
belongings from the break in
at one ol the thieves home
"A fte r telling them all
this," said Vernard Taylor,
"they Ipolicel took the in
fo rm a tio n down and left
without a word."
None of
the goods stolen from Mr.
Taylor's home were ever re
turned nor any ol the ac­
cused arrested. Although it
would have been a disap
Free Clinic
for
HOME BUYERS
Are you planning Io buy or build a home and
have a lot of questions? Get the answers at one
of our free Wednesday evening clinics. Promi­
nent Builders and Realtors w ill speak on home
construction and home buying. Benj. Franklin
ollicers will talk on financing, followed by a
question - and - answer period To register, call
248-1361.
W ednesdays—7:00-9:00 p.m.
Franklin Bldg., S.W. 5th at Stark
llc n j.® } Franklin
Hom * Ottica Franklin Bldg . Portland. Oregon »7204
Robert H Hazon. Pro» • 25 Ottica» • Phono 248 1234
pointing ending, this is where
Vernard Taylor would have
liked to have this story end.
But less than 6 months
later, on February I. 1974.
M r Taylor's home was again
broken into. This time two
diamond rings, $6iHl in rash,
a couple of watches and a
pair of shoes were stolen.
Again Mr. Taylor found that
it was the same thieves who
robbed him before and again
he reported the robbery to
the police.
Once again, nothing was
done; n • arrests, no re­
coveries. "They asked more
questions alMiut me than
about the robbery," Mr. Tay­
lor explained.
Vernard Taylor's experi
ences have become common
place in the community. Pro
teclion against break ins. no
matter how sophisticated the
lock, is almost non existent.
" It is yery common." Mr.
Taylor went on to explain.
"Many people know who the
thieves are. but ju st can't do
anything about it."
"A t the sume time 1 was
filing my complaint," Mr
l ay lor pointed out, "a white
dude got his tires ripped oil.
lie went to court and the
tires were recovered and he
was granted his merchandise
back." Many times a com
plete investigation is not
carried out because it's 'A
Black dude ripping off a
Black dude' and investigators
just don't care."
"The break ins, from what
I know, are actually done by
about 10 to 12 people who
are responsible for about
60% of Black break ins in the
community. We know who
they are. but nothing hap
pens Io them."
Vernard Taylor's experi
ences are not at all unique.
(Please turn to pg. 3. col. 71
I
Itte per copy
Golf club boycotts Bowman
Member* of the la-isure
H our G olf C lub who at
tended th e ir annual golf
tournament this year at Bow
man's M ount Hood Golf
Course heard "what are all of
these niggers doing up here?"
On November 261 h, George
Rankin, Tournament Chair
man, reeeived a letter from
K e ith
Bowman. General
Manager, that they would
not be allowed to rent the
facilities in the future.
The Leisure Hour Golf
Club draws approximately
.’PM) persons to its annual
tournaments, tw o of which
have been held at Bowman's.
The Leisure Hour Club
and the Western Slates Golf
Association have called a
boycott of the Bowman's,
which serves as a convention
site as well as a golf club.
The facilities are widely used
for meetings of public bodies
and governmental agencies,
as well as private groups.
William Huss,-I. President of
Leisure Hour, said his group
is informing the public- of
Bowm an’ s d is c r im in a t o r y
policies so that they might
determine if they w ill use
the facilities in the future.
The le tte r from Bowman
said the rlub w ould be denied
use of the facilities because
of “ higher than average bad
areounts; replacement checks
being returned; extremely
slow play on the golf course
and the children's attitude to
our employees. especially our
maids, who reported that the
children were spitting on
them and had no respect at
all.”
B ussell questioned the
club's responsibility for bad
checks, if there were any, of
persons attending the con
ference, and whether other
clubs were held responsible
or denied facilities for this
reason. He asked what was
“ higher than average."
As for slow play, Russell
indicated that as the reason
for holding tournaments on
Mondays and Tuesdays when
the course is not busy. He
denied th a t many o th e r
golfers had bee n hindered by
slow play and wondered how
many customers the course
would have had on those two
days without the 144 tourna
ment players.
Ia-isure Hour Golf Club
does encourage the participa
tion of Blacks in golf
p a rtic u la rly young people,
women and senior citizens.
Since many of the partici­
pants are new to golf, the
play is sometimes slow.
Bussell said his group
cared for the golf course and
the lodging and that the em
ployees were treated with
respect. He said the tab for
meals and golf alone was
nearly $6,000, that the bar
probably never had such a
lucrative Monday night, and
th a t the g ra tu itie s were
never higher.
Russell blamed Bowman's
derision on the bigotry of its
rlub members rather than on
the management, but stated
that his rlub has no intention
of using the facilities again,
even if the decision were
reversed.
The club w ill spend its
money where its contribution
is appreciated and hopes its
friends w ill do the same.
Mayor Neil Goldschmidt officially proclaimed Black History Week in Portland, as a part
of the annual nationwide salute to the contribution of Blark people in the building of this
nation. With Mayor Goldschmidt on this occasion were (left to right): Eddie Edwards, San
Diego a rtist; Nate Nickerson of the Urban la-ague of Portland; A.L. Henderson, publisher of
the Portland Observer; Betty White; Forrest Jenkins; and Betty Thompson, president of the
Oregon Association of Colored Women's Clubs.
P B O C lA S A T IQ S
CXC-CE 0»
TME WO.-
WHESE45, B1 l c I p e o p le have h i s t o r i c a l l y made economic and
c u l t u r a l c o n t r ib u t io n s to o u r n a t io n o f a s ig n if ic a n c e
o f t e n o v e r lo o k e d , and
»HEKE45 , community members, e s p e c i a l ly ou r younq p e o p le ,
s ea rc h f o r o p p o r t u n i t ie s f o r d e e p e r u n d e rs ta n d in q
and a p p r e c ia t io n o f th e c u l t u r a l h e r it a g e o f a l l
A m erican c i t i z e n s , and
SMEBEAS. th e r e is s t i l l much m is u n d e rs ta n d in g o f B lack
p e o p le , caused 1n o a r t by ig n o ra n c e o f t h e i r
c u lt u r e and th e c o n t r ib u t io n s th e y have made to
o u r s o c i e t y , and
WHEREAS, The A s s o c ia tio n f o r th e Study o f A fr ic a n -A m e r ic a n
L i f e and H is t o r y and th e Oreqon C om m ittee f o r B lack
H is t o r y Week, m o r d e r to c a l l a t t e n t i o n to the
s i g n i f i c a n t r o le B la ck p e o p le p la y ,« th e a d v a n c e ­
ment o f A m erica and to f o s t e r b e t t e r u n d e rs ta n d in g
amonq p e o p le , o f f e r an open i n v i t a t i o n to a l l p e o p le
to ta k e a d v a n ta g e o f program s p r o v id in g in f o r m a t io n
on th e u n iq u e h i s t o r y o f th e B la ck r a c e .
MOW, THEREFORE, I , N t i l G o ld s c h m id t, * a y o r o f P o r t la n d ,
O re g o n , do j o i n w ith o th e r p u b lic o f f i c i a l s a cro s s
th e n a tio n and do h ereb y p r o c la im th e week o f
F e b ru a ry 1 1 - 1 7 , 1 9 7 4 , as-
BLACK MlSTORf WEEK
in P o r t la n d , to acknow ledge B la ck c i t i z e n s and
t h e i r e n r ic h in g in f lu e n c e in Our com m u nity, and
urge a l l members o f th e community to s u p p o rt tn e
a c t i v i t i e s p lan n e d in o b s e rv a n c e o f th e week.
Educational Center remains open
Portland State University's
Educational Center, located
at 2611 N.E. Union Avenue,
has tvec-n assured of con
tinued funding by the Ways
and Means Committee of the
Oregon Legislature.
The
program had been among
those to be sacrified in bud
get cutbacks.
Eor several months the
Educational Center has un
dertaken the task of dealing
with the threat of closure in
1975. Great efforts were put
into a presentation of the
rase to the Special Session of
the la-gislature meeting this
month
Planning for the Special
Session encompassed num
erous activities. Legislators
on the Ways and Means
Committee were rontacted to
find out their rationale for
the financial ruts; the Chan
rellor of Higher Education
was contacted to seek his
assistance in the Educational
Center's plight. There was a
massive petition drive and
le tte r w ritin g campaign;
there were several articles
w ritte n in various news
papers and radio and tele
vision interviews held which
helped in p u b licizin g the
problem. A ll activities were
Lopped off by a community
(Continued from pg. 1. col. 51
Gregory receives award
Dick Gregory was awarded
the Carter G. Woodson Hu
manitarian Award for 1974
by the Portland State Cm
versity Institute of African
and Black American Studies
iBlack Studies) on Thursday,
February 21st, following his
speech on lx-ha If of Black
Cultural Month.
Professor James Rogers,
re p r e s e n tin g th e B la ck
Studies Department of PSC,
made the presentation and
also named as local reci
pients:
Ronald Herndon of the
Albina Youth Opportunity
School. Mercedes Diez, Cir
cuit Judge. A.L. Henderson,
publisher of the Portland
Observer: Rosemary Allen.
Arts and C om m unication:
Glen Harper, President of
Black Student Union, student
leadership and arts;
Pro-
lessor Inne Ckaeje, Nigerian
scholar and political scientist;
and O.B. H ill and Joseph
McHenry, organizers and co
chairmen of Black Culture
and History Month.
The awards were estab
lished in honor of Dr. Carter
G. Woodson, founder of Black
History Week, for sustained
service and commitment to
the Black community.
Contractors attend training
The General Service Ad
ministration and the Albina
Contractor’s Association arc-
sponsoring a series of train
ing sessions for m inority con
tractors.
The sessions are
coordinated by Russ Rogers.
Civil Rights Officer for GSA,
Region X. with the assis
tanee of Namon Scarborough,
e ducation Chairm an for
ACA. The instructor. Roy
Chapel, is an engineer for
GSA.
The tra in in g sessions,
which consist of three six
week sections, w ill cover
construction graphics, cost
analysis, and scheduling and
critical paths. There w ill be
guest speakers from the dif
lerent crafts, suppliers, the
building industry and the
financial and legal fields
The classes meet on Monday
nights at 7:00 p.m. at the
C oncentrated F ill ploy me nt
Program office, 220 N.E.
Russell.
Rogers has emphasized
that contractors and persons
interested in contracting at
lend all of the session as
they are inter related. To be
successful, he said, a con
tractor must understand bid
ding, estimating, marketing
and the language of con
st ruction.
The first meeting was well
attended and interest was
high, according Io John Craig.
Chairman of ACA.
Rogers
invited the wives and children
of contractors and persons
interested in contracting to
attend the training sessions.
Many m inority contractors
can t afford lo finance offices
and secretarial staffs, so it is
often the wife who answers
the phone calls. Since in these
cases contracting becomes a
family business, it is helpful
for the family to have a basic-
understanding of building as
well as the various problems
and hardships the business
must undergo.
In urging all interested
m inority contractors to at
tend the training sessions,
even if they do not seem to
apply to their specialties,
Craig said. "Regardless of
what you know about con
struct ion. you can always
learn a little more. Yester
day's workers might not have
to m o rro w 's s k ills .
T here
4
are new products, new
methods and flu c tu a tin g
costs."
Eor more information, call
Namon Scarborough or Eu
gene Jackson. Director of
ACA. at 288 8301.
Benson
invites
students
Benson High School w ill
host a number of eighth
grade students and parents
next week who might be in
terested in educational pro
grains at the school.
The students are invited to
attend sessions beginning at
8:00 p.m. on Thursday and
Friday. February 20 and 21.
in the Benson social room.
Harold Andersen, principal
of Benson, and his staff will
discuss w ith students and
parents admission procedures
and the programs offered at
Benson.
Volunteer addresses UGN
Iaturence D. Bolling, one of
the highest ranking volun­
teers in the United Way
movement, w ill explain pro­
gress to w a rd s id e n tify in g
community needs and re­
solving them at the 22nd
Annual Meeting of United
Good Neighbors, from 7:00 to
9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb­
ruary 26th. in Ballrooms A
and B of the Hilton Hotel,
according to Philip S. Hill,
president.
Bolling. Vice President of
the Board and Chairman of
the Executive Commitee of
United Way of America, w ill
highlight a program which
includes election of new UGN
board members, a treasurer's
report and remarks by the
president.
Bolling, President of L.D.
Bolling and Son Box Dealers,
Oakland. C a lifo rn ia , was
chairman of United Way's
P lanning and A llo ca tio n s
Task Force. H ill said. “ His
visit here is most appro­
priate because UGN has just
completed a major reorgani
zation of its agency relations
function leading to formation
of the Agency Relations Com­
mittee headed by Fred W.
Wessinger."
The Committee oversees
more than 100 budget panel
v o lu n te e r s w h o re v ie w
agency budgets and com
munity needs. The data is
used in determining how
much each UGN agency re­
ceives.
Bolling is chairman of the
Admissions and Allocations
C om m ittee o f his "h o m e "
united fund - United B a y
Area Crusade, San Francisco.
He is also a director of the
N a tio n al Y M C A , Oakland
Chamber of Commerce, Blue
Cross Association of Cali­
fornia, and Treasurer of the
Oakland Economic Develop­
ment Council and Oakland
Poverty Board.
Nominees for the UGN
Board of Directors, prepared
by a commitee chaired by
Leland H. Johnson, include
Thomas J. Baker, Philip R.
Bogue. Howard Burnett, Ellis
Casson, W illiam Love, K urt
Olsen, Dick Sammuels, Gil­
bert Schnitzer, Joyce Snod
grass and H arry Surles from
iPlease turn to pg. 4, col. 7)
Needs a different kind of person
"The community is looking
for a different type of per
son." explained Lee Moore.
Assistant Adm inistrator of
M inority and Age Programs,
Civil Rights Division.
The
Black community is looking
for people in authority who
are competent, "able to do
the job, know their stuff and
can express Black ideas. The
community needs workers,
but no more spokesmen."
Mr Moore continued.
Disappointed by so called
uommunitv spokesmen of the
past. Lee E. Moore has
planned his future as a door
rather than a talker. Lee E.
Moore was born in Oregon
and attended Pennisula Grade
School and Roosevelt High.
He reeeived college educa
tion from the University of
Idaho. Portland S^ate Uni
versity and Portland Com
munity College, where he
reeeived a degree in Criminal
Justice.
Mr. Moore was employed
lor 2' i years as a policeman
for the city of Anchorage,
Alaska
He worked in the
office of Special Investigation
for Portland Public Schools
and worked as a manage
ment trainee for TRW auto­
parts distributors.
Just prior to his current
position as Assistant Ad
m inistrator. Mr. Moore was
Field Investigator for the
Civil Rights Division.
The
C ivil Rights Division is a
state agency under direct
control of Commissioner Nil
sen in the Bureau of Labor.
As Assistant Adm inistra­
tor. Mr. Moore's duties are
reviewing those files that
allege discrimination because
of race, color, national origin,
age or religious beliefs. A fter
this administration review in
which it is made sure that all
facts necessary to support a
legal finding of discrimina
tion are present, the file is
either closed or returned to
the investigator for more in­
formation.
We enforce ordinances
659.010 through 115 (the
Oregon State Civil Rights
laiw l that gives authority to
remedy discrimination. Com
plaints may also be filed in
housing, employment, public
accommodations, public- and
private trade schools.
The first step after a com
plaint is filed is an attempt at
reconcilliation. A t that point
80% of the cases are re
conciled; the rest are sub­
mitted for public hearing.
The Civil Rights Division has
not lost a rase so far.
Mr. Moore is striving for
closer contact with the com
munity in order to be aware
of its problems. He is happy
and available to speak with
community interest groups
about civil rights and what
the Civil Rights Division has
to offer
W ithin the Civil Rights
Division there are two other
administrative assistants who
handle the areas of mental
and physical handicapped and
injured workers under the
O ccupational S afety and
Health Act (OSHAI and sex
discrimination.
Lee Moore is very happy
with his job. "A fte r working
in the system I became frus
trated at what I observed
happening," Mr. Moore ex
plained.
“ 1 wanted to get
involved in an agency that
was really involved in chang
ing the system.”
Being in
volved in making this happen
is what Mr. Moore enjoy*
being a part of, "then, now
and in the future."
s