< H i k » 2 Portland Observer Thursday. August 28. 1975 t tv n ja m in L. Ilu u k it WE SEE T H E W O RLD T H R O U G H B LA C K E Y E S I FCC Schools still separate D o n 't b la m e ln d ia n , Turning to the field of education for a moment: when I was a boy forty years ago. the approach to education was on a different level. In fact, it was d o w n rig h t a u th o rita ria n with the teacher making no bones about the fart that you were in school to learn, to read, w rite, spell and work arithmetic and that it was his her job to see' that you did. Learning was, of course, by the rote method, that is. you repeated your lessons over and over until they were committed to memory. Present day educators, by and large, scoff at such methods, and perhaps rightly so. They say these are too slow, dull and, worse, do not rain a student to think independently in a world that is becoming increasingly complex, de manding facile and flexible approaches to the solving of sophisticated and highly involved problems. I know the arguments and they are indeed hard to deny. Yet something in me will not let the thought be put to rest that the old o f Black students to g iv e the e ffe c t o f an honest e ffo rt, a nd w h e n the g o v e rn m e n t fin a lly e nfo rce s the la w , the re m a in in g se gregated schools w ill be closed o ut th e c h ild re n bussed o u t to bear the b u rd e n o f w h ite racism a lo n e . [' LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Law School expells m inority students Dear Editor: One might assume that the time for revolutionary tactics used in the "60's” had burned themselves out in support of the system. However, it seems that such tactics are the most effective in stamping out discrimination. Last year Lewis and Clark, Northwestern School of Law admitted seven Blacks, two Chicanos, one Asian, six Asian Americans, and two Native Americans to their first year class. This was the largest num ber of minorities admitted at one time in the history of the Law School. This en rollment was not due to any innate generosity of mind or spirit by the Law School. These students qualified on the same basis as the white student. A t the end of the 74-75 school year approximately tw e n ty to tw e n ty -th re e students were dismissed from the first year class. Over one half of the twenty to twenty three students dismissed are of minority ethnic background. Interestingly enough, is the fact that all of the Black students were dismissed. The dismissal was based on the fact that the School claims that their test scores did not measure up to the required sixty-eight grade point average at the end of the academic year. Equally, as interesting, is the fact that five of the Black students had participated and received certificates in pre-legal studies from CLEO (Council Legal Edu cation Opportunity) a sum mer Institute, held at the University of Washington. I t is rather strange that they could not meet the requirements either. Could it be that the overt nega tive attitude of the admini stration and faculty carried over toward the CLEO students when it came to final grades? Now. however, is the School to say though we admitted these students there is little or no concern for their continuance at Northwestern? These are questions one must and should ask the administra- tion. A t the same time was the abolishment of the Advancem ent C om m ittee with its student represen tation another tactic em ployed to leave the dis missed students without an adequate and objective re course. In an effort to support A L L of the students dis missed from the first year class, the Students Against Northwestern Racism urge that Lewis and Clark re admit the twenty three stu dents. This is not a grab bag degree program. It is obvious that these students have given up a great deal in their personal lives not to mention time and money, to pursue a career in law. As students at N o rth western, we feel that a probationary year would be just, fair and equitable, not only to the students but to the School as well. Twila Brockell 3122 N.E. 9th Portland, Oregon As a point of information, the YW C A Board of Direc tors adopted an Affirm ative Action Program in Septem ber, 1974. Several steps in implementing the Plan for Affirm ative Action have been completed by the Affirm ative Action Com mittee, under the leader ship of Rita Clinton. Sincerely, Marcia A. Mulvey Acting Executive Director (Editor's Note: An appeal to CRAG from the W YCA dated August 14, 1975, says "having previously adopted an affirm ative action policy; and are in the process of w riting an affirmative ac tion plan") 1st Place Community Service O NPA 1973 5th Plare Best Editorial N N P A 1973 Second Class Postage Paid at Portland, Oregon The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only in its Publisher's column (We See The World Through Black Eyes). Any other material throughout the paper is the opinior of the individual w riter or submitter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer. NAT (ON A t scsrsctscs JND»» *. MEMBER 1 IS y Equal Employment Oppor tunity Commission She also filed a wage and hour complaint with the United States Department of lai bor The T r i C ounty Com munity Council provides planning, research, and consultation in the fields of health and welfare to mem her social agencies It also provides a forum to pro mote social concerns and volunterism Ms Bryant is the T ri County Community Coun cil's only permanent, full time minority staff member P A I N T i " EASY ....... MBH - Upon being presented an award for her support of Black employees of the YW CA, who have filed discrimination charges. Miss Brooks said. "What have I done? Only what anyone would have done under the circumstances." Miss Brooks had refused to appear at a Portland Poetry Festival event scheduled at the YW CA. The Portland Poetry Festival, whirh had been dedicatee! to Miss Brooks, then moved the meeting to Portland State University. Miss Brooks told the audience at the "Women in the Arts Forum" that her first doubt about her ability to w rite came in 1967. Since the age of nine she had written about “birds and daffodils," and sometimes about integration. In 1967 the young Black poets came on the scene to address their poetry to Black liberation. "They do not care what the while critics think of their poetry, they w rite for Blacks.” Through her continued association with Brooks determined that her poetry does the current world, although she has found and content has changed to adapt to the scene. N N A \p £ h Association ■ founded 1885 these poets Miss have relevance to that its structure changing political or Fr«* i t t l m a t o t Expert craftsm en. No job too small. let us handle it for you WENDELL E. BROWN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY • ( r m e m U ,.r k . NentodelMg . ( •» M r u r tto n \ Mod» I Ncighhochmad Nosmess M rm b , r Mhms ( n s lrs rla rs A sserieitee 39 33 N.E. Union 2 8 8 -6 3 4 7 SUBSCRIBE NOW J 7/ Rates: Subscriptions: $5.25 per year in the Tri-County area, $6.00 per year outside Portland. Oregon Newspaper Publishers 1 I H W Association S ir elm» 97212 1st Place Best Ad Results O NPA 1973 MEMBER Community Council "I Dear Editor: Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company. 2201 North Killingsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing address: P .0. Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. Telephone: 283 2486. l= = I fashioned method of learn ing had something good going for it. Today as I move about the country, 1 encounter young people in various walks of life and from many parts of the world. I am slightly struck by the fa c ility w ith w hich, for example, young Africans trained in the authoritarian British method of rote learning and young Ameri cans trained in Catholic schools where nuns are unswerving in exercising strict learning disciplines, handle the English Ian guage. There is a direct correla tion, it seems to me. between the ability to xpeak well, and one's ability to read and thus grasp wider ranging concepts and ideas. There 4Ye certainly no easy answers. If there were the question would long since been laid to rest. (Continued from p. 1 col. 31 experience in urban plan But my suspicion is that in ning an age when youngsters are When Ms. Bryant asked called upon to learn and her director about the absorb so much more com differential in pay. she was plex information than their told there was more than forebears, the iron external one job description for the position, but the multiple job descriptions were not supplied at her request. She then notified the Council, through her attor ney, that unless she was im m e d ia tely given com mensorate (»ay she would file a complaint. Keceiving no reply, she filed charges of racial discrimination with the State Civil Bights Bureau and the federal Have plan Portland Observer ALFRED L. HENDERSON Editor/Publisher This is certainly true. When I was a youngster, a teacher would whack your knuckles with a ruler and warm the seat of your pants with a leather strap if you cut up in class and failed to get your lessons If you squawked, you got another licking from your parents when you got home. Today. I suppose a p arent would have a teacher arrested for assault if he or she attempted to discipline a child with a whipping Then. too. some com m unities have laws against corporal punish ment. I * t me emphasize this point: I do not want to return to a physical dis ciplinary setting A t the same time. I do not belive we should be bamboozled by the phoney liberals who urge permissive learning for our public school system while they plare their children in private schools. C o m m is s io n e r This fa ll, tw e n ty years a fte r the 1954 Suprem e C om m ercia l a nd sport fish e rm e n , as w e ll as C ourt decision a n d ten years a fte r the P ortland School Districts "R ace w ith E d u c a tio n " reports O reg on 's a tto rn e y g e n e ra l, are c o m p la in in g a b o u t Judge B e llo n i's rece nt court d ecision g iv in g P ortland w ill a g a in o p e ra te se greg ated schools At least six, a nd perhaps .e v e n , e le m e n ta ry trea ty Indians the rig h t to catch fifty p e rce n t o f schools w ill have over fifty percen t Black the C o lu m b ia Rivers salm on, in c lu d in g those ca u g h t in the ocean. students a nd m an y others a re im b a lla n c e d . In p rio r years c o m m e rc ia l n o n -In d ia n fis h e rm e n Ten years o f busing Black ch ild re n o ut to w h ite schools, o f closin g the upper grades o f some w e re a llo w e d to ta ke th e ir salm on in the o cean A lb in a schools, a nd the e n tic e m e n t o f a fe w a n d the lo w e r riv e r, then w he n the fish w h ite ch ild re n into e a rly c h ild h o o d e d u c a tio n approached the Indians fis h in g g ro un ds a b o v e centers, has n ot d e a lt w ith the re a l p ro b le m . B o n n e v illé , c o n s id e ra tio n w as g iv e n to closin g There is no w a y to d e se greg ate the core A lb in a the fis h in g to save the salm on. schools w ith o u t re m o v in g th em or b rin g in g in U nder the n e w ru lin g ocean a nd lo w e r riv e r fis h in g w ill h ave to be re g u la te d to insure that w h ite ch ild re n . The p o ssib ility o f re m o va l o f both Black a nd the Indians h ave the o p p o rtu n ity to catch fifty w h ite lo w -in c o m e schools w as suggested by Dr. p ercen t o f the harvest. B la nch ard in a speech to the C ity C lub se veral This w ill pose a h arship fo r c o m m e rc ia l fis h e rm e n w h o h ave la rg e r investm ents in years a go . M uch has been a cco m p lish e d in this e q u ip m e n t d ire c tio n . W ith e n tire grades re m o v e d fro m jn d w h o have spent th e ir lives H u m b o ld t, Irvin g to n a nd King, th ere a re n o w fis h in g . T his is not th e fir s t tim e areas o f A lb in a w ith no schools to serve c h ild re n changes have com e to an industry. It is p ro b a b ly above the lo w e r grades A lth o u g h Dr. the firs t tim e o ne industry has been th re a te n e d in B la nch ard's m o tiv e m ig h t have been h o n o ra b le , o rd e r to g iv e a m in o rity g ro u p its rights, h o w e v e r. w o rke rs have been d is p la c e d by the re m o v a l o f p u b lic schools w ill do m uch to O reg on d estroy the n e ig h b o rh o o d s th a t so m an y d o lla rs m e c h a n iz a tio n o f a g ric u ltu re a nd the w h ite industry. h ave b ee n spent to preserve. The o th e r a lte rn a tiv e is cross-bussing. If the The best s o lu tio n w o u ld be fo r the fe d e ra l 24,000 Black students on a d m in is tra tiv e transfers g o v e rn m e n t to buy out those fis h e rm e n a nd w e re re p la ce d w ith w h ite students, a nd if fo r re la te d sm all businesses w h o chose to le a v e a nd e ve ry classroom o f u pp er g ra d e Black students to o ffe r jobs tra in in g to h e lp th em g et into o th e r The g o v e rn m e n t also should p ro v id e tra n sfe rre d o u t o f A lb in a , a classroom o f w h ite trades lo w e r-g ra d e students w e re tran sfe rred in, funds fo r re d e v e lo p m e n t o f the areas a d v e rse ly a ffe c te d d e se g ra tio n w o u ld be a ccom plishe d. Then Block c h ild re n a nd th e ir fa m ilie s w o u ld The g o v e rn m e n t m ade the o rig in a l tre a tie s w ith n ot h ave to b e a r the e n tire b urd e n o f the In d ia n tribes, p ro m is in g them p e rp e tu a l d e s e g re g a tio n . Black ch ild re n w o u ld not have to fis h in g rights in re tu rn fo r v a lu a b le land. Because be th e o n ly ones to go to strange schools in it so b la ta n tly ig n o re d the tre a tie s fo r so m an y strange n e ig h b o rh o o d s Since d e p u ty s u p e rin te n years the cu rre n t crisis has d e v e lo p e d . The p e o p le o f the N o rth w e s t sh ou ld g et a d e n t D on ald M cElroy re ce n tly said he hopes cross-bussing w ill not com e to Portland, it is p ro g ra m to a lle v ia te as m uch as possible th e a dve rse a ffe cts o f the c o u rt o rd e r a n d stop u n lik e ly this w ill h a p pe n v o lu n ta rily . W e p re d ic t the d istrict w ill go a b o u t its w a y as b la m in g the In d ia n fis h e rm e n fo r d e m a n d in g usual -- using vo lu n ta ry a nd in v o lu n ta ry tran sfe r th e ir rights. with the best teachers and materials and insist they learn to read, w rite, spell and solve arithmetic prob lema and do all thrse things well. Since I do not believe we should return to the distant past of rigid rote learning w ith a tte n d a n t corporal punishm ent, w hat then should we do about the disastrous situation in our school systems? I would favor, perhaps, c o m m u n ity c o n tr o l of schools. This would involve parents and others of the community, so that the public schools where the bulk of poor children must go, are responsive and relevant to their needs. My concern is a practical one For as we try to open the doors of opportunity, doors that, hitherto, have been closet! tti our people, we will be prepared educa tionally to enter and. sub sequently, succeed in « given career We have some great and dedicated teachers I.««t us create an en viro n m e n t where they have a chance to teach. discipline necessary to the , fulfillment of the endeavor | is giving away to laxity and ' a curious permissiveness, i Spare the rod and spoil the I child? Perhaps $5.25 Tri-County area and Armed Services $6.00 Other Areas of US Nam e 7 " ^ Honorable Mention Herrick Editorial Award N N A 1973 2nd Place Best Editorial 3rd Place Community Leadership O NPA 1975 Address 7 State J -V I 1 ’ M f '«Ï V ■ ' ' W