<
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