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Page S
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Portland Observer
Thursday. January 29. 1978
ACLU
charges
Molalla
SofaÍAtlUMltí, Gtúdt,
SPECTRUM IN BLUE
The Fifth Dimension
Success is something that comes naturally to The Fifth Dimension because they
have caught the vibrations of their generation, and beat to its rhythm.
They ushered in the new decade of the 7 0 ’s with their hit record. "The Age of
Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In", winning them Grammy Awards for Best
Contemporary Vocal Performance by a group and Best Record of the year, as well aa
nominations for Best Arrangement and Best Engineered Recording. Their “Aquarius"
albums was also nominated as Album of the Year. And no wonder. The single hit
Number One on the charts and sold 1,500.000 copies in its first six weeks. At the
Grammy Awards held in May. the single was named Best Record of the Year!
From the day they started as a group in 1967, The Fifth Dimension was destined for
the top. While trying to decide on a record to start out with. Marc Gordon, their
personal manager, introduced them to an unknown writer who told them of a song he
had written that day. The writer was Jim Webb, and the song was “Up. Up and
Away". The title of that song pointed the direction their career would take.
The song won four Grammy awards, sold countless copies and became the title of
their first highly successful album. The Fifth Dimension immediately took their place
at the top in the music world.
The two women and three men who make up the group. Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis,
Jr., Florence LaRue Gordon, Ron Townson and Lamonte McLemore, started out
under the name of “The Versatiles” until they were introduced by Marc Gordon to
Johnny Rivers, founder of Soul City Records, who suggested that they change their
name. It was Ron Townson who thought of “The Fifth Dimension", which met
with instant agreement by everyone.
MARILYN McCOO
Although born in New Jersey. Marilyn McCoo, is really a product of Los Angeles
where she was brought up as the daughter of a prominent physician. According to her
father. Marilyn could sing even before she could talk, and as a child determined that
show business would be her life's work.
Her unusually rich voice has a four octave range which contributes a great deal to
the quality of The Fifth Dimension.
BILLY DAVIS, JR.
Billy is the most volatile member of the group. He is impetuous, humorous and
optimistic, and a never failing pick-me-up when the spirits of the other members fail.
Born in St. Louis. Missouri. Billy worked at a number of odd jobs until he saved
enough money to open his own cocktail lounge which he planned to use as an
entertainment workshop. He experimented with vocal groups and developed a knack
for staging and sound.
Billy's search for his right niche ended when he became one of The Fifth Dimension
group, where he also found the love of his life in his marriage to Marilyn McCoo.
FLORENCE LA RUE GORDON
A native of Glenside, Pennsylvania, Florence started early in life with a musical
education. As a child, she studied dancing and violin. After the family settled in Los
Angeles, she sought means of entering the field of entertainment while attending
college. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education at California
State, Los Angeles, and did student teaching in the area.
It was on a photographic assignment that she met Lamonte McLemore, and was
asked to join a group he was forming. With her happy marriage to Marc Gordon, a
new-born son to look after, and a great deal of professional satisfaction in her work
with the group, there is little chance of Florence returning to teaching, altheugBshe
would like to in the distant future.
RON TOWNSON
Ron owes a great deal to his grandmother, who had great faith in his musical talent,
which she recognized in his earliest years. Ron started singing when he was six years
old, and his mother and father arranged for him to have private singing and acting
lessons.
It was a reunion with his two St. Louis pals in Los Angeles which led to his joining
with them in the formation of The Fifth Dimension.
LAMONTE McLEMORE
Lamonte is the only unmarried member of the group, and the only one who
discovered his talent for music comparatively much later in his life. His original
ambition was to become a professional baseball player which ended with a broken arm.
Instead, he found success as a professional photographer, and his pictures have
appeared in such leading magazines as Life, Harper's Bazaar, Ebony and Elegant.
His meeting with his old St. Louis friends, Billy Davis, Jr. and Ron Townson, in Los
Angeles decided his future course of action when he found that his voice was a natural
blend with theirs for the formation of The Fifth Dimension.
It will be interesting to see if the vocal quality of the group will be maintained now
that Marilyn McCoo and her Billy Davis decided to strike out on their own.
THE 4-H ENSEMBLE
"Freedom and Fashions"
Sunday afternoon wasn't just a typical Sunday for the teen-age members of the 4 H
Ensemble. Nor for the organizers of it, under the directorship of Ira Mumford. It was
to be their first social function of the year. Although the 4-H club receives funding for
their program, they must still be aggressive in raising some funds for activities they
wish to persue, which may not be in their allocation. For an example: last year they
toured the bay area, San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento, along with a
Bicentennial concert in Canada. So consequently its imperative that they have social
activités to support their functions. Sunday was no exception. Only members of the
Troupe did the modeling, with the exception of Michael Tims and his son Jason and
Terry Tims with his son billed as Little T. An added attraction was “Rose City Men of
Harmony”. A thirty man singing aggragation that put you in the mind of the the old
barber shop quartets around the turn of the century. There are twelve members of
the 4-H Ensemble: Princess Funchess, Flordia McDonald, Sonja Tucker, Lisa
McConnell, Teresa Hardy, Iretta Mumford, Edie Thrower, Royce Hardy. Gary Morris,
Charles Hardy, Walter Tucker and Kenny Williams. A job well done!!!
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ENTERTAINMENT
January 12th-31st - Ramada Inn presents The Command Performance.
January 15th-31st - The Point Denim presents Southern Flavor.
January 28th - The Paramount Northwest presents Arlo Guthrie.
Market Place presents Tom Albering Quartet with Nancy King on vocals, Tuesday
through Saturday.
The Helm presents Jeannie Hoffman and David Friesen jazz pianist and bass, Tuesday
through Saturday.
The Prima Donna presents Andre Grand Trio - playing soft jazz.
Grand Opening M
Point
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Dr. Billy Taylor is the music co-host for the 1978 BUefc
Journal. On each edition of the series, he will discuss Black
contributions to American musical history and perform with a
four man combo. Produced by WNET/13, New York, and
distributed nationally by the Public Broadcasting Service.
Black Journal is seen locally on Mondays at 10:30 p m. on
KOAP TV. Black Journal is produced with the assistance of a
grant from Pepsi Cola Company.
Billy Taylor provides Black Journal music
The diplomas read “Dr. William E.
Taylor," but to the new appreciative
audiences he's brought to the wonders of
jazz, it’s Billy Taylor. Formerly music
director of “The David Frost Show,"
Taylor is entering his second year at
Black Journal as music director and
music co-host for the series. On each
edition of the public television series he
discusses Black contributions to Ameri
can music and demonstrates with his own
combo, paying tribute to such jazz greats
as Duke Ellington. Art Tatum and Fats
Waller, among others.
“I was the first to make the statement
that jazz is classical music.” he has said.
"I don't consider it Black classical music,
but American classical music.
Black
music has contributed much more to the
culture of this country than many of us
realize. All of the popular music had its
origins in the same kind of musical
experience that gave us the spirituals,
the blues, and of course, jazz."
A versatile jazz pianist, composer,
arranger, teacher, and even an actor
(Taylor appeared as "Wesley" in The
Times of Your Life), Taylor has written
more than 300 songs, a dozen books on
the art of jazz piano, and made over
thirty recordings (he has referred to
some of them as "the best kept secrets in
jazz".
Taylor has become one of the elder
statemen of jazz, serving as a memlter of
the National Council on the Arts, the
New York State Commission of Cultural
Resources, the board of ASCAP (The
American Society of Composers and
Publishers), and the New York City
Cultural Council. Since its beginning in
1965, he has served as President and
principal fund-raiser of “Jazzmobile," a
program that brings name artists and
their music into the inner cities of more
than fifteen American towns.
A gifted lecturer, Billy Taylor also has
brought jaez into classrooms in high
schools and colleges all over America.
Recently, he received his doctorate in
musicology from the University of
Massachusetts and he has taught at the
Manhattan School of Music, C.W. Post
College, Columbia and Yale University.
In the 1960's, in addition to his
nightclub dates and concert appearances
Billy Taylor became a popular disc jockey
on Harlem’s WLIB. A few years later, he
became general manager of WLIB. one of
New york's only Black owned radio
stations. He was a charter memlter of the
Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, as
well as the Black Communications
Corporation.
He also has his own
corporation, Billy Taylor Productions,
which produce radio and television
commercials, records, and concerts.
In 1969, Billy Taylor became the first
Black music director of a major television
series. The David Frost Show. His name
and music became familiar ton whole new
audience, as “O.K., Billy!" became the cue
with which Frost began each program.
Taylor's own compositions include
"Suite for Jazz Piano and Orchestra,"
which he has performed with the Oakland
and Minnesota Symphonies; and “I Wish
I Knew How It Would F’eel to Be Free,"
which has become one of the theme songs
of the civil rights movement.
Billy Taylor is not new to public
television. He has appeared on several
specials and his music has been featured
on both Sesame Street and The Electric
Company. Black Journal now has the
benefits of his talents.
Austrity brings rapid health breakdown
(Continued from p. 1 col. 6)
county had no health program at all,
though now they’ve been able to restart
some services..."
Multnomah County lost its health
education program: “education is always
the first to go." Ms. Percival explained:
“The tax base is deteriorating - the
unemployed simply can't pay the cost
and of course the situation snowballs."
While hospital and medical costs have
gone up (a fifteen percent increase in
hospital room costs last year in Oregon),
real wages nationally went down last
year 22 percent. Last year there were
842 reported cases of Hepatitis A
(infectious) and 302 cases of Hepatitis B
(contaminated needles); of the 842 oases
infectious Heptatitis A, 132 were in
Portland.
The strain which 5,000
Portland diners were subjected to had
limited effect only because of the relative
good state of health of Oregon's popula
tion.
PLAGUE
New York City’s rat control has been
cut by 34 percent - along with other
drastic cuts in social services which were
a result of the eventual executive
capitulation not to hold to a Chapter 11
bankruptcy in the City: paying off the
debt rather than maintaining social
services. Just over a month ago Oregon's
media broadcast plague warnings for
parts of Oregon. Bob Gresbrink of the
State Vector Control said warning was
actually due to a better method in
detecting plague that has been in the
western part of the state all along
(tracing the pathogens in the predators of
the rodents whjch carry the disease,.
The last outbreak of plague in the U.S.
was in 1920 in Ixts Angeles. Though
there were only about a dozen cases of
the plague in the U.S. last year, one of
them was apparently in Oregon. A man
skinning a rabbit on the West Coast was
assumed to have been bitten by a bubonic
plague carrying flea.
Dr. Googins
explained that silvatic plague "has
troubled Indian populations in New
Mexico - various kinds of ground
squirrils, prairie dogs,” and rabbits are
hosts to the silvatic (another name for
bubonic) plague.
Rats are the main
carrier of plague. According to Gres
brink of the State Vector Control (Vector
- an organism that transmits a patho
gen), the rat population is not decreasing.
John Alderton of the Country Vector
Control explains: “There’s some 1.400
miles of sewers in Portland - there are
rats all through them." In the last ten to
fifteen years there has been an increase
in the rat population due to the use of
garbage grinders and the disposing of
garbage through the sewer system.
Alderton notes that the greatest rat
population is in S.E. Portland: "And you
get more rain, more rata - sewer system
breakdown, more rats." The situation is
comparable to 125 or more other cities in
the U.S. In addition to the potential
carriers of plague, the rats transmit
leptospirosis via urine (Weils Disease),
which when a victim is healthy is
experienced as headache, chills, fever,
and an affected liver - similar to varieties
of influenza.
Plague, as other diseases, feast on
populations whose protein intake is low.
Protein is essential to maintain the body's
immunological processes. Similarly sani
tation, sewage, adequate housing, cloth
ing. education: social services that are
being seriously threatened in President
Ford’s $70 billion budget cut proposal,
while the President's move for austerity
is matched by the Democrats' call for
‘New Deal’ austerity. Epidemiologist Dr.
John Googins, asked what effect the
budget cuts in health programs might
have, responded: “I'm not prepared to
comment on things like that - it's really
not my area of expertise."
Other epidemiologists have stated that
the problem of rampant disease and
ecological destruction in the Third World
is linked to the rapid breakdown of the
productive capacity in the advanced
sector and both must be turned around
immediately or "worldwide human ecol
ogy will reach a point of unstoppable,
total collapse." These scientists, arguing
for a moratoria on dollar debt and the
restarting of international production
(new world economic order, state: "Once
the world passes the point where the
critical rases for reversing social break
down are destroyed
food producing
areas wracked by disease and pestilence
or municipal services so deteriorated that
health conditions in the advanced sector
approach those of the Third World
it
will be too late."
The ACLU Foundation of Oregon
(ACLU) filed suit on January 28th, 1976
in the U.S. District Court to enjoin
enforcement of the ban on political
speakers at Molalla Union High School
adopted by the Molalla School Board on
December 11th, 1975.
Plaintiffs in the suit are Dean Wilson,
the teacher whose invitation to a member
of the Communist Party to apeak to his
class in government caused protests
from a segment of the community which
resulted in the ban on political speakers;
Vera Ixtgue, and eleventh grade student
at Molalla Union High School enrolled in
Wilson's class; and Mary Ixtgue. mother
of Vera Ixtgue and a taxpaying resident
of the Molalla Union High School District.
Defendants are Rose Chancellor, Chan
Bunke, Harold Wood, Charles E. Tyler,
and Raymond Sether, members of the
Molalla Union High School District Board
of Directors.
The ACLU alleges that the action of
the board in banning all political speakers
from the high school violates the rights of
free speech, academic freedom and equal
protection of the laws guaranteed by the
First and Fourteenth Amendments to the
Llnited States Constitution.
It claims that Wilson has for many
years provided his students in govern
ment and political science with the
opportunity to hear differing political
viewpoints first hand from persons who
hold them, inviting speakers represent
ing a cross section of political thought in
contemporary American society, and that
this method of teaching is accepted by
professionals as an effective means of
teaching a course designed to prepare
high school students for the responaibili
ties of American citizenship. Wilson is
said to have had a Republican, a
Democrat, and a memlter of the John
Birch Society, among others, speak to the
class during the 1975 76 school year.
The board, after examining Wilson's
curriculum, had approved on November
13th, 1975 the appearance of Anton
Krchmarek, a Community, before the
class, subject to the following conditions:
“1. that plaintiff Wilson prepare the
students by teaching his unit on
Communism before the speaker's ap
pearance,
2. that the students be shown the film
'Nightmare in Red,'
3. that two anti Communist speakers
be scheduled, one before and one after
Mr Krchmarek, and that one of the two
antiCommunist speakers be from a
Communist country, and
4. that sLudunts dot wishing to hear
the ('ominq$i«tjy,^ak(ii, b<LMXf ua«<l from
the class."
ACLU claims that the December 11th
action of the board, reversing their
November decision and banning all
political speakers was "an attempt to
make their action appear to be non
discriminatory."
The court is asked to declare the ban
unconstitutional and grant preliminary
and permanent injunctions prohibiting
in terferen ce with W ilson's inviting
speakers of differing political viewpoints,
including the Communist viewpoint, to
speak to his classes.
ACLU Cooperating Attorneys Don II
Marmaduke and I^rry K. Amburgey are
representing plaintiffs.
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