PMSC plot thickens,
W e see the world
(Continued from paff« 1 sal. g)
through Black eyes
gten X tor the fissai
Fin
the fact that
toy's
467 wort
A time for answers
When Cleveland Gilcrease resigned as Director of
the Portland Metropolitan Steering Committee and
long-time Board Chairman John Rice also resigned,
we predicted that dissident elements on the Board -
possibly aided by outside political forces - would
attempt to goin control.
A small group within the Board has surfaced - this
time in on attempt to take the chairmanship of the
Board from the duly elected Chairman. This move
was carried out through a "secret" meeting and an
attempt to substitute their own agenda for that of the
Chairman.
Is it a coincidence that three members of this bloc
are appointed members and that the fourth county
appointee - Dr. Ernest Hartzog - did not make the
meeting but voted with the bloc? This brings to mind
the Sterling - Feeney - Green - Clark connection that
surfaced three years ago when the Oregon Journal
attacked Gi(crease.
The question then was whether the attack was a
personal vendetta against Gilcrease, or whether the
play was a larger one - an effort to control or destroy
the multi-million dollar agency.
The answer seems to be near at hand. The Black
community has waited those three years knowing
that when Gilcrease decided to move on to bigger
and better things, we would finally see the
conspiracy unfold. Gilcrease Is gone and now the
fight turns to whether PMSC will continue to operate
as a community based corporation with responsibil
ity for millions of dollars in federal funds.
If the county appointed delegates to the PMSC
Board continue to demand their own hidden agenda
and if they cannot be controlled by those Board
members who seek to serve the area's poor, PMSCs
days are numbered.
It is time for Don Clark to speak to this issue - what
is going on?
Jordan’s position on Carter valid
We could feel it 3.000 miles sway. What
happened at the Urban League Conven
tion in Washington, D.C., especially dur
ing the Keynote Address an July 24th,
seemed to startle the nation.
It startled some Black people too. The
Portland Ohearver editorilized that the
criticism of the Carter Administration by
Vernon Jordan. Jr., was poorly moti
vated. in part prompted by Jordan's
desire to grab a earner of the national
headlines so as to secure himself from the
coming of Benjamin Hooks. I wonder
whether the editorial w riter read Jor
dan’s address!
The white community was startled.
The Portland Oragaafon editors suggest
ed that Vernon Jordan had gone beyond
himself with the insistence that the
Carter Administration show greater sen
sitivity and more activity on behalf of the
Black community. But the Oragawtoau as
to often the case in editorials, missed the
boat.
As be spoke to the multitude who
gathered for the 67th Anaual Conference
of the National Urban League. Jordan
struck the right cord. Hto voice was
reinforced by many Black leaden across
the land who came forward to underscore
the basic criticism of this new sdministrs
tian: "The sad fact is that this Admini
stration to not living up to the First
Commandment of polities - to help those
who helped you."
A fte r noting the advantages and
of the Carter Admini
straiten. Jordan asked, "Why then, are
Black people dtoewehanted with the Ad
"And why do so many Black people feel
that their hopes sad their needs have
been betrayed?"
In the bald language of which he to
fsmilisr. Jordan answered, "The sad fact
to that the list of what the Administration
has not done tor exceeds its list of
In spite of what the hopeful might want
to believe, the record of this Administra
tion toward Black people and poor people
has not been much to shout about. Jordan
was right - and Carter would do well to
boor hto call.
"Black people, having tasted the sweet
ness of victory to November, recent the
sour taste of disappointment in July."
Jordan told hto audience. "Our resent
ment to fueled by impatience. W e. who
have been patient far aa tong, are finally
running out of pntteuns The eriaeef pain
from impoverished rural areas sad urban
slums ring out. and cannot ba stilled by
minor measures. Our longing for true
equality rill not cense, nor will it be
diverted by stylistic flourishes.”
Judging from the onslaught of criti
cism. of the Administration following hto
remarks. Jordan served as the pwntman
of Black dissatisfaction. He was the bold
one who pointed out that the Carter
image sad the Carter record ore aim
lessly wandering about in the forest of
American potitio. unable to mediate the
Jordan's keynote address startled the
nation - both Bteck sad white. I t s not
unusual far the Oregenfan to misunder
stand. The fact that the editors of the
e re hostile to hto
me. But the fact that
no one from the local Portland Urban
League bothered to bring home the
message of the Convention is even mote
surprising.
I have been fortunate to serve as a
member of the Board of Trustees of the
National Urban League far the past two
years.
No one to more sincere than
Vernon Jordan. No one in the Civil
Rights Movement to more to harmony
with the mission history has provided
than to Vernon Jordan.
The leadership he works tirelessly and
boldly to furnish an the national level
ought to be duplicated to our local
community.
The fight Jordan
The Portland Urban League, by impli
cation, has s high standard to uphold. The
burden of leadership to grant. Yet, our
affiliate here has been unable to reach
such high standards. From my vantage
point, it flounders like a wounded deer,
not sure of its direction or its strength.
though our local chapter to really out of
its league.
P o rtla n d O b s e r v e r
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fLPR ED L. HENDERSON
The Portland Observer's official position to expressed only to
its Publisher's column (We See The World Through Black Eyes).
Any other material throughout the paper to the opinion of the
individual w riter or submitter anduloe¬ nacpasarily reflect
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B fÂ
N e J i p J I per
in Tri-C o u n ty A re a
Action
has aaked that Finley not be
to Lis Welt's repeated
in spite ct the promise of
i Chairman Ruth Lyon
O th e r A reas of the US
Address
D V u rO
Portland Observer
2201 N. K i 11 i ng »worth
Portland, Oregon 97217
The hoard approved proposals and
budgets for fiscal year 1978. Headstart
funds for the Portland Public Schools
Early Childhood Education program
were approved with the stipulation that
the district work with P A C T to develop a
plan, within four months, to open a center
in Southeast Portland. Although school
district representated the move aa an
effort to close a center in North or
Northeast, the board made it d ear that
thia was not their purpose. It was
brougl out that in addition to several
Headstart centers in North and North
east, 1200 children attend PPS Early
Childhood Centers in those areas. PACT
representatives denied the school dist
rict's allegations that centers are not
needed in Southeast. Jim McConnell,
director of PACT, claimed that although
the Southeast canter was underenrolled
PPS personnel refused to interview ap
plicanU sent to them by PACT.
Discipline plan
(Continued from page 1 col. 3)
and to resolve with the student alone,
where necsaaary. the problem giving rise
to the suspension.
Pstot Ne. X
The following material should be ap
pended to Item C. page 4:
A toncani was expressed regarding
the use of
w r y reasons that really reflect a
basic acedensic problem. F o ri»am ple, a
teacher might desire a parent <
because a s tijdent is seineving poorly, bat
the reason cited for suspenaion to n
behavior pntblem that might otherwise
he minor to nature.
RESPONSE
This mattisr will ba a workshop topic
for school administrators during this
summer's workshop. Administrators will
to turn work with counselors and teach
ora to ensure that students are not
suspended for infractions aa a promise for
exclusively academic purposes.
The
District w ill consider appropriate means
of effecting parent conferences for aca-
The District to instituting in 1977-78 a
new program to deal with problems of
disruptive behavior. I t to anticipated that
the services of this additional staff
members to be employed will aid in
alleviating problems through additional
home contacts, and related
Jackson
(Continued from pogo 1 eoL 6)
ploy the large number of workers un
trained far office work, few jobs have
been created. Inner-city unemployment
remains high.
Jackson's firm opposition to municipal
labor unions, however, has reinforced hto
popularity. Though elected with support
from the American Federation of State
County and Municipal Employees, which
represents blue-collar city workers.
Jackson has tangled with the union half a
donna times, including a 28-day strike tost
Union members, whose pay
66.240 a year, have received
10-cent-sn-bour raise in the
months When they demanded
hourly raise three weeks before
starts at
only one
past 30
a SO-cent
the city's
Although moat of the striking workers
were Black, many local Black loaders,
including Reverend M artin Luther King
Sr., rallied to Jackson's side.
Many
low-income Blacks also supported the
mayor, fearing a pay raise would lead to a
property tax increase.
Jackson has also angered organised
labor by opposing unionization of the
police department, with the firm support
of the city 's racially balanced city council.
[Mare
News. I
RESPONSE
Six persons, two per decentralised
area, are assigned responsibility for
working with schools, homes, and the
community on problems incident to the
District's voluntary desegregation plan.
Those individuals are choeen for their
potential for further responsibility in the
District and are also particularly well
qualified to work with minority students
and families. Their availability to assist
in communicating between the home and
school on problems of suspensions will be
emphasised to school administrators in
workshops to ba held prior to the opening
of school this year. The ares resource
persons will be present for the admini
strator workshops and, thereby, will be
able to work out the means by which they
might become involved in suspension
problems more promptly in order to
reduce the number of days out of school
experienced by students under suspen
S M ITH
Coma New and Save!
them down, arguing that the city had no
money. The workers ignored advice from
offiristo and decided to strike.
The strike coincided with a nationwide
anti-Jackson advertising campaign that
AFSC M E had planned previously. "Our
campaign was frustrated by the frustra
tion of the workers," AFSC M E j
Jerry W o rf said to a rocen
"The Atlanta power structure that would
have looked upon Maynard as an unne
cessary appendix to their agenda instead
as w him as the vehicle of anti -unionism in
the Southland."
When the city began hiring replace
ments far striking workers, the strike
quickly subsided. Most of the strikers
were eventually rehired.
Pstot Ne. 3
The following material should be ap
pended to Item A . page 3:
The use of resource persons in the area
offices was questioned. It was asked bow
these persons would be called upon to
reduce the length of suspensions
According to Region X sources, the
sew addendum will probably be adequate
to allow a waiver to be granted.
to aa
MAYTAG
M AYTAG
Heavy Duty
? Washers
Desegregation
coalition
(Continued from page 1 col. 6)
N ff A 1976
before the School Bnord. consists of
mootings in each public school, "Town
Hall" mootings, and an eventual election
of a city-wide committee to sutudy
The local meetings would
i the attitudes on, fears of, hopes
for, restraints concerning, and perceived
benefits of integration. The proposal
estimates the cost about 640.000 to
660.000.
Save Now on
Maytag Dependability
M A Y IA « .
Power M o d u le O ^ Ä r
Dishwashers; T i,
Those present elected Ward as tem
porary chairman. Ms. Betty Thompson
will chair a committee to set an agenda
for the next meeting. Ward emphasised
that meetings are open and all interested
citizens are welcome.
S
VW
AV I I; .
MAY[
¿CÜMt
Ask about Special installation offer
Deer Editor:
Name
C i t y ___
JfN/LL
of the bosi
copies. It to rumored that Finlay s to
crossing hostility tow r t PMSC to an
effort ta stabilise hto assn position at
CSA. I t was recently
Fintov. a Nixon aotointee. had beeu
> and there to a definite
that ha will ha r eaaoaed. The
that full fiscal information will ba provid
ed at the September 7th Finance Com
mittee masting and Roger's invitation to
all hoard members to attend that meet-
tog. the Board voted with a margia of one
vote to hold a special hoard meeting
within tea days to review that informs
tian. Although Ms. Lyon exlained that
the time involvement in compiling the
information to great and promised all that
to "humanly p o e a ib te M s Eckten de
manded that everything be «vailable
even if "inhumanly possible". Throughout
the meeting Ms. Web. had demanded
balances on all line
that had been re
st the July meeting. Ms. Lyon
d to explain that
although the information had been pro-
mined. doe to staff illness it was not
complete, and that no specific date had
been set for submitting the information
to Ms. W e lt
On behalf of the Executive Committee
and members of the Portland Branch
N A A C P we want to thank you for the
excellent coverage we received on the
occasion of the Honorable Benjamin L.
Hooks' visit to Portland on August 5. Wa
especially appreciate it since the tins» for
preparation for hto visit was so short.
We must note that having a story
before the event to very useful. This
cooperation wo very much appreciate.
We did not get it from the d ty dailies.
Sincerely
John H. Jackson
we give you m ore...
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