Page 2 Portland Observer Thursday. February 23. 1978
¿ tÜ M to tU &ÜÍM
We see the world
through Black eyes
It’s the matter of citizen participation
C itizen p a rtic ip a tio n is on the m o ve in A lb in a .
For m a n y years th e Black c o m m u n ity reacted and
u su a lly re a cte d too late, o ffe r the decisions had been
m ad e. This w as because the decision s w e re m ad e in
p riv a te a n d th e p e o p le in fo rm e d later. O n ly those
w h o w e re p art o f the p o w e r structure had the
o p p o rtu n ity to p a rtic ip a te
S om etim es this h a p p e n e d because o f secrecy in
g o v e rn m e n t — the conscious e ffo rt to subvert the
d e m o cra tic process to p ro m o te o n e 's o w n ends.
O ther tim e s it w as because the d e cis io n m akers d id
n ot trust th e p e o p le to m ake in te llig e n t decisions or
d id n ot w o n t to b o th e r w ith tim e -c o n s u m in g p u b lic
d e b a te .
That citizens a re d e m a n d in g th e o p p o rtu n ity to be
h ea rd is e vid e n c e d by th re e se pa ra te incid en ts
a tte n d e d la rg e ly by d iffe re n t in d iv id u a ls .
The firs t w as th e u n ite d re a c tio n o f the Black
co m m u n ity a nd m a n y o f those o rd in a rilly id e n tifie d
w ith h u m a n rights g oa ls a g a in st th e P ortland School
B oard's "N e w m a n P la n ". This p la n b ro u g h t over
tw o h u n d re d persons b e fo re th e School Board to
object. The next e v id e n c e w as th e a tte n d a n c e o f
a p p ro x im a te ly o ne h u n d re d p e o p le at a King
N e ig h b o rh o o d A sso ciatio n m e e tin g h e ld in response
to th e P ortland D e ve lo p m e n t C om m issions proposed
U rban R en ew a l Proiect on U n io n A ve nu e .
A g a in , a b o u t o ne h u n d re d persons a tte n d e d an
A lb in a Fair Share m e e tin g to discuss a b a n d o n e d
houses in th e ir n e ig h b o rh o o d .
The O bserver has a lw a y s p ro m o te d p a rtic ip a tio n :
p a rtic ip a tio n in th e e c o n o m y th ro u g h e m p lo y m e n t
a nd a g u a ra n te e d in c o m e ; p a rtic ip a tio n in the
p o litic a l system th ro u g h the e le c tiv e process and
th ro u g h a p p o in tm e n t to Boards a n d C om m issions;
p a rtic ip a tio n in e d u ca tio n , h ou sin g, h e a lth care, etc.
But m ost o f a ll — p a rtic ip a tio n in p la n n in g fo r
ourselves a n d o u n n e ig h b o rh o o d s .
For this reason w e a re d e lig h te d to see th e g ro w th
o f c itiz e n in v o lv e m e n t e v e n th o u g h som e a g e n c ie s
and o rg a n iz a tio n s m ig h t fe e l th e b ru n t o f it. Our
e ffo rts a t in fo rm in g the p u b lic a n d o u r ta k in g
e d ito ria l stances on th e issues a re n ot m e a n t as
attacks on a ny persons or o rg a n iz a tio n s b u t a re the
result o f a p o litic a l a n d so cial p h ilo s o p h y .
W e ca nn ot a g re e w ith m a n y o f th e d ecision s o f the
P ortland Public Schools a nd m ost o f a ll w e h a v e to
q u e s tio n the process by w h ic h decision s a re m ade.
The a d m in is tra tio n seems to be a fra id o f p u b lic
d e b a te as e v id e n c e d by the s ile n c e a n d th e speed
w h ic h a cco m p a n ie s th e ir decisions. W e u n d e rsta n d
that the a d m in is tra tio n is upset because th e y b e lie v e
the W o o d la w n Plan was le a k e d to th e O b server
o lth o u g h the p la n is to be a cte d upon on F ebruary
27th a n d the p u b lic sh ou ld h o v e bee n in fo rm e d lon g
ago. W e re a lly c a n 't ta ke c re d it fo r this e xpo sure
th ou gh , th e C o m m u n ity Press g o t th e re firs t.
W e h ave n ot ta k e n a p o s itio n fo r or a g a in s t PDC's
U rban R en ew a l Project. Thom as K e nn e dy a tta c k e d
us re p e a te d ly fo r p rin tin g " fa ls e in fo r m a tio n "
re g a rd in g th e a lle g e d fa ilu re o f PDC to p ro p e rly
in v o lv e th e n e ig h b o rh o o d reside n ts in th a t p ro po sal.
(The reside n ts w h o spoke stated th a t th e y h a d not
bee n p ro v id e d tim e ly in fo rm a tio n .)
M r K ennedy n e g le c te d to re c a ll th a t he h ad been
o ffe re d space in th e n e w s p a p e r to fu lly e x p la in the
p ro je c t a nd th e re la te d issues.
It is o u r h o p e th a t s o m e tim e in th e fu tu re th e
g o v e rn m e n ta l a g e n c ie s w ill fu lly in fo rm a n d in v o lv e
th e citizens. They w o u ld u n d o u b te d ly d isco ve r that
m ost p e o p le a re c a p a b le o f m a k in g d ecision s that
w ill e n h a n c e th e c o m m u n ity a n d o f m a k in g those
sa crifices so m e tim e s necessary to p ro m o te th e p u b lic
b e n e fit. Then w e can w rite g lo w in g e d ito ria ls and
lo v e ly stories a n d e v e ry b o d y w ill fe e l g o o d .
Supports Woodlawn school proposal
To the Editor:
In response to your editorial of Feb
ruary 9. 1978,1 believe the record should
be made clear on the proposed Woodlawn
Multicultural Center.
The article is
misleading and could be detrimental to
the proposal based on inaccurate infor
mation
I personally think we must
explore alt sound educational options
which will enhance learning as well as
good interpersonal relationships.
Enclosed are two items which 1 hope
will be of interest in gaining your support
for the proposal.
Sincerely,
Gladys McCoy. Member
Board of Education
Statement Regarding Portland
Observer Editorial on
W oodlawn Multicultural Center
tary schools, are not usually taught by
specialists.
2. Build strong retatiaaahi.Ni. Bringing
together children from different schools
for several weeks will enable them to
form healthy relationships, based on
common experiences rather than hear
say.
3. t umculum to feature multicultural
education. The curriculum will incor
poraie information about the many con
trbutions people of different back
grounds have made to our American
society.
4. Student* urged to remain at Wood
lawn. Even though an entire class of
students would attend the school for
perhaps nine weeks, planners intend that
because of the excellent education avail
able at Woodlawn and the new friend
ships that will develop several out-of
neighborhood students will elect to re
main at Woodlawn through the fifth
grade
5. Not unique to Portland. Although
The Woodlawn Multicultural Center
proposal would bring a largely white
third grade class to Woodlawn for an
enriching educational experience in a
multicultural setting. Each of four such To the Editor:
classes would attend Woodlawn for a
substantial period of time, perhaps nine
We are concerned that the Portland
weeks. The writer of the editorial and School District is considering a ‘Wood
the people of the Portland School District lawn Plan' that would bring one class of
who support the proposal share a com
white students into Woodlawn School in
mon concern: the separation that some
order to add Caucasian students statist!
times exists between Black and white cally and to provide a multiethnic pro
children in a school involved in desegre
gram.
gation. However, the editorial writer, no
Each white class and its teacher would
doubt because of inadequate information, attend Woodlawn for one quarter (nine
misses the key point: the proposal is weeks) and would remain a self contained
under consideration precisely to counter unit with its teacher responsible for basic
such racial separation.
courses. These students would be with
Several othér points need clarification: resident students for PE, 'fine arts',
1 Se.oration is not the intent of the lunch, social studies, and other activities.
irogram
As a goal, the Woodlawn
Our concern* are two fold:
Center concept has always maintained
1. The Community Coalition for School
that all students would participate to Integration is involved in a study or
gether in individualized reading and math current programs and will make compre
programs. Students would also come hensive proposals to the School Board
together in such classes as art. physical this summer. In light of the Coalition's
education, and music which, in elemen
work, a new 'desegregation' plan at
the proposal was developed locally by
school district teachers and administra
tors, it is not unique to Portland. Many
major cities, including Ixis Angeles and
Fan Diego, have put into practice similar
programs to improve education in a
multicultural setting.
8. Program ba* local su.i.iort. The
concept has received endorsement by the
U oodlawn Parent Advisory Committee,
the Woodlawn Neighborhood Associa
lion, and the Portland School District
Area II Citizen Advisory Committee, as
well as Woodlawn teachers and admini
strators and the Area II administration
staff.
I am hopeful that with more informa
lion about this positive step to improve
the education of Portland children by
providing an extensive educational ex
perience featuring a multicultural curn
culum, while at the same time seeking to
desegregate a school which falls outside
State of Oregon regulations on racial
balance, the Portland Observer will en
dorse the proposal wholeheartedly.
Opposes Woodlawn plan
Woodlawn is premature.
2. The visiting students would remain
visitor* not integrated into the school,
although numbers would be used to
compute the Black, white ratio.
We
oppose any program to bring white
students into a predominately Black
school which keeps them separate from
the resident population
If white student* are to be bussed in.
they should become part of the existing
classes and remain in Woodlawn until
they have completed the grades offered
at that school.
This proposal is now on the agenda of
the next regular meeting of the School
Board; 7:30 p.m., Monday, February
27th. 1978.
Sincere regards.
(Ms.) Lillie Walker, Chairperson
Committee for Quality Education
For all Children
The Rape of Albina
To the Editor:
Reflections on Black History
by Herb Cawtborne
Teaching Black boys and girls how to
act and how to think is the goal of history.
History is the boiled-down memory of
humankind and. as such, provides us with
the frames of reference to which we can
turn as we act and think our way through
life.
History sparks comparison. Today is
judged by how we compare it to our
understanding of yesterday. Remember
the old contention that, “He who does not
know history is forever condemned to
repeat it?" From the deep wells of
history, we draw the values to judge the
conditions we face today.
But the knowledge of history is of poor
value if all we adhere to is a collection of
fragmented facts, dates, and names. We
have a memorization games, not a pro
cess of learning and understanding.
Black history is a subject with great
promise, but each of us will have to do our
small part to insure its proper instruction
to our young.
The illustrious history of Afro-Ameri
cans is so much more than one isolated
fact, one lonely thread. It is so much
more than a single period of hardtimes as
seen from the darker view. It is certainly
more than the colorful strands of one
man's great existence. Black history is a
beautifully colored fabric - a combination
of all the threads, the strands of the
past.
The fabric of Black history cannot be
understood if one studies only a select
group of so-called "great ones." This
approach, which constitutes basically
what exists now. is divisive, for our
children fail to gain an appreciation for
the fact that everyone has a necessary
contribution to make. Yet. when they see
the totality of this struggle we have
waged for 400 years in America, then
they will see the fabric of our history. The
picture will be big enough for them to
find their place in it. Beyond the bits and
pieces of isolated knowledge, understand
ing the fabric allows one to share in the
wisdom that is woven into the entire
design.
Unfortunately. Black children in this
city are asked to climb great barriers of
neglect and insensitivity in order to gain
even a brief glimpse of the true meaning
of their proud heritage. It used to be that
the Portland Public Schools gave Black
children little more than negative, racist
images. The situation is better now. but
not much. As opposed to nothing at all.
some of our children at least are exposed
to certain names and dates and events
and times: it is not embarrassing any
longer to mention Black people in a
classroom.
When I ask myself. "What kind of
approach characterizes the last decade
here in Portland." I must answer: It has
been to encourage the Black child to
remember the people, the dates, the
landmarks - and then send them on their
merry way thinking they know the
backgrounds from which they come. At
best, this approach is shallow. At worst,
it is extremely destructive.
Because of what exists now. and what I
believe will likely exist in the future. I
challenge our Black community. I chai
lenge this community to do mure to
accept the burdens of teaching young
Black children to think well about their
heritage. Though the public schools in
this city do an absolutely terrible job of
integrating the Black perspective, even
when it has improved 100%, it will still
not be sufficient. Therefore, we must do
more ourselves.
One way to rectify the situation is
organize for the purpose of teaching our
children the true and lasting wisdom of
Black existence in this country and the
world.
To achieve this end, it is
important that people know that the
effort to teach our children the essence of
their past will be very highly rewarded.
We could afford to enlist the services of
scholars and instructors in this commu
nity. It would be a small investment
which later will bring the priceless
dividends of an informed and tough
future generation.
To embark in this city upon such a
commitment to teach the beauty of Black
progress in American society, we will
boldly give real life to the meaning of
Margaret Walker's magnificent dream:
“Let a new earth rise. Let another
world be born. Let a bloody peace be
written in the sky.
Let a second
generation full of courage issue forth; let
a people loving freedom come to growth.
Let a beauty full healing and a strength of
final clenching be the pulsing in our
spirits and our blood. Let the marshall
songs be written. Let the dirges disap
pear. Let a race of men now rise and take
control.”
Portland Observer
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company. 2201
North KiUingsworth. Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing address:
P .0. Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208 Telephone: 283 2486.
Subscriptions: $7.50 per year in the Tri-County area. $8.00 per
year outside Portland.
1st Place
Community Service
ONPA 1973
1st Place
Best Ad Results
ONPA 1973
Second ( las* Postage Paid at Portland Oregon
5th Place
Best Editorial
NNPA 1973
The Portland Observer * official ponition is expressed only in
its Publisher’s column IWe See The World Through Black
Eyes). Any other material throughout the paper is the opinion
of the individual writer or submitter and does not necessarily
reflect the opinion of the Portland Obaerver.
Herrick Mitorial Award
NN A 1973
ALFRED L. HENDERSON
Editor/Publisher
National Advertising Representative
Amalgamated Publishers. Inc.
New York
M A M fN /L L
N
2nd Place
Best Editorial
3rd Place
Community Leadership
ONPA 1975
MEMBER
MEMBE*
Oregon
Newspaper
Publishers
Association
Honorable Mention
e I i p J I per
Afocittioo ■ Founded TM6
Once again Portland Development
Commission, with its (Black) henchman
more or less telling the community what
they must do, is out to rape the Albina
Community again.
Over the past ten years P.D.C. has
come into the Black community, with the
help of other Bldbk workers, and stole
from poor and defenseless elderly people,
for their own selfish gain. The Mayor and
the City Council have stood by as if they
were as helpless as the victims.
When P.D.C. acquired the property for
Emanuel Hospital, they used Black work
ers to help them steal from the com
munity by gaining the confidence of the
people - by telling them they were
helping them to sign up for social
security, medicare, health plan, and you
name it they used it to get the property
from the people.
You would think by now. since the
goose has layed so many golden eggs for
them they would be content to leave the
community alone.
This legalized theft has gone on even
though people have complained. No one
listens, why no one listens is because this
is the Albina where most of the poor
Black and white live, so you don't have a
voice. You are told what to do, not asked
what you would like to do. Even though
the crooks have been caught, and guilt is
obvious, there has not been anyone
arrested, or even told the foul play must
stop. Now they are ready for another
robbery, and there is no one to stop them.
P.D.C. know* that even if they paid
each homeowner up to $15,000 for their
home, it would not be enough to buy a
flea trap, as high as property is today.
Most houses are selling for $25.000 and
up. even with a large down payment the
average monthly payment would be
$200 to $300, people on low, and fixed
income cannot afford to pay that much
and try to live too.
Most people who were moved from the
Emanuel site are poorer now than before
they had to move.
If P.D.C. had used the money that the
Federal government put into the Albina
area during the Model Cities program,
property there would not be a lot of run
down houses still in the area. Most of the
money was used in areas where there
were working people who could have
afforded to pay for their homes to be
rehabilitated, but instead they got out
right grants. But when it comes time to
fix the Boise. Humboldt. Eliot areas the
people were only able to get low interest
loans. What a rip o ff And the homes
that were fixed were poorly done by
contractors who were out to make a*
much money a* they could, while a good
thing lasted.
Black people are promised jobs every
time a white firm move* into this area.
This has gone on for over twenty years
and most of us are as jobless now as we
were twenty years ago. Nordstrom will
be no different once they move in. They
will hire one or two Blacks to justify
their promise.
When will the poor Blacks realize that
a bird in the hand is worth ten in the
bush. or. keep what you've got unless you
are assured of something much, much
better without you paying the price for
someone else. The few thousand dollars
that are being offered for your property
can't buy you anything but an early
grave from heart aches and heart breaks.
whether or not it passes. I, for one, am
beginning to find Mr. Priestley a very
expensive form of entertainment.
Having defended Mr. Priestley. Ms.
Fisher goes on to attack Evie Crowell,
the only Democratic candidate presently
declared in the 16th District, with state
ments like the following:
"Ms. Crowell is a question mark."
“I do not know Ms. Crowell..."
"She has a small community track
record."
"She and others have been encouraged
by the powers that be to run against
Representative Priestley..."
Let me enlighten Ms. Fisher. I do
know Ms. Crowell. Her community track
record is far from being small, and the
only "powers” that have encouraged her
to run are the powers inherent in a Black
woman has lived in the 16th District
since she was six and risen to the position
of Associate Professor at Portland State
University where she is both a librarian
and leaches courses for the Black Studies
Department. Evie Crowell is the imme
diate past president of the Portland
YWCA and has served in many organize
tions working for a better community.
These include the Martin Luther King
Scholarship Fund, of which she was the
secretary/treasurer; the Urban League,
the Delta Sigma Theta (national Black
women's social service sorority), the
Public Education Research Council of
Oregon, the Portland Art Association,
and the City Club (as one of its first
female members). In the recent past she
has served as a participant or community
resource person for the Tri-County Com
munity Council Priority Needs Survey,
the HEW hearing* on national health
care held at Portland State University in
October, and the "Wages, Welfare or
What" conference held at PSU's School of
Social Work last year. Most recently she
was a participant at the Oregon Assemb
ly of Black Affairs annual meeting in
Salem where she took part in the
planning for Oregon's first Black political
convention, scheduled to be held next
month in Portland.
If Ms. Fisher doesn't know Ms. Cro
well, one wonders where Ms. Fisher
spends her time.
Sincerely.
'
Gary S. Sampson
Sincerely.
Vesia Loving
Questions record
To the Editor:
In your issue of February 16th you
printed a letter by Claudia Fisher which
attempted to defend Wally Priestley
from the charge of being unable “to
introduce legislation and get it through."
That letter was a classic example of
"distortion by half-truth."
Ms. Fisher wrote that Wally Priestley,
“if one bothers to check." introduced 28
House measures which were passed
and/or adopted by the House in the last
legislative session. I have bothered to
check, and the facts concerning Mr.
Priestley's record are quite different than
Ms. Fisher paints them. These facts can
be found on page LS-27 of the Final
Legislative Calendar of the Fifty ninth
Legislative Assembly of the State of
Oregon.
A representative may be counted as
introducing legislation in three ways. He
can be the sole sponsor of a bill; he can be
the principal sponsor of a bill to which
other rep resen ta tiv es attach their
names; or he can attach his name to
someone else’s bill to lend support when
it goes before the House. Here is Mr.
Priestley’s real record:
He was the sole sponsor of twenty
House bills. None were signed into law.
He was the principal sponsor of nineteen
House bills. Two became law. He added
his name to 67 bills prepared by others.
Thirteen became law. Ms. Fisher wrote
of “28 measures" passed by the House,
but passing the House isn't the same
thing as "getting it through.” In fact only
two of Mr. Priestley's own bills actually
became laws. The other 37 bills of which
he was the sole or principle sponsor never
made it. This is not a very impressive re
cord for a man who, "at an economic loos
to himself, chooses not to be employed
outside of the legislature." And speaking
of "economic loss," let's not forget, that it
costs the taxpayer's from $600 to $1,100
for every bill introduced by a legislator,
»
Too lot« to classify
ENERGY SPECIALIST
Duties include: helping de
velop criteria and studies
designed to identify sites
suitable for different types
of energy facilities; propos
ing standards and rules
that applicants for site cer
tificate must meet; review
monitoring by site operator
and other agencies to as
sure that state require
ments are met; assisting in
evaluation of site certificate
applicant.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelors Degree in envi
ronmental or physical
science, natural science, en
gineering, or related fields
and four years experience
in environmental control of
resource management; or
equivalent combination of
experience and training.
Salary range: $144541847/
month.
Send for application - Ore
gon Dept. of Energy, Rm.
I ll, Labor & Industries
Bldg., Salem, OR. 97310.
An Equal O.i.iortunity
Em.doyer