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PORTLAND
OBSERVER
Volume 8 Ne. 17 Thursday. April SO, 1978 10c per copy
Young earns
'Mother’
Merit Award
KAREN BELL
Ball a o m eagiaaariag award
Karen Bell, a junior at Monroe High
School, has been selected to represent
the Oregon Chapter of American Society
of Civil Engineers at a two week engi
neenng summer institute at California
State University at Long Beach.
This will be an expense paid trip for
Karen and twenty-four minority students
from across the nation.
Miss Bell is enrolled in the Portland
State University Educational Center pre
engineering program tor minority high
school students, where she attends after
school classes in engineering and math.
Miss Bell is interested in pursuing a
career in engineering.
She received the award at a special
assembly sponsored by the Urban Lea
gue of Portland and Monroe High School.
She has been a participant in the Urban
League's “Career Awareness Day" d ur
ing the last two years and two Nuclear
Engineering- Workshops sponsored by
Oregon State University.
Karen is the daughter of M r. and Mrs.
John Bell.
Mrs. Maude Banks Young was one of
twelve Oregon women to receive M erit
Awards in the annual Mother of the Year
competition. Mrs. Young received her
award from Governor Bob Straub this
week.
Mrs. Young and her late husband. Nick
Banks, who was a chef on the Great
Northern Railroad, were parents of three
children. Bernice is married and lives in
California. She is a former teacher.
Audry Parsons is an adjudicator for the
Oregon City office of the State Employ
ment Division. Nick Banks, Jr. is a driver
for Mobile Oil, the first Black driver on
the West Coast.
Mrs. Young has always been involved
in community activities.
While her
children were small she was active in
P T A at Holladay and Eliot schools, which
was uncommon for Black parents at that
time.
She also was a G irl Reserve
Advisor for the segregated Williams
Avenue Y W C A .
Mrs. Young and her husband became
irvolvetl with the USO at the Y W C A ,
volunteering hundreds of hours. H er
husband cooked and baked for the ser
vicemen and was a special inspiration
since he was an amputee. Their home
was always open to servicemen.
Mrs. Young was one of the first
members of the Urban League Guild and
was president for five years. She served
on the Urban League of Portland Board
of Directors for four years.
Mrs. Young was active in women’s
clubs, and was a member of the Portland
Federation of Women's Organizations.
She chaired the Child W elfare Committee
and actively worked with the Legislature
and the Juvenile Court to promote
legislation to protect battered children.
A member of St. Philips Episcopal
Church for forty years, she has held
every office open to women.
She is
currently President of Episcopal Church
Women of St. Philips, chairman of United
Thank Offering, and a member of
Daughters of the King, a national service
organization. She has sung in the choir
for forty years.
Mrs. Young was sponsored in the
Oregon M other of the Year competition
by the Urban League Guild.
Irving Park neglect charged
There ia no cloud of dust when little
leaguer's slide into home at Irving Park
because there is no dust. For more than
two yeart. the L ittle League officials have
attempted to get the Park Bureau to put
dirt on the basepaths at the Irving Park
ball fields.
“I t is dangerous for a player to slide on
the hard ground," Ron Sykes, President
of Irving Park L ittle League, explained.
“I've seen many kids tear up their legs
sliding because the ground is hard and
there is no loose dirt or sawdust to slide
on.
“How can we teach young people to
play baseball when they are afraid to
slide. In practice they will refuse and I
don't blame them for not wanting to
scrape their legs and tear their clothes."
Sykes states that he has attempted to
get dirt from the Park Bureau. “Last
year, when we hosted the tournament,
some of the managers from other dis
tricts were surprised at the terrible
condition of the base paths. The Park
Bureau did come during the tournament
and sprinkle a little d irt, but not enough.”
When Sykes talked to Paul Keanon this
week. Keanon indicated that he did not
think more dirt is necessary. “Although
he had promised last month that dirt
would be delivered, he said Monday that
that problem is not as bad as we think.
When I asked why they didn't bring a
load of dirt during the w inter so it would
be there when needed in the spring, like
they do in other parks, he said he didn’t
think they could leave d irt at Irving
without it disappearing by the time its
needed. Some parents have been calling
Commissioner Schwab's office and he
seemed upset."
The condition of the paths is considered
dangerous by the team managers and
parents.
Crow, Mrs. Hazel G. Hays, and Attorney
Keith Buras.
Travelling from Lea Angeles to receive
his award was former State Senator
Monroe Sweetland. Sweetland, who was
Oregon's Democratic National Commit
teeman during the Truman administra
tion, a time when few Democrats held
elective positions in Oregon, served as
titular head of the party. He is credited
with reviving the Democratic Party in
Oregon to the extent that the election of
liberal Democrats was possible. A former
editor of the Milwaukie Review, Sweet
rocks. The infield is mostly d irt but has
grass between the pitcher's mound and
home plate. “W e need a load of d irt to
bring up the d irt part of the intield even
with the grass, unless they want to take
out the grass. The entire infield needs to
bo worked over.”
Brown said the Irving Park field ia in
terrible condition compared to other
fields. “W e have always had problems
getting anything done at Irving Park.
The other fields nearby are kept in much
better condition.“.
Paul Keanon of the Park Bureau
explained that Irving Park will receive
dirt when it stops raining. He said that
since the playing season does not start
until the coming weekend, the mainte
nance crews have started on other parks
that are used earlier in the spring. He
mentioned that Irving Park is in no worse
condition than the other fields. “I think
Irving Park should get as much attention
as any other park but it shouldn't get
more. I t is in as good shape as any other
field.”
The crews that work on the fields don't
give the “extra loving care" that a group
particularly interested in that field
would. They spend from one half hour to
forty five minutes on a field and service
from fifteen to sixteen fields a day during
the height of the season," he explained.
Thia is due to shortage of manhours and
funds.
Keanon has not checked the park
himself but sent a crew out last week.
They filled a hole but did not do much
else, he admitted.
He said Sykes
admitted that the base paths are the
biggest problem and explained that if
they did put on loose d irt it would bake in
the sun and get hard again. He said
Sykes had offered to provide volunteers
to do the work if the city would provide
dirt.
“They
added.
haven’t
been forgotten,"
he
Biskar opposes office flowers
In the City Council's budget hearing on
the Park Bureau budget Tuesday, Arnold
Biskar, candidate for the Council position
held by Mildred Schwab, blasted the
Bureau's budget; for providing cut flowers
for Commissioner's and Bureau offices.
According to the proposed budget, the
Park Bureau will spend $60,337 to pro
duce 4,400 bouquets of flowers and $6,286
to service and grow 2,010 office plants.
“Can Commissioner Schwab really be
lieve that the citizens of Portland want
their tax dollars spent on cut flowers
when basic needs of citizens remain
unaddressed?” he asked.
“There is something wrong with Com
missioner Schwab's sense of priorities
where she can include cut flowers in her
budget request at the same time seniors
and other groups in this community are in
need of real assistance finding adequate
housing, health care, transportation or
one hot meal a day."
Commissioner Schwab, who admini
sters the Park Bureau, replied, “I agree
with you.” She explained that the budget
for cut flowers had been reduced two
years ago and that in light of the need for
more cuts in the Park Bureau budget, cut
flowers might be discontinued.
DOL investigates city discrimination complaints
“It's as racist as any place you can find
in the south or worse,” said one former
C E T A employee, speaking of the Bureau
of Human Resources under M ayor Gold
schmidts' administration. The criticisms
abound and are summarized in the
complaints filed against the city and the
state of Oregon:
• The City is racist and sexist in its
hiring, promotion, and funding of propo
sals.
• The State D .O .L. functions to sup
port statewide racist practices by not
enforcing violations of civil rights or
setting precedents in court.
■ A complaint was filed w ith the Depart
ment of Labor, which funds the C ETA
program.
Investigative teams came,
investigated and left town. . .twice. Yet,
no detailed report was made public. The
second team from the national office
reportedly left after the M ayor protested
their “secrecy” and what seemed to be an
unsportsmanlike “pouncing” on the city,
to the Seattle Regional Office of the
Department of Labor.
The regional office is believed by some,
to be insulating the city from vigorous
investigation and avoiding the admini
stration of the spirit, if not the letter, of
civil rights law on the books.
Ms. Freddie Petite of the Mayors'
office confirmed that a worried Gold
schmidt had complained to Regional
Director, Wehmeyer, “. . .about the
(investigation) teams'tactics.” In answer
to the charges of mismanaged funds. Ms.
Petite said, “we can account for every
penny of the money. . .”, but added that
city general fund money had to be used to
cover the “overages” of the C E T A pro
gram in the Bureau. “W e have to stop
the practice of managers hiring assistants
to spread the (work) load” added Petite,
giving weight to the charges that
“friends” were being hired for the C E T A
staff. As assistant to the Mayor, Petite
reported that the Bureau is “. . .taking up
most of my time because there are so
many complex problems involved.”
In fact, the Observer learned that
there are positions that have been an
nounced since November at 1977 and are
(Please turn to Page 5 Column 1)
Bentley seeks County Commission post
N A A C P Broach awards former presidents, workers
The N A A C P presented a number of
service awards to past presidents and
members who have given devoted service
to the organization at a “Pre Convention
Awards Banquet" Sunday evening.
Past presidents honored were: Herman
Plummer, Ulyses Plummer, Mrs. Marie
Smith. Mrs. Lorna Marple, H arry Ward,
Otto Rutherford. Mayfield K. Webb.
Thomas R. Vickers. Reverend Ellis Cas
son, Reverend Clow and George Thomas
Members selected tor recognition
were: James Lee, C.A. W hite. Ural P.
Cannon. Ma. Betty W hite. Mrs. Gertrude
Charles Brown, manager of the Mina
Temple Senior Little League Team, de
scribed the infield as having holes and
land went to California in 1962 to
represent the Nations Education Assort'
ation in the western states. A native of
Oregon, he was long active in the
Portl-nd Branch, N A A C P.
According to Branch President, Rev
erend John Jackson, the event also
served as a fund raiser for costs of
hosting the National Convention in July.
Mrs. Verna CAnson, director of the
N A A C P Western Region, was the feat
ured speaker. She also presented a new
charter to the newly reorganised Youth
Branch.
\
PAULA BENTLEY
Paula Bentley is a candidate for M u lt
nomah County Commission, Position S,
the position vacated by the resignation of
Mel Gordon.
Mrs. Bentley considers herself to be a
candidate with a proven record in the
major areas handled by the county -
transportation, land use, personnel. Cur
rently a member of the Gresham City
Council, she has served on the CRAG
Board of Directors and the T ri-M et Task
Force studying long term financing of
public transportation.
“Land use is one of the most important
issues facing the County Commission and
it is an issue in which I have proven
experience," she explained. “The way
land is used will determine whether we
have safe, livable neighborhoods. W e can
meet the demands of growth and still
retain a good environment if we plan
properly now." H er experience on the
Board of Directors of the Columbia
Region Association of Governments
(CRAG) has largely been involved in land
use.
Finding land use. economic develop
ment and transportation are inseparable
issues - she also includes housing, em
ployment and education in the areas that
will be affected by current planning
efforts of the cities and the county.
Of affirm ative action, Mrs. Bentley
said, “T o me affirm ative action is not just
words, something to talk about. I t is
something that requires commitment and
shows results. I cannot believe that the
county, which until recently had an
affirmative action officer with no staff,
could be truly committed. I would not be
part of an organization without there
being strong affirmative action.”
When she joined the Gresham City
Council. Mrs. Bentley found there was no
affirmative action plan and few minority
or women employees. ‘T h e city could not
even get federal funds. This immediately
became one of my projects and now we
have a viable program and are making
changes in the city’s work force."
Mrs. Bentley professes to be a hard
(Please turn to Page 2 Column 5)
Fighting the PMSC 'blacklist’
The following is an interview with Don
Fuller, former executive director of the
Portland Metropolitan Steering Com
mittee.
Mrs. Lets SeyWe, President sf the Portland Chapter of Ltofcs,
Inc. and Mr*. Bernadette F l am a n i. Chairaaaa of the Jessie Mae
Johnsen Campship Fuad, present funds fur campship. to
Salvation Army Community Center director Leon Smith.
Salvation Army receive» Links contribution
The Portland Chapter of Mnks present
ed the Salvation Army Community Cen
ter four Campships in the amount of
$260.00. from the Jessie Mae Johnson
Campship Fund.
M r. I^eon Smith is
Center Director.
This campahip fund was made possible
by contributions from her friends as s
memorial to her unselfish community
work in civic, religious, and cultural
programs. She loved children and work
ed hard to help all children have a better
life full of opportunities.
She was
especially interested in children with
special needs. For over thirty years,
Mrs. Johnson was Director of Volunteer
of America Day Nursery 8chool.
Other agencies receiving campships
from the Jessie Mae Johnson Campship
Fund were the Multnomah Association
for Retarded Citizens Campship Fund
and the Easter Seal Society for Crippled
Children Campship Fund.
Mrs. Jessie Mae Johnson was a charter
member of the Portland Chapter of Links
and served many of the offices. Link
members presenting the campships were
Mrs Bernadette Plummer, chairman of
the Campship Committee and Mrs. Lois
Sayles, newly elected president of Links.
Other committee members are Mrs. Alda
Ruth Monroe and Mrs. Carmen Walker.
Observer - Well Don, here it is six
months after you left Portland Metropoli
tan Steering Committee (EO A) Inc., and
now you are granting an interview to the
press. Why? W hat have you been up to?
Fuller: I've been paying dues, and the
reason I am giving an interview now
is for history, documentation. I t is im
portant to me to do it because it com
pletes the record and can be instruc
tive to the other would-be Black leaders
in Portland.
Observer: But you were supposed to
interview with Herb Cawthorne on hia
television show weren't you, in Novem
ber?
Fuller: Thereabout, yes. I wanted to
do that show, but family illness prevent
ed it. I don’t think I would have been
very coherent anyway.
That was a
period depression (following the folding
of P.M.S.C.), worse than being in 'Nam
for me. It wasn't until I got worked up
into a rage about the “whitebait” or
“whitelisting'' as I call it, that I could
begin to organize myself and my thoughts
again. This interview may seem self
serving (and it is), but it can't help but
teach. I liked and still like teaching,
because I learn so much in the process.
Observer: W hat about this “whiteball
ing" thing; what exactly do you mean?
Fuller: Well, right after I was term i
nated from P.M .8.C ., I blamed myself a
great deal for the failure, the term ina
tion, of the agency. I thought that there
were things, there must have been some
things I could have done to keep it going.
Yet, others would say “you didn't do it. It
wasn't your fault, you can't be blamed...
just don’t worry about it...You’re only
thirty-fivv years old, you can pick up and
start again..." I suppose that would have
been true if the white power structure
had gotten Gil (Cleveland Gilcrease),
pinned him to the wall and made a good
example of him to cower the poor and,
primarily, the Black community. They
had after all, stacked his board of
directors against him with city and
county appointees who had to be the most
vindictive, blind and racist people avail
able. They had brought John Rice as
chairman to hia knees and he resigned in
hopes of becoming employable. Then, Gil
resigned and left town! The real target
was gone. That “arrogant Black bas
tard," as Gil often referred to himself
when reflecting on hia enemies, got clean
away. Where was the example?
Destroy the agency? Yesl Spread lies.
Speculation and innuendo in the media?
Yeal But who could be publicly flayed?
Connie McCready said it in open city
council meeting “No one from this agency
...should ever work in this city in a (social
service) program again." Now with a
couple of clear civil rights complaints
against the city and the state claiming
discrimination (for whatever it is worth
to try to bring ..“a criminal to trial in his
own court," as Malcolm X once said), I
can't give details, but on competitive
exams I have scored in the nineties and
hundreds and still can't get a job even
after appeal to the Governor's Office. 1
expect to file another one concerning
C ETA and the Mayor's handling of that
mess. But their purpose is to make an
example of a Black man, some Black man,
any Black man who worked for P.M .8.C.
and Gilcrease, just as Jordan was strip
ped and left “to twist slowly in the wind.”
Now, just because the Oregonian Editor
is also the husband of councilwoman
McCready could be “incidental”, or the
comments in council meetings, or my
unemployment for seven months, but I
doubt it.
Observer: But in fact, weren't you
working for the city Bureau of Parks and
Recreation in the Children's Museum just
recently?
Fuller: Yes I did for about four weeks,
and you know, it seemed perfect, (I was
number one on that examination list, too,
I might add). Here I was, an education
director, second to the director (again).
(Please turn to Page 3 Column 4)