Page 2 Portland Observer Thursday. April 27, 1978
We see the world
through Black eyes
Competent teachers first
H ere in O re g o n th ere is g re at controversy over
student co m p ete n cie s. C om petencies o re a g oo d tool
if th ey ore used th ro u g h o u t the school career to
d e te rm in e w h a t the student is le a rn in g a nd to h e lp
h im m a ke up d e ficie n cie s. They are not g oo d if used
o n ly a t the se nior h ig h school le ve l a n d b ecom e o n ly
a m eth od o f k e e p in g som e students fro m g ra d u a tin g .
In the State o f F lorida they are g o in g a step fu rth e r
a n d co n sid e rin g te ach er com petencies.
U nder
th a t system, c o lle g e students ta kin g e d u ca tio n w o u ld
be g ive n re g u la r e x a m in a tio n s to d e te rm in e if they
w e re c o m p e te n t in several areas — w ritin g , g ra m
m ar, ve rb al c o m m u n ic a tio n , m ath, social science,
history, etc. Their d e fic ie n c ie s w o u ld be m et in
special re m e d ia l classes a nd no person c o u ld be
c e rtifie d as a te a ch e r unless a ll co m p ete n cie s had
been passed
This is a g o o d p la n a n d should be conside red in
O reg on Teachers w h o ca n n o t w rite a g ra m m a tic a l
sentence, spell d e c e n tly , a nd do basic m ath not o n ly
cannot teach c h ild re n these skills b ut th e y co nn ot
gam the respect o f the ch ild .
U n d o u b te d ly a lo t o f th e p ro b le m s o f c h ild re n w ith
"le a r n in g d is o rd e rs " or w h o do n ot le a rn re a lly stem
fro m ill-p re p a re d teachers.
Don’t cry, Bob -
we’re OK
Democratize county charter
B a llo t M easure #1 -- H om e Rule C ou nty In itia tiv e —
R eferen du m R eq u ire m e n ts — is a c o n s titu tio n a l
a m e n d m e n t to b rin g in itia tiv e a n d re fe re n d u m
re g u la tio n s fo r h o m e ru le co un ties in lin e w ith state
re q u ire m e n ts
H om e ru le co un ties c u rre n tly m a ke
th e ir o w n re q u ire m e n ts a n d M u ltn o m a h C ou nty o n ly
a llo w s 30 days fo r citizen s to c o lle c t s ig n a tu re s to
re fe r a n a c tio n ta k e n by th e C ou nty C om m issio n to a
vote o f the p e o p le
M ea sure #1 -- w h ic h was
sponsored in th e L egislature by R ep re se nta tives
W a lly Priestley, Sandy R ichards, G le n n O tto a nd
Senator Vern C ook ~ w ill a llo w 90 days fo r c o lle c tin g
signatures.
The in itia tiv e (p la c in g p ro po sed law s a n d c o n s titu
tio n a l a m e n d m e n ts in th e b a llo t th ro u g h p e titio n )
a nd the re fe re n d u m (re fe rrin g to a v o te o f th e
p e o p le p o lic ie s ta k e n by le g is la tiv e b o d ie s ) since
1901 h ove bee n o n e m e th o d O re g o n voters have
used to d ire c tly im p a rt le g is la tio n a n d to check
p o te n tia l abuses o f e le c te d o ffic ia ls . This rig h t has
been su bve rte d by the M u ltn o m a h C ou nty H om e
Rule C harter w h ic h a llo w s o n ly 30 d ays fo r
c irc u la tin g p e titio n s. S om etim es h a lf or m o re o f th a t
tim e is ta ke n up w ith le g a l m a n e u v e rs so th a t o n ly a
fe w days are le ft fo r g a th e rin g p e titio n signatures.
A yes vo te w o u ld b rin g this in lin e w ith state la w .
The O bserver re c o m m e n d s a Yes vote.
Through the eyes of Mr. W .
by Harold Williams
From the middle 60 s through the early
70’s there wax a great migration of white
people to the suburbs; they were leaving
the inner city to minorities and senior
citizens. The areas of which I'm referring
to are the Irvington.. Woodlawn. Walnut
Park. Piedmont and Albina districts.
These areas are centrally located, with
easy access to freeways, shopping cen
ters. parks, schools, and churches. But.
the year 1978 is causing a turnabout,
whites are coming back into the inner city
and Blacks are going to the suburbs.
The property taxes are cheaper in the
inner city than they are in the suburbs.
There are more conveniences in the inner
city, which whites recognize and Blacks
seem to be overlooking.
. The most valuable property in the City
of Portland is located in the Albina.
Open committee meetings
B a llo t M easure #2 — O pen M e e tin g s Rules fo r
Legislature -- O reg on Law req uires th a t a ll m ee ting s
o f the O reg on House a nd Senate and o f th e ir
co m m itte es a n d sub-com m ittee s be h e ld in p u b lic.
This m easure w o u ld re q u ire that jo in t co m m itte es o f
the House and Senate also be open.
W e re co m m e n d a Yes vote on M easure #2.
Reorganize MSD
A series of three public hearings
designed to get citizen and organizational
input on priorities for the school district
(or the next five years have been set by
the Board of Education of the Portland
Public Schools.
After the hearings the Board will make
a decision on the amount of the tax base
increase to be requested of voters at the
November 1978 general election.
Hearing dates are: Friday, May 12th.
at 4:00 p.m.; Tuesday. June 6th, at 7:30
p.m.; and Wednesday. June 28th, at 7:30
p.m.
JLftiMl
B a llo t M ea sure #6 — R eorganizes M e tro p o lita n
Service D istrict. The re c o m m e n d a tio n o f a c itiz e n
study c o m m itte e , this m easure w o u ld re o rg a n iz e the
M e tro p o lita n S ervice D istrict, w h ic h o p e ra te s the
zoo a n d p e rfo rm s o th e r a re a fu n c tio n s .
CRAG
w o u ld be a b o lis h e d a nd its re g io n a l la n d use
fu n c tio n s tra n s fe rre d to MSD. The AASD is e n v is io n e d
as la te r ta k in g o v e r th e Port o f P ortland. T ri-M e t a nd
o the r m e tro p o lita n a re a -w id e o rg a n iz a tio n s .
The s e llin g aspect o f this m easure, in a d d itio n to
e lim in a tin g o v e rla p p in g services a n d costs, is th a t it
calls fo r a tw e lv e m e m b e r e le c te d g o v e rn in g c o u n c il
a nd an e le c te d e x e c u tiv e o ffic e r. C u rre n tly MSD,
CRAG, Port o f P o rtlan d, T ri-M et, etc. have a p p o in te d
boards w h ic h th e re fo re a re n ot re s p o n s ib le to the
voters.
W e re c o m m e n d a Yes vote on M e a su re #6.
CHOOSING THE BEST
CANDIDATE......
E W Y ß ö D Y 'ö 7 /lL K IÑ G i
4 B 0 U T " ...K tQ iS T E R AND VOTE1
."
BUT A lN T NOM/6-^QF THEM
GONNA HELP
US ! H
gone up for sale in which Blacks moved
out and whites moved in. It should be
obvious that when white* are willing to
move into areas previously owned by
Blacks, there must be gold on the land,
otherwise, it would not attract their
interest. The houses are better built in
these areas than in the suburbs, you get
more for your dollars and you have a
ready made community
Why give it
away for false luxury of the suburbs?
For once in the history of Portland, the
Black community should stop and look at
what it has. Don't be fooled by false
glitter and trade-in a gold mine for empty
promises. Stop, look, and listen - and
realize you have the promised land in
your own back yard. The people call it
Albina, it should bring music to your ears
and gold to your pockets.
School Board asks citizen opinion
All hearings will be held at the school
administration building. 631 N.E. Clack*
mas Street. Portland.
Bob Packw ood is cryin g a g a in .
This tim e it's
because the C arter A d m in is tra tio n has proposed
closing m ilita ry bases in O regon a nd e ls e w h e re .
Packwood calls it a double-cross.
Isn't it strange th a t Packw ood — as a R epublican
w h o calls fo r a "b a la n c e d b u d g e t" a nd lo w e r
g o ve rn m e n t costs - w o u ld cry because th e proposed
b udget cuts e ffe c t his state?
Packw ood's predecessor insured th a t O regon
w o u ld not be d e p e n d e n t on m ilita ry e xpe nd itures.
G o a h e a d a nd close th em , M r President!
Irvington. Woodlawn. Walnut Park, and
Piedmont districts.
It is very obvious that Albina and
Williams Avenue in particular, are being
developed into a light industrial park
which causes the value of the property to
skyrocket. What do Black people do? -
give away a gold mine without asking
questions or checking the record, to see
what the neighborhood is being zoned
for? There seems to be little interest in
the real economic and political power that
community unity can bring about. If the
people in the Black neighborhoods would
come together and unite, these neighbor
hoods would become the most political
and powerful voting blocks in the State of
Oregon.
In the Woodlawn area, over the last
two months. I've noticed and kept careful
watch of over twenty houses that have
At the first two hearings. May 12th and
June 6th, input will be received from the
general public and the final hearing. June
28th, will be for input from the Local
School Advisory Committees through the
three Area Citizens Advisory Commit
tees.
The range of citizens’ comments is not
to be restricted, but the Board is urging
that some comment be directed to
priority issues, such as:
1. Increased attention to writing skills
and composition.
2. Class size.
3. Programs for the gifted.
4. Increased staffing and program assis
tance for basic skills (especially reading
and math).
5. Increased attention to elementary spe
cialists in physical education, art. mu
sic. etc.
6. Additional personnel to deal with
behavior problems.
7. Better supplies and equipment - text
books.
8. Continue to finance high overhead
costs in small schools.
Persons wishing to call and reserve
agende time may do so by telephoning
either John H. Nellor, director of public
information, at 234-3392 ext. 329, or Lori
Cargill, secretary to the Board of Educa
tion, at 233 2190: or they may also write
Board of Education, Portland Public
Schools, 631 N.E. Clackamas Street,
Portland 97232.
to tk¿ Zdúoi
gives biased view
To the Editor:
I have read and listened for the past
few weeks, how the Black community in
Albina passed up the greatest opportu
nity of their livetime, and a lot of other
things about the proposed Nordstrom
project
The one which disturbs me roost was
Harold W illiams' "Through the Eyes of
Mr. W", in which he addressed the prob
lem not through first hand knowledge,
but by attending the meeting and listen
ing to the attitude of P.D.C. Represent*
tive who was in charge of working out a
plan, which would have been both produc
tive to Union Avenue as well as the whole
community.
This was a very delicate area in which
to tread upon in the first place in the
Black community. Since they have been
used, and misused in the loss of their
property due to the Coliseum, the pro
perty adjacent to the Coliseum, which
School District I stole, the Emanuel
Hospital, the Minnesota Freeway and the
Fremont Bridge Massacre.
Did the Mayor and others expect the
people to keep on giving up everything
they own with a promise of a few jobs.
In the first place the Mayor and P.D.C.
should know you don't sell other people
property and then make a deal. First you
consult the people involved, like the
Mayor said, “After the barn door has
been closed." The time for an agreement
with the people is before everything is
signed, sealed and delivered.
Now back to Williams, I like Williams
very much, and I am surprised at his
attitude and the hostility that showed
clearly what he thinks of the people and
Black community.
twenty thousand dollar*- would not have
bought them a mortgage free home so
they would have to incur debts from eight
to ten thousand dollars to buy another
home. How do you think a few job
promise* to us would help u* affect their
Uvelihood.
A good guide that has helped me to
much is this verse from the Bible, “What
profit a man if he gains the whole world
and loses his soul." I think this is a good
scripture that the whole City of Portland
and the U.S. can profit from. We would
be less apt to use others to feather our
own nest.
It was not too many years ago that
Williams was walking the same streets of
poverty as the rest of us. But after a
good job and a few suits later he has
started to look at the Black community
through the eyes of the white world,
saying that we are stupid and indecisive
in trying to work out things best for the
older people and people on fixed income*.
Twenty-nine of the homes in the area
were owned by absentee landlords who
would have gained, because they have
rented those rundown shack* to Blacks
and charged them a mint, they could have
walked in and made twenty thousand
dollars on which could have been a big
profit on their investment. But for the
twenty-two homeowners, most over fifty.
Sincerely.
Vesia Loving
. . . UNION OR COMPANY
DENTAL INSURANCE
is a valuable a s s e t. . .
your health
and
appearance
COMPLETE COOPERATION
ON ALL
DENTAL INSURANCE CLAIMS
WE HANDLE ALL THE DETAILS OF
COMPLETING YOUR CLAIM FORMS
Good variety
NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED
Come in at your convenience
To the Editor:
P o rtlan d O b s e rv e r
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, 2201
North Killingsworth. Portland. Oregon 97217 Mailing address.
P.0. Box 3137. Portland. Oregon 97206. Telephone: 283 2486
Subscriptions: $7.50 per year in the Tri-County area. $8.00 pet
year outside Portland.
Second Clans 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
Eyesl. 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 Observer.
ALEREI) L HENDERSON
Ixlitor/Pubbshcr
Natieaal Advertising Re.iresentative
Amalgamated Publisher». luc
New York
MEMBCS
Oregon
1 Newspaper
Publishers
I Association
MEMBER
fW ffW P /lP E fl
Association - Founded IMS
1st Place
Community Service
ONPA 1973
1st Place
Best Ad Result*
ONPA 1973
5th Place
Best Editorisi
NNPA 1973
Honorable Mention
Herrick Editorial Award
NN A 1973
2nd Place
Best Editorial
3rd Place
( ommunity Leadership
O NPA 1975
I have been following closely the
column "Behind the Wall". It seems
there is quite a controversy over dif
ferences of views and opinions. As an
objective reader I enjojr both the column
and letters of response.
I commend all those involved. The
number one objective of writing is to get
your message to the people. It seems to
me that through the joint efforts of
Larry, the people behind the wall who
care enough to respond, e.g.: Woodrow
V. Broadnax land others), and the Port
land Observer.
We. the people, are
getting most of the messages.
Sincerely, One of the People
JoAn Randall
PARK FREE-Any Park n Shop Lot
HOURS-
Saturday 8:30 a m. to 1 p.m.
Dr. Jeffrey BRADY, Dentist
8.W. 3RD A YAMHILL ST., PORTLAND, OREGON
TAKE ELEVATOR TO 2ND FLOOR 3RD ST. ENTRANCE
$7.50
in Tri—County Area
$8.00
Other
Too Iota to classify
HOUSING PROGRAM
FILLED
No further applications
from potential renters will
be accepted by the Housing
Authority of Portland for
the federally funded Hou*
ing Assistance Payment
Program (Section 8). Public
notice will be given when
the program is reopened to
new applicants.
4