. Page 4 Portland Observer Thursday. September 14. 1978
Behind the wall
Larry Baker 935021
O.S.P. Correspondent
American State Bank
Jahns D. Snowden 9330/3
Poetry Editor
2737 N.E. Union
One would not think there would
be much in common between the
issue o f 'bussing minority children'
from a Black community into white
communities in Portland and the
growing Black »xspulation at Oregon
State Penitentiary. Oregon Women's
t orrectional Center and Oregon
Correctional Institution in Salem.
All one has to do is walk the prison
sards and notice how rapidly the age
limit has dropped over the past six
sears. But most surprising, is
»hen one starts questioning those
between 18 and 23 years o f age:
When you were in school, were you
eser bussed out o f your community
for the purpose o f attending school
in a white neighborhood?’ Sesen out
of fifteen had experienced bussing,
but the astonishing facts came when
thes were asked. “ Did you exper
ience any problems attending those
schools in the white school district?'
A ll sesen young Black inmates
admitted that they had. whereas thes
had scry little problem while attend
ing schools in their Black neigh
borhoods.
• What were some o f the problems
you found?“
These were the answers: 1. The
class assignments were to advanced;
2. They felt uncomfortable by being
the only Black in class; 3. Teachers
could not deal with Black students*
problems regarding Black identity; 4.
They were too far from home to run
home for lunch; 5. Their mother's
always w orried about how they
would be contacted i f they got sick or
in an accident; 6. They fought with
white children who belittled them for
being Black; 7. They started iden
tifying with white problem children
for companionship. The main pur
pose was wanting to be accepted by a
peer group. 8. They were always
being counseled to go out for sports
instead o f academic subjects; 9 They
did not feel wanted to attend social
school functions.
These were just a lew o f the things
mentioned. Sot one Black inmate at
tended the school they were bussed
to for over one year. A ll were either
expelled or dropped out. Six o f the
seven are now serving prison sentences
for crimes upon persons. Five of the
seven are crimes upon w hues.
This correspondent suggests that
there be more in-depth research on
the effects o f this isolation in white
schools on Black children. The rejec
tion they receive at the hands o f
white students and teachers, and
their separation from the security of
their own friends and family might
be a strong factor in their future
delinquency and crime.
by Harry P Humphreys
Ever since the day we were born
we have been under some type o f
authority. Our parents governed us
until we were able to go on our own.
Tlien our employers were over us on
the jobs we took Now that most of
us are parents, we should understand
authority. That we should guide and
direct the lives o f our children By
getting to know and understand
them will help bridge the generation
gap between parent and child. There
is also a gap between authority and
the submissive society and the
crim inal, the institution personnel
and the inmates. These gaps must be
bridged in order fo r the inmates
rehabilitation to work.
It is so easy for the modern day
society to draw a line o f demarcation
between the keeper and the kept,
between the guard and the guarded.
Society is very quick to make an
assumption that there arc normal
people and people w ho are not nor
mal. It is quick to divide people into
“ we” and “ they“ . “ We” are the
people who do not commit crimes,
who do not get involved with the
crim inal justice system, who are
honorable and upright and non
violent and cause no problems to
anybody. “ They” (we the criminal)
Advisors assist Cascade student decisions
A testing and adv ising system for
entering students at Portland Com
munity College's Cascade Center.
~05 N Killingsworth. this fall should
offer the student more individual at-
te n tio n . says Cascade Center
manager Jim Van Dyke.
"The students here are very im
portant and we want them to know
that.” says Van Dyke. “ We want to
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M issne R epa ir
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give students an advisor to be a
listening post who w ill help them
solve some o f their problems and
complaints and we want to use our
new testing system to make sure that
their school work and their personal
lives are compatible.”
During registration for fall term
classes, fa cu lty advisors w ill be
located in various classrooms and o f
fices at locations convenient for the
students. Each student w ill be
assigned an advisor, and that person
w ill continue to serve as advisor the
entire term or possibly throughout
the student's time at PCC.
The advisors. Van Dyke says, will
be responsible not only for helping
the student plant the fall term classes
but also will have an opportunity to
discuss study habits, outside work,
and reasonable study habits.
•*We want the student to have suf
ficie n t in fo rm a tio n to make in
telligent decisions about his or her
schedule.” Van Dyke says. “ Our
goal is to more accurately match
students with their needs. ”
The advisor w ill decide what tests,
if any, the student needs to take to
determine what his or her class
schedule should include. In a pilot
project for PCC, Cascade students
will be given Comparative Guidance
and Placement Tests, which are of
fered in reading, written English,
arithm etic, and algebra. The test
scores w ill be used to determine
what level course the student should
be enrolled in.
By bussing the new, standardized
tests, counselors w ill be able to more
accurately assess the student’s
abilities and place students in classes
that meet their needs, says Craig Bell
o f the counseling department, who is
coordinating the Cascade testing
program.
One advantage o f the standardized
system. Bell says, is that students can
be tested throughout the year, since
faculty members do not have to be
present to assist in the test.ng or
scoring.
Students will be advised to take the
tests unless they have had previous
educational
or
employm ent
background which provides in fo r
m ation that is h e lp fu l in their
placement. Bell says. No student will
be required to take the tests,
however.
I» M M IXhl li \\< y J I AIMS
« f n y x iH .i X II m i h t I M i s i q
« OMPI 1 l i s t , J u t K t I MM H M M s
N O APPOINTMENT NEEDED
Come in at your convenience
PARK EREE-Any Park n Shop Lot
HOURS
W*'*'“*,* ‘ ' " »'• m lo ". p m
S a lu r d .t « K l i m
Dr. Jeffrey BRADY,
u> I p m
Lite, Health, Group Insurance,
Annuities. Pension Plans
PEGGY JOSEPH
Field Underwriter
283-5012
I he New York Life agenl in your
community is a good person to
know.
f
St. A ndrew
sets auction
tl
Cotter®
Home Im provem ent B uilding
Materials Auction for benefit o f St.
Andrew Com m unity Center, N.E.
8th at Alberta. Saturday , September
23rd, Silent Auction and Preview,
10:00 a.m. to 4 00 p.m. Sunday, Sep
tember 24th, Oral Auction begins at
1:00 p.m. Russ Kerns, Auctioneer.
$2 donation for bidding card. Hun
dreds o f bargains fo r home im
provement and remodeling projects.
The auction is an annual event to
support the social service projects of
the parish.
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1518 N E KILLINGSWORTH
PORTLAND OREGON 9721 1
284 7997
FACTS OF IMPORTANCE
VOLUME IV
SEPTEMBER 1978
SERIES I
During the entire month of September you may
register for evening, Saturday and Sunday
classes.
This is EXODUS first series of community ser
vice classes.
TOPICS ARE:
1. Is Alcoholism the PROBLEM or the RESULT?
— 2 hours
2. What is the difference between the alcoholic
personality and others? — 2 hours
NAACP meets
The Portland Branch NAACP will
hold its m onthly membership
meeting on Sunday, September 17th,
at 4:00 p.m. The mixting will be held
at St. Paul Church o f God in Christ,
N.E. Stanton and Rodney.
Dentist
lit llA X X M I II I I M I h i K I I y \ n ( iK H .f ix
I X M 1 I I y y K iK l f I Z M f 11 (H ilf iK li h I I M K y \< I
282-2216
are evil and savage and irrepressible
in our violence. We w ill rape and
murder and assault just because
these are the kind of things we do.
This pattern o f relationship runs
throughout society. Yet society is
blandly unaware that most o f it has
contributed to the m aking o f a
criminal in one way or another.
There is much discussion today
about the value o f incarceration,
determinate versus indeterm inate
sentences, punishm ent
versus
rehabilitation, the pardon and parole
system and its effect on recidivism,
de crim in a liza tio n d e in s titu tio n a
lization and the pros and cons of
capital punishm ent. We know
you can not legislate fo r godly
living. A penitentiary does noi make
a penitent. Reformatories do not
generally reform. Our nation stands
at a critical junction. We have expect
ed too much o f the law and the
system, and it has not worked. The
law and its application needs a solid
foundation. This founda tion can
only be obtained by bridging the
gaps between society and the
crim inal, between the prison staff
and the prisoners. So that we may
unite as one and work together for
the good o f all humanity and for a
better deserving nation.
Ruling n tasy, g o v ern in g
diHicult.
Goethe
3. How to relate to spouse and children under
conditions of alcoholism. — 2 hours
REGISTER AT:
EXODUS
1518 N.E. Killingsworth
Portland, Oregon 97211