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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 1979)
Portland Observar Thursday. February 8,1979 Paga 3 Behind the wall Larry Baker »35021, O.S.P. Correspondent B. Julius D. Snowden »38013 Poetry Editor SH O P IENOWS A nd 1 w ill bring the blind by the wa, they know not. 7 w ill lead them in a path that they have not known. I w ill muke darkness light before them, A nd crooked things straight. These things / w ill try to do unto them, But most o f all, I w ill not forsake them. FOR B R A N D S you k n o w V A R IE TIES yOU liho S U IS yo u w a n t I I Th» Fr tond Itasi | Sfare» In Town St««« 190« Msimangu (An African Warrior) ' f * - °'**'*X • JirU » W.,t /£ » Good to Know... f jeedßd Case la at Tow Caaveaieace * Lat Us Maly Yav W ith AM Tear Needed Dentistry . . . USI MY LIBERAL CREDIT PLAN * I M IC I» NO FINANCE COMPANY or BANK Invalvad FRfff Estimates Parol« Board member Chalmers Jones teaches Black History class at O.S.P. school education in that same town. He then entered Southern University at Baton Rouge in 1942, majoring in auto mechanics, but later changing to business administration. Jones re ceived a bachelor o f science degree in 1948. Jones tried his hand as a radio an nouncer in Baton Rouge fo r six years. In 1955 he moved to Portland, where he became employed with the Department o f Employment. In 1965 Jones became coordinator fo r all training programs in youth oppor tunity in the Portland area. During this tim e Jones attended N o rth western College o f Law at Lewis and Clark. Among Jones’ other achieve ments is his election as president o f the Oregon State Employees Association for three terms. He is the only person ever to hold that position for three terms. Governor Mark Hatfield appoint ed Chalmers L. Jones to his Personnel Advisory Committee for the State Civil Service Commission. In 1969 Portland Mayor Terry D. Schrunk appointed Jones to a position with the Portland Metropolitan Steering Committee, Model Cities, and the M a yo r’ s Task Force fo r Local Development. In 1972 Jones was elected to the Board o f Directors, Oregon Blue Cross. No matter how many appoint ments Jones received as he advanced through the ranks o f State govern ment, he could always be found during his free time working among Black youth in the Black community. This is something many other Black leaders have claimed to be doing but never did. In 1973 Governor Tom McCall, recognizing Chalmers L. Jones’ talent in working among people with civil and social problem s, appointed Jones to the office o f Ombudsman for the State o f Oregon and also the Health Facilities Cost Review Com mission and the State Health Com mission. found life unpleasant, Chalmers L. Jones has risen to a height o f accom plishment without losing the respect and trust o f those less fortunate than himself. M artin Luther King once said, “ In order to bring my people mentally to be proud o f their heritage, we who become their leaders must not climb the ladder so high that we can never descend among them without fear o f soiling our own image.” Chalmers L. Jones is why unpub licized history was made in the back room inside the walls o f O.S.P. in Salem. He’ s not through yet. "A n d I w ill bring the blind by the way they know not. I w ill lead them in a path that they have not known It was in 1974 that Jones received an appointment to the Oregon State Parole Board (present job) o f which he served as chairman 1975-76. Walking tall among Black people in a state where manv Blacks have worth, has recently been remodeled. It is available to community groups. PCC Cascade reopens gym gymnasium can often find impromptu vo lle yb a ll and basketball games going on, sometimes with students and at other times with members o f QUOTEN IN ABVANCE ★ “ fm m e d io lF ’’- munity College's Cascade Canter, 706 N. Killings- The newly remodeled gymnasium at Portland Com m unity College’ s Cascade Center, 705 N. Killingsworth is “ second to none in this area o f to w n ,” declares Cascade Center manager James Van Dyke. The gymnasium is a fam iliar site in North Portland, but passersby may not realize that the building has un dergone extensive renovation to its shower and locker rooms, weight room and exercise room. The floor is also in top condition, notes Van Dyke. In many o f the daytim e and evening hours, the gymnasium facilities are used by students in PCC classes. However, visitors to the • »irV • M l O M fvltfan exock • 3Otf< • t I illi « la t a *?- j. ses »O 0 * « ’ ■ a U ly ti M Mi"* *'**• • . , Lake City tllM n l.IM .IU w • Q«b örov» J Of LM4« TIN VDOCIBt Chalmers L. Jones is his name — a Black Man. A man who refused to forget who he is and what he is; no matter how high the steps o f government carry him. Chalmers L. Jones is a leader among Black people in Oregon. Just a few days ago a couple o f Oregon State Legislators stood on the floor o f the State Senate and proclaimed M artin Luther K ing’ s birthday a State holiday. They were not aware o f the fact that Chalmers L. Jones was making unpublicized national history in the backroom of a crowded prison only a few blocks away. On January 21, 1979, Chalmers L. Jones became the first parole board member in this nation's penal history to teach an educational course in the same prison where he, as a parole member, can grant ot deny paroles to the prisoner-students in his class. The course: “ Black Awareness.” But this is not astonishing to the life and career o f Chalmers L. Jones. He has worked hard for many years with a driving ambition to upgrade his people’s self-awareness. Jones has always been noted as a person who is rarely found sitting behind a desk in some State appoint ed plush office trying to determine what is best for people. Instead he is doing something about it. Back in the summer o f *68, when Black youth were burning down their neighborhood, Chalmers Jones, manager with the Oregon State Em ployment Agency, was found stand ing on street corners and back alleys all over Albina, fielding the Black community grievances. Today, with the State p rison’ s population o f Black youth growing each year at an alarming rate one can again find Chalmers L. Jones right in the midst of his people’s problems. It is a long way from St. Joseph, Louisiana to Salem, Oregon. Born June 3, 1925 in St. Joseph he completed his elementary and high • I •«*•».« «arrise« •urn“- * « » •••" the com m unity at large, at times when classes are not being held. And on the weekends, the gymnasium is sometimes used fo r local tourna ments or by teams o f employees o f local businesses. In January, Van Dyke notes, the gymnasium housed the Reverend W illie Grant Memorial Basketball Tournament. The gymnasium facilities are open to any interested group when not being used for classes. Interested in dividuals or groups should call Chris Cady during business hours for de tails and to make reservations. ROSE VILLA CLEANERS ’ SERVICE ft QUALITY MAKE OUR REPUTATION WE DO A LTER A TIO N S DRAPERY CLEANING SPECIALISTS I FAST - Q U A L IT Y DRY C L E A N IN G , Er L A U N D R Y SERVICE. 8525 N.E. FREMONT, Mon-Frl 9:30-6:30 - Sat. 9-1 I NO INTEREST OR CARRYING CHARGE NEW« ORTHODONTIC Dapt. Located In Our Portland O ff lea. 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