t-u g e n e , O regon 97403
Legislature considers Commission on Oregon Blacks
L I111 C 7 O
n l
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Senate Bill
$79, i introduced
at the
request o f the Oregon Assembly for
Black Affairs, calls for a Commis
sion on the Status o f Blacks in
Oregon.
The bill provides that the Gover
nor appoint an eleven member Com
mission to study past and current
legal, economic, educational, social
and p o litic a l status o f Blacks in
Oregon, and make recommendations
for appropriate actions based on the
findings.
At least eight o f the members are
to be Black and the others public o f
ficials. No more than two members,
other than the public officials could
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be from the same city and there
would be two from each o f the four
congressional districts.
Among the duties o f the Com
mission would be to: I. Study state
laws, county and city ordinances,
and ascertain to what extent they
may be discriminatory. 2. Analyze
the status o f Blacks under existing
statutes in their application to civil
rights, contracts, income and pro
perty. 3. Review the working condi
tions and union representation o f
Blacks in the employment force. 4.
Examine o p p o rtu n itie s open fo r
Blacks fo r education, and fo r
retraining and guidance which may
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lead to increased opportunities for
employment, thus enabling them to
make constructive contributions to
the social, political and professional
responsibilities of all the citizens o f
Oregon.
5. Work toward full employment
opportunities for Blacks through an
analysis of employment policies and
practices o f employers and labor or
ganizations, both public and private.
6. C om pile and d istribute in fo r
mation on the past and current status
o f Blacks in Oregon. 7. Develop and
sponsor programs to make Blacks’
wants and needs known to public
and private agencies, the activities o f
which aftect Blacks. 8. Encourage
and support public and private agen
cies described in subsection (7) o f
this section to expand and improve
their activities affecting Blacks. 9.
Develop and sponsor, in cooperation
with Black organizations, programs
to inform Blacks o f services available
to them. 10. Assess piograms o f stale
agencies providing benefits to Blacks
and make recommendations to the
appropriate agencies fo r the im
provement o f these programs. II .
Report annually to the Governor and
the President o f the Senate and
Speaker o f the House o f Representa
tives on all matters o f concern to
Blacks o f this state and recommend
appropriate action.
A public hearing on the bill will be
held on March 26th at 8:30 a.m. in
hearing room A o f the Capital Build
ing.
SB 579 is introduced primarily by
Senator Ted Hallock and C lifford
Trow. An identical bill, HB 2749,
was introduced in The House by
Representatives Sandy Richards and
Jim Chrest.
The current bill is similar to SB
850, which was sponsored in the 1977
legislature by the fo u r N A A C P
Branches — Portland, Salem, Cor
vallis and Eugene — and the Urban
PORTLAND OBSERVER
League o f Portland. That bill was
w itte n for the sponsors by Calvin
O.L. Henry, who is now president of
the Oregon Assembly for Black A f
fairs.
1 he 1977 bill died in the Ways and
Means Com m ittee when the co-
chairmen, Representative Vera Katz
an J Senator Jack Ripper refused to
let it come to a vote.
The new bills are substantially the
same as the final version o f SB 850
but they add more strength to the
Commission by mandating that it
not only research the stature of
Blacks in Oregon but make recom
mendations for action.
Volume 9 No. 11
Thursday. March 22, 1979 10C
USPS 959 680
First graduate opens doors
by Gregory Gudger
Despite the compactness o f her
petite, four-foot, eleven-inch frame,
it wasn’ t hard to miss Beverly
Thomas at last week’s Winter Term
Graduation at Portland State Uni
versity; the 21-year-old Bachelor o f
Business Adm inistration represent
ed 100 per cent o f all Black women
and 33 *6 per cent o f all Blacks in the
200-odd member Class o f ’ 79.
But the real significance o f her
confirmation was known by only her
mother, Ethel; brother, Gregory,
and someday little Lawrence, her
nephew — all engulfed in the
throng o f well-wishers. You sec,
Beverly is the first college graduate
in the history o f her family. In this
era o f genealogy-consciousness, in
spired by Alex Haley’s “ Roots,” (if
not always) setting the pace for
future generations to aspire and ex
ceed is very important.
“ I never really looked at myself as
strictly a role model,’ ’ said the 1974
graduate o f Grant H igh School,
“ But I do see my value as one.”
Since she entered her first insti
tution o f higher education — Port
land Community College at Sylvania
Campus — other members o f her
family have followed.
” 1 have cousins in Kansas who arc
now entering college. Before I went,
everyohe just went to work straight
out o f high school,” she said, add
ing, “ So I do think I ’ve had some
sort o f im pact."
Her primary reason for going on
to college after graduating from
Grant her junior year was ” 1 didn’t
want to be a secretary.” Not that it’ s
such a bad occupation but, “ 1 want
ed a lot more out o f life .”
Illustrative o f her determination,
Ms. Thomas has worked during both
her high school and college career.
Up until her ju n io r year at PSU,
where she transferred in 1976, she
worked as a trainee at the Internal
Revenue Service. When graduation
loomed one year away, she quit in
order to. devote all her time to her
Beverly Thomas, graduate of Portland State University in Business
Administration, still carries her books, as she looks forward to a new
cereer.
schooling.
dle m yself vo ca tio n a lly. Every
Finding joblessness somewhat un
business needs good managers.”
com fortable after having oriented
It seems oddly appropriate that
herself to being employed, she accept
Ms. Thomas missed the first showing
ed a positio- as Research Assistant,
o f “ Roots" because she spent many
and later, Supervisor, w ith the
o f her evenings in class or running
Associate Community Development
computer programs — but that does not
Association in July, 1978.
stop her from solidifying her own; to
Although she got to use what she
set a trend in her family to reach for
considers to be her greatest skills —
the heights and excell.
management and organization —
“ Understand, though that I found
Ms. Thomas feels that her other
college to be the best way for me to
business skills and potential are not
get ahead. My younger sisters, neices
being actualized. "Foremost on my
and nephews (in Portland), even the
mind now is getting established,” she
kids in my Primary Sunday School
jays, “ preferably with one o f the
Class have to decide what’ s best for
local financial institutions."
them,” she said, adding, “ I at leas,
Does the tight job market scare
have shown that the o p tio n is
her? “ Not really, because I can han-
available to them.”
School Board candidates invited to community
A candidates' fair for candidates
to the Portland School Board w ill be
held at King School, 4906 N.E. 6th,
on Tuesday, March 27th at 7:00 p.m.
Each candidate w ill speak on four
issues: I) background and qualifi-
cations; 2) school desegregation and
the Coalition proposal; 3) minimum
competencies; 4) role o f the Board,
Superintendent and public. An op
portunity for questions will follow.
The program is sponsored by the
Northeast C oalition o f Neighbor
hood O rganizations, the A lb in a
Voter Registration and Education
Project (AVREC), and the NAACP,
Portland Branch. The public is urged
to participate.
Fred Meyer upgrades Walnut Park
Fred Meyer Company will renno-
vate the grocery-produce department
o f its Walnut Park store in an effort
to upgrade services and attract cus
tomers. Si Green, Fred Meyer
president, told the Northeast Coali
tion o f Neighborhoods that he is
“ trying to make it effective for the
people o f the neighborhood.”
The rennovation is, at least in
part, a response to complaints by
local business people and residents
about the stores general rundown
and dirty condition.
The W alnut Park store was
opened in 1935 and the current build
ing was built in 1962. For decades,
through the I95O’ s, Walnut Park was
one of the chain’ s most successful
stores. Then it began to decline and
in 1970 suffered a small loss. The
losses have continued and for the last
six or eight years the company has
considered closing the store.
Along with the decline in profit
came the removal o f services. The
“ Eves” restaurant, which was used
fo r com m unity meetings, was
removed and later the apparel sec
tion also was removed.
Green said that although there are
complaints that the store does not
have the variety o f goods that other
Fred Meyer stores have, it does carry
the same items in the areas it serves.
For example, in housewares, auto,
and hardware it should stock the
same items as other stores. If the
items are not there it is a “ manage
ment p ro b le m .” He adm itted
management problems in the variety
section.
Produce, he stated, is o f the same
quality that the other stores carry but
because o f fewer customers and
smaller quantity sold, the produce
does not turn over as fast and can be
come deteriorated. In that case it is
to be replaced and if it is not it is be
cause o f poor management and not
because o f company policy.
Green admitted that the store had
reached an all time low last July He
then made a commitment to continue
the store and to upgrade its condi
tion. He began meeting with commu
nity groups, customers, managers
and employees to determine what
should be done.
First they made a commitment to
keep the place clean and to do
necessary maintenace w ith in a
reasonable time. The building was
painted and the paint is to be kept
clean. "W e are trying not to let it
become the seat o f mess and d irt.”
Approxim ately $200,000 w ill be
spent to rennovate the food section.
The shelving will be replaced and will
run from front to back. The refriger
ators for frozen food will be replaced
w ith the new upright type with
doors. The wet produce cases and
meat cases will be replaced. The deli
and check stands will be refurbished.
This work is expected to be com
pleted by June 1st.
There is no interest in opening a
restaurant, but there has been an ef
fort to lease the space to another res
taurant. This failing, the upstairs will
be refurbished to provide a free com
munity meeting room. This facility,
seating 100 persons, w ill be avail
able to the public by A pril 1st.
Green said there is a high loss from
theft. The number of shoplifters ap
prehended by guards is about equal
to other stores. Theft that is deter
mined from empty cartons is greater,
about $10 a day in the food section
and $250 a day in variety. This
equals about five percent o f sales.
“ Perhaps remodeling w ill bring
respect,” Green observed. “ This is
an indication that there is not a great
deal o f respect for us.”
Fred Meyer is in business to make
a profit and the company hopes to
draw more customers by making the
Walnut Park store a good place to
shop.
Deckard heads expanding YMCA Project Move
YMCA North Project Move is fo
cussing on a new and exciting pro
gram o f activities . . . some under
way now at the King Neighborhood
Facility, and others planned for the
summer and coming year.
Announcem ent was made that
YM CA North Project Move w ill be
directed by Yvonne Deckard o f
Waco, Texas, who comes to Port
land with a background in psycho
logy and speech education.
Program plans for the year include
a variety o f activities, with an em
phasis on new areas o f interest for
young people and adults in the North
east community.
“ Purpose o f the North Project
Move YM CA is to create an educa
tio n a l, cu ltu ra l, and recreational
program related to adults and young
people,” notes Ms. Deckard, who
has established a committee to work
directly with the staff and the inner-
city community. Credibility and visi
bility has already been established in
the community.
Serving on the committee for the
next six weeks w ill be Betty Hardy,
Ira Mumford, Estella Ehelebe, Jim
Loving, and Edna Robinson. The ro
tating committee w ill meet every
Thursday, from 4:00-6:00 p.m., at
King Neighborhood Facility, 4815
N.E. 7th, Portland.
Two positions on the committee
are to be filled by young people, be
tween thirteen and eighteen years of
age. Anyone interested in serving the
YM CA in this advisory and planning
position, or who would like to sub
mit the name o f a candidate, is asked
to contact Ms. Deckard at 287-2523.
Activities in progress at the King
Facility under sponsorship o f the
YM CA, include a d rill team, meet
ing Monday and Wednesday, from
5:00-7:00 p.m.; open gym sessions
each Tuesday, from 7:30-10:00 p.m.,
and volleyball and basketball, Thurs
days from 6:00-10:00 p.m.
The Northeast Invitational, a three
man city-wide basketball tourna
ment will be held March 31st and
A pril 1st at the Portland Commu
nity College Cascade on Northeast
(Please turn to Page 3 Column 3)
Church listens
A great deal o f attention is given
to the neighborhoods’ relations to
various instutions - the Planning
Commission, the Police Department,
the School District, etc. Another in
stitution that needs to involve the
neighborhood is the church.
M allory Avenue Christian Chur
ch, 126 N.E. Alberta, w ill ask the
neighborhood how it can best serve
the community at its morning wor
ship service, March 25th at 11:00
a.m.
Bob Nelson, active in the com
munity for some 25 years, will speak
on “ The Church and the Neigh
borhood” . Discussion w ill follow.
The public is invited to take part.
School Board, Position 6: Administrator vs. teacher
The Portland School Board elec
tion is set for A p ril 3rd and the most
h o tly contested race is that fo r
P osition 6, now held by Beverly
York.
Mrs. York, who was elected four
years ago, has been concerned about
school n u tritia n and getting junk
food out o f the schools. Other than
that, she has contributed little to
board decisions.
The position is sought by B ill
Scott and Mike Verbout. Scott, a
form er assistant to M ayor G old
schmidt, is vice president o f the Nor
thern Energy Resources, Co., a sub
sidiary o f Pacific Power and l.ight
Co. Verbout is a teacher with the
Portland Public Schools.
Bill Scott
A cornerstone o f Scott’s campaign
is advocacy fo r a strong, active
Boatd that would be more responsive
to the citizens.
Scott explains that the current
Board's role seems to be to protect
the administration. The administra-
tion sets the Board’s agenda and de
fines the Board’ s limits. A more suit
able posture would be for the Board
to provide a challenge to the admini
stration — to make policies and con
tinuously prod the administration to
perform better.
The Board also has a poor
relationship with the public. Its at
tempts at citizen participation are
superficial. Scott explains that the
Board has placed the citizens ad
visory com m ittees in a position
where they act in much the same
fearful way that the School Board
does. They allow their role to be de
fined by the area Superintendents
and spend more time discussing and
complaining about the limits o f their
responsibility. He believes those ad
visory committees, as well as the
school advisory committees, should
determine their own course o f action
and lesponsibility, decide on their
own organization and their meeting
times.
(Please turn to page 2 col. 1)
“ Teaching is my life,” said Mike
Verbout, “ And that is why I am a
candidate for the Portland School
Board. An emphasis on good
teaching would solve many o f the
problems the district is facing.”
The School Board, Verbout says,
pays too little a ttention to
education and leaves the decisions
relating to teaching to the ad
m in is tra tio n . Because the board
members themselves know little
about education, and because they
always defer to the administration,
they do not get involved in decisions
regarding
teaching
methods,
program s and cu rric u lu m . The
Superintendent and administrative
staff he believes are so out o f touch
that they do not know what is hap
pening in the classrooms, yet the
board relies on them for making all
educational and a d m inistrative
decisions.
This lack o f attention to education
he considers the basis o f many o f
the d istrict’ s problems. Ten years
ago, he explains, Portland schools
had an excellent reputation. They
have declined to the point that many
parents w ould rather have their
children go to Beaverton, David
Douglas or other suburban schools,
so they leave the city. W hile the
district is now concerned about the
detrim ental effects o f a rapidly
declining enrollm ent, Verbout
blames that decline on the School
Board itself.
“ A ll parents want the best
education for (heir children and they
w ill go where they w ill get that
education. I f the Portland schools
were teaching ch ild re n , fam ilies
would stay in Portland.”
The question o f desegregation also
relates to teaching. “ I f the district
really wanted to integrate Jefferson,
they would not have built a dance
program at Jefferson. They would
have b u ilt a strong academic
program, a prep school for college
bound students, and parents from all
(Please turn to page 2 col. 2)
Mike Verbout