Page 4 Portland Observer Thuradey. May 24. 1979
Portland Profile
by Linda Thompson
How many times per day do you
lift the receiver o f your telephone to
dial a number or to answer it when it
rings? A routine part o f our busy day
for most o f us. For our Black role
model this week, the assurance that
the telephone w ill ring or that you
may dial a number properly is her
prime responsibility.
A twenty-four year old beautiful
Southern belle, Janet Bett, is a native
o f Pascagoula, Mississippi. She at
tended Pascagoula High School and
G u lf Coast Ju n io r College w ith
major emphasis on Business Adm ini
stration.
In 1973, Janet completed junior
college and moved to P ortland,
Oregon where she attended Portland
State University night school with
her m ajor emphasis the same as
above.
A “ single” C apricorn she is
one that has turned the American
Dream into a reality. She started her
¡.-ate
:
career at the bottom and worked her
way up and in to a well paying
position.
While attending PSU night school,
Janet started her career with Pacific
Northwest Bell in 1973 as an office
clerk with the Engineering Depart
ment. She was transferred to Atlan
ta, Georgia as a personnel clerk.
From A tla n ta back to P ortland
where she was promoted to a staff
clerk for the same department. From
sta ff clerk to engineer aide; from
engineer aide to her present position,
“ Staff Specialist for the Engineer
ing Department.”
As a Staff Specialist, she super
vises a team o f three. Their depart
ment is responsible for the accuracy
o f all central plug-in equipment for
the Slate o f Oregon within the data
base.
The old m yth that beauty and
brains d on’ t mix is tru ly that, a
myth that has been disproven by
Ms. Bett. She was a member o f the
Portland Bell’s court for the 1976
Rose Festival Pari.de. Janet was
Princess o f the Engineering Depart
ment and second runner-up fo r
“ Miss Portland Bell."
A member of the Church o f the
Living God, her hobbies include horse
back rid in g , jogging , dancing,
swimming, foosball, pool and she
likes to spend as much spare time as
possible doing volunteer work for
agencies dealing with children.
Janet is very proud o f her
Southern heritage. She attributes
much o f her success to this heritage
and to the independence and stamina
o f her parents who were both self-
employed. Aside from providing for
Janet’s seven sisters and brothers,
they still managed to instill this sense
o f independence in Ms. Bett. Janet
states: “ In order to be successful in
any profession, one must set priori
ties. You have to have self awareness
Be aware o f your capabilities and
your lim itations and thus set your
goals. It is important to remember
that nothing is given to you. You
must work diligently and hard for
everytlsing The worst thing that cun
happen to a young person is to feel
that he/she can get something for
nothing and give up i f things don’ t
fall in their laps."
C L IP «
THIS A O H
Q u o d io, J
? « ,1 m ,«„o n , J
tw a in and qua« I
:l
As my interview with the very in
telligent, warm Ms. Bett ended, I felt
I had known her for some time. I
also felt a surge o f hope for the
young and gifted Blacks o f Portland.
For at the tender age o f 24, Janet has
reached a milestone that many
Blacks reach much later in life.
o nly I
THRUj
1 AUG.I8TH
I PO STITM el
B AT7
3 0 PM!
i (Mui.tionert Club SKyvwwl
It is my desire that Janet Bett be
aware and be able to deal with the
many pressures and difficulties that
she w ill encounter and not become
discouraged but continue upward.
Until next week remember: "One of
the most difficult things to do is to
forgive your enemies and those who
are constantly trying to find fault in
you and your lifestyle.”
I
I
,i
-a"»miti quoti »!
Air
FO
iM U Q N O M A H l
JANET BETT
IFs.
Nate Jones
joins Court
In a surprise announcement. Presi
dent Jim m y C arter has named
NAACP General Counsel, Nathaniel
R. Jones, to fill a vacancy on the
U.S. Court o f Appeals, 6th Circuit.
The announcement, which came
during the National Association for
the Advancem ent o f C olored
People’ s quarterly Board meeting in
C olu m b ia , South C a ro lin a , was
greeted by NAACP officials, officers
and members.
“ N athaniel Jones,” said one
National Board member, “ is the best
civil rights attorney in the country —
Black or white. We may have lost a
general counsel, but we’ ve gained an
im portant ally in our judicial sy
stems.”
The announcement came on the
25th Anniversary o f the Brown vs.
Board o f Education (Topeka case).
Jones, who had joined the civil rights
organization in 1969 became identi
fied with the role that his predeces
sors such as Thurgood Marshall, and
Robert Carter had played, now will
join them in the Federal judiciary.
Benjamin L. Hooks, Executive Di
rector o f the NAACP also expressed
delight with the selection, but voiced
a concern over who w ould take
Jones’ place. “ I don’ t think there are
that many civil rights lawyers who
can come into our organization and
immediately fill the shoes o f a person
like Nate. In a very special way, he
was particularly suited to be general
counsel o f the NAAC P and was a
logical successor to those who
preceeded him .”
Jones is a native o f Youngstown,
Ohio, attended Youngstown Univer
sity and received his Bachelors o f Arts
in 1951. Later, he received his LLB
from Youngstown U n ive rsity in
1956
He has been Executive Director o f
the Youngstown F a ir Employee
Practices Com m ission, Assistant
U.S. A tto rn e y fo r the N orthern
District o f Ohio and Deputy General
Counsel for the President’ s Com
mission on Civil Disorder.
Interested in current books
about African Liberation?
Visit:
JOHN REED BOOK STORE
In the Dekum Building
S19 S W 3rd Avenue
Sixth Floor
“ I f” we get enough
rainfall and snowpack...
"If ” all generating
plants stay on-line with
out breakdown...
" I f” we're able to
buy power when we need
it from California. Canada
or elsewhere...
" I f” growth in elec
tric use doesn’t surprise us..
Then, we might be
able to avert an electrical
energy crisis.
But the chances of
critical Northwest electric
shortages grow every day.
The " if”s of today can too
easily become the "can ’t ’s
of tomorrow. And that
prospect has us worried.
the kilowatts needed to
meet the region’s growth.
Some new genera
tion of electrical energy is
required.
It cannot come from
our rivers; they’re already
strapped to capacity.
Needed new gener
ating plants are lagging al
least three to six years be
hind schedule. Why?
Conflicting environmental
reports. Layers upon lay
ers of red tape. The list goes
on andon.
The result? Your
electric supply is in jeopar
dy and vour electric costs
are going to skyrocket.
Delays are adding tens of
thousands of dollars each
day to the cost of building
new plants.
Last Winter You
Almost Ran Out
of Electricity.
We Need Your Help.
Last w inter’s ex
treme cold spell put un
The indecision and
precedented demands on
hesitancy about building
the region’s electrical gen
needed electricity generat
erating system.
ing facilities cannot con
At the height of the
tinue without serious con-
cold snap, the added elec
sequences,
tricity demand was like
H lll you be able Io heat your home the next few winters' Keep school« and Jobs running through he
You can help.
next five years ' Right now. I l depends on " IF "s. The weather. Population growth And on whether i
suddenly having to serve
'•’•I Our decision makers have
be allowed io build needed generating facilities before It ’s too late.
16,000 more families.
tough jobs sorting through
We just barely met the
of meeting not only peak
Pacific Power's system.
the many difficult energy
peak requirement.
power requirements, but day-
FACT: Pacific Power’s
issues.
We had to buy costly
in, dav-out electrical needs.
10% share (248,000 kilowatts)
You depend on electric
power from California and
of the Washington Public-
ity for your economic security,
Canada.
Power Supply System ’s gen
You’re Outgrowing
and comfort.
We had to borrow heav
erating units is less capacity
Your Electric Supply.
Write to your elected
ily on stored hydro energy.
than our annual residential
and appointed officials urging
Then, to refill depleted reser
FACT: Over 90% of the
heating demand.
positive action for the electric
voirs, we had to gamble on
newly-buill homes in Pacific
That kind of growth
ity you need. Participate in
precipitation that might not
Power’s Northwest service
says loud and clear that the
energy decisions. Learn more
have come.
area are using electricity for
region's present supply of
about electricity supply and
But last w inter’s scare
space and water heating.
electricity can ’t keep up with
demand.
w-as just the prologue to an
Heretofore, that percentage
your demand.
After all, you're the
even greater problem facing
was slight I v over 40%.
one footing the bill...a bill that
the Northwest: the difficulty
FACT: In 1978, new res Conservation is Critical,
grows larger with every delay.
idential connected load was
But It’s Not Enough.
more than our 80% capacity
share of the 330,000 kilowatt
It is simply not possi
WYODAK plant inWvoming...
ble, however urgent the need
the newest coal fired plant in
for conservation, to “ save” al
The People at Pacific Power
Or Cell
227 2902
Si b
Children unde» I? not adm itted■
ReetnQ Monday Ih ro u fh Saturday J
WHETHER OR NOT
YOUR LIGHTS GO ON
SHOULDN’T DEPEND ON
NATHANIEL JONES
I
•n P o M M n d l
NF ?? Jr <1 and Ha.