* Portland Observer February 28. 1900
Portland Observer February 21, 1980 Page 5
Flora Parrish celebrates 86th birthday
Hi Kathrin H Hogie
Friends and neighbors, old and
young, thronged lo the home ol Mr.
and Mrs Wilson C. W alket recently
to wish a “ Happy H irth d a y " to
Flora Dawson Parrish, mother of
Mrs. Walker.
Laughter rang out often as Mrs.
Parrish traded happy quips as she
moved among the many guests who
had come to greet her. Later, she cut
lor each guest a piece of the hugh
decorated birthday cake with a big
“ 86” ablaze w ith candles in the
cake’s center.
Mother o f two, grandmother o f
six, and great-grandmother o f five,
Mrs. Parrish is proud o f her family.
She points out that both o f her
children, Lehman, her son and her
daughter. Carmen, are college
graduates. Lehman Parrish is a real
estate and insurance broker and
operates his own Chicago-based
company. “ The grandchildren, all
six o f them, are also all college
graduates,” this stately lady lets you
know.
Mrs. Parrish sets the pace fo r
achievement for her family by her
own example.
Born in Camden, Mississippi in
1894, Flora Dawson lived on the
prosperous, well managed farm
owned by her parents. Her own
mother was a teacher and inspired
this daughter to learn. “ I also lear­
ned,” says Mrs. Parrish w ith a
twinkle, “ that if I studied and read
a lot, I could escape farm work! and
you can believe, that by age nine, I
was chosen by my father to keep his
“ books,” all his farm records!”
Schooling was actually in nearby
Campton, a country seat, affording
Black children an education through
the eleventh grade. Flora spent the
school periods w ith her gran­
dmother, a Campton citizen, and
spent holidays with her farm family.
As she grew, a spirit o f independen­
ce, am bition, and strength o f
character grew with her.
“ I wanted to go to college. I
wanted to teach,” Flora remembers.
"So, the summer I was 15 years old,
1 taught summer school in a one-
room school over in Arkansas. Most
o f the pupils were older than i, but
because they wanted to learn, and
their parents wanted them to learn, I
had no discipline problems.
“ 1 entered Mississippi Industrial
College in 1912, and was graduated
in Home Economics in 1916.”
“ M y firs t teaching jo b , after
graduation, combined teaching and
being principal. A staff o f three,
and I, operated an elementary
school with an enrollment o f 100
pupils,” related Mrs. Parrish.
Marriage to John Parrish did not
halt her career, nor did mothering
their two children stop Flora
Parrish. These events seemed only
to open new horizons for her.
“ I was considered "outspoken”
in those days,” the veteran fighter
for equal rights laughs, then recalls:
“ I was always vocal where my
rights, especially in employment and
wages, were concerned. They called
me “ that daughter o f B ill
D aw son's!” but I had their
respect.”
“ I could drive a car, drive a
truck, and could run a tractor long
before most men approved these ac­
tivities for women. Taught myself!”
“ The position I held longest was a
C ounty Home D em onstration
Agent for Madison County. The job
became available through the
federal government. I and my small
staff had, at one time, a register o f
1,503 girls and 862 women, in
various communities o f our county,
wanting to learn how to be a better
home makers. But, before I started
on this job, I had to demand my
rightful salary from the local ad­
ministrators who wanted to pay me
nothing at a ll!”
" N o salary, no work, I said to
Mrs. Flora Parrish is honored on her 86th birthday by her daughter.
them. And I meant it! I stuck to my
Mrs. Carmen Walker
word. “ They” held their meetings
(Photo: Richard J. Brown)
to discuss the situation and me.
helping people to gam belter control
a warm welcome at M t. Sinai
Someone to ld them my parent’ s
o f their daily living.
whether she is there as a special
name. Quickly they called me in and
The
year
o
f
1912
held
change
for
speaker,
or as a frie n d ly neigh­
said, “ why didn’t you say you were
this family for in that year, John
borhood visitor.
Bill Dawson’s daughter?”
Parrish died. The widow needed
This indefatigable lady also con­
"They hired me at my price. And
time for herself and once again she
ducts a Bible class each Tuesday
1 went to work. Stayed 30 years, and
retired from steady employment.
noon to which anyone is welcomed.
over, before I retired - The first
Since then. Mis. Parrish and Mrs.
" I have read the Bible from cover to
time, that is.”
Walker have toured together I hey
cover three times,” she says. " I feel
The Parrishes took a break during
have visited two European countries
I belong to God’ s Church-no matter
WW II and came to Portland. They
and have enjoyed the pleasure o f
where I go.”
liked Oregon and made some
their mother-daughter relationship.
arrangements to m aintain their
Time has been kind to "M other
Mrs. Parrish also visited the Holy
Mississippi holdings while residing
Parrish.” She may not cook as o f­
Land
w
ith
a
church
to
u
r-group.
in Portland after the war was over.
ten as she once did, but she still can
Trips to H aw aii are now fa irly
With Portland’s new head start
produce the delectable sweet potato
frequent, lor both of them enjoy the
program bloom ing on the scene,
pies,
the lig h t ro lls, the tender
Walker’s second home in ( )ahu.
Flora Parrish saw that many
poundcake and the spicy gumbo her
In P ortland, Flora Parrish is
mothers o f these children needed
family enjoys. She uses lots o f fish
keeping, untarnished, her record of
guidance on how to plan nutritious
in her week’ s m enus and fishing
61 years o f teaching Sunday School.
meals for their families. She credits
friends replenish her well-stocked
She has taught Sunday School
Martha Jordan for recognizing the
freezer.
wherever she has lived, be it in
value o f the skills she had to offer
Mississippi, in Arkansas, oi in West
A pair o f glasses and a tiny
and soon Flora Parrish was " o f f
Virginia. She joined the local Allen
hearing
aid help this douty "86-
and running” with a new career:
Temple, C .M 1 Church in 1961
year-young" lady keep her driving
and teaches a W omen’ s Sunday
skills honed up to her own strict
School class there at the present.
standards. Not one ticket fo r
Another church home she cla im s is
driving infractions mars the Flora
Mt Sinai Baptist Church. She teels
Parrish perfect driving record.
Pacific
Citizen
Power o f the Week
!BR ,
r
LINDA ANDREWS
An eighth grader at Boise Elementary School,
Linda Andrews was the first student to make thé
Honor Roll after the standard was raised to 3 5
(B + )
Linda is a veteran reporter on the "Boise
Speaks” newspaper staff, currently writing an
entertainment column as well as feature stories.
She follows four siblings, all of whom were
members of the newspaper staff.
A singer, Linda was chosen to sing the theme
song for Boise's 50th Anniversary. She sings in
the Church of the God's Choir a n d 'th e
"Gospelites.”
Linda loves to read, especially about science.
Her principal and teachers call her an exemplary
student.
She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Andrews.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Pacific
Power
Black educator addresses
desegregation forum
Dr. Wm. A. DuPree, Area Direc­
tor o f Secondary Schools in Cincin­
nati, Ohio, will keynote a one day
seminar on the "Elements o f De­
segregation."The Urban League of
P ortland and the C om m unity
Relations Division o f the Depart­
ment of Justice are cosponsoring the
seminar Friday, February 29, from
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the Matt
Dishman Community Center.
A torum of Portland community
members w ill in itia te the day.
Sessions with Portland Public
B
School officials and School Board
members will follow.
D r. DuPree has extensive ex­
perience as an educator w ith a
specific focus on desegregation
issues. He has served as a consultant
with federal agencies since 1968 in­
cluding the Departments o f Edu­
cation and Justice. Dr. DuPree was
a Fullbright Fellow to the University
o f Ghana. He has instructed in
Black History at the Universities o f
Xavier, Miami and Cincinnati.
Jcniuirllf Rifinii
f C
I
c
NEW YORK CUT
H
e
r C ' i l . B f II -IfCl'UU
i ' II1II1ÍJ
----- 1
STEAKS
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Laundry
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H ours 6:30 a m. to 6:00 p m
ENRO LL
Youth sponsor fashion show
606 N E FREMONT ST
PORTLAND. OREGON
287 5656
ADMISSION
A g e » 2 ó to 6
Birth Certificate
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Health Record
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Early learnm j in Ute J basic», language art. »octal »tudies. creative art.
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NOW
Models for Allen Temple fashion show are Delia Broadous (seated).
Pamela Reynolds. Pamela Martin, Regina Green and Glenda Parks.
Boy» «nd Girl»
Pound
“ Reflections: The 70s in Review”
is the theme chosen by the young
adults o f A llen Temple C .M .E .
Church fo r their N inth Annual
Luncheon Fashion Show to be held
M arch 8, 1980 at the Sheraton,
Lloyd Center at 12:00 noon.
The annual event is a fund raising
a ctivity sponsored by the Young
Adult Team for the church’ s yearly
Mammoth Tea. Their sponsor is
Mrs. Sarah Strayhand.
The fashion extravaganza is
divided into two parts for a total
review o f the 70s. Part 1, co o r­
dinated by Regina Green and Delia
Broadous, reflects the fashions of
kiddies and teens. Commentators
for this part are Debra Strayhand
and Louise Norris. Part II, coor­
dinated by Kathy Kendrixs and Jo
Ann Johnson, reflects adult
fashions (male and female) for all
occasions. Commentators for part
II are Celeste Paul and Rose Martin.
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For further information or tickets
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248 9393.
FOR
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