Portland Observer October 16.1980 Page 7
Family Album Northwest
This is the second in a series of
reininscences, taken from the pages
o f the Beatrice Marrow Cannady-
Taylor Family Album, now in the
posssession o f her son, Ivan Can­
nady. A rgum entatio n has been
made where it might be helpful by
Kathryn Hall Bogle, to tell the story
o f a lady who once lived in Port­
land.
M rs. E. D. Cannady warmed,
im m easurably, the in te rra c ia l
climate o f this community. She was
also sought after by persons in other
Oregon communities to assist them
in raising the level o f human sen­
sitivities above that level prevalent
in Oregon, in the 20s when there
were only about 1200 Blacks in the
state. Mrs. Cannady tells us:
In her own words, we have pieced
together for this account, she tells
us: “ I was born in Littig, Texas On
January 9, 1889. It could just as well
have been called Marrowtown for it
was made up p rin c ip a lly o f our
fa m ily and relatives. The fam ily
name was Marrow. My uncle was
postmaster there through all sorts o f
adiminstrations for over forty years.
" I am one o f 14 children: ten girls
and four boys all born in the same
house. My father was a very well
educated man and, o f course, he
made every effort possible to give
his children a good education.
“ I went to school first in Littig,
then to high school in Houston and
to New Orleans college. I took a
teacher’ s course at W iley college
Brought To You Every Week
\OKTHU ESTERN
COLLEGE ()!' LAW
iKDH
w
- OMSjps TM ! M f
The nation of Monaco, where Prince Rainer and
the former Grace Kelly rule, is smaller than Central
Park in New York. Monaco is composed of 370 acres.
Central Park has 840 acres.
'4 s
•
The only member of the British House of Commons
who is not allowed to speak is the man called the
Speaker of the House.
•
Duffel bags are named after the town of Duffel,
Belgium, where they were first made.
•
The largest body of fresh water in the world is Lake
Superior.
•
IT
(one o f the best in the nation for
colored students) in Marshall, Texas
and after graduation, I taught in the
Gilbert Academy in the county o f
Evangeline where one breathes all
the significance o f L o n g fe llo w ’ s
wonderful poem. Later 1 taught at
Logan C ounty High School in
Guthrie, Oklahoma.”
We can recall that Mrs. Cannady
I
M rs. Cannady, third from left in back row , w ith friends w ho en­
joyed musical evenings together. Next to her is W yatt W illiam s, a t­
torney. Raymond Cage, center front, was musician, orchestra and in ­
structor of piano and stringed instruments.
The Cannady's new home at 26th and Brazee. (Circa 1911)
Personalized & Custom
Jew elry
M ad e
J e w e lry /W a tc h e s /D ia m o n d s
D iam ond Setting
W a fc h &
By A MERIC A N STATE BA NK
*
had a lovely soprano voice w ith
some operatic quality and often she
sang at social events in the com­
munity. “ I studied voice with D.A.
C lippings o f K im ball H ill in
C h icago,” she writes, and I
dreamed of a career in opera. While
in Chicago, I also attended classes at
the U niversity o f Chicago. But,
now,” she explains,” I am so busy
with my home, my boys, and the
paper that I have no time for music.
“ 1 studied law after my boys were
born. That was an am bition that
was realized. My dream o f being a
prima donna floated away while I
attended night classes o f N o rth ­
western College o f Law. I was
graduated in the class o f 1922.
"N e v e r shall / fo rg e t the ex­
perience which / had as a graduate
o f that school, ” say the recorded
notes o f Mrs. Cannady’ s thoughts.
She tells us more o f her remem­
brances o f that commencement
night to which she had looked for­
ward so long.
B e a u tifu lly groom ed, cap and
gown in hand, her gorgeous dark
wealth o f hair coiled becomingly,
she stood waiting to sing for she had
a place on the commencement
program . Her name was there:
Beatrice Cannady is to sing "B y The
Waters o f the Minnetonka. " It was
a tender ballad o f the day
melodizing the tryst o f a pair o f
young Indian lovers. A bit nervous
she smiled in the direction o f her
family and friends invited to attend
the festivities; she had posed in the
class picture and now the fleet
thought ran through her mind that
she had paid all the little assess­
ments fo r the graduation exercise
she took a deep breath. She felt sure
o f her vocal clarity and relaxation.
She nodded to her accompanist.
The song was exquisitely sung and
the new graduate was warmly ap­
plauded. All the speeches had been
given and now the hall o f the great
hotel, the Multnomah, was being
cleared for dancing. Amidst all the
happy hub-tub, someone Beatrice
Cannady knew to be in authority for
the college came to her and mur­
mured a few words to her.
She stood there a long moment,
stunned. She writes: “ I was asked to
leave the party and to take my
friends with me so as to avoid any
embarrassment” !
“ For the firs t time during the
whole course o f study, I was remin­
ded o f my color. O f course, I can
not forget such an experience. No
one can fully appreciate the distress
unless they have suffered in the
same way.
1
me
INTERESTING
FACTS
J e w e lry R e p a ir
Free
Free f i n * je w e lry
c h e c k e d c le a n e d e n d p o lish e d
O ffe r g o o d th ru D e c e m b e r 23rd only
W e d d in g Sets
C h a rm s P e arls
PATON JEWELERS
4616 N.E. Sandy Blvd.
281-8801
“ While we understand that such
prejudice is due largely to igno­
rance, I shall always feel that if the
w hite race believes its e lf tru ly
Christian, they would certainly be
less in to le ra n t. We want our
children educated, we want to feel
safe in our homes, we want to be
able to worship God peacefully in
our churches and we want to be
allowed to maintain a standard of
life that is an American standard.
No one knows how difficult it is to
do this under conditions prevailing
in various parts o f the country.
“ We believe that we are God’ s
children although the color o f our
skin is Black," she wrote.
M rs. C annady’ s words were
heard in many places around the
state in church groups, in colleges at
meetings, large and sm all. The
album is heavy with many o f the let­
ters she received in those days. We
HU
I
room
The dollar sign originated from taking the ab­
breviation of the United States - the U. and the S. -
and placing them one on top of the other. Later, the
bottom of the ” U” was dropped to form the present
design of the dollar sign.
read an excerpt from one.
“ I want to create such a sentiment
in the Willamette Valley that when
our Japanese young people are
grown and educated they can gel
suitable employment and be really
one o f us. I want our people to hear
the message that you have to give.
American State
Bank AN INDEPENDENT BANK
Head Office
2737 N. E. Union
Portland, Oregon 97212
“ Our Japanese are such wonder­
ful people and so lovable, but how
can we get even some o f our
Christian women to see this? So
many
people
send
their
(missionary) money away. I want so
much more (or them (the Japanese)
than money!
“ Can’ t you help us?”
Signed, Marie Johnson
((Mrs. Melvin Johnson/
Salem, Oregon - 1926
NO
P .U .D .T A X
Mrs. Cannady made on the
average o f 100 speeches a year for
several years and the Salem area was
to hear her on more than one oc­
casion. She also spoke and worked
in behalf o f Black children in
Oregon and Washington who had
been denied their civil rights to at­
tend public school.
The Cannady fa m ily album
reveals much more about this
courageous woman and we have
selected some highlights to “ show
and te ll” to you. Next Thursday,
then? Same time?
Copyright 1980 Family Album Northwest
NO on 11
Paid by Portland Citizens Against The G overnm ent Takeover,
4242 SE M ilw a u kie , Portland OR 97202, D. E. A bram . Treaaurer.
1518 N E KILLINGSWORTH
PORTLAND. OREGÙN 9721 1
284 7997
FROM THE FRONT DOOR
BY TOM BOOTHE
From the front door, I wish to speak to the children of our community regard­
ing education and the process of learning. Especially, the children between
the age of (6) years and (18, years old.
- Children, knowledge and understanding is the basis of all you will ever
be.
However, you cannot have knowledge without LEARNING, and you cannot
learn without allowing yourself to be taught.
- Be willing to learn all you can - remember that every experience is a
lesson; and a lesson remembered provides you with understanding.
- Understanding is to remember knowledge well enough to apply it in
situations and circumstances as you/ savior.
- Learn to listen and be attentive and respectful to your family and
teachers, for they all provide an opportunity for you to learn.
- Learn to know that your attitude is your most important asset. Keep it
positive and it will serve you, allow it to become negative and it will destroy
you.
- The single most important thing a young man or woman can do is to learn
so to have KNOWLEDGE, so to UNDERSTAND. If you do this, when you are
older you will have wisdom; and wisdom is like a good watch dog that will
protect you and keep you safe and secure.
Children, you are the future.
THIS SPACE PAID FOR AS A COMMUNITY SERVICE SY THE HOUSE OF EXODUS