Making history_______________
“ The voice of a whole people, oppressed by a
common injustice, is far more likely to command
attention and exert an influence on the public mind
than the voice of single individuals and isolated
organizations.“
— F rederick Douglass
ETHEL SIMON MCW ILLIAMS
ORA LEE BEEMON
Ethel Sim onM cW illiam s chair«
St. Vincent Hospital Board
Ora Laa Baam on nam ad to re
ceive "Mother Joseph Meda'
Ethel S im o n -M c W illia m s , asso-
ciate director o f the Northw est Re
gional Educational Laboratory, has
been named chairperson o f the St.
Vincent Hospital and Medical C en
ter Advisory Board.
D r. S im o n -M c W illiam s has been
a board member since July 1980 and
is the first woman to serve as chair
person.
The board, composed o f business
professionals and civic leaders, pro
vides advice and counsel to St. V in
cent Hospital administrators on de
velo p m en t and expan sion o f the
hospital and its services to the com
munity.
D r. S im o n -M c W illia m s holds a
d o c to ra te in e d u ca tio n fro m the
University o f South Carolina.
A m em ber o f the P o rtla n d
M a y o r’ s C o m m ittee fo r C iv il Ser
vice Reform (1979), she served as a
school d is tric t c o n s u lta n t, 1975-
1979. H e r b ackg ro un d includes
serving as a program specialist fo r
the State o f South Carolina D epart
ment o f Education, as a teacher, as
sistant principal, drug education co
o rd in a to r, language arts c o o rd in
a to r, develop m ental reading p ro
gram d irecto r, and county director
o f reading.
O ra Lee Beemon, a central service
technician and )4-year employee at
St. Vincent H o s p ita l and M ed ical
Center, has been selected to receive
the Mother Joseph Medal o f the Sis
ters o f Providence.
Aw arded an n u a lly , the medal is
presented to an individual who has
given dedicated service to the Sisters
o f Providence or one o f their insti
tutions throughout Oregon, western
W a s h in g to n , A las ka and C a li f
ornia. St. Vincent is one o f IJ health
care in stitu tion s owned and o p e r
ated by the Sisters o f Providence in
the West.
According to her supervisor, Jim
S a rto r, M s. Beemon ‘ ‘ puts lo v e”
into the thousands o f special-proce
dure instrument trays that she pre
pares for the hospital each year. She
also teaches new employees in her
departm ent how to identify instru
ments and prepare trays.
“ (M o st) outstanding, however, is
her Christian co m m itm en t," Sartor
said. "S h e has raised and educated
12 ’ foster’ children and has had an
open door to ch ild ren who need a
temporary and loving hom e."
LOUIS ’SATCHMO’ ARMSTRONG
Out of the slums of New Orleans, Louis “ Satchmo”
Armstrong rose to (he top in (he world of jazz.
His trumpet and gravel voice and his inimitable style
and showmanship catapulted him into the ranks of
musical immortality over a career spanning almost 60
years.
Proline Beauty
Products
917 SW A lder* 224-8401
Open: Monday. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. * a m i pm
1
School/
S im on o f Cyrene
W
H E N JESUS A N N O U N C E D . "W hosoever will come after M e, let him
take up
his cross,” He was speaking to men and women who would follow H im through all
generations. It doesn't matter whether a man is brown, yellow, black or while, whether he
lives in the first century or the twentieth, Jesus was speaking to that man.
Are you ready to pay that price for accepting Christ? Can you carry the cross? We know
that our Saviour did. The book o f M ark, chapter fifteen, verse twenty-one tells us that
Simon did, for it records: "T hey compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out
o f the country, the father o f Alexander and Rufus, to bear His cross" (M ark 15 :21).
Cyrene was a city o f Libya, in North A fric aln ancient times there was a large colony of
Jews in Cyrene. There was also a synagogue in Jerusalem identified with Cyrenians and
others. Simon had heard o f Jesus. His sons were believers in the Saviour, but he himself was
not a disciple.
After Pilate had given in to the mob and sentenced Jesus to be crucified, the blood-thirsty
killers made ready for the execution march. A satanic swiftness marked their program
W ithin an hour after He was condemned Jesus was on His way to Golgotha.
Before the executioners could start with their victim for Calvary, the signing of the death
warrant, and certain other formalities took a few minutes. During that time the "w hole band
o f soldiers" took Jesus into the large assembly room. As we read in the book o f M atthew, it
seems that there, loo. they stripped H im , clothed H im in the scarlet robe once more, crushed
the crown o f thorns upon His bleeding head, knelt in mockery before H im , sneering, “ H ail,
K in g ." Then they spat upon H im , and lashed H im with the reed they had forced into His
hand.
No later than nine o'clock on Friday morning, the death procession was ready to start for
Golgotha, the skull-shaped execution hill outside the city walls, but not far from Pilate’s
palace. I f you think that now finally the Saviour will have a few moments o f peace, you are
mistaken. For Jesus was forced to carry His own cross.
Maggie Draper Walker
In Richmond, Va., a fraternal order, the Independent Order of St. Luke, had
as a member Maggie L. Walker. Recognizing the need for a systematic savings
program, she organized St. Luke's Penny Savings Bank, and encouraged black
investors to make regular, albeit small, deposits. In 1903, the name was
changed to St. Luke's Bank and Trust Co., and Mrs. Walker became the first
female bank president in America, black or white. Maggie L. Draper Walker,
bom the daughter of a former slave in 1867, was active in other affairs: she
established the newspaper The Si. Luke Herald, was a partner in an
unsuccessful department store - her only failure - founded The R ichmond
Independent School for Girts, and helped to establish a black health care center.
The bank which she founded merged with another black bank in Richmond and
became the Consolidated Bank and Trust Co. with Mrs. Walker as rts board
chairman until she died in 1936.
287-5656/Hours: 6:30-6:00
606 N.E. Fremo
2 % - 6 years ol<
When Jesus fell beneath his staggering load, the Roman legionnaires removed the cross
from H im , but they would not think o f carrying it themselves. Hence we read, "T h e y compel
one Simon, C y re n ia n .. . to bear His cross.”
Why did they select Simon? The Scriptures do not offer any reason; but it has been
supposed that the soldiers forced him into this disagreeable service because he was the first
person they spied. This may be the explanation, but perhaps there is another. Simon was a
dark man. He is referred to as Simon Niger, which suggests he was from Africa. It is known
that Romans looked down on Africans as lowly, menial 'ervaats, fit for the ugliest tasks.
Despite modern progress, millions in our enlightened c u lt u r * t ill try to keep minority
peoples in ignorance and superstition. They seek to strip theta o f their rights, exploit them,
cheat them, despise them, coax them into evil, but do nothing to bring them into salvation.
Jesus, who demonstrates no respect o f persons, and before whom all races stand on the same
level, is seeking the hearts o f all men who will respond to His invitation.
People to People Ministries
Box 22344, Milwaukie. OR 97222
663-0131
Portland Observer, February 23, 1983 Section III Page 11
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