PTA Mourns Death Of Past President CHICAGO, ILL.--Clara Brownlee Gay, president of the National C on gress of Colored Parents and Teach ers from 1967-70, died of a ruptured ulcer on December 24,1988 in Athens, Georgia. She had just celebrated her 80th birthday During her term of office the Na tional Congress of Parents and Teach ers (NCPT) and the National Con gress of Colored Parents and Teach ers (NCCPT) becam e one entity, the National PTA. Gay also wrote a bro chure about the history of the “Col ored Congress," which was formed in 1926, with the assistanceof NCPT, to serve parents whose children had to by law attend segregate schools. “ Her term was a very significant one for the PTA and we are saddened to have lost such a valuable leader," said current National PTA president Manya Ungar, noting that Gay at tended the National PTA convention as recently as 1987. She was also contributing to a living history of the 92-year-old PTA. G ay’s motto was "to stay busy and remain useful” which she did. Her hobbies included teaching music, and visiting the sick at their homes and in nursing homes and hospitals. And, up until her death she was a member of her grandson’s PTA at the Clarke Middle School in Athens, GA. Prior to being elected president of the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers, Gay served as vice-president, secretary and music chairman. She was also president of the Georgia Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers from 1950-54. In addition to her PTA involve ment, Gay was a member of the W hite House Conference on Educa tion in 1955 and 1970, an appointed m ember of the Southeastern Educa tion Laboratory serving Alabama, Georgia and Florida, and a member of the Georgia Joint State Legislative Committee. She was a life member of the National PTA, National Education Association and The Georgia Educa tion Association. Gay was recognized as Teacher of the Year for Clarke County in 1959 and 1965, was listed in W ho’s Who Among American Women and W ho’s W ho in Education, and received a I distinguished service award from the National Education Association in 1970. NEA named her One of Geor gia’s Outstanding Bicentennial Women in 1971. She received her A. B. degree from Knoxville College in Tennesse and a M aster’s degree from Atlanta Univer sity in Georgia. She was principal at Clarke Central High School in Athens, was a supervisor and principal in South Carolina and was a high school teacher of English, speech and music. Gay is survived by her sister Mildred Brownlee Gay and a son Clifford Alexander Gay of Savannah, GA., and her daughters Flora Ann Gordon Gay of Athens and Zadel Robinson of Augusta, GA. She was a grandmother of two. New Year Resolutions A man sat in his chair looking at the cards on which he had written three New Year’s RESOLUTIONS. “ How ridiculous” , he whispered, eyeing first one card, then the other. Why think he would do any better, improving his life this year, than he had in the pass. He placed the cards on the table. That night, the man had a dream. He dreamed he was at the head of a group, no, a mob. They ascended a steep hill by foot. They talked of what they must do, and grew angrier as they climbed. It seems, they were seeking out an old man who lived high on the mountain. For years the villagers believed his counsel wise without fault. If the old man spoke differently, the villagers retused to follow the leadership of the men who ascended the mountain. Today, all would be settled, the angry group agreed. Economics In F qçusj . Women In Business W ASHINGTON, D .C .-T h e num ber of wom en-owned businesses continues its long-term growth, ac cording to new governm ent figures. The Internal Revenue Service recently published 1986 figures for wom en-owned sole proprietorships. Between 1980 and 1986 the number of women-owned sole proprietorships grew from 2.5 to 4.1 million, an in crease of 64 percent. During the same period, business receipts doubled from $36 to $72 billion. Jam es Abdnor, Adm inistrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), in commenting on the new figures, said, “ W om en-owned busi nesses are currently the fastest grow ing segment of the economy and I believe that what we are seeing today is just the beginning. As these busi nesses mature, their share of the market and of total sales is also ex pected to increase." Between 1985 and 1986 the num ber and receipts of women-owned sole proprietorships increased by ten percent. The number of women-owned firm s increased from 3.7 to 4.1 million and receipts increased from $65 to $72 billion. Another plus is that women’s share of all sole proprietorships and re ceipts also increased from 1985 lev els, from 28 percent to 30 percent and 12 to 13 percent respectively. Carol M. Crockett, director of SBA’s Office of W om en's Business Owner ship, said, "These figures are very encouraging and illustrate the contri bution women are making to the health of our nation's economy. Women are truly participants in the economic mainstream and are succeeding in our nation’s dynam ic entrepreneurial econom y.” AT O U R NEW SENTRY, YOU'LL FEEL RIGHT AT H O M E . I I I I I If you’ve shopped at TJ’s *1 on N.E. 42nd or Wilshire Park Sentry on N.E. 33rd, I our new TJ’s * 2 will feel , just like home. And even if Sentry is new to I you, w e ’ll make you I feel comfortable the minute you set foot 1 in the door We’ve / been a neighbor for years. So walk right in. Sentry MARKETS I F COMING JANUARY 90th. T.J.'s * 9 SENTRY 909 N. Killingsworth (formerly Albertson’s) 7 am - 11 pm Teleconference On Black History Portland Community College will kick off its annual celebration of Black History Month Wednesday, February 1, with a free video teleconference at three campuses "Beyond the Dream: A Celebra tion of Black History,” will be from 9:30 a m to 1 p.m. at Sylvania Campus 12000 S.W. 49th Ave.,; Rock Creek Campus, 17705 N.W. Springville Rd.,; and Cascade Campus, 705 N Killingsworth St. The national conference will look at Black contributions to education, politics, economics, the military, the arts, sports, entertainment an social issues It also will feature young Black men and women who represent the next generation of Black leaders in the United States. The video teleconference will be delivered to audiences at colleges, universities, military installations, secondary schools, national organt zations and federal and state agen cies throughout the nation. As an “ interactive” event, it will enable audience participants to call in ques tions a national panel will answer on the air. Among national participants will be Mary Hatwood Futrell, president of the National Education Associa tion; Donald M. Stewart, president of the college Board; Dorothy Brunson, chief executive officer of Brunson Broadcasting; Dean Sybil Mobley of the School of Business and C om merce at Florida A&M University; Dorothy Gilliam, W ashington Post columnist; General Bernard Randolph America’s only Black active-duty, four star general; Mae Jamison and Col Charles Bolden, USMC, NASA astro nauts; Take 6, a contem porary jazz/ Gospel musical group; and Terry Cummings of the National Basketball Association's Milwaukee Bucks. The conference is sponsored by the publishers of “ Black Issues in Higher Education” and PCC, and will originate from W ashington, D C. It was designed to interest busi ness leaders, government employ ees, educators, health-care person nel and students. All participants are invited to bring sack lunches. Further information is available from Keith Allen or Susan McCabe at PCC, 244-6111, ext. 4260 or 4655. Finally they reached the cave. “ Come out old man.” The man called louder, “ Old man, come forward.” The others joined in the cry that the old present himself. It appeared a long white, but, fln a ly, a figure stood at thee is m w e iv te tn i ueeiuO opening. The man, seizing the leadership, stepped forward.t He yelled,-with conviction, “ Some say you are always right. I say, you are a fake, and not as wise as I.” The old man responded not a word. . teO The Man stepped closer. He held his arms extended, one hand cupped over the other. He challenged the sage, "I have in my hand, a bird. Is this bird alive or is it dead?” The old sage said nothing. “ You heard me old man; is the bird I hold in my hands, alive or dead.” The Man knew, if he answered that it was alive, he would crush the tiny bird. When he opened his powerful hands, the bird would be lifeless. If, on theother hand, the response was that the bird is dead, he would part his hands and the bird could fly into the air. The Old Man, finally, broke his silence. He spoke softly, still all could hear. What the old man said was, “The decision is in your hands." PORTLAND OBSERVER “ The Eyes and Ears of the Community" 288-0033 A. B. Higdon, P.O. Box 26006, Dayton, OH 45426 AT O U R NEW SENTRY, YOU'LL GET RED CARPET TREATMENT. At Sentry, you get extra special service. And w e like to serve the community outside our doors, too, by supporting the local churches and Little League teams, and with special promotions and fundraising events for our neighbors. You’re welcome. Sentry rn p M ARKETS V COMING JANUARY 20th« T.J.’s # 2 SENTRY 909 N. Killingsworth (formerly Albertson’s) 7 am - 11 pm