Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1989)
February 9,1989 • Portland Observer • Page 11 X You can’t talk about the accomplishments of Black Oregonians without shouting about their historic professional successes in Portland Public Schools. Despite the demographic odds, Blacks have earned the highest positions of responsibility and respect in the Northwest's largest public educa tional system. Blacks represent only 15.4 percent of the school district’s students (1987-88 enrollment), just 7.0 percent of the city’s inhabitants (1980 census) and barely 1.4 percent of the state's residents (1980 census). Y e t. . . • Matthew Prophet since 1982 has been the superachieving superintendent o f schools sought by New York, Los Angeles and several other large urban school districts. • Ernest Hartzog has been an assistant super intendents Portland since 1972. He now is the No. 3 educator in the system, in charge of districtwide and alternative programs. CHAVIS W hen it comes to recognizing a person who has contributed time, talent and energy to the recent history of our community, the name o f Betty Thom pson will be familiar to many. To list only a few of her many accom plishm ents would include leadership roles in the Albina War on Poverty, M etropolitan Steering Committee, National Association o f Colored W om ens’ Clubs (the oldest black w om en’s organization in th U.S., organized in 1898), M etropolitan Fam ily Service where she initiated the Foster Grandparents Program, G overnor’s Advisory Committee on Aging, United Way Executive Budget/ Allocations Com m ittee, Portland Federation of W om en’s O rganization, Literary Research Club and St. Philips’s Episcopal Church. GERALD Just ask Matt, Ernie, Aletha, Bill, Edith, Ed, Nate, Mac and 604 other Black PPS employees . . . WILSON JONES GREEN • Aletha Chavis has been personnel director since 1980. She’s been instrumental in the employment of 6,551 teachers and support employees, of whom 9.3 percent are Black (a 14.1 percent increase since 1980-81). • Bill Gerald and Edith Wilson are two of eight cluster directors of instruction overseeing operations of scores of schools. • Ed Green, director of transportation services, supervises the complexities of busing thou sands of school children. • Nate Jones, administrator of Jefferson High, was honored by his Oregon peers as 1987 Secondary Principal of the Year. • Mac Lockett is chief of the 20-member Portland School Police Dept. Affirmative action and multiethnic-multicultural education aren't just talk in Portland Public Schools. Just ask Matt, Ernie, Aletha, Bill, Edith, Nate, Mac and 604 other Black employees of the school district. Her presence as a model of responsible citizenship in our com m unity continues to make a difference. Betty Thompson ... Congratulations! S ponsored by NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS COMPANY LOCKETT < n Dr. William Edward Burghardt DuBois 1868-1963 — Dr. Perry Julian Helped create and produce low cost Cortisone, a modern wonder drug used to treat many diseases. • Developed an inexpensive drug to treat Glaucoma, an eye disease. This drug is used around the world. "W e shall hardly induce Black men to believe that if their stomachs be full, if matters little about their brains." • Founded Julian Laboratories, an im portant drug research center and drug company. - L N/NE C O M M UNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, INC. "W orking to Make a Difference’ ’ 310Ñ.E. Oregon Street Portland, OR 97232 -a “ ♦ * ? * * * * * * * . » « ■ PHIL REYNOLDS MEDICAL CLINIC 15 N. Morris St. Portland, Oregon 97227 287-4532 (503) 239 8871 4 - w • * * J ----------