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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 1992)
tfh W — ¥ February 26, l*W2...The Portland O b server-P ag e 7 Heroes and Heroines Gone But Not Forgotten Northwest African American Writers Workshop Host Two-Day Conference Last week we ran an article on Rev. John Garlington Jr. A typographical error inadvertently confused Rev. Garlington with his father who was also a minister. This week we have printed the corrected version. We ap o lo g ize for any inconvenience to our readers. John Garlington, Jr. BY D. BELL The late John Garlington, Jr., former pastor at Maranatha Church, was himself from an interesting family. Rev. Garlington, Jr. was bom in 1937 in Buffalo, New York, the son of a suc cessful barber. At the age of 40 John Garlington Sr. had a born-again experi ence and became saved. By the time he was 40 he owned two barber shops, one in Buffalo and one in Detroit, Michi gan. Within a few years of his becoming saved, John Garlington, Sr. met a young woman named Valdese Peeler whom he married. At this point in time they became involved with the denomination of The Church of God and Holiness, in which John Garlington, Sr. became a m inister. Rev. Garlington Sr. subsequently expe rienced a religious revelation, and sev ered his ties with that church, and with his congregation founded the Church of MARCO WASHINGTON God and True Holiness. At the time of his death, Bishop Garlington, Sr. headed a group of 16 churches. The Church of God and True Holiness is still in exist ence today on the east coast of the United States. His father died when he was only eight years old, leaving his mother to raise her family asa single parent, which she did by doing domestic work. John Jr. attended elementary and high school in Buffalo and left home at the age of 16 for Cleveland, Ohio. After three years there he enrolled in the Cleveland Baptist School of the Bible. Upon completion of his studies, he pur sued a ministerial career in the church his father had started, the Church of God and True Holiness. When not working in m inisterial related duties, Rev. Garlington Jr. supported himself and family by working as a postman and barber. At the age of 29, Rev. Garlington Jr. wasapproached by his father’schurch to be a bishop, the youngest person to date to be approached for this position. Upon accepting the office of Bishop, Rev. Garlington moved back to Buf falo, New York. In his new position, Rev. Garlington began receiving national recognition and exposure. He began to travel exten sively. It was during his travels that he began to experience different points of view, and came to see his church as rooted in old inflexible pentecostal tra ditions resistant to change. Conse quently, he relinquished his responsi bilities as Bishop in the Church of God and True Holiness, and with his congre gation he left the church and became non-denominational. Rev. Garlington still traveled exten sively; however, it was during one of his speaking engagements at the People’s Church in Tacoma, Washington in 1975 that it was brought to his attention that the Maranatha Church in Portland, O r egon was looking for a pastor. He applied for the position. After one interview and an extended month long visit to the “City of Roses,” Rev. Garlington, Jr. accepted the open posi tion for Pastor. When Rev. Garlington, Jr. arrived in Portland there was a bussing controversy surrounding the Portland Public Schools system and except for Rev. John Jackson, few clergy were visibly involved in so cial issues such as bussing, the possum incident where police officers threw dead possums on the door step of a black- owned cafe, and the police audit commit tee. To these incidents, Rev. Garlington, Jr. brought with him the ability to medi ate tense situations and the ability to find some common ground for compromise. On January 16,1986 at the age of 48, Rev. Garlington, Jr. was on a working vacation in Florida after making an evan gelical stop in Jamaica. While driving on his way to church where he was to ap pear, Rev. Garlington, Jr. and his wife were both killed in a tragic car accident. The driver of the other vehicle, had he been in Oregon, would have been consid ered legally drunk. At the time of his death, Rev. Garlington, Jr. was the president of the Albina Ministerial Alliance. He had earned the well deserved reputation as a bridge builder in the cause of social issues. Rev. Garlington Jr. leaves a cher ished memory of one gone but not forgot ten. Dad's Oil Service 104 NE Russell Portland, OR 97212 282-5111 notes, came a myriad of spell-binding information which took us from the state of Mississippi, where he was bom, to the steps of the Ohio State Union Merchant Institute where he metaperson named Dr. Richard Snyder and together they worked on “world peace.” World Peace has always been a major concern of Dr. Prophet’s. He has joined every “Peace” group imag inable. Dr. Prophet is deeply entrenched in the discovery of the “whys” and the “how comes” being the education of our young people and what are the causes of conflict. He told the audi ence, of approximately 150 persons, that he came to Portland purposely and one of the concepts he attempted to introduce into the school system was that of “World Peace.” “If we could just find the right formula that would cause other people to respect the rights of others,” he said. Dr. Prophet said that the text books approval is controlled largely by what transpires in the state of Texas. In attempting to find answers. Dr. Prophet has gone through great peri ods of great frustration. He was not seeking to find an answer for just one geographical location but a solution that would eventually bring about change throughout the entire nation. He and a team of colleagues had gotten so close to bringing about a change that would have impacted school sys tems across the United States. But — the two million dollar grant to rewrite the social studies text, that was ap- proved, was put on hold. It was to go before congress...and - then it hap pened. Election was coming. It was November, 1980. Then the dark days came -- “Reagan.” Everything came to a screeching halt. Dr. Prophet said that he worked in the military in the Defense Department. During a vacation period, he had the opportunity to go to England to see their Multi Ethnic Educational Curriculum Program, which was initiated through the military. This was all well and good but he couldn’t go public with the pro gram as long as it was under the auspices of the m ilitary. There was much transitionalizing; then, he heard about an opening in Portland. He had also heard that Portland was attempting a similar program, though imperfect, he still came. When Dr. Prophet reached Port land, he discovered that Portland’s teach ing staff was below even at the marginal levels as far as Multi-Ethnic staff was concerned. In 1985, Joseph Franklin was the first non-white teacher to be recruited outside of the state of Oregon. This was to be their method of supplant ing the already existing system’s hiring procedure. This proved to be a success ful method; but of course it didn’t fly without a fracas from within the existing ranks. People came from everywhere. One night at a board meeting, Dr. Prophet got views from one thousand directions. He was at his wits-end but the concept was good and he said, “It will be published but it is not intended to represent wrong truths but fa c t” The Baseline Essay is not an an swer to the Multi Cultural problem that the school district is facing but a posi tive method to assist in its implementa tion and resolution. “If I were to judge and rate Portland Public Schools about their Baseline Essay” says Prophet, “I would give the elementary level an ‘A ’, the intermediate level a *B’ and the high school level a ‘C ’.” Prophet had heard about reforms all over the place. “I have 59 reforms with very little movement. Missing — is the affective domain. How do kids feel about themselves?” Dr. Prophet expounds. Prophet says that a com parator permits you to list. But - you can choose between: •Self worth [which is the most important? •Learning to respect others •Cognition These three elements are the most important areas we should develop in our lives and the lives of our children. Margaret Carter followed his flat- footed, unrehearsed, moving, coherent speech with “If I Could Help Some body." The song moved everyone to tears. Homer Kearns, Superintendent of the Salem/Keizer Public Schools, who was present, said, “Prophet must have a Baptist preacher somewhere in his roots because of the manner in which he developed a few notes on the back of a program and turned them into such an overwhelmingly powerful speech. I was truly impressed. Salem will have to host this event next year.” r D ¡ Tr-* . r ii Is Portland Public Schools heating oils Best Cash Prices Continuedfrom page 2 Speedy Service Friendly Call for Quote! Salutes The organizations and individuals that build understanding through action Harden’s Interiors Specialties during Your community floor covering contractor here to meet your needs B lack H istory M onth Call 284-1324 F ebruary , 1992 Expect the Best at Safeway /— \ Ad Prices Good February 26 through March 3,1992 At Safeway. 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