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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 1928)
LIFTIN %, LIFT TC " ~' % %. o e r> The Monitor NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. GROWING — THANK YOU $2.0° a Year—S 1 at CopyOmaha, Nebraska, Friday, January 13, 1928 Vol. XIII—Number 28 Whole Number 650 Quarter Million Slaves Freed in Africa South Side Social Settlement^ Submits Its Annual Report The Social Settlement Association, which conducts centers at Thirty first and Q streets and Twenty-ninth and R streets, South Side, has just issued its twentieth annual report, which discloses many interesting facts and reveals a vast deal of character building work. The Social Settlement seeks to serve its neighborhood through two centers in an elastic and constantly; varied program of organized activi ties, co-operation with others, and neighborliness. It seeks to bring peo ple of different backgrounds into full er understanding by offering oppor- ; tunities for association and the dis covery of new and common interests. , The report discloses that within one-half mile radius of the settlement are four packing plants, employing a i minimum of 6,000 people; stock1 yards, second largest in the United ! States; 29 soft drink parlors and pool rooms; one public school; three pa rochial schools; five white churches; eight Negro churches; one small ball park; no public playground or gym nasium; one night school, financed by women’s organizations; one citi zenship class at Armour's packing plant, conducted by Y. M. C. A.; 21 foreign nationalities, and 2,000 Ne roes. Organized activities, including toy making, cabinet-making, carving, oth er handicrafts, mechanical drawing, sewing, dressmaking, cooking, folk dancing, music, dramatics and others too numerous to mention here, are carried on by both paid and volun teer workers, both at the Settlement House, for whites and foreigners, and at the Colored Cultural Center. It would be interesting to quote full statistics of work done at both centers, did space permit, but all that can be done is to give a few from the Cultural Center, where 675 organized sessions have been held with an at tendance of more than 9,000, and an attendance of over 6,000 on the play ground. The head worker of the Settlement is Miss Helen W. Gauss, who has as | her director of activities at the Set tlement House, Miss Helen Musste, and of the Cultural Center, Mrs. M. L. Rhone. The following, taken in full from Miss Gauss’ report, tells of the work at the Cultural Center: “Turning to the work of this Cen ter (the Cultural) we find it hard to believe that only 16 months ago was the house opened—so great has been the record of growth and achieve ment since that time. The Center’s activities have fully justified the hopes of the Colored Parent-Teachers Association and their president, Mrs. Busch, who first asked for it, and whose long, untiring efforts in co operation with the Settlement, the city commissioners and others, finally achieved it. From the beginning it was a community enterprise and it continues to be so. At first it was only the few who saw its possibilities —who saw that such an opportunity for Ne^ro initiative along lines of race progress, was to be desired. Many stood off and criticized. “But steadily the work has moved on, growing stronger month by month —steadily drawing into fuller sense of their common interests and needs a large part of South Omaha’s col ored group. This is a group rich in religious spirit. There are eight churches active, of several denomina tions. The great lack heretofore has been some binding force, some non denominational, practical program for community welfare on which all groups could unite. "Since the Center has been organ ized, it is supplying this program, as far as four small club rooms and two small playgrounds will permit. Following the lead of the churches, working with them at every point possible, its workers are striving to build up a spirit of active commun ity service among both old and young, and succeeding to a surpris ing degree. This spirit of good-will was notably manifest last month on two separate occasions when large number of adults came together. “The first meeting was one which all eight churches ol South Omaha helped to assemble, some dismissing early that evening in order to permit their nembers to attend. It was a meeting of 106 mothers and married women to discuss the “Responsibility ,of Mothers and Daughters.’’ The spe cial significance of the subject was I given it Tjy a juvenile delinquency situation, which had lately shocked i the community, and in remedying which the Center was able to help in many ways. Representatives of all I eight churches were on the program, j Of the 106 women present, 28 were j without any church connection. Within so large a group, the strong spirit of good will and sympathy and ! understanding which showed itself, i was taken by all as an omen of good i for the future. “The other occasion to be men tioned was the recent Christmas Bene | fit, sponsored by the Parent-Teach ers Association. This benefit was inspired by the need of two invalids in the neighborhood for wheel chairs. The Parent-Teacher Association at a meeting in the fall had set itself the task of supplying these chairs and later gladly accepted the offer of Mrs. Rhone to let the children of the Center share the effort by giving a program at a Christmas Benefit par ty. The consummation of the plans was a large gathering a few days be fore Christmas in Swift’s Employees’ Cafeteria, most generously loaned by Mr. Cushman on this as well as other occasions. The audience again rep resented every church in South Oma ha, and money enough was taken in to buy one chair and contribute to wards the other. Boys and girls as well as grown-ups were present when the chair was presented and no eye' was dry. Again, at the Improvement Club s Christmas Eve party for children, it was a boy who made the presentation | speech when $5.00 was taken from j the tree as a surprise for old Mr. I Clark. It was this boy who explained how 18 months ago when the Center was being made ready for occupancy I it was Mr. Clark—then in better health than he is now—who labored day after day, volunteering his skill in the laying of the long stone walk which stretches from street to alley. Such enterprises are doing things to the community! “As for the rest of the program— I the definite activities along special1 lines can only be briefly suggested. i “Our director in charge, Mrs. j Rhone, brings a quality of spirit, a [ spiritual and mental poise, as well as ] a high degree of executive ability and social vision such as we must be profoundly grateful for. Three and one-half years' experience in Y. W. work lay behind her when she came to us last March at the time when Miss Patrick, our previous director, j had been called home by illness. “Mrs. Busch, the original inspira tion for the Center, and now its home visitor, is a kindred spirit and works in closest sympathy with Mrs. Rhone. Through her visiting in the homes, she shares a multitude of the neigh borhood’s problems and needs, needs both material and spiritual. Some of these problems the Center can help to solve; many it can refer to other agencies. One case conference held at the Center enlisted the co-opera tion of six different groups. “The Center’s Home Improvement Club is also reaching the homes. As one result of last summer’s contest, an alley—long an eyesore in the neighborhood—drew two out of ten prizes awarded for improvement of premises. The first prize went to a yard which had been transformed from a bare patch of ground to a lovely mass of blossoming flowers. “The boys’ work at the Center haB drawn in several workers during the year. Since last spring, however, Mr. Stewart has been with us, at first as a volunteer interested in a particular baseball team, and since September as the regular evening assistant, in terested in ALL the boys. His nat ural interest in athletics and club work draws a quick response from the boys, and his ready co-operation with the other workers, means the (Continued on Page Four) EDITORIAL We feel sure that our readers will be interested in learning of the activities of the Cultural Center on the South Side as revealed by the report published in this issue. It must be admitted that the Center is faithfully and earnestly striving to render a much needed service in the community. There is far too little constructive social service work conducted for and by our group. Character building agencies are needed in every community and we should lend our encouragement to all such worthy and deserving efforts to better conditions. This is particularly true of institutions which justify their ex istence by the work they are doing and by rendering a strict account of the funds placed at their disposal. The work being accomplished by the Cultural Renter is most commendable. Our people should visit the Center, learn what is being done there and heartily co-operate with it in any way they can. A STRIKING CARTOON The Monitor whose policy is to give credit where due and to encourage our people to their best endeavors in any line of praiseworthy work, desires to compliment Mr. R. A. Ashford, for his excellent cartoon, “Sowing the Wind and Reaping the Whirlwind,” which appeared in last week’s issue of The Omaha Guide. The cartoon graphically represents one of those atro cities which mars our American civilzation—the burning of a Negro at the stake with a jeering mog looking gleefully on. Below this swept by a whirl of wind is depicted, a white youth, evidently intended for Hickman, kneeling beside a bathtub, holding a dismembered arm in his hand, while fragments of a human body rest on a towel on a chair near by. The cartoon is. must suggestive and shows the cartoonist to have talent of a high order which should be cultivated. We compliment our contemporary upon publishing the cartoon. CAN IT BE DONE? We are wondering if the year 1928 might not see the suc cessful launching of a building and loan association or home such financial enterprise among our people in this city. It takes knowledge and experience for such institutions and we have been wondering if their might not be found here some person or persons who could successfully manage such an in stitution. We wonder if it can be done. Looking Over An Old Copy of “The Mission Monitor” Last week we spoke of the fact that The Monitor was developed into a general race paper out of our little parish paper, The Mission Monitor, which was published monthly for the ! instruction of St. Philip’s congrega tion. We acceded to the felt and ex pressed demand for a local weekly race organ and so begon the publica tion of The Monitor in this larger ca pacity on July 2, 1915. In looking over some of the old copies of The Mission Monitor pub lished more than a quarter of a cen ; tury ago, we found it rather inter lesting. We believe that our readers I will enjoy taking a glance with us I over some of those old copies. Twenty-Eight Year* Ago! i Well, here’s the issue of March 11900. Notice that it is Number 3 of Volume V, showing that the little monthly is in its sixth year of publi cation. It is an eight-page “mag azine,” 11 by eight, three columns to the page, neatly printed and well gotten up. On page one is a beauti i ful poem, “Though the Shadows Be jDark,” by Emma E. Haanel, in the Home Circle. Then follows a ser mon on “The Annunciation of the j Blesed Virgin Mary,” preached at St. | Philip’s and published by request. This occupies six columns. Two brief and interesting articles captioned, “Frankly Conceded” and “T h e Church Idea,” by the Rev. George Betts, follow and bring us to page four, the editorial page, where thf masthead proudly proclaims: THE MISSION MONITOR A Church Magazine. Published Month ly Primarily in the Interests of the Church of St. Philip the Deacon And Devoted Chiefly 1. To instructing the congregation in the Doctrine, Discipline, Wor snip and History of the Church to the end that they may become devout and well-informed Church men. 2. To disseminating general Church information and especially intelli gence as to work of the “Protes tant Episcopal Church” among Afro-Americans with the hope of awakening and sustaining inter est therein. 3. To discussing such matters of general interest as may seem to us wise and expedient. Editor and Publisher The Rev. John Albert Williams 1124 North 20th Street, Omaha, Nebraska Business Manager George W. Parker Subscription Canvassers Guy Singleton Fred D. Gamble Subscription Price, 50 Cents a Year. * * * * Editorials, parish notes, a cut of the church building, giving a direct ory of services, officers of various organizations, etc., and advertise ments fill out the rest of the paper. Among the advertisers are Thomas Kilpatrick & Co., Thompson-Belden & Co., Kuhn & Co., M. H. Bliss, Hen ry Schnauber, C. J. Carlson, Cudahy Packing Co., and Dr. J. H. Hutten. The firm of Thompson-Belden & Co., was then at Sixteenth and Doug las streets in the Y. M. C. A. building. Kuhn & Co., was a popular drugstore at Fifteenth and Douglas, where the World theater now stands. Thomas Kilpatrick & Co., was at the present location. Speaking of Kuhn’s reminds us of a rather amusing incident. We were in the store one day during an en gagement here of the famous Wil liams & Walker Company. Mr. N. A. [Kuhn, the genial proprietor, address ed us as “Mr. Williams.” Some gen Itleman, a customer in the store, came ] up to us quite cordially, and address ing us said, “Mr. Williams, I enjoyed your show last night, it’s a fine show. I was very much pleased with it and Pm delighted with this opportunity of telling you so.” I replied, “I am glad you enjoyed it ,most people do.” Mr. Kuhn, back of the counter was chuckling, as I added, “But, MY show doesn’t draw quite so well. The the ater beats us when it comes to draw ing crowds.” The geniol stranger, evidently for the first time noticing our clerical garb, showing much confusion, said, “Oh, I beg your pardon, sir, I-I-I didn’t notice you were a minister and I hope you won’t take offense at my mistake.” “Upon the contrary, sir, I feel com plimented to be taken for such a handsome and talented man, as my friend, Bert Williams.” Thereafter, Mr. Kuhn would fre quently say banteringly, “Well, Mr. Williams, how is Mr. Walker today, and how is your show doing?” But let us get back to our little pa (Continued on Page Three) YOKE OF BONDAGE LIFTED IN AFRICA British Decree Frees More Than a Quarter Million Freetown, Sierra Leone, Africa.— The yoke of bondage fell from the shoulders of nearly 250,000 natives recently. The natives were held by Africans like themselves and served in the homes. A British decree, gained principally through the Chris tianly efforts of a noble woman, Lady Simon, place them on a basis of poli tical equality with their former masters. DEATH CLOSES CAREER OF PROMISING YOUNG BAPTIST MINISTER Had Made Many Friend* During His Brief Residence Here as Pastor of Mount Moriah Baptist Church The Rev. C. B. Burton, who came to Omaha from Minneapolis only a few months ago to become pastor of Mount Moriah Baptist church, Twen ty-fourth and Ohio streets, died last Friday morning at the Methodist hos pital, sincerely mourned, not only by the members of his own congregation, but by many outside who had come in contact with this promising young minister. While he had been a resi dent of this city for only about six months, he had made a most favor able impression. His death at the early age of 34 years is sincerely re gretted. The funeral was held Tuesday af ternoon at 2 o’clock from Mount Moriah Baptist church and was large ly attended. The invocation was said by Rev. J. R. Young of Zion Bap tist church. The sermon was preach ed by the Rev. J. H. Jackson, with brief addresses by the Rev. Messrs. John H. Grant, C. H. Trusty, O. J. Burckhardt, William Storrs and Z. E. McGee, and Mrs. Hiram Greenfield. Resolutions from the Ministers’ Al liance were read by the Rev. J. C. Brewer; and from the church offi cers and auxiliaries by Mr. George W. Hibbler. The Scripture reading was by the Rev. F. S. Goodlet and the obituary by Mr. R. S. Simms. Solos were sung by Mrs. J. P. Mosley and the Rev. E. L. Hamlet, and other mu sical numbers by the choir. The remains, accompanied by the widow, his mother, Mrs. Priscilla Jackson; Mrs. I. M. McIntosh, repre senting the congregation, and the Rev. Z. E. McGee, were shipped by Undertaker J. D. Lewis to Wichita, Kansas, for interment. MASS MEETING HELD TO BID FAREWELL TO DEPARTING PASTOR Rev. William Frederick Botts Accepts) Call to California Church, Clos ing Eighteen Years at Zion Baptist Sunday afternoon Zion Baptist church was filled by an audience who came to say farewell to the Rev. W. F. Botts and his wife, who left Monday night for Los Angeles, Cal., where he becomes pastor of St. Paul’s Baptist church. Dr. Botts had been pastor of Zion Baptist church for 18 years. I The mass meeting or farewell re ception was under the auspices of the New Era Baptist association of which the departing pastor was the organiz er and its moderator for ten years. An interesting program of speeches intermingled with music featured the affair. The Rev. F. S. Goodlet was master of ceremonies. Among the speakers were Mr. H. L. Anderson, Mr. H. J. Ford, Attorney H. J. Pink ett, Mrs. M;.mie Griffin, of Lincoln, head of the women’s department of the association; Rev. E. H. Hilson, Rev. D. McQueen, Rev. John H. Grant, pastor of St. John’s A. M. E. church, and Rev. John Albert Wil-) liams, rector of St. Philip’s Episcopal church. Mrs. Bailey, on behalf of the Boosters’ club of St. John’s A. M. E. church, in a most appropriate speech, presented Dr. Botts a basket of flow ers; the Rev. J. H. Jackson, pastor of Bethel Baptist church, South Side, PLEAD STRONGLY FOR PROMOTION OF RACE GOOD WILL Dr. Mordecai Johnson, Dr. John Mott and Sherwood Eddy Prominent Speakers at Students’ Convention Detroit, Mich.—Dr. Mordecai John son, president of Howard university, made a powerful plea against the austere treatment of some peoples under the government of the United States at the Student Volunteer Movement convention here. Dr. John R. Mott, pioneer in the student move ment in the United States and other countries pictured the gradual blend ing of Christian ethics into the world forces that are making for the unity and solidarity of the human race. Dr. Johnson criticised the policy of the United States in its treatment of the peoples of Haiti, Nicaragua, and i other Carribean and Latin-American l countries. He affirmed that the 40,000,000 Christian people in the United States participated in what he called a pol icy of political and racial discrimin ation. “The Christian people of America exploit the Negroes in our midst, de priving them of their political fran jchise and segregating them in an un brotherly fashion not only in cities and towns but even in churches. The church in America is falling far short of influencing in any dominant way the social and economic life of our nation. “We are witnessing today the grad ual enfeeblement of Christian enter prise and this condition will continue until we produce a church that trans cends all national and racial bound aries.” Colden Rule Among Nations Dr. Sherwood Eddy of New York followed with an address that stress ed the spiritual unity of the human race. “The unity of the human race im plies the mutual interchange of the best within each national culture. The potential brotherhood of men re quires for its ultimate fulfillment not only the preaching, but the practicing of mutual respect and of internation al peace.” ANSWERS FINAL SUMMONS HENRY W. WILLIAMS Henry W. Williams, aged 59, died at his late residence, 2416 Parker street early Tuesday morning. Al though he had been in poor health for several years he only took to his bed Sunday. The deceased, who was the fourth son of the late Henry Williams and his wife, Adaline D’Or, was born in London, Ont., August 2, 1868, and lived for a number of years* in De troit, Mich., and Chicago, coming to Omaha 18 years ago where he has since resided. , He is survived by his widow, Jen jnie; a son, Bert E., of Chicago; a sister, Mrs. Sarah B. Canty; a broth |er, Rev. John Albert Williams; three niceses, Mrs. Alice M. Smith, Dor othy E., and Catherine A. Williams, and a nephew, Worthington L. Wil liams. The funeral will be held Fri day afternoon from St. Philip’s church with interment at Forest Lawn. on behalf of the New Era Baptist association, in a fitting address, pre sented the retiring moderator with a bejewelled gold medal, and Mrs. Mamie Griffin presented Mrs. Botts with a silver tea set and orange spoons. The recipients expressed their deep appreciation for the to kens of esteem. Each speaker in bringing greetings to Zion's depart ing pastor and his wife, voiced re gret at their leaving and wished them God-speed in their new fields. Sev eral of the speakers, both clerical and lay, stressed the importance of a high standard of life upon the part of the ministry. The shoemaker should certainly get there with both feet.