THE VOICE
A NEGRO WEEKLY
“Dedicated to the promotion of
the cultural, social and spiritual
life of a great people”
Rev. Melvin L. Shakespeare
Publisher and Owner
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If no answer call 5-7508
Rubie W. Shakespeare
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Mrs. Joe Green
Circulation Mgr.
Dorothy Green
Reporter
Lynnwood Parker
Special Writer
Member of the Assoc. Negro Press
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THE FUTURE IS YOURS
What are you doing about it?
John L. Wilson—Architect, New
York City was an anxious host
when the United Nations moved
in: neither its housing situation
nor the disposition of some if its
citizens were exactly beaming in
welcome to its peace guests. But
the City was determined and its
desire to offer UN its best, select
ed the “World of Tomorrow”
Building in Flushing Meadow
Park, and graciously lent its arch
itect, John L. Wilson to coordinate
the work of the private firms who
won the rebuilding bid.
This special assignment was
only one of several Mr. Wilson has
in the course of his work as arch
itect with New York City’s De
partment of Parks. Another,
which recent visitors to New York
will remember, is the newly com
pleted “Harlem Meer” at the
110th end of Central Park. The
work, started by WPA was taken
over by the city, and completion
and design of both the building
and the lake fell to Mr. Wilson.
Another of his assignments is the
Vanderbilt Gates and fence mark-'
ing the beautiful, formal Conser
vatory Gardens entrance at 104th
and 105th streets on 5th Avenue.
The buildings and gardens of the
Bronx Zoo (“The Greatest Zoo in
the World”) and Bronx Botanical
Gardens are his special charges.
John L. Wilson was fourteen
years old, living in Birmingham,
Alabama, when he decided to be
come an architect.
“I remember very well,” he
says, “a Negro architect named
Rayfield who was building a CME
church in Birmingham. He used
to come around with blue-prints
under his arms and I was fascin
ated-—
“I liked to draw—I liked math
ematics—and these were two im
portant points in my favor.
“From the moment I decided
to become an architect, it was
never out of my mind. I began
reading everything I could find in
Juanita Hanger and Jeanne
Malone had the honor of being
nominated for membership to two
of the governing student bodies
of the university. Miss Hanger
has been nominated for sopho
more membership to the AWS
board, which regulates the activi
ties of coeds living in organized
houses on the campus. The duties
of the Coed Counselor board to
which Miss Malone was nominat
ed are to acquaint freshmen and
new students with the university.
These girls may not be elected to
these responsible offices, but their
mere nomination is a step toward
true democracy on thg^ university
campus.
Although you might guess it by
her name Miss Robbie Powell is
one of the new coeds on the cam
pus this semester. Four years
ago, Robbie, her parents, Rev. and
Mrs. R. H. Powell and her sister
Freddie, moved to Lincoln from
St. Joseph, Missouri. Since then
Robbie has attended school from
eighth grade through high school.
To illustrate some of her mental
ability, Miss Powell graduated
from high school in only two and
one half years and merited mem
bership to the National Honor
Society.
Robbie is enrolled in teachers
college and is majoring in history
and French, both of which she
plans to teach. For later in her
future she plans marriage.
the libraries. My father’s work
as a Methodist minister took us
to New Orleans, Louisiana, where
I finished high school and college
at New Orleans University. There
were no architectural courses to
take—but there were mathemat
ics courses, and I kept up with
my drawing. The librarians there
savec^ for me every, book they
could find on the subject. I was
so obsessed with my ambition that
everybody in the community
knew John L. Wilson was going
to be an architect one day.
“I taught mathematics for a
year at Philander Smith College
in Arkansas when I finished col
lege, and after that year, with
money saved, I came to New
York and entered Columbia Uni
versity School of Architecture. Af
ter two years my money gave out
and I had to leave school for two
and a half years. I worked at
all kinds of jobs, mainly as drafts
man in architectural offices until
I had enough money to finish
studying for my degree.”
"One of the most encouraging
signs I see now," he observes, "is
the readiness with which archi
tectural firms will take trained,
efficient, creative minds—without
regard to race. But a youngster
going into the field must remem
ber
an architect must be both an
artist and a business man
he must be able to draw, and
he must know mathematics
he must know the building
trades
he must have patience and tact
he must be well trained
he must work hard."
Many others in other parts of
the country have also succeeded
in this field as well as in New
York.
STAR VAN
Wishes
THE VOICE
Continued Success
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