The guardian. [volume], February 25, 1939, Image 1

About The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960

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CHE GUARDIAN
VOL. 38, NO. 17
NAACP POSTPONES ANNL. ELECTION
Ransom Will Sustained — Convict Grocer
All Invited To Honor Crispus Attucks on Monday, March Six
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IRWIN T. DORCH, ESQ.
■'ho was praised at annual NAACP meeting for the achievements of the
Boston Branch during his administration—Full text of his report is printed
on pages 2 and 3.
RANSOM ESTATE
OVER $25,000
CONTESTANTS LOSE IN FIGHT
TO BREAK WILL
The will of the late John F. Ransom
was proved and allowed in a decision
by Judge William M. Prest in Probate
( ourt last Monday.
The testator died on November 16,
IDBB, and the will was presented for
p) obate, November 23. The issues
raised by the contestants were: due
execution of the will, soundness of
nnnd of the testator, fraud or undue
influence, and forgery. All the issues
were decided in favor of the propon
ents of the will.
T he Y' 11 been drawn by Attor
ney Malcolm C. Banks, and he was ap
pointed executor. C. H. Greene was
appraiser and Attorney Walter Foster
was counsel for the estate.
p.Attorneys Edgar P. Benjamin and
Richard R. Sullivan were counsel for
Clarence Hackley, Columbus, Ohio,
nephew while Atty. W. H. Lewis, Jr.,
and Atty. Thomas J. Barry were coun
sel for the contestants. Witnesses to
the will were Raymond Allen, T. C.
Crosson, Sr., and Atty. Malcolm C.
Banks.
Twenty days were allowed in which
an appeal may be taken.
state « estimated at more than
tY’ 00 ; consisting of cash in bank,
eal estate, and Building and Loan
leaves SI,OOO to Resthaven, S2OO to the
TT cer tificates. The will
on Ha ncock Street,
W i D - Battle > Pastor of
n * C^? rch ’ s s °o to William H.
m to w r ’ Batum ’ s daughter,
» YY 1 ' 8 ' Nellse Thornton, SIOO
1° w DeCoar . se y Cheeks, SSO and SSO
to Misses Paige, Washington, D. C.
(Continued on Page 5)
Honor Miss Driscoll
The Women’s Sendee Club at 464
Mass Ave., was bright with lights on
Tuesday evening when nearly two
hundred prominent men and women
eame to honor one of the outstanding
in the community, Miss Mary
Driscoll, chairman of the Licensing
Do T? d vice . chai ™nn of the Mass,
e er Homes in America association.
Better Homes Unit of the Outer
bouth End were the hostesses, Mrs.
Everett Morrison and Mrs. Nellie
Green, co-chairmen.
Mrs. Nellie Crichlow program chair
man, presented an unusual musical pro
gram: Mrs. Greene, the well known
soloist; Messrs. Byars and Riley gave
several vocal selections. Mrs. Purdue
was the accompanist.
Many of the friends present gave
expresseions of eulogy. The Junior
Better Homes Unit presented the guest
with a lovely bouquet of flowers
BETHEL CHURCH
CELEBRATES
100 YEARS
Friday evening, February 17, Bethel
A.M.E. Church of Providence, R. 1.,
Dr. J. Julian Jenkins, Minister, cele
brated its 100th anniversary in the
vestibule of the church. In spite of
inclement weather a large number at
tended the banquet, many in formal
attire. The very fine banquet was pre
ceded by a week of services in which
the work of the church and its pastors
over a century of service to the A.M.E.
Connection were given an immense
amount of praise.
Features of the program were ad
dresses by Sister Green, one of the old
est members of the church, having
been connected with the same for the
past fifty years; Sister Williams, an
other one of Bethel’s oldest members
who spoke very interestingly concern
ing the work of the church during her
connection with the same. (A short
time ago Sister Williams gave Bethel
Church $500.00). Mrs. H. E. Charles,
the brilliant wife of Dr. Charles, pas
tor of Bethel Church, Lynn, Massachu
setts, who gave a very inspiring ad
dress and read an original poem in
honor of the 100th anniversary. Rev.
Luther Marion Fuller of Chelsea, also
spoke in praiseworthy terms of the
fine work of his friend, Rev. J. J. Jen
kins, the present pastor.
Mrs. Smallwood of Providence, a
very hard worker, ardent supporter,
and dependable member of Bethel
Church, was the very efficient Mistress
of Ceremonies. The closing address
was given by Dr. Jenkins, who re
viewed his work as pastor of the
church for the past three years, say
ing that his road had been beset with
many almost insurmountable difficul
ties due to the lack of cooperation on
the part of some members. However,
he highly praised those members who
has cooperated with him and kept the
church going. He presented a check
for $387.00 which had been raised for
the church. Everyone greatly enjoyed
the very fine repast consisting of Roast
Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Mashed
Potatoes, etc., and Ice Cream.
Rev. Jenkins was highly praised for
the fine work he has done at Bethel
Church during the past three years.
ZORA HURSTON
WRITES NEW BOOK
PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Feb. 28, (C)
—Miss Zora Neale Hurston, whose
book on Haiti, “Tell My Horse”, was
published last fall by the J. B. Lippin
cott company, is now working on a
new volume, a life of Moses, her pub
lishers announce. The book will be
published this fall.
GUARDIAN, BOSTON, MASS., FEBRUARY 25, 1939
HARMONY MARKS
NAACP MEET
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ALFRED BAKER LEWIS
The efficient secretary of Boston
Branch, NAACP, whose zeal and deep
interest in all human problems was
commended by Rev. W. Lloyd Imes
of New York, guest speaker at annual
banquet.
The NAACP election of officers
scheduled to take place at the annual
dinner-meeting Thursday night in Hor
ticultural Hall nils, oa motion, pool
poned until next November, thereby
averting a threatened bitter fight be
tween two rival factions.
More than four hundred, equal to
nearly half the active membership of
the local body, were present. The meet
ing, announced to begin at 6:30, had
drawn a full house by the opening hour
and tardy-comers occupied all avail
able space in the rear of the hall and
jammed the side-aisles in lines that
reached almost to the rostrum. It was
the largest attendance ever seem at an
NAACP meeting in Boston, members
said, and probably was due to the
aroused interest in the election.
Attorney Roy F. Teixeira, first vice
president, was temporary ehairman;
Alfred Baker Lewis was secretary, in
vocation was by Rev. William Lloyd
Imes of New York. Treasurer Louis
Pasco read his report which was unani
mously adopted.
Attorney Irwin T. Dorch, the presi
dent, arrived at this point and took
charge of the meeting. Mr. Dorch read
his report giving a detailed account of
the Branch’s activities, protests, court
and legislative contests during the past
KY. UNI. MAY
ADMIT COLORED
FRANKFORT, Ky., Feb. 23 —
(CNA)—There is a possibility the Uni
versity of Kentucky here may be ob
liged to admit colored students for the
first time in its history as a result of
the recent United States Supreme
Court decision.
The high tribunal ruled, in the
Gaines ease, that colored students could
demand admission to public schools in
states where no separate institutions
are maintained for them. A part of
the ruling was that they could not be
compelled to leave the state to obtain
courses of studies offered to white at
home.
In Kentucky there are several color
ed schools but non offers courses in
law, medicine, engineering and other
studies available to white students.
TO COLLEGE
AT FOURTEEN
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, (C)—Bernice
Joyce Calvin became a college fresh
man at 14 when she was enrolled in
the arts course with a major in music
by S. N. Kagen, registrar of Brooklyn
College, Bedford Avenue and Avenue
H, Brooklyn, on Tuesday, Feb. 14. Miss
Calvin, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Floyd J. Calvin of the Dunbar Apart
ments in Harlem, is also a piano pupil
of Winfield Abell, conductor of a stu
dio for the advancement of music in
Steinway Hall, Manhattan.
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MRS. MINNIE T. WRIGHT
Hostess at annual NAACP banquet,
Tuesday evening, who made presen
। tations to President Dorch.
year. He was frequently applauded
and his report unanimously adopted.
On motion of Herbert B. Dowse, sec
dXutd by Dr. C. G. Steward, the meet
ing voted to postpone the election of
officers until November, the official time
designated by the NAACP constitu
tion. The motion passed without a dis
senting voice although there was some
discussion which was participated in
by Dr. C. N. Garland, Rev. M. J.
Minor, Dr. Johnson W. Hill, and a
few others.
An air of tense excitement pervaded
the meeting from the start and post
ponement of election elicited expres
sions of relief from fears that bicker
ings of the two factions might flare up
into a rumpus bringing shame upon the
Branch which numbers among its past
presidents Moorfield Storey, Joseph P.
Loud, and Butler R. Wilson.
The banquet in the main hall filled
six long tables running the length of
the hall and another—officers and guest
table —on the platform. The caterer
was Hicks of Lynn who served an ex
cellent menu; chicken pie, escalloped
oysters, mashed potatoes, crabmeat
salad, banana fritters, cranberry sauce,
rolls coffee, fancy ices and cakes.
The speakers included Rev. William
(Continued on Page 4)
REV. A. C. POWELL
on SCHOOL BOARD
NEW YORK, — Borough President
Stanley M. Isaacs has appointed the
Rev. A. Clayton Powell, Jr., pastor of
the Abyssinian Baptist Church, as a
member of the local School Board Dis
trict 12, for a five-year term. Dr.
Powell, who is thirty years old, is an
enrolled member of the American
Labor Party and has been active in
civic affairs for a number of years.
Recently a Citizens Committee for Em
ployment headed by Dr. Powell signed
an agreement with the Uptown Cham
ber of Commerce for employment of
Colored clerks in Harlem stores.
ELKS WORLDWIDE
BIRTHDAY FETE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, (C)—The
Improved Benevolent Protective order
of Elks of the World will stage a
grand Easter and anniversary birth
day ball throughout the United States
and foreign countries where there are
Elk lodges and temples on Easter
Monday night, April 10, for the build
ing of an Old Folks Home, and to aid
the Educational and Civil Liberties
departments of the order. The an
nouncement was made Tuesday by the
Grand Exalted Ruler, J. Finley Wil
son, and the response is already en
thusiastic throughout the jurisdiction
of the order.
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EDGAR P. BENJAMIN, ESQ.
Donor of Rest Haven who was given
a vote of thanks by the Trustees of
the Heme.
E. P. BENJAMIN
COMMENDED
Edgar P. Benjamin, Boston Lawyer,
donor, and first vice president of Rest
haven, was given a vote of thanks by
the trustees of Resthaven at a recent
meeting of the Board.
The letter of thanks to Mr. Benja
min readc as follows:
Dear Mr. Benjamin.
“The members of the Trustees
Board of Resthaven Home for -the
Aged, in session Thursday, January
26, 1939, with Bishop Babcock, pre
siding, met and adopted the following
unanimous vote:
“Resolved that the Trustees of Rest
haven Home express hearty appreci
ation for the generous gifts, wise lead
ership and faithful services contribut
ed by Mr. Edgar P. Benjamin, the
donor of Resthaven Home, since its
founding and organization, and during
the eleven years of its existence.”
“The report of the Treasurer shows
that the financial affairs of the Rest
haven Home are in good standing; and
progress has been made during the
years in the capable management
while serving the aged and convales
cent guests of the Home.
“Many organizations and auxiliaries
have been formed among the citizens
(Continued on Page 5)
MASS STATE
UNION ON AIR
One of the outstanding events in
celebration of National Race History
Week was a broadcasted program over
WBZ-WBZA on Friday, March 17
from 4 to 4:15 p.m. The broadcast was
presented by the Mass. State Union of
Women’s Clubs; Miss Gladys Holmes,
Pres.
Miss Frankie Taylor, Delta, was
principal speaker. In speaking of Race
Achievements, she gave a few unusual
facts: “Do you know that: John Car
ter Minkins was editor of a white daily
newspaper—“ Providence Tribune” in
Providence, R. I.? —The first radio
small enough to pass through the eye
of a needle was made by a former Bos
ton man —Rufus Turner 1 ? —Dr. John
R. Hillary, a foot specialist in N. Y.
was presented with a Plaque of Bless
ing by the late Pope of Rome for a
miraculous cure on a Nun’s feet?—
(Continued on Page 5)
Announce Marriage
Dr. J. Washington Hill of Boston
and Mrs. Estelle Hill Jennings of East
Orange, N. J., announce the marriage
of their daughter, Gladys L. Hill to
J. Milan Hughes of East Orange, N. J.
Mr. and Mrs. Hughes will be at home
after March 1 at 242 Halsted St., East
Orange.
DePriest Garage
255 NORTHAMPTON ST.
Oil - Gas > Repairing - Storage
Now Maintaining the
Ford Service
Tel. KENmore 8158 H. Tbompeoa, Prop.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
ROX. GROCER
SENTENCED
RECEIVED STOLEN GOODS, SAYS
JUDGE
“If the defendant had not furnished
a depot for stolen goods, the boys
would not have stolen,” remarked
Judge Frankland Miles in Roxbury
Court as he sentenced Sweet, white,
Roxbury grocer, to two years in jail
for receiving stolen goods, such as
lard, poultry and other foodstuffs,
who, it was charged, had fetched the
goods from neighboring cases and
passing trucks.
Sweet appealed and was held under
$5,000 bail. The boys, colored, were
sentenced to terms in the House of
Correction.
It is alleged that the boys stole from
Burnett’s Case and also from Slade’s
and disposed of the goods at Sweet’s
Market located at the corner of Ham
mond Street and Shawmut Avenue.
They were accused also, it was alleged,
of purloining foodstuffs from delivery
trucks.
Sweet recently enlarged his market
by additions on vacant land in the
rear of the original site and has the
largest market in that vicinity. He
employs several colored clerks there
and did employ other colored clerks at
his other grocery store formerly loca
ted at the corner of Tremont and
Northfield Street. The fact that he
was liberal in employing colored help
brought him a large amount of patron
age from the neighborhood which com
prise a large colored population.
His a rist a fortnight ago on th.:
serious charge of receiving stolen
goods from the colored boys shocked
the large number of his patrons.
Many could not believe the story and
withheld comment until the case was
heard in court and Sweet was con
victed.
BOSTON, Feb. 16—Downtown Bos
ton shoppers saw one of Roxbury’s
number one citizens in action last
week. Louis “Lou” Ransom, a staff
reporter for The Guardian, did a very
effective piece of police work in cap
turing single-handed a notorious thief,
William J. Burke, (white). Mr. Ran
som was sitting in his car on Newbury
St. when out of a popular English Tea
Room near the Ritz Carlton Hotel
dashed a man with two waitresses
shouting “Stop thief”. Mr. Ransom
dashed after the culprit down New
bury St. to Arlington around the cor
ner to Boylston where he tackled the
alleged thief and after a short strug
gle turned him over to the police. The
man was surprised by the ringing of
a hidden alarm as he forced open a
door to the waitresses’ room on the
third floor of the establishment where
they keep their pocketbooks and
clothing. Burke was held in SI,OOO
bail and has a record of 58 arrests for
similar misdemeanors. -Mr. Ransom
was thanked by the police, Manager
of the Tea Room and the waitresses
for his alertness and capture of the
culprit.