Activities Among Negroes
The following sketch will be of interest especially to the members of the Alameda County League of Colored Women Voters, who have for years been urged by their president, Mrs. Hettie B. Tilghman, to study political questions, state and national, and to the younger generation to prepare themselves through education to take their place along with members of other races when opportunity is presented.
Attorney Gloria Jones-Ellis [Georgia Ellis?] was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from the Sumner High school of that city at the age of 17 and completed the normal course for teachers one and a half years later. She was instrumental in opening the Provident Association Training School to members of her race, desiring to become trained social service workers and was organizer and president of a club which sponsored and established the first infant welfare clinic for the race in St. Louis.
She came to Chicago in 1916 and immediately became active in civic and political organizations. In 1917 she was appointed deputy recorder under the late Joseph F. Haas, recorder for Cook county, and served efficiently in that capacity until 1926. During this period she enrolled in the John Marshall Law School, and graduated from the institution in June, 1925. She was one of the few to pass the bar examinations in November, 1925. In 1926 she was appointed an attache of the Court of Domestic Relations, and was and is the only woman of her race to hold a quasi judicial appointment in the municipal courts of the city of Chicago. Through this position, she has been instrumental in reconciling many warring couples and reestablishing many broke homes. In 1927 she was chairman of the county campaign for the racial group with offices and a staff of workers in the Morrison hotel. In 1928 she was elected assistant secretary of the Bar Association, and was the first woman to hold office in the National body. In 1929 she was elected vice-president of the same body.
She is a member of the Cook County Bar Association, Olive Branch Chapter 0. E. S., chairman of the (committee on legislation in the Chicago Northern District Federation of Colored Women's clubs, the Illinois Republican Women's clubs Incorporated, Gaudeamus club member of the Hyde Park League of Women Voters, Social Service Round Table, [???] League, N. A. A. C. P. and a number of other professional and civic organizations. One of the best informed women in political matters and well known as a public speaker she is being urged by her many friends and admirers to become a candidate for the general assembly for the year 1930 from the Fifth Senatorial district of the state of Illinois.
TUSKEGEE NEGRO CONFERENCE.
In a copy of the Montgomery Alabama Daily Advertiser, a complete account is given of the recent Tuskegee Institute Negro conference. This conference was instituted 39 years ago by the late Dr. Booker T. Washington, in the interest of Negro farmers of the South, but today it embraces many other features necessary for the public welfare of both races living in the South. This paper gives the names of many outstanding white educators in attendance as visitors. The conference was welcomed to Tuskegee Institute by Dr. Robert R. Moton, principal of the institute, and president of the conference. The first day was given over to the farmers, 4-H clubs, and the Duroc Breeders' Association. Other sessions were for discussing consolidated schools for Negro youths living in the South, and teachers in Negro Southern schools.
The Wednesday morning session was addressed by Edmund Burke, student in the department of agriculture, who talked to the farmers on the care and sanitary methods of raising hogs. Q. Esther Williams, representing the 4-H clubs of Oklahoma, made a report of the clubs' activities in her state where 4763 Negro boys and girls are enrolled in 189 clubs sponsoring various agricultural projects. Roosevelt Bowman of Mississippi and Dorothy Huff of Alabama, made reports of their individual projects at, the Wednesday afternoon session / according to this paper, which stated:
"Faced with agricultural marketing conditions which stand solely in need of revision 1200 members of Negro farm families from nine southern states turned to Tuskegee Institute to learn from James C. Stone, vice-chairman the federal farm board of what means and in what measure they may expect federal aid in meeting these conditions under the agricultural market act recently passed by congress of the United States which created a loan fund administered by the farm board.
"Speaking to this group at the Wednesday afternoon session of the thirty-ninth annual Tuskegee Negro conference, Mr. Stone declared that the farm board is as interested in advancing the cause of the Negro farmer, as that of any other group in the country and urged colored farmers to organize local county cooperative units of the state farm bureau as the first step toward securing federal aid."
In regard to the conference of the 4-H clubs camp the paper stated:
"An enthusiastic meeting in the Tuskegee Institute chapel Wednesday evening closed the fifth annual session of southern Negro farm boys and girls 4-H clubs camp, which was attended by 150 young people from Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma. For three days these boys and girls engaged in friendly contest to determine their relative skill in agricultural achievements and in the home crafts. The oratorical contest, the feature of the entire series, was won by Earnestine Bolling of Alabama who earnestly and convincingly told of the organizations aims and methods of 4-H clubs work. The evening program included musical numbers by a youthful male quintet from Mississippi, vocal selections by B. M. Mathews of Oklahoma, the institute choir and orchestra, a harmonic solo by Willie Benford of Alabama and mass singing by the audience.
CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS.
The Workers' conference, which was held in Collis P. Huntington Memorial hall with Professor Monroe N. Work, director of research work presiding, was attended by all the county, state, agents of the extension service, rural. teachers and others interested in rural social work, and by the juniors and seniors of the college department of the Institute. The subject for the workers outlined by Professor Work was "Consolidated Schools for Negro Farm Youth Living in the South," taking into account a survey of present educational conditions of school houses, terms, transportation, salaries, qualification of teachers, advantage of consolidation of schools in securing more adequate school houses, longer terms and better teachers.
The first speaker to address the meeting was Professor W. T. B. Williams, field agent for the "Jeans and Slater" funds and dean of college department Tuskegee Institute, who has a wide acquaintance with the conditions of Negro school through his travel for these funds. The second speaker was Professor W. W. Sanders, state supervisor of Negro education in West Virginia. Other speakers were Dr. Mordica Johnson of Howard University, Dr. N. C. Newbold, director of Negro education in North Carolina, and many other prominent educators of both races.
LOCALS.
The Filbert Street Y. M. C. A. afternoon Sunday men's meetings are growing in interest, according to the executive secretary, William Watkins, who reports a capacity audience greeted the speaker last Sunday afternoon. Watkins states he has the promise of several nationally known men speakers for the month of January. Among this number will be Colonel J. Green, U. S. A., retired. The H. Y. club is holding regular meetings well attended. The recent paper drive for benefit of the "Y" resulted as follows: North Oakland Baptist Sunday School contributing 3107 pounds of papers, Beth Eden Baptist Sunday School, 902 pounds; Cooper A. M. E. Zion Sunday School, 677 pounds, and Saint Augustine Episcopal Sunday School, 537 pounds. The entire lot netted $26.40, North Oakland Sunday School winning the silver loving cup, which will be awarded with imposing ceremonies soon.
LINDEN BRANCH Y. W. C. A.
Miss Lulu Chapman, the newly minted executive secretary. is making every effort to surpass all previous secretaries in membership drives. She reports the recent drive turned in $815. She is planning with the committee of management to hold a musical tea for the members Sunday afternoon, December 29, from 4 to 6 P. m. Their plans are to have friends and members who attend, while seated around the open fireplace, tell Christmas stories, with volunteer musical numbers by members. The Girls Reserves will take a prominent part in the exercises,
Rev. and Mrs. A. M. Ward reports the rally held last Sunday at Parks Chapel to raise the sum of $500, resulted in $555, with all reports not int, for which they sincerely thank their members and friends, as there was an urgent need for the money.
The Alpha Kappa Alpha-sorority will hold its annual educational program this evening in Beth Eden Baptist church.
Rev, Owen Troy reports the regular third Sunday evening sacred concert will be conducted tonight at Market Street S. D. A. church, at which time the following will participate: Professor Reese, piano solo; M. B. Carron, violinist; Frank Thorp, baritone solo, and Mrs. W. Henry, reading from colored author.
The West Oakland branch of the Oakland Free library has an interesting exhibit of Negro books by white authors and books by Negro writers. This has been sponsored by Miss Ida Jackson, teacher in the Prescott Public school.
HOLD ELECTION.
The local branch N. A. A. C. P. will hold its annual election of officers Monday evening, December 16. in North Oakland Baptist church, The following ticket has been submitted by the nominating committee: President, Dr. Nelson; vice-president, James E. Jackson, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, Mrs. Jessie Wysinger, Rev. T. W. Harris; secretary, Mrs. Alebrta Martin; assistant secretary, Mrs. Ruth Williams; treasurer, T. M. Jackson; board of directors, Hon Will Stephens, Attorney Drake and M. Loungress.
