Activities Among Negroes
The North Oakland Improvement Club held its regular meeting Tuesday evening in the auditorium of the Longfellow school. Reports submitted by the several district managers showed the work accomplished. On petition of this club the city of Oakland had the streets cleaned in the club's territory and officials have promised more regular street cleaning in the future. The club has filed a petition asking a traffic officer in front of the Longfellow school for the protection of the children.
This club was organized August 4, 1925, with seven members. The books today show a membership of 223 of both races living in the community.
During the Christmas party given by the club to the children of the community, more than 100 children of all races participated in the exercises. The club owes the success of this spirit of cooperation, in a large measure, to the efforts of President Dawson and Secretary and General Inspector M. Nathaniel Johnson. These men have been untiring in their efforts to make the club a success.
The club has at its regular monthly meetings a white and a colored speaker. The members were address(ed) Tuesday evening by Mr. Orthlander, the secretary-treasurer of the Sunset Nursery, who spoke on "Soil and Plants, or How to Beautify Your Lawns." He was followed by Delilah L. Beasley, who gave a talk on "The Value to the Nation of Inter-Racial Cooperation, and Its Effect on the Economic Advancement of Either a Race or a Community."
Mr. Moore, principal of the school, suggested that the talk on soil and plants be repeated at some future date before the school and that the club offer prizes to school children for raising the largest flowers so as to hold their interest and the spirit of community pride and thereby develop good citizens. The Community Band will be the attraction for the next monthly meeting
The Alameda County League of Colored Women Voters held its regular monthly meeting Wednesday afternoon in the parlors of the Linden Branch Y. W. C. A. with Mrs. Hettie B. Tilghman presiding. The work of the past year was reviewed. The president, who is also the chairman of the legislative department of the California Federation of Colored Women's Clubs, presented her program for this work to the league. She also offered a set of recommendations for the advancement of the league.
Among these recommendations were: That the chairmen of the different departments constitute the executive board of the league, and that they meet one hour before the league; that the league hold two meetings during the month, the second Wednesday afternoon and the fourth Wednesday evening; that men be permitted to join the league as associate members.
A committee was appointed to draft a bill to present to the next session of the California legislature.
Miss Nora Catherine Hackett of Alameda and Rev. Granville Reed of Monrovia were recently married at the home of the bride's parents by Bishop Martin of Los Angeles.
The Louisiana Commercial Association is sending invitations to the annual Mardi Gras carnival and pageant. This old French festivity is held on Shrove Tuesday and for years has been a social function for colored people of California.
The Ancient Order of Foresters, Bournemouth 7804 and Knaresborough 8609 courts, will unite in a dance to take place in Oakland Auditorium ballroom. Many out of town persons are expected to attend both these affairs.
Mrs. John E. Mapp of Spokane is visiting here. She is past president of the state of Washington jurisprudence of the Federated Colored Women's Clubs and past statistician of the National Association of Colored Women. She is the Washington state chairman of business of the National Association of Colored Women and chairman of the Mary Burnett Talbert Memorial
Fund.
The community has been shocked during the past week by two deaths of women who have lived a life of unselfish service and who died after short illness. Mrs. Mattie Jones-Lewis was an excellent worker in all the positions she served. She was a member of Household of Ruth No. 253, Naomia Chapter Eastern Star and Daughters of Isis, assistant secretary of N. A. A. C. P. and secretary of the Oscar Hudson Post Drum and Bugle Corps.
Mrs. Willis died during the week. She was an active member of every auxiliary of North Oakland Baptist church, the Art and Industrial Club, N. A. A. C. P. board and a leader of the girls' work in the Girls' Reserve in connection with the Y. W. C. A. She was well known throughout the state, many societies sending resolutions of respect.
