Page 6
THE FEDERATION JOURNAL
Spring, 1961
GROSSON TRIBUTE
(Continued from Page 5)
tute might stand as a monument to
Dr. Brown but to me her greatest
contribution is her influence in re
gard to the social mores of our
state and race.
No handicap, no problem, how
ever, complex and burdensome
could stop her, if she felt the cause
was necessary to bring to fruition
she would put her heart, soul and
mind into the case and would de
vote her rich full life to the prob
lem until it was solved. Her’s is a
“Pattern for Life,” and her motto
has long been, “Educationally Ef
ficient, Culturally Secure and Re
ligiously Sincere.”
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
(Continued from Page 1)
1601 R. Street N. W., Washington,
D. C. Holding meetings there gave
opportunity to see the whole build
ing, the different gifts made by
State Federations, clubs and in
dividuals and to find out some of
the things needed for improving
the building. Our help is greatly
needed and it is my hope that we
shall find it possible to do some
thing about it. A detailed list of
needs is available.
Following several sessions rela
tive to business of the National As
sociation many individuals took
advantage of the opportunity to
see Cedar Hill, the Aancostia home
of Frederick Douglas which we re
fer to as the Frederick Douglas
Memorial. The large two story
structure stands at the top of a hill
so high that several sets of steps
must be ascended to reach it. One
had to notice the need of re-land
scaping and personnel to keep up
the many acre surroundings. At
the top of the hill much of Washing
ton was easily viewed.
A feeling of sacredness and re
gret for neglect crept over one on
entering the building, going from
room to room one saw the many
possessions of Douglas many of
which were received from nobility
in foreign lands. Seeing lithographs
and paintings from antebellum,
Civil War and Reconstruction peri
ods when Douglas, an ex-slave,
was an advisor to U. S. Presidents,
abolitionists and the “radical Re
publicans” made one feel face to
face with history.
The National Association once re
stored the home in 1922 after the
women’s group had paid off a mort
gage left by the Douglas widow,
An act of Congress made the prop
erty tax exempt and Mrs. Douglas
deeded the land to a board of trus
tees for a memorial to her husband.
Plaques still bear names of many
clubs making contributions to the
1922 restoration.
A caretaker, Mrs. Gladys Par
ham, lives in an apartment on the
grounds at Cedar Hill and opens
the building for visitors. Accord
ing to Mrs. Paraham’s report very
few people have visited the shrine
during recent years and the guest
book verifies her statement.
On Sunday, February 26, 1961 at
Sheraton Park Hotel around 1,000
persons gathered to pay tribute to
Frederick Douglas and launch a
drive for funds to restore and main
tain his home. During the three
hour program, U. S. Senator Philip
Hart, Dr. Mordecai W. Johnson,
president-emeritus of Howard Uni
versity and Dr. Benjamin A.
Quarles, chairman of the depart
ment of history at Morgan State
College, Baltimore lauded Douglas
and urged the support of efforts to
make Cedar Hills a place which
would make America proud. Dr.
Joseph H. Douglas of Washington,
grandson of Douglas, the Rev. E.
Franklin Jackson, president of the
D. C. Branch of NAACP and Dr.
Rosa L. Gragg were also speakers
at the occasion.
Under Dr. Gragg’s direction the
National Association of Colored
Women’s Clubs will attempt to
raise $100,000 during 1961 in order
to do extensive renovating and
landscaping at the Douglas Home.
What shall we as women of the N.
C. Feredation of Negro Women’s
Clubs do to help the worthy cause?
Mr. Blaine Madison, Commission
er of Correction, recently called
a meeting with Miss Mae D.
Holmes, Superintendent of the
Training School and the president
of your Federation at the home of
the latter.
Mr. Madison called attention to
the fact that there are 1,400 boys
and girls in the State schools of
correction and training with half
the number in institutions for Ne
groes. For years the N. C. Fed
eration of Women’s Clubs has pro
vided birthday cheer for all the
boys and girls. With the increase in
number from year to year there is
a feeling that we might provide
cheer for our own. I readily agreed
but would like the opinion of the
Federation. Such might be done
according to our present distribu
tion according to districts without
overtaxing anybody.
As further consideration for stu
dents of schools of correction and
training club women have helped
those who have returned to their
communities in many ways. In my
judgment that too is of vast impor
tance.
E. M. SPELLMAN
Poetry
Corner
Some “BE’s” For A “Leader”
To Keep in Her “Bonnet”
1. “BE” on time. Meet promptly
and leave on schedule.
2. “BE” friendly — welcome new
faces; pay attention to each
person.
3. “BE” informal — but not hap
hazard.
4. “BE” familiar with the inter
ests, problems and needs of the
group.
5. “BE” certain that your discus-
cussion is based on facts—not
fancy or fiction.
6. “BE” a good engineer—keep
your meetings and discussions
on the “track.” Prepare an
agenda and stick to it.
7. “BE” sure to close your meet
ing or discussion with a sum
mary statement, indicating sig
nificant points covered or de
cisions made.
8. “BE” cheerful, courteous and
confident.
9. “BE” open-minded — release
your responsibility as a leader
to others in the group.
10. “BE” an artist in human rela
tions—grow your own leader
ship skills.
GUEST SPEAKER
(Continued from Page 1)
Atlanta, Ga. — Summa Cum Laude.
This college in 1950 gave her an
award as one of the outstanding
graduates of the mid-century, 1900-
1950.
She did further special study at
Tuskegee Institute, Wayne State
University and University of Mich
igan.
Mrs. Gragg holds Doctor of Hu
mane Letters from Paul Quirm
College, Texas and Doctor of Law
from Monronia College, Africa, and
other noted citations. She has had
many outstanding appointments in
cluding one from President Frank
lin D. Roosevelt in 1941; one from
Ex-Governor Van Wagoner of Mich
igan; one from Ex-Mayor Van
Aantweys of Detroit and others.
She is the wife of James R.
Gragg, deceased, and mother of
James R. Gragg, Jr., a recent hon
or graduate of Howard University.
She is a member and officer of
Bethel A.M.E. Church, Detroit. She
has been and still is very active
in her church in many capacities.
Mrs. Gragg figures prominently in
some eighteen fraternal and civic
organizations.
She has served in the teaching
career of her home state as a high
school teacher — a principal, where
she was instrumental in building
and paying for a Rosenwald School
— climaxing this career as head
of the English Department at Cen
tral Park College, Savannah, Ga.
Builders
A builder builded a temple.
He wrought it with grace and
skill;
Pillars and groins and arches
AU fashioned to work his will.
And men said as they saw its
beauty:
“It never shall know decay.
Great is thy skill, O builder!
Thy fame shall endure for aye.”
A teacher builded a temple.
With loving and infinite care;
Planning each arch with patience.
Laying each stone with prayer.
None praised the unceasing efforts.
None knew of the wondrous plan.
For the temple the teacher builded
Was unseen by the eye of man.
Gone is the builder’s temple.
Crumbled into the dust;
Low lies each stately pillar—
Food for consuming rust;
But the temple the teacher builded
Will last while the ages roU;
For that beautiful unseen temple
Was a child’s immortal soul.
(Authorship unknown)
Be Glad
Be glad of life because it gives
you the chance to love and to work
and to play and to look up at the
stars; be satisfied with your pos
sessions but not contented with
yourself until you have made the
best of them; despise nothing in
the world except falsehood and
meanness, and fear nothing except
cowardice; be governed by your
admirations rather than your dis
gusts; covet nothing that is your
neighbor’s except his kindness of
heart and gentleness of manners;
think seldom of your enemies,
often of your friends. —Van Dyke
“Walk the World”
For everyone that God gave
breath.
Some talent He gave, too.
To use for bettering the world.
This you alone can do.
Forget the struggles of the day.
Look up and see the sun.
And when the evening shadows fall.
Just count the gains you’ve won.
And as you walk along life’s way.
Where all flows fresh and free.
Receive the gift divine.
Light to be.
Wishing to be great.
Or spurning what is small.
With strength to undertake the
task.
To glorify all.
Remember good, remember truth,
Junst know that God cares for you.
And you will find through age and
youth.
True friends to walk with you.
—^Louise Grant