The Omaha guide., 1935-06-01
Just a Laundry Story


WE are at a loss as to why the people who live
in this vicinity cannot find a laundry that can give
satisfactory service to their wants righf here in their
own community We have two Of the finest laundry
establishments in the city Of Omaha, and if we hope
to get anywhere, as a group, We will some day
awaken to the fact that we must first put our house
IN order, then our neIghboTs.
The two laundries hat we have near oath and
Lake Streets, represent the outlay of a quarter of a
million dollars and the life Of some Of our pioneer
citizens, who have proven their loyalty to our COM
munity. The late Andy Jensen, the founder Of the
Jensen Laundry, which is now known as the Emer-
son Laundry under the management Of Mr.. Lyle
Hines, began his business career with his first EN-
ployee, a Negro of this community.
The owners of these two establishments have
never been ones to say, No to any reasonable re
quest that is made Of them in the interest of COM
munity activities. They are 100 per cent cooperat-
i've.
Did you know that Mr.. E.. W. Sherman, of Ed
holm-Sherman Laundry, is largely responsible for
your boy and your girl having the Bell Telephone
Building for free recreation quarters? Did you ksow
he served as a member of the executive board of
the Mid-City Community Center and donated large
sums of cash freely TO keep this organization intact
until, through his efforts with the cooperation Of
his board when he was president, the Mid-Clty
Community Center was merged with the Urban
League and became a member of the Community
Chest Did you know that the Mid-City Community
Center, today, is the only recreation center of its
kind IN the city of Omaha where your boy and girl
feel free to participate in healthful events?
IF we, as a group in this community, could only
be large enough at heart and show our appreciation
to the firms with which our real friends are con-
nected, we might get something bigger and better
than we have. 1t was hoped, by the founder of the
Mid-City Community Center, that out of it would
come a Y. N. c. A. building and a larger Y. W.
c. A.
If our youth is to be saved, we must provide
recreation quarters for them under the proper en-
vironment. No need Of arguing with yourself or
thinking you can do it, for it is absolutely impos-
sible for you, alone, to hold your boy or girl IN
check when they begin to look out of the window
for new territory to explore. You have got to 60
cut that window and provide that territory with
the proper environment to save your boy and girl.
What girl or what boy would 60 wrong If his or
her membership card was at stake IN a quarter Oh
a million dollar, well governed, properly regulated
building with a full line Of healthful recreation there
in? Nc, Not one, Who knows what might happen
if we were large enough, at heart, to show our
loyalty to the men and to the places Of business,
with which these men are connected, who show
they are interested in the future Of your community
affairs?
And, again, we say there is no reasonable excuse
for anyone living in the vicinity near these two
well equipped laundries to send their work out OF
our community, thereby weakening the very things
we hope to call on for consideration IN the future.
Suppose we would just do a little thinking
about this, and see what our conscience would
dictate in this matter.