St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1939-02-03
Here And
!. There
By w. NJ. Snith

l feel that these reflect upon me in
dividually and for that reason /
resent them.
Particularly do I resent that one
which says that imam is without
honor save in his own country" It
seems such pity that humanity
should be so motivated that the fine
qualities or the noted accomplish
ments of an individual should win
recognition only from those who
can not know him so well as those
among whom he has lived and la
bored. But the history Of man
kind has seemed to- prove it to be
fact rather than fiction. Even the
divinely inspired Jesus, despite His
great spiritual endowments suffer-
ed from the unbelief of His own
family and because of it could do
for them none of the miraculous
things with which He helped so
many people.
So 1 welcome every incident
which shows that this unfortunate
trait is not always true.
Such an incident came to hand
lately when reading a recent issue
of the Sphinx, official journal of
the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, I
came across an article telling, in
we'll expressed and sincerely ap-
preciative language, of the work
and deeds of Raymond Cannon, a
citizen of Minneapolis, by VIM.
Sims, a fellow townsman, who
knows him well and has a ready
understanding of the value of Mr..
Cannon to his people here and
throughout the United States.
Briefly reviewing Mr.. Sims ar
ticle we learn that Cannon, a Min
nesota product, received his early
education in Minneapolis and fol-
lowing through, completed it in the
nationally known University of
Minnesota,
He became associated with the
Alpha Phi Alpha, a college fra
ternity, in 1912, and from that time
has been it's most outstanding
member, serving with refreshing
modesty its every need and large
ly, through his loyalty and constant
insistence, has made it among the
best known and most useful in
strumentalities Of college life.
Cannon served as General Presi-
dent of the national society four
consecutive times, beginning in
1924; was. first Director of Educa-
ton in 1923, continuing in that Of
flee also four years and was the
first editor of the Sphinx, its ma
tional publication.
These honors mean little unless
one considers the accomplishments
of those years. These may be
cleaned from Mr.. Sims article for
which l have not room in this col
umn. Suffice it to say here that
these years have been filled with
singularly unselfish service to his
organization, which incidentally in
cludes the valuable support of the
educational progress of m any
young Negroes throughout the ma
ton.
One can scarcely help recognize
ing. the unselfish service of Mr..
Cannon as he devoted his time,
talent and ofttimes his own
finances as he travelled over the
country to discover, encourage re-
luctant personalities and enlist
their contributions to. the upbuild-
ing of this character developing So
ciety as it seeks to raise the stand
ard of Negro citizenship.
Mr.. Cannon disclosed his pa
triotism and set a fine example for
other young men when he enlisted
in the late, Worlds War and later
when released from the arduous
duties and dangers incidental there
to, came home and taking up the
thread of his life's pattern re-
sumed his interests in his fra
ternity.
One of the unusual character
istics shown by Mr.. Cannon is the
fact that after his experience as q
qualified druggist he was willing
and able to enter Law School and
qualify for the even more inn
portant field Of the legal profess
sion.
q
Unlike many men who have
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