Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1951-11-30
DOWN OUR WAY
by frances sampson

frances
IN the summer dust and in the winter muo-s'e ur
$50 condition of most of the streets which Negroes iVe' M
urxvxuner status of the Negro is certainly not equa " ~
o. majority group in this city, but 10 Dc SURF - 1--WE
srtr sufficient financial backing on the part Oh Ses
-. "a ctizens 70 bring about Improvements IN uie
.usAj,iop of the streets which they i've II ,
,,n.@, ri the money which Is set aside lor stee'
.,.r Is applied to bring about the permanent
- 6. aev needed in Negro neighbohoods where the coh
s-x- Of the streets is quite disgrace TO ue Guy -
pRnxf II would that quite deal Oh Interest MS
ha,f Of improved streets by the business institutions
s.sr. arr forced to send their servants ana or agents INV
- ,,e,.hborhoods The Negro homeoWners, however
.rrv n,te interest in improving the streets IN te
.-s,.r- they live The mud in the winter iequAes y
80 and oyeshoes The dust in the summer means '
rs GIN. on beir doors and windows closed and the en-
-, which comes from sitting on the lawns Vi n
81 KNITTED to miserable existence OF aust .u' , in he
s,.f. of fast speeding cars wnicn traverse ~ VIII stroet
r,,n,ty It is terrible condition that even on rune
- C.aar n the Townsend park there are homeo"hels W."
, OCT busy and see to it that the street Is pavea ~ VIZ
- naeeno park facility in the city II IS ruhoieu w
--,s,v mention was made at a meeting Oh u,e ee - r
.,n ,bat the connecting street road between io"h
- mark and Oakland park would be closed aiious
- only one into the park VIA a - ,hs mat
1Insueoswners that area are quite apie 10 e ~ ass
- and little effort their part togener WIN uie a
- which might be obtained from the city woud mean %
IN. property values would increase ana ua ue , 90
a. s.aner and the homes certainly more enloyaoe 70 e
--.,,s But II seems that many Negro honeow.e's IS
- -. which are essential and fundamental Hgn preeu
c,,r oriental rugs imported draperies and Naoae car
A. not show good when people i've III ~ ~, patue
vprxef conditions concerned II is hopeu ~ " 49, hovs
-. ARIA where are housed the Negro park ana u,e s
o TIA, an effort will put forth to get some hfoue p'e
~fs TO serve for the comfort OF some properly S,hd
- q. 70 improve the physical appearance OF the C
s.sre NJ relief to traffic which is now SO heaVy OH ~
- t raved streets across from West Pullen to the
AlG&N college would be quite helpfu ior ue se"e"' '
Of the entire city IT., III. N.oro park
optadt Tho
for some more of the Negro hierarchy IN leadership
81 ,erve At the same time the Negro children OF oe @
r.ut,v are having visited upon them gross civic "ee,s
80, 8. causing an unesmable toll OF human lives surg
- hre forth in the community several years ago where
.r NEGRO leaders got busy and made substantial cash o
4r,ion 10 the construction of library ior Nes,o y
1im crow branch of the city library located Oh w. hh
tvaef II is not known by the writer as TO the INTEREST
ss eaders are manifesng in the facilities therein pros
arr I, is reasonable believe that had such an eNpeu
Seeu made for the children of the community III we ,
- ro,dnc an adequate for supervised recreation ee
a no considerably less worry the part of many fathers
.d mothers as to whereabouts OF their sons ana uas
,rc the long winter days But the fact is that the PARK COM
..,rers are not doing their duty They are not VIKING 10
r.e the sacrifices which necessary to insure ior e
,ter record of envy which would be theirs upon eofpe
~ s,,c, program Some Of the members have conpaeu
bout the lack Of interest on the part OF me cze' ou w.
men VINO are leadership positions are unable 10 'e'es Wv
.ssss Of Negroes In such vital and much needed program
e fault does lie in the masses but In those VINO propose
sead So II only reasonable to reiterate mere ua al " Wv
,..s NJ the Negro park commission ought resign Inc We
On, mark commissioners doing nothing and SO might o
sa N abandon the -crow set-up and proceed with pr rom
Aeprfon and maybe, eventually Negroes would get some @
~ S,,sinp the area II nothing than bomb sheer
II &c serious TO reflect about the whole matter and give noe
"A DIE recent Of the white citizens In the southwestern
cart of this community who have with little ian rare poVu
for ther children playground and park whc oo
a. ~, Increased number OF residents OF the community Here
for many decades Negro fathers and mothers have been con-
ff 10 sit idly by permit their children to be attracted TO te
1e ,onts and honkytonks the only physical facilities
g. .cv Mind Of recreation Such condition brings again the
ons Of the question God of Mercy when wilt Thou save the
seqpgef