Sumner High School - Maroon and White Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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Qtr f BCHl,l.2QQl URQ Undoubtedly heading this list is the name of Paul R. Williams, a native Californian, who has designed many buildings in that state and other states in the West, the Middle West and the East and South. Besides his great series of buildings of a municipal nature, such as the Housing Project Groups for Negroes in Los Angeles, worthy of any architect, black or white, Williams has designed private homes and buildings for some of the most distin- guished names in American business and the entertainment world. To mention a few: Williams has designed homes for Mr. E. L. Cord, the wealthy manufacturer of Cord auto- mobiles and tires, he was the architect for the private homes of Will Hays, Tyrone Power fand Annabelal, Sally Eilers, Zazu Pitts, Page Fifty-eight Leon Errol fthe comedianj, Grace Moore, a Southerner, by the way, Richard Arlen, Charles Correll fthe Andy of Amos and Andy J, Bill Robinson, Joseph Schenck, fthe movie producerj, Jay Paley fPresident of the Columbia Broadcasting SystemJ, and many others. Williams achieved his position and fame by the greatest competition and stint, combined with sheer genius that places him among the top flight of American architects. He has planned several large and luxurious hotels for the white in California, Colorado, and Arizona. Williams sprang into popular fame a few years back by being able to draw sketches and plans for houses up-side-down for his clients, while they sat facing him across his desk in his office. He possesses MAROON AND WHITE

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many unusual ideas about architecture, rem- iniscent of the great Frank Lloyd Wright, for he believed that houses should be built around the personality of the people who are to live in them, and that above all, houses are to grow naturally out of the landscape and become a part of it, just as trees spring from the ground and are always an intimate part of the landscape. Besides these factors, Wil- liams believes in the importance of color in connection with buildings of all kind. Some of his color schemes have been declared the most satisfactory in the realm of domestic architecture. Besides Williams, two other outstanding architects have been Albert I. Cassell and Hilyard R. Robinson. Cassellfs work at How- ard University has already been mentioned. The outstanding work of Robinson to date has been the great Langston Housing project in Washington, D. C. This project ranks among the most spectacular and yet the most success- ful of its kind yet done in America. It is curious that members of Robinson's group seem to be almost oblivious of this great tri- umph. Robinson has been for many years a top flight draughtsman, employed by the U. S. Housing Projects Authority. More recently he has entered private business, and has been associated in many recent plans with Paul Williams. Emma Cane. i The Negro Writes There are far too many Negro prose writers of note to name here. Indeed, the Negro has written of politics, religion, art, and every conceivable subject as the white man has done. lt is not for me to say, that because a man's skin is light or dark he more fully compre- hends the different 'phases of our civilization. But on race problems and achievements, surely he should excel who has actually felt the slave- driver's whip. It is the same story that our grandparents told to our parents, our parents to us, we to our children, and on. We, who know this subject best, shall continue to write of our race's obstacles, faith, and achieve- ments. The white man cannot approach us here. We write of a Congo he never knew. We sing of a lash he never felt. We are alone and unsurpassed in knowledge and on us falls the duty to impart it. I have not heretofore written of individual achievements, but some few cannot possibly go without mention. Jessie Fauset, for in- stance, is outstanding as the author of The Chinaberry Tree , and three other novels, and Zora Neale Hurston of Their Eyes Were Watching God , a startling story of southern Negroes. Her Jonah's Gourd Vine is a highly praised novel. Carter G. Woodson, who is the editor of the Journal of Negro History , is responsible for many important researches in Negro history. Throughout the years, the Negro poet has thought in black, has spoken in black, and thus has written in black. He has been well aware of his dusky skin and his heritage of song. But we do not criticise him for wearing his grievances on his sleeve. He has a song to sing, different from that of all others. From the untaught melodies, the folk songs and MAROON AND WHITE spirituals, through the newest forms of Negro poetry, his song has been one loyal to his Creator and determined to overcome his earthly tribulations. Truly, the Negro has suffered. The early folk songs were of little worth. They were like Mother Goose Rhymes, learned and chanted, and were in dialect. The spirituals, the earliest type of true American music, are one of the most notable contributions of any people, similarly circum- stanced, to the world's treasury of song. These show the great faith and religious feeling of the Negro people and can never die. Jupiter Hammond was the first American Negro poet of whom any record exists. Here begins the earlier poetry of art. Following him came Phyllis Wheatley. These laid foun- dation-a strong and secure one-for all this. Paul Lawrence Dunbar was outstanding in this period. The present renaissance of the Negro brings with it poems that sing of love, beauty, nature, his beloved southland, and always religion and the wrongs inflicted ufpon his race. Yet, he bears malice in his heart toward no one. Everyone should know something of the vivid words that flowed from the pen of the late James Weldon Johnson. He was, to my mind, one of the best representatives of the present era. Another who stands high in my estimation is Leslie Pinckney Hill, who comes on the wings of oppression to contribute to the Negro's greatest gift. Countee Cullen, outstanding in many ways, has written many excellent poems and a novel, One Way to Heaven . Page Fifty-nine

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such men as A. Phillip Randolph, the presi- dent of the Sleeping Car Porters. In 1929 this organization obtained a Federal Charter in the American Federation of Labor, and an international charter in 1936. Through this means this organization has been able to im- prove the working condition of the Negro, not only in this country, but also in other countries. The redcaps were at first boys working their way through school. In Chicago, New York, and many other leading cities of the country, the Negro red-cap is employed, however, in a few other cities, for example, St. Louis, through discrimination, they are not em- ployed. The history of recognition of the red-cap as a regular employee of the railroads, and as a separate union, has been as interest- ing as that of the porters, though somewhat different. They received their international charter in the American Federation of Labor in 1938. The chief problem of the red-cap at present is whether or not tips are to be accepted as wages, and whether or not the ten cents per bag, recently required of travel- ers wishing their baggage carried, will bring an adequate salary to the red-caps. Sarah Freeman. MAROON AND WHITE Was My Face Red Being a lover of beautiful clothes, I untir- ingly turn through the daily papers, admiring the latest creations and always hoping and wishing that I might, some day get to the place where I can have all that I desire. Mother often tries to make me understand that clothes aren't the only thing in life. Al- though I realize this, I'm still an ardent clothes fan. One evening, just two days before my birthday, mother was rocking in her favorite chair and reading the paper. Standing behind her, I continually praised, admired and longed for the beautiful garments that danced across the pages as she turned them. All of a sudden, up popped a page that boasted four or five rows of marvelous dresses. Observing them one at a time, I pictured myself in each. They were in spring and summer's best colors, so the ad ran, with flared, tucked and pleated skirts. Among them was A Girl's Delight , a beautiful dress which emphasized a small waistline by having large pockets on the hips, and there was Margie , an adorable dress that had a very full skirt and large puffed sleeves which tended to cut one's height. It was made: of the new Romeo and Juliet print. You should have seen Lazy-Bones , with its striking design and its two-tone ef- fect. Summer Evening was a charming two-piece dress, the skirt of which was a very full, gored, black crepe. Over this is Worn a bright red sash that hangs the length of the skirt. With only one glimpse of the blouse, one becomes fascinated as it is made of sheer batiste with yards and yards of crisp lace and tiny red buttons down the front. Yes, I do think that the thing that I admired most in this frock was the lace, which practically covered the blouse. Oh, why couldn't I have a few of these gorgeous frocks? Sensing that this page had fascinated me, mother began to compliment some of the styles. She said, pointing to a peach of a dress, Jewel, I think that you would look rather nice in this one. I felt as though I had been promised it. Would mother really get this one for me? Then, with her face brightening, she continued, Jewel, would you really like to have this dress? I replied, with a grin on my face, Oh yes, mother, I'd love it. All right, then, said she, I'll cut it out for you. Jewel Busch. Page Fifty-seven