Thompson Street Rascal
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eliotA Publication of Eliot Neighborhoodn Associationews Volume 16 • Number 2 spring 2007 thompson street Rascal By Jennifer Jako, Eliot resident William “Billy” McNicholas, in the packed dirt in a circle and lag born in the Eliot Neighborhood, for the pots. shared with me what it was like to Next door to my house was a big grow up here in the 1930s. Among abandoned apartment house. We other things, he told me some of would climb up to the balcony with the mischief he got into when he paper bags full of water and drop was between the ages of 9 and 11 them in front of people walking by. One time we soaked my older playing with the other kids on the brother on his way to the trolley stop block. Here is his story: to meet a girl for a date. If people came after us, we’d crawl into the was born on April 12th, 1926 at apartment’s wood chute, climb up, my home at 46 NE Thompson. and hide in the attic. We called the area the Albina IDistrict. We had Upper and Lower We’d stick a toothpick in the door- Albina. There were many immigrants bell of Dr. Allen who lived on the on Thompson Street—German, Irish, corner of Thompson and Williams, Italian, Greek and Dutch…a Dr. Al- then run away. I think it would make den. From what I remember, except his bell keep ringing! for the children playing together, the We would take a penny, drill a tiny adults didn’t socialize much, they hole in it, thread through a fine bit were busy working hard and taking Jefferson of copper wire and leave the penny care of their kids. High School on the sidewalk. Whenever someone A young rascal football bent down to pick it up, we’d yank My folks are from Ireland. My player mother’s name was Mary Agnes and it away. One woman figured it out my father’s name was Patrick Joseph. and stepped on the penny before we I had four brothers—Tom, Pat, Mike William “Billy” McNicholas could pull it back! and Martin, who died as a baby— We made our own go-carts and and one sister, Mary. We attended rode them up and down the streets Immaculate Heart Church at the 1937, Home from the Beach and sidewalks. We’d use a 2 x 4, an corner of Williams and Stanton. apple box, two cross pieces of wood, There were a bunch of children and a roller-skate split in half. One in the neighborhood and we’d play axle of the skate wheels became the softball, baseball, catch and touch front wheels and one axle became the football. We would roller-skate on back wheels. the street and sidewalks. I remember Our family didn’t own a cam- that NE Second Street was really era, so I don’t have many pictures smooth, so we would play hockey from back then. We didn’t own games on [metal] roller-skates. a car until 1936. The trolley ran Most of the streets were paved on Union [Martin Luther King Jr. with asphalt, but Russell Street was Blvd] and Williams Avenue. The cobblestone. trolley on Union Avenue went over to Sometimes when we played touch Vancouver. They went by at regular football the ball would hit Mr. intervals. When the street car would Fromong’s electric wire and affect his stop on the corner of Williams, we radio reception. Then he would chase would sometimes swing the arm us down the street! away that connected the trolley to the lines overhead. We’d run off and the We often played marbles in the parking strip. We’d put little holes contInues on page 7 BOISE-ELIOT SCHOOL PTO eliot neighborhood associaTIOn Boise-Eliot parents and neighbors, please join us for the Membership Meetings Boise-Eliot Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) meetings. Find out about what’s new at the school and how you can Monday, April 9 Monday, May 14 be involved. 7:00 – 9:00 pm Please Join Us! Meeting dates: April 10 May 8 June 5 Emanuel Hospital Time: 5:30 pm Medical Office Building West Conference Room Announcing Location: 620 N Fremont, in the school library 501 N Graham St Childcare is provided. eliot neighborhood association U Editor’s Note By Tony Green The Eliot Neighborhood Association (ENDA) is a nonprofit corporation whose members are the residents and business owners of the Eliot Neigh- borhood. Its purpose is to inform Eliot residents about issues affecting ou’d think when the Office of Neighborhood Involvement’s budget the neighborhood through meetings, newsletters and other activities. includes $25,000 in grants that the money would go to…well, neigh- Members of the neighborhood association must be over 14 years old and Y live, own property, have a business, or represent a nonprofit within the borhoods. neighborhood. The Eliot Neighborhood Association was founded in 1969. But that’s not the way it worked out recently when a subcommittee of the It is recognized by the City of Portland, is a member of the Northeast Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods doled out more than $25,000. Coalition of Neighborhoods, Inc., and has representatives on several other groups and committees. Not only did most of the money go to non-profit groups, but 40 percent of the neighborhoods within NECN (Eliot included) did not even apply. In an email exchange, the head of ONI assured me that notice was sent enda board members to neighborhoods. Eliot board members I contacted, however, didn’t re- member seeing the notice, which I suspect got buried in the avalanche of Chair Gary Hampton, 503.282.5429, [email protected] notices the city sends out. Co Vice Chairs Chris Bleiler and Jennifer Jako 503.284.6650, [email protected] So who gets the money? A group of quasi-professional, non-profits that are experts in applying for grants. Treasurer Carol Kennedy, 503.331.1312, [email protected] Recorder Naomi Saks Not exactly a shocking result. Non-profits, with their single-minded purposes and paid staff, are more likely succeed in such a system. Newsletter Editor Tony Green, 503-221-8202, [email protected] Amalia Alarcon, who heads ONI, said the city council said the money Eric Aronson, 503.282.4126, [email protected] should be available to groups other than neighborhood-based entities. Howie Bierbaum, The Wonder Ballroom This is hardly surprising. Portland officials like to brag about the city’s 503.284.8686, [email protected] active neighborhood associations, but I think elected officials mostly find Pauline Bradford, 503.287.7138 citizen participation a nuisance. Unlike non-profits, which have easily di- Co Board Members Matt Gilley and Vickie Walker gestible goals, we represent a vast mix of views that sometimes get in the 503.233.0929, [email protected] or [email protected] way of some commissioner’s best-laid mega-project. Kirsten Jenkins So, would you give these groups more money? 503.515.6633, [email protected] For those who want to see the numbers, here’s what I found: Clint Lundmark, [email protected] • 7 out of 12 neighborhoods within NECN applied for a grant (58%) Jim Shikany, [email protected] • Of those, King, Vernon and Concordia received nothing. Laurie Simpson, 503.280.1005, [email protected] • Boise, Humboldt, Sabin and Woodlawn received virtually the entire Matt Svybersky, Volunteers of America, Men’s Residential Center amount applied for. 503.335.8611, [email protected] • Total amount asked for: $17,934 Co Board Members Chris Yeargers and Marie D’Hulst • Total received: $9,254 503.284.4392, [email protected] or [email protected] • 32 non-profits of various types applied. 8 received funding. • Total amount asked for: $206,740 • Total received: $16,117 enda land use committee In sum: Chair — Mike Warwick • 42 percent of the neighborhoods within NECN did not apply for a grant. 503.417.7555/503.284.7010, [email protected] • 30 percent of the neighborhoods in NECN received funding, and Chris Bleiler, 503.998.8806, [email protected] they received 36 percent of the total. Pauline Bradford, 503.287.7138 I urged Ms. Alarcon do better outreach before the next round of grants. Matt Gilley, 503.233.0929, [email protected] I suspect we will have to watch out for ourselves. • Gary Hampton, 503.282-5429, [email protected] Kirsten Jenkins, 503.515.6633, [email protected] Jason Mershon, 503.330.0922/503.331.2929, BAILEY & WARWICK [email protected] Laurie Simpson, 503.282.1005, [email protected] Saving and Improving Housing in Eliot Neighborhood for 25 Years. Houses and Apartments for rent. eliot monthly meetings (503) 806-3502 If you live or work in Eliot, you are welcome and encouraged to attend the monthly meetings of the Eliot Neighborhood Association, which are held the second Monday of each month at Emanuel Hospital. It’s a great opportunity to meet your neighbors, stay informed about what’s going on in Eliot, help build a stronger community, and have input into decisions that may affect you. Also consider joining a committee or eliot news ad rates becoming a board member (we have vacancies). Eliot News has a per issue circulation of 3,000 and is hand-delivered or Emanuel Hospital, 501 N. Graham, Medical Office Building West mailed to nearly 100% of the homes and businesses in the Eliot neighbor- Conference Room hood. It is also distributed to residents and businesses in surrounding neigh- borhoods, including Irvington, Sabin and Boise.