Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page A33

DemocratandChronicle Page33A CONNECT WITH US All submissions must include your and daytime elephone number. Limit letters to fewer than 150 words; essays to 450 words. Send to Letters to the and Exchange NY 14614; email Call (585) 258-2641or (585) 258-2250. Fax: (585) 258-2356. All letters and essays chosen for publication are subject to editing for and accuracy.

The Unite Rochester and guest ssays that have raised awareness about existing acial inequities mention that unemployment in neighborhoods with high minority populations exceeds 40 percent, which is no surprise as many minorities do not have the education required for even low-paying jobs. Unfortunately, many of them come from broken homes without fathers in their lives to promote the importance of an education and to guide them in their decisions. Many psychologists, social workers, clergy, and educated African-Americans especially, agree that this guidance is what is lacking in these young lives. Bill Cosby has publicly urged African-American communities to recognize this need to change this art of their culture. Unite should consider promoting education in the community as a major goal to help solve the minority problems.

it be wonderful if our mayor and Afric an-American clergy, community leaders and conc erned local politicians got behind a major communication effort to change this attitude among young minority kids by stressing the importance of an education? Here is how it might work: Black volunteers ould go to schools, social clubs, church activities, a nd other locations where there would be minority youths and spread the word. Volunteers could include sports celebrities (national and local), coaches, ministers, and community organizers, all of whom would be respected by their inority audiences. ochester could be the origin of a type of effort that with promotion could spread to other cities. A catchy name could be provided by a PR firm such as the Better Life the Smart or the Be ool or whatever we decide. These volunteers could even approach older to encourage them to attend community workshops that could be set up at high schools during after-school hours or at weekend learning centers.

They could be sponsored by trade unions or ven the University of Rochester, now that it is going to take over the curriculum at East High School. At the centers young people would learn how to to earn a decent wage as a plumber, electrician, carpenter or an auto mechanic. Once they get their self confidence they may even reach igher. Yes, my suggestion will be a big project, but it will get at the main cause of problems faced by minorities, and will be appreciated not only by the recipients, but by the city of Rochester and our country as well. Edwards is a retired dentist who lives in Pittsford.

City youths need guidance Lee Edwards GUEST ESSAYIST suggestion will be a big it will get at the main cause of problems faced by minorities, and will be appreciated not only by the by the city of Rochester and our country as Rochester have in 1964 Regarding the July 14 article on the 1964 riots: Massaging the past to con- orm to a point of view is not orthy of your newspaper. The attempt to spin a trag- dy from which our city has ever recovered is dishonest a nd it was a riot that split the races and caused white flight to the suburbs. Some academic came along and decided to put a good face on ome terrible actions by a roup of rioters and looters. hat is about a systematic attack on these white-owned The phrase symbolic than is laughable and rong. The attacks were per- onal, because they targeted white businesses.

The last sentence includes the phrase, Those riots were anything but. JAMES TAYLOR GATES in story rought me to tears This newspaper did it again ith a blockbuster story, lected in life, abandoned in by staff writer David Andreatta and photojournalist Annette Lein (July 13). about 14 delinquent, roubled and unwanted boys ent to a state-run school in ush.They were forsaken in ife and deserted in death by the same school that was supposed to straighten them out. When they died there the state uried them on school rounds, then sold their graves in a land deal. Relying on census records, news archives, death certificates and internal school documents, the newspaper pieced together the lives and deaths these boys, because no child hould be forgotten.

Reading he story brought tears to my yes and made me thankful for he care and love my parents ave me in my upbringing, and he love I still have for them in my heart. JOSEPH P. PARIS GREECE Rush hour construction oes against logic There was a huge traffic jam at the intersection of Ridge Road and Lake Avenue during rush hour on the morn- i ng of July 17. Three lanes ecame one without any advance notice. Why would anyone decide to do road work at the worst time possible? Did Chris Christie move to western New York? JEFF WEISSMAN GREECE Soccer is still the most loved sport in the world Every World Cup, reated to some ignorant, arrogant American telling us that soccer needs to change its rules.

Ignorant, because they studied the sport nough to appreciate the beau- in the game beyond the scor- i ng of goals. Arrogant, because they think soccer should change to suit the fan of ith a television audience more than 800 millionview- ers, the World Cup final dwarfed that of any American sporting event, and U.S. World Cup viewership showed double digit growth. With essentially the same rules as laid down in 1 863, the game has become the ost popular in the world, and ontinues to grow here. he bottom line? Football need U.S.

fans who appreciate the game. oing fine just the way it is. ALAN CLAYTON RUSH Would you like to thank some- ne? Send your note of 125 or ewer words to Pats on the ack, Democrat and Chroni cle, 55 Exchange Rochester, NY 14614. Please include your daytime telephone number. E-mail: annett.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR avid Gantt, a Democratic state assemblyman who represents Rochester and Gates, remembers well the riday night of July 24, 1964, when rioting broke out in his neighborhood.

He was 23 years old and looking forward to a fun-filled weekend after wrapping up the week in his full-time job as a at ase-Hoyt, a local printing company, and part time as a recreation leader for the city of Rochester. Ganttwas on a date at a neighborhood nightspot when he saw a special television report about the disturbance. Immediately he hought about the safety of his younger brother, Donald, a polio patient, whom he had dropped off at a at the request of his mother before picking up his date. After learning that Donald had returned safely to their Oregon treet home, just four blocks from where the rioting started, Gantt scoured the neighborhood to see what was happening. What follows are recollections with Editorial Page Editor James F.

Lawrence. What are some of your most ivid memories of July I remember all of the lights in he neighborhood were out when Igot back there. I took off after I found out my brother was safe. I saw two guys taking trash cans and breaking windows. I saw eople with arms full of cigar ettes.

Police were dropped off on Joseph and Clinton avenues. White people were on one side of the street and black people were on the other side. They shouted i nsults at each other. Police were i the middle. I went over and started talking to George Cooper, a black cop I knew, and a white cop.

I never participated in the riot itself. I remember telling the kids I worked with at School No. 6 to go home and get off the streets. My boss, who was white, saw trying to get my kids back, and I ended up getting paid for the weekend even though I ask to be paid. My thing was I want to see my kids get into trouble.

Iremember the Monday after the riots at Case- Hoyt. I remember a young white guy who worked in he press room who had been summoned during the weekend as a National Guardsman. I want to tell you some of things he said to me when I walked in. He blamed me, who had nothing to do with what hap- ened. Then he started to call me a bunch of dirty names, including the n-word.

I got upset and kept going after telling him never to say that to me again. hat were some of the conditions at the time that may have led to the violence? The police K-9 corps had just come on the scene. It was during the time of the Birmingham protests. White cops would run over and grab a black guy and hug him; the dog perceived his master was being attacked and the dog came running with its mouth ide open. I remember going to Municipal Hospital, which is now Strong Hospital.

Black people sat there all day and get help, particularly if you were on ublic assistance. I remember that personally. Ilived with my mother and all the basement windows were out. We had sewer rats. One rat that was 9 10 inches long, we called a pet rat.

It had a burn on its right hip from the hot pipes that it ran across. Back in those days, to get a job at Kodak you either ad to be a research scientist like Dr. Walter Cooper or you got there behind a broom. I went to Kodak hree times a week for six months and get a job. I remember the lady there asking me if I went anyplace else looking for work.

I said the ther two days I go other She told me that I had too much education to be there looking for a job. I had two years of ollege, true, but I needed a job to elp my mother take care of the family. What about city schools at that time? People did better in school back hen. Most of my teachers were hite. They cared about kids.

My favorite teacher until this day was Miss Harris. And when I was first elected to the Legislature, 40 years later, Mr. Harrelson, my social tudies teacher in seventh grade, an me down to congratulate me. The teachers back then loved their students, and showed it. Even when you had problems, grab you by the ear.

But there was no worry about abuse because there was none. They helped to shape me, no doubt about it. ack then, parents also were more involved. They made sure that kids went to school to learn. If I had problems in school my mother would ask what I did to cause problems.

She would have knocked my teeth out of my head for some of the things kids do today. So you blame teachers; we all have a role to play, oo. What are some contributions as a state law- aker that particularly proud of? The work done to promote education. Educa- ion is key to escaping poverty. I always go after resources.

At School No. 22, I called the principal once and asked her if she had a computer lab. I went and ot the money for it, and for air conditioning to keep the computers cool. Ialso worked to get Wilson Commencement Park, the facility for homeless women and their families, its first $1million. As for individuals, I helped Lovely (Mayor Warren) and a number of others who interned for me go hrough law school.

Helping young people has been a ain focus for me. Fifty years after July where has the biggest progress been made? I think there are those of us who I will never have to go through welfare lines anymore, picking up commodities. But the masses are still in trou- le. Those of us in the black community need to do better, communicate better. The same goes for those in the white community.

Sometimes you have to tell he truth and shame the devil. Sometimes you get frustrated. Still, you have to do the best you can. Until he day I die, like my mother, I will try to make things better for poor people poor whites, poor blacks and poor Hispanics. They have to have a voice.

TAKE FIVE QUESTIONS WITH DEMOCRATIC ASSEMBLYMAN DAVID GANTT i ROCHESTER.