Alberta Street Stories

Burt Turner and his wife taught music at the YMCA located at Tillamook and Williams. In 1936, Turner was hired under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as the community bandmaster. Former students of his described the band practices as follows: “Even small children who were not even in the band came to rehearsal to watch and imitate. Burt would march up and down the street and it was quite a spectacle. The police would block the main street with cars. Burt was like a basketball coach who let everyone play regardless of their skill level. This fairness gave all the kids a chance to get better.”

[in Robert Dietsche, Jumptown. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, 2005.]

Community Activist. Physician Assistant. Leader. Advocate. Mentor. Husband and Father. Josiah Hill, III was all of these and so much more.  He envisioned a Portland community where there would be no need for blood-lead level testing for its children. As a board member of the Oregon chapter Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), Josiah Hill met Dr. Richard Bayer in 1997. They joined forces on the lead issue. With the primary goal of decreasing the risk of childhood lead poisoning, Josiah created an alliance between PSR and the Coalition of Black Men (COBM). By 1998 Josiah and Dr. Bayer hit their stride when the volunteer testing program began working with SKIP (Screen Kids, Inform Parents). Children in high-risk populations were screened for early diagnosis and treatment for a range of health issues. Josiah Hill’s conviction and gentle manner broadened the coalition further to include PSR, COBM, Common Bond, Volunteers of America, Multnomah County Health Department and the Oregon Health Division. He orchestrated the opening of a volunteer-staffed free lead-testing clinic.

[source http://www.jhillclinic.org/about/history]

Irvington Racetrack, now Irving Park, where guard troops prepare for combat in the Spanish-American War.

Albina Neighborhood tree planting.