Before Wynnefield West Digest
Before Wynnefield West Digest
In the beginning Wynnefield West Digest was titled Wynnefield West Edition. This page contains the two remaining Wynnefield West Edition publications from dozens that were lost during transition. Thus the foundation was laid for future issues, the Youth Correspondents Network (YCN), and the Literacy Enrichment Achievement Program (LEAP).
The physical publications (the only copies left) are tattered and worn. Collated before desktop publishing and digitized imagery, many of the images and much of the text are barely legible.
A few of the beginning stories, "Cable In Wynnefield?", "Pinn Memorial Celebrated 75 Years" and "King of Ghana Visits Area" are retyped for your reading pleasure.
Additionally, four of the first published Wynnefield West Digest publications are at the bottom of the page featuring Wynnefield Residents Association (WRA), Wynnefield school and community news.
From the Archives: History Preserved
From the Archives: History Preserved
Memorializing beginnings and legacies lest we forget them
Memorializing beginnings and legacies lest we forget them
April 1, 1983 - first Wynnefield West Edition printed, which coincided with Cable Franchise area II negotiations.
In this publication: click here to access full publication (please wait for entire publication to download before opening).
- Cable in Wynnefield? (see full story below)
- People in the Neighborhood: Gompers Principal - Dr. Peltzman
- Wynnefield Residents Association (WRA) news
- Super Granny's page
- Under Billy Penn's Hat: City Happenings
Wynnefield West Edition, Nov. 7, 1983
Prediction: Wilson Goode...Overwhelmingly
(Wilson Goode, a Wynnefield resident, was elected Philadelphia's first black mayor on November 8, 1983)
Wynnefield West Edition, Nov. 7, 1983
Prediction: Wilson Goode...Overwhelmingly
(Wilson Goode, a Wynnefield resident, was elected Philadelphia's first black mayor on November 8, 1983)
In this publication: Click here to access publication
(please wait for entire publication to download before opening).
- Pinn Memorial 75 Years (see full story below)
- King of Ghana Visits Area: King Sarpong visits Wynnefield Academy.
- Super Granny's page: highlighting events at the Wynnefield Residents Association
- Polling Places
- Candidate Mayor Goode - front page - Prediction: Wilson Goode...overwhelmingly; back page - advertisement.
- Under Billy Penn's Hat: City Happenings
Cable in Wynnefield?
A history of cable's beginnings. By Esther Edwards
Cable in Wynnefield?
A history of cable's beginnings. By Esther Edwards
There is conspicuously absent in our city today a wide range accessibility of cable television simply because the power structure has the ability to throw monkey wrenches into the planning processes. Cable is new to many Philadelphians, which makes this city far behind in the area of cable television. There are more than half a dozen companies presently with ready franchise proposals.
There are three black-owned companies seeking to be certified by the establishment here: Wade Communications (James Wade), Inner-City Cable (Percy Sutton), and Independent Cable Television (Roscoe Murphy, Jr. Board Chairman). These three are vying for the area II franchise which encompasses West Philadelphia, Southwest Philadelphia, and Wynnefield.
Competing in the bidding process cable in the “City of Brotherly Love” are: Inner City Cable, Comcast Cable, Rollins Cablevision, Wade Communications Cable, Vision System, Times Mirron Cable Television, Cox Cable, Independent Cable Television.
News media, politicians and organizational leaders met recently at an informal cocktail sip at the Holiday Inn, 36th & Chestnut, to see on video just how Philadelphia Inner City Cable (PICC) put their proposal together and just what the public can expect from them, should they be franchised.
Percy E. Sutton, Chairman of the Board of Inner City Broadcasting Corporation is the largest individual shareholder in Inner City Broadcasting Corporation. Mr. Sutton, Treasurer of PICC, an attorney by profession, is the former Borough President of Manhattan, and, in addition to his successful business interests, continued to contribute a substantial amount of time to civic and charitable activities. A freedom fighter, Mr. Sutton served as President of the New York NAACP. Mr. Sutton and his brother, former New York state Supreme Court Justice Oliver C. Sutton, were legal counsel to Malcolm X.
PICC will direct the activities of the Philadelphia system, assisted in the final design, engineering and construction of the system by Cablevision Systems Corporation. Cablevision has been a leader in the communications industry for many years and today owns and operates 50 cable systems in 5 states.
Additionally, these Philadelphia residents are included in Philadelphia Inner City Cable System’s ownership team: Kemel Dawkins, Velma Diaz, Rosemarie Electario, David Fattah, Obra Kernodle, Esq., G. Craig Lord, Rev. Henry Nichols, Jay Rosenfeld, Harmon Spolan, Peter G. Stanley, Richard Stevens, Esq., Caroline Tose, Joseph H. Weiss.
It is important to the community of Wynnefield/West Philadelphia that the franchise holder in Area II must have a vast knowledge of the complexity of this city, the market and the technology involved in cable. The community must be the long-range benefactor of much of the profits of this billion-dollar industry. Our rewards must be in terms of higher education benefits, which allows for academic growth and the technology of research.
Wynnefield West Edition
April 1, 1983
Comment: Wade Communications Cable was ultimately the franchise winner, operating in Franchise Area II for years. After several changes in ownership, which included Time Warner Cable, the cable company that started in 1983 with a pioneering vision is now owned by Comcast.
Pinn Memorial Celebrates 75 Years
Pinn Memorial Celebrates 75 Years
From May 9, 1983 Pinn Memorial Baptist Church has been celebrating its Diamond Jubilee. This celebration is commemorating 75 years of existence, and will continue until May, 1984.While Pinn Memorial is now located in the Wynnefield area, its history includes other locations of a very important nature.
Pinn Memorial’s starting place was in a Lodge Hall on Fortieth Street near Market Street where worship began in 1908. In 1923 the congregation moved into a lovely stone church on the Northwest corner of Powelton Avenue and Sloan Street. The first pastor was Reverend C. C. Scott who was succeeded in 195 by Reverend J.A. Whitted who served until 1927. Then there followed a twelve year period in which these five ministers were the pastors: Reverend J Raymond Henderson, Reverend L. W. Howard, Reverend H. T. McCreary, Reverend W. Augustus Jones, and Reverend R. R. Richardson.
In the fall of 1939 Reverend William J. Harvey III, a graduate of the Theological Seminary of Chicago University, became the eighth pastor of Pinn Memorial. Under his leadership a ten and a half year period ensued which was marked by splendid progress in worship, soul saving, church program, church finances and business management, all being carried on in an attitude of Christian teamwork. When Reverend Harvey was called to a large pastorate in Oklahoma City, Reverend Frank B. Mitchell Jr. terminated his highly successful eighteen-year ministry in Galilee Baptist Church of Roxborough, Pennsylvania to become the ninth pastor of Pinn Memorial in 1950. In 1955 he led the church into a stately Belmont and Westminster Avenue Church - which became the third home of Pinn Memorial.
In 1964, two years prior to due date, this church was paid for in a special mortgage cancellation drive led by Pastor Mitchell. Then an extensive renovation program made a manifold property increase in the value of the church, which had been purchased for $115,000. The membership roll listed over nine hundred when the church building was devastated by fire on August 31, 1977.
After our four years of worshipping in borrowed or rented buildings, chief among which were Bethany Baptist Church, Mt. Olivet Tabernacle Baptist Church, and Millcreek Recreational Center, Pastor Mitchell led the congregation into its present elegant five building complex at 54th & Wynnefield Avenue. Two choir lofts and a baptismal pool have been added and appropriate alterations and paint-up, fix-up work is in progress. Already over a hundred people have joined the church; babies have been dedicated; a worship hour nursery is in operation; a wedding has been held; a funeral has been held; a revival held; a luncheon has been sponsored; Sunday School and Prayer Meetings are in session; Vacation Church School is anticipated; a community youth athletic program has been instituted; the deacons are reorganizing their visiting lists for home visit; the trustees are planning a fund-raising project; clubs have begun exciting fellowship fund raising activities; and members are donating some very appropriate church furnishings and equipment; Pastor Mitchell continues his tithing leadership.
Pinn Memorial’s church officials include:
•Rev. Dr. Frank B. Mitchell
•Pastor Rev. Reginald Stephens, Assistant to the Pastor
•Rev. Gwendolyn Traore, Director of Christian Education
•Deacon Leon P. Hinton, Chairman of the Trustee Board
•Mr. Allen W. Foster, Director of Music
•Deacon William R. Brock, Sunday School Superintendent
Pinn Memorial cordially welcomes all to their worship, study, and fellowship programs.
Note: Article provided by Pinn Memorial
staff in 1983 for publication.
Wynnefield West Edition
Vol.1 No. 8, November 7, 1983
King of Ghana Visits Area: Wynnefield Academy
King of Ghana Visits Area: Wynnefield Academy
Last month (October, 1983), 788 students at Wynnefield Academy received King Nana Kuame Aukoko Sarpong from Ghana with the waiving of white handkerchiefs.
King Sarpong shook hands with students in the Lower School while student in the Middle School attended a special assembly in which they asked questions of the King, ranging from the composition of his immediate family to the operation of his country.
The Board of Directors hosted a Continental Breakfast Reception for the King and his entourage prior to his departure. King Sarpong dressed in African garments, wearing an abundance of actual gold which represented tradition as well as the ranking of an Omankune Paramount King left a sense of pride with his young audience indicating: “Africa is not a jungle. It is a civilized nation in which all people should stand up and be proud and deny any other myth which is perpetuated.”
On that note students stood waving white handkerchiefs for the King as he left to receive an award from City Council. Since that time arrangements were made to develop a pen pal relationship between King Nana Kuame Aukoko Sarpong and his eight daughters.
The Wynnefield Academy is a private elementary school for students in grades pre-kindergarten thru niNinth grade. The school was founded by Mrs. Katie B. Jackson in 1975. Prior to the Wynnefield Academy existence, the Jackson family operated the Wynnefield Child Care Center which was also founded by Mrs. Jackson in 1971.
Due to the success of the center at 2416 North 54th Street which provides education services for the child between the ages of 2-4 years old, the academy became a reality.
Wynnefield West Edition
Vol.1 No. 8, November 7, 1983
Wynnefield West Digest - May, 1986
(click title to view entire publication)
Wynnefield Residents Association (WRA) President, Raymond Ragland, welcomes Wynnefield West Digest; area school and community news
Wynnefield West Digest - September, 1986
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WRA schedule; area school and community news; Say No To Drugs essays
Wynnefield West Digest - November 1986
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Tribute to the late Councilman John C. Anderson; reflections on the 3rd anniversary of the John Anderson Cultural Center; Wynnefield school and community news
Wynnefield West Digest - December, 1986
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Winners of Channel 6 Thanksgiving Day Parade, Wynnefield Residents Association (WRA) schedule; Wynnefield school and community news