High Street Neighborhood News

by Adelle Foley

Melrose Leads the Way On February 7, over 100 fourth and fifth graders from Melrose Elementary School looked down from the balcony of the packed City Council chamber as the council reviewed actions to close this year's projected spending gap. The children's banner said, "Save Our Library." It was a terrific civics lesson, but I'm not sure who was teaching and who was learning. The children who spoke were self-assured and passionate. One asked all people who love libraries to stand up. Another thanked the Council for keeping the libraries open because the kids need a place to read and study and use the computer. Then he warned them, "If you plan to close the library, we'll come back and argue with you." He recognized (as we must) that we've survived the first battle of what will be a long and difficult fight. Meanwhile, back at the branch, The Friends of Melrose Branch were both delighted and relieved to be discussing future programs. Although the Children's Librarian position still is vacant, two on-call librarians are providing story time and music on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. and welcoming elementary school classes on Wednesdays. Thanks to Melrose Friend Robin Rome, the Branch will participate in the Alameda County Office of Education's Art is Education Month with a special display of children's artwork, scheduled for the last week in March. For more information on the program, check out their Web site, www.acoe-artiseducation.org. Look for the Trailer at Maxwell Park By the time you read this column, you should see a GE Mobilmodular trailer in the Maxwell Park Elementary School playground. The trailer will be the satellite site of the Boys' and Girls' Club program during construction at the High Street Clubhouse. After-school activities will start up soon. Join the Drill Team Middle-school and high-school students are welcome to join the drill team on Monday and Tuesday evenings, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The spring schedule is still uncertain, so stop by, or call 535-5632 to check on the status of softball. Good-Bye to a Good Neighbor On February 4 we lost our neighbor Alma McQuown. Although she hadn't lived in Maxwell Park for several years, she was a true neighbor, someone who made us happy to call our community home. Our son Sean, currently in Syria, wrote this in her honor: "The neighborhood in which I grew up experienced tremendous changes over the last four decades. During that period, Maxwell Park evolved into a diverse community that includes people from around the nation and the world. Growing up in the middle of these vast changes, I saw Alma McQuown not only as a caring neighbor but also as a member of my extended family, a person who linked me to my community's past. It was always a great joy for me to hear her talk about the events and changes that occurred during her long life in Maxwell Park. Her stories were perhaps her most valuable gift because they helped spark my interest in history, which led me to Damascus, Syria, where I am currently researching modern Middle Eastern history on a Fulbright Fellowship. Alma's passing is a great loss for all of us who knew her and for the community as a whole, which has lost an important connection to an ever more distant past. Alma, you will always be missed and loved. Allah Yer Hamaaha al Umar illik. (Roughly translated from Arabic as, 'God rest her soul.')" Adelle Foley can be reached via e-mail at jasfoley\@aol.com.