Don’t let park’s history fade
As an African-American born and raised in Daytona Beach during the 1950s and 1960s, I read with interest Scott Kent's column published June 10 about Mary Moore regarding Cypress Street Park. I currently live in Palm Coast, but am often in Daytona Beach. The column was really heart-wrenching and got me reminiscing about the “good ol’ days” expressed by Mrs. Moore.
I, too, remember those individuals mentioned in the article as significant to the history of the Midway area of Daytona. I attended the kindergarten established by Mrs. Josie Q. James, and she taught me in Sunday School at the New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church on Second Avenue (now Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard). I can hear the melodic sounds of instruments played by Mr. Eddie Hill, and got my medical attention from Dr. Evelyn Crosslin. Mrs. LaRosa Smith was an inspiration to me as a young teacher who aspired to become an administrator, which I did because I had a role model who looked like me and took time to talk with me about being the best that I could be. I attended Bonner Elementary School and graduated from Campbell Senior High School in the last segregated class.
There were so many more significant individuals who impacted me during those times, and I am delighted to see Mrs. Moore’s emotional plea that at least these few are not forgotten. I agree with Mrs. Moore that the Cypress Street recreation area needs something permanent to memorialize those who made significant contributions. During my teen years the beach opened up to me and my friends, but we always loved our walks and bike rides to the Cypress Street pool during the summer. I hope the community will follow up and make plans with the help of the city of Daytona Beach to not let Mrs. Moore’s vision become a blur and lose sight all together. I thank Mary Moore for reminding us with sincere passion that Cypress Street Park and those adults who passed through it played a significant role in Daytona Beach’s African-American history and the lives of many young kids like me.
Myra (Bobo) Valentine, Palm Coast
— A retired Volusia and Flagler County educator, Valentine served as director of special education for Flagler County Schools through 2010.
Trump’s time
This is in response to the mother who wrote the letter to the editor that she’s ashamed of her son voting for Donald Trump.
There’s an ancient expression that says, “Thank God. The father was born before the son.” But in this case, I think we need to put another one into the archives: “Thank God the son was born after the mother.” Every one of her points states that the world is doomed due to the fact that her son voted for Donald Trump.
How could she make the statement after 500 days of the Trump administration? Barack Obama was in office for 2,920 days. He should have solved all the world’s problems, yet in her liberal mindset her son voting for Donald Trump has condemned the American lifestyle for the unforeseen future. All her predictions will probably be proven false by the end of Trump’s first term, in this letter-writer’s opinion, and certainly by the end of his second term.
We’ve seen record job creation, record-low unemployment, the lowest black unemployment in history. For the first time in 60 years, an American president sat down with North Korean leaders. The list goes on and on and on. But more than likely, she watches fake news and is brainwashed like the majority of her liberal-mindset friends. The son’s the smart one who voted for a man who’s going to make America great again for all Americans, regardless of race, religion or creed.
Howard J. Smith Jr., Ormond Beach