52 / 150
House’s 50th birthday, including
Mrs. Walter J. Lee, Mrs. J. Norman
Brannock, Mrs. Francis E. Williams,
Mrs, William N. Sellman, Mrs. John
Bradford and Mrs. William A. Gerard.
1955 saw the beginning of a different
era for Kingdom House. With the hiring
of director Ralph Koeppe, the agency
would again strike a new path, this time
placing greater emphases on social
justice and equality. The neighborhood
population was changing, but basic
needs were still the same: child care,
activities for youth and outreach to
the immediate community. At mid-
century, Kingdom House could look
back proudly at over fifty years of
successful ministry to its neighbors.
And it also could look forward to the
new challenges and opportunities the
coming years would afford. The words
of the 50th Anniversary booklet proved
prophetic:
…The next five years will be crucial.
Many things are happening that may affect
Kingdom House’s work and needs. The
completion of the Third Street Express
Highway and Federal Housing plans will
bring about immediate changes in our
area, and the social services needed. This
may make relocation a little farther south
or southwest, in modernized quarters a
necessity.
For the next 50 years, regardless of
location, the work of Kingdom House must
be carried on with increasing effectiveness.
True…our objective is to help people help
themselves so that eventually such services
will not be needed. But each generation
faces some of the old problems, plus many
new ones. Growing up…
learning to lead happy,
useful lives, is a complex
business for anyone…
especially for those who,
through no fault of their
own, must live in the
crowded areas of a great
city.
36
It would take
another decade and
a half for Kingdom
House to be realized.
In the meantime,
its mission would
continue to serve
and move forward
on Morrison as it
had done already
elsewhere in the
community for over a
half a century.
49
C
hapter
T
wo
:
‘F
orgetting
O
ne
’
s
S
elf
in
S
ervice
to
H
umanity
’ (1928 – 1955)
C
G
rowing up
…
learning
to
lead
happy
,
useful
lives
,
is
a
complex
business
for
anyone
…
especially
for
those
who
,
through no
fault of
their own
,
must
live
in
the
crowded
areas of
a
great
city
.
P
hoto
:
C:
“Girl Scouts training for
womanhood”