[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 48 (Thursday, April 28, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: April 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
EIGHT DECADES AS KIDS' PAL
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HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL
of new york
in the house of representatives
Thursday, April 28, 1994
Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to my dear friend, the
long-time district attorney of Manhattan, Robert Morgenthau. Over the
course of 31 years, Bob Morgenthau has shown true dedication and
commitment to the State of New York and to our troubled youth. New York
City's youth have found a safe haven in Mr. Morgenthau's organization.
In a city plagued by the ravages of drugs and crime, the Police
Athletic League [PAL] has been a fountain of positive reinforcement,
learning, and growth.
Mr. Morgenthau has spent countless hours as the president of PAL, an
organization whose mission is to offer kids a sense of identity and
belonging. PAL allows young people to envision possibilities that they
might never have considered before.
Under Mr. Morgenthau's three decades of leadership, PAL's ability to
reach out to New York City's boys and girls has expanded. Through its
71 recreation centers. PAL provides neighborhood kids with a safe place
to go after school. PAL now serves 60,000 kids throughout the city.
For the benefit of my colleagues, I wish to enter into the
Congressional Record the following article which appeared in the Daily
News on March 13, 1994.
[From the Daily News, Mar. 13, 1994]
Eight Decades as Kids' PAL
(By Suzanne Rostler)
Former New York City Police Commissioner Benjamin Ward was
a 17-year-old kid from Brownsville when in 1944 he first sat
behind the desk that once belonged to Teddy Roosevelt.
He didn't dare imagine that one day he would sit behind
that same desk as the head of the force.
``There was nothing in my memory to make me think I could
be anything as glorious as a policeman,'' said Ward. ``It was
kind of a bewildering experience, coming out of a cold-water
flat at the edge of Brownsville. It was like going into a
strange new world.''
What brought Ward to this new world was the Police Athletic
League's essay contest, ``Police Commissioner for a Day,'' in
which Ward offered winning suggestions for running the
department.
Besides providing him with an afternoon with then-
Commissioner Lewis Valentine, the contest allowed Ward to
envision possibilities he had never before considered.
The essay contest is just one way the Police Athletic
League, celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, has
opened doors to generations of city kids whose after-school
itinerary is not likely to include piano lessons and private
tutors.
``The streets are awfully rough,'' said PAL President and
Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau. ``(PAL) offers
kids a sense of identity and belonging to something
constructive. We're sending a message that someone cares
about them.''
Created in 1914 by Capt. John Sweeney of the New York
Police Department to offer athletic activities to city kids,
PAL's scope has expanded under Morgenthau's 31-year
leadership.
Today, PAL serves 60,000 kids throughout the city. In
addition, to providing boys' and girls' basketball and
softball leagues, boxing, track and field, and weight
training, the organization offers job and family counseling,
study centers and computer training programs.
The ``Police Commissioner for a Day'' essay contest alone
draws about 3,000 entries from kids in grades nine to 12.
Another program brings cops and communities together each
summer to reclaim the streets for the children. As police
patrol the periphery, kids jump rope, play baseball and read
in bookmobiles.
On a daily basis, PAL provides neighborhood kids with a
safe afterschool haven, through its 71 recreation centers.
Providing such basic services as a place to study, however,
is not cheap. With an annual budget of $12 million, PAL
spends about $200 a year on each child. The budget is not
nearly enough to meet the demand for services.
The organization is building four new centers at a cost of
$8.1 million apiece. Funding will come from the city and
private corporations and foundations.
Said Morgenthau: ``It's the only organization I'm committed
to about which I can honestly say if we had twice or three
times the amount of money, we could spend it wisely. The
demand is so tremendous.''
The pay-off, however, is immeasurable, he said. Over the
years, PAL has played a significant role in the lives of kids
who have gone on to become models in their fields.
``Through the program, kids find themselves as individuals
and develop their self-esteem through competition and
teamwork,'' said former New York Knicks forward Bernard King.
``I had a chance to meet people from other parts of the city
and, from a competitive standpoint, learn other styles of
basketball.''
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