Tag Archives: Gent’s addition

1973, Gent’s Addition Series, Part 6 of 6

Posted on by February 23, 2014

Boundaries often are stretched to include Barnett’s Addition

Gent’s Addition: In mid-Marion, yet separated

Even the name connotes separation. Something added on, a portion merely attached to the whole.

And yet, Gent’s Addition is located almost in the center of the city of Marion, a few blocks southwest of the Public Square.

The boundaries stretch from College to Boyton Streets north and south and from Van Buren to Court Streets east and west. But the boundaries often are stretched to include Burnett’s addition, the 700 block of South Liberty Street between Cline and College. Continue reading →

1973, Gent’s Addition Series, Part 5 of 6

Posted on by February 23, 2014

Clara Kirk Sees Gent’s Addition as a neglected part of Marion

“Discrimination, Hate: Two-Way Street”

Words are easy to speak; songs are easy to sing. A popular song begins “Love makes the world go round, love makes the world go round.” Ministers preach these words. People’s actions often mock them.

Clara Kirk lives by them. Miss Kirk spent 41 years of her 69 years teaching primary grades. Before her retirement in 1969, she taught 30 years in Douglass School, Marion’s only all black school. After the school was abolished in 1965, she spent the last four years of the career at Washington School. Continue reading →

1973, Gent’s Addition Series, Part 4 of 6

Posted on by February 23, 2014

New, more aware generation growing up in Marion Gent’s Addition

Young Black sees some adults as race’s big problem

“I am a citizen of Marion, a citizen that lives in Gent’s. I don’t consider myself a black man, just a man. Just Donald Allen, not black Donald Allen.”

But the community of Marion, Allen feels, has not let him or other young blacks drop the added labels of definition. Not that he is ashamed of his race, simply prouder of being a man. Continue reading →