[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

                                 ______


                         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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