[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 15 (Wednesday, February 16, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E154-E155]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO LEOLA HAGEMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 16, 2000

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute today to an 
extraordinary woman and member of our community, a constituent of the 
15th Congressional District in New York from the time I was first 
elected. Leola Hageman, who died on February 1, served her community 
over the last 40 years with energy, dedication, intelligence, 
creativity and love. Her passing is an enormous loss for the

[[Page E155]]

people of our community, New York City and the United States.
  Leola Hageman moved from her native Chicago to New York City in 1959, 
with her husband, the Reverend Lynn Hageman, and their three children, 
Erica, Hans and Ivan. In 1963, Reverend Hageman founded an experimental 
narcotics program at Exodus House on East 103rd Street, and Leola 
Hageman worked with him as his full and indispensable partner. The 
program served thousands of addicts with exceptional rates of success.
  Mrs. Hageman's contribution to our community by her work at Exodus 
House, without more, would already have been substantial. However, Mrs. 
Hageman demonstrated her exceptional energy, courage, intelligence and 
constructive spirit in a myriad of ways.
  One particular project drew her attention and efforts for more than 
30 years: improving the education for the children of our community. In 
the late 1960's, she worked tirelessly for the creation of local school 
boards, part of a decentralization plan to improve education in 
communities throughout the city by appointing people to the boards who 
would represent their communities. These boards helped to change the 
direction and conscience of the city and well beyond.
  Later, in the early 1980's, when Reverend Hageman suffered an illness 
and was no longer able to carry on leadership of Exodus House, Leola 
Hageman opened a facility for children, including children of drug 
addicts, to come after school. Once again, well ahead of her time, Mrs. 
Hageman recognized the dangers of children being out on the streets in 
the afternoons after school and before their parents came home with 
nothing to do--and created a safe and constructive environment for them 
to come to at Exodus House. The seed that Mrs. Hageman planted with 
that program has now blossomed into the East Harlem School at Exodus 
House, a highly successful middle school founded by Reverend and Mrs. 
Hageman's two sons. The East Harlem School is now in its ninth year of 
operation, providing an exceptional educational experience to its 
students.
  Mr. Speaker, the loss of Leola Hageman, and only a little more than a 
year ago her husband, the Reverend Lynn Hageman, leaves an enormous 
void in our community. Their lives epitomized the finest dedication to 
service and ``tough love''--as one alumnus of Exodus House put it at a 
recent memorial service for Mrs. Hageman. The example of the way Leola 
and Lynn Hageman chose to live their lives in dedication to others 
should serve as an inspiration and a challenge to each of us now and in 
the years to come.

                          ____________________