Father: Nathaniel Battle
Mother: Bessie E Wainwright
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From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

ST. PAUL, MN SAYS GOODBYE TO REV. WALTER BATTLE
______

HON. BRUCE F. VENTO

of minnesota

in the house of representatives

Thursday, December 21, 1995

Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate a fellow Minnesotan, and
a friend, who devoted his life to the children of the Twin Cities and
the world, Rev. Walter L. Battle. Reverend Battle was the head of a
proud family, most of whom I have come to know personally because of
their positive activities in our St. Paul community, especially Bob
Battle, who is a friend and civic activist. Reverend Battle's interest
and commitment to family extended to the greater neighborhood and
community of St. Paul.
Reverend Battle was an advocate for children and active in many
efforts to assist disadvantaged youth. Recognizing that every child has
the potential to succeed, Reverend Battle worked tirelessly to give
children opportunities to achieve success. During his 46 years of
service as pastor of St. Paul's Gospel Mission Church, he led several
efforts to help children. Among these efforts was the establishment of
the Institute of Learning. The institute helps guide teenagers away
from involvement with crime and drugs and find positive alternatives
and goals for their lives. He also enabled countless numbers of inner-
city youth to participate in summer camps, an activity that the
children's families could not have afforded otherwise. Reverend Battle
pursued this interest with a real passion, establishing a site and
staffing it with volunteers.
Efforts were not confined to the Twin Cities community; they extended
to children around the world. In the 1950's, Reverend Battle traveled
to Haiti to help build schools and teach Haitian students to read. Just
last year, demonstrating his long-term commitment to the children he
helps, he collected over 1,000 pounds of food and medicine to send to
Haiti.
Reverend Battle passed away last week, and the Twin Cities community
is mourning the loss of our most beloved and devoted citizens. By
making investments in the lives of our children, Reverend Battle has
given our community a legacy that will live on in the successes of
future generations that were influenced by his efforts.
Investing in our children is a fundamental ingredient for America's
continued success and prosperity. Unfortunately, here in Washington,
Congress is embroiled in a budget debate that is set to shift the
priorities of our Nation away from this type of investment. The new
Republican majority's budget package drastically cuts funding for
initiatives that aid children in need, including education programs,
welfare assistance, health care coverage and low-income tax credits.
Dedicated advocates like Reverend Battle deserve better. As we lose
soldiers like Walter Battle, who devoted their lives to children and
the material and spiritual well-being of our communities, we honor them
and must support their mission by providing reasonable programs and
realistic funding at the federal level to support their efforts.
The funding reductions being advanced today will hit our Nation's
most vulnerable citizens on all sides, reducing Federal support for
many aspects of their livelihoods. At the same time, the funds being
cut from these programs are being funneled into tax breaks for our
Nation's wealthier citizens and corporations. If these funding
reductions are enacted into law, efforts such as those begun by Walter
Battle will run into expanded challenges in trying to create a better
future for our children, especially the increasing population of
children in poverty.
Reverend Battle's advocacy for our Nation's most precious resource,
our children, and the positive influence he had on so many lives should
be remembered, and it will be missed. His activities should not only be
praised, but should be supported by a strong commitment from Washington
to maintain the safety net our nation has built to safeguard our
Nation's citizens.

[From the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Dec. 19, 1995]

Activist Walter Battle Worked for Kids

My children are going to have some food,'' the Rev. Walter
L. Battle once told a reporter.
That particular time, he wasn't talking about this own kids
or those of his St. Paul congregation, but the children of
Haiti for whom he collected over 1,000 pounds of food and
medicine last year.
Still, that attitude, strength of purpose and sense of
mission permeated everything Battle did to keep kids on the
right track. During a remarkable 46-year run as pastor of St.
Paul's Gospel Mission church, community activist and youth
advocate, he performed near miracles--all to give young
people better lives.
His death last week, at age 74, of cancer deprived the
community of one of its best champions of youth.
Among his many efforts for children were building schools
and teaching youngsters to read in Haiti in the 1950s; taking
inner-city kids to summer camps for many years; founding the
Institute of Learning to give teens an alternative to drugs
and street life, and fasting for 40 days to raise money for
the Institute's programs.
Battle believed all kids were ''his children.'' And so must
we.
The best tribute to him would be to keep his legacy of
service to children alive. So as not to lose more children to
poverty, crime, illness, ignorance and inattention, we must
all--like the Rev. Walter L. Battle--become advocates for
children.