By Frederick N. Rasmussen , fred.rasmussen@baltsun.com|February 11, 2009
The Rev. Clinton Clair Glenn Jr., a former pastor of Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Bolton Hill whose activism resulted in the establishment of several educational facilities and housing for the needy, died Feb. 4 of cancer at his Lutherville home. He was 75.
Mr. Glenn, the son of a laborer, was born and raised in New Castle, Pa. After dropping out of Pennsylvania State University, he enlisted in the Navy.
After being discharged in 1956, Mr. Glenn worked in sales and service for the elevator division of Westinghouse Electric Corp.
After earning a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Maryland in 1964, he enrolled at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
Ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1967, Mr. Glenn began his career at First Presbyterian Church in Omaha, Neb.
After being named pastor of Brown Memorial the next year, Mr. Glenn launched outreach programs.
In 1969, Mr. Glenn was joined by the Rev. F. Lyman "Barney" Farnham, then rector of Bolton Street's Memorial Episcopal Church, in founding Bolton Hill Ecumenical School.
Also that year, Mr. Glenn befriended civil rights activists the Rev. Marion C. Bascom, who was minister of Douglas Memorial Community Church; the Rev. Vernon C. Dobson, pastor of Union Baptist Church; and the Rev. Forrest C. Stith, pastor of Sharp Street Memorial United Methodist Church. They coordinated ecumenical interests, community programs and political activities, and established an ecumenical Lenten series in 1969.
They then turned their attention to the Upton neighborhood near Douglas Memorial, and with the assistance of Lena Boone, head of the Upton Citizens Council, formulated a renewal plan and a corporation. The clergymen named it the Greenwillow Corp., with Mr. Glenn serving as its president
"The name Greenwillow was jokingly suggested, the joke being that it was the street noted for its red-light district," said Phyllis B. McIntosh, an old friend and Mr. Glenn's companion of six years. "However, Marion Bascom said, 'Wait a minute. Let's do that. I think we should name it Greenwillow to make an old name good.' "
They were successful in raising millions of federal dollars to build the low-cost housing development.
"The Greenwillow project is still very active," said Mr. Bascom. "He gave a whole lot of effort and life to Greenwillow."
Mr. Glenn then took on an abandoned building behind his church, which he transformed into the Bolton Center, a neighborhood recreation center.
