In hard times, the Relief Nursery offers hope for kids at risk
By Hope Nealson
EmefaW Repwiej
Fidgeting in his bus sool and
eagerly wailing for the fun to
begin. Eric Miller said ho was
most excited to see the ele
phants during his field trip to
the Portland zoo
Why?
- “Because they're os big us
this bus and could smash it!"
ho said
Eric is one of :io kids from
the Lane County Relief Nursery
who got to go on the Thursday
trip, which was anonymously
donated.
Each week, the Relief Nurs
ery serves more than 150 chil
dren who are in families thul
are at high risk for abuse. All
families ure low income and all
services are free, funded
through federal, slate, and local
grants.
The donation for the zoo trip
came during tight times for
child abuse programs, which
are being cut although child
abuse in Lane County is going
up
Lane County has seen a dras
lit: Increase in reported cases of
abuse in the last year, said Su
san Dev. Branch manager of
Lane Children Services Divi
sion
"Larh month, there are 500
new reports of i hlld abuse.'1
she mi id. That's over 2,000 in
the last four months "
Dey said the increase could
ho caused by more people be
coming aware and calling in
abuse when they notice tt In
their neighborhoods, as well as
by more stress put on middle
and low income families bur
dened with making ends meet
Dey said CSD has not only
seen more reported abuse
cases, but also an increase in
infant deaths.
"We've had 15 babies die in
Oregon this year, with two con
firmed deaths in Lane County,"
she said Dey said many of the
babies die from being shaken
by ilieir parents, causing con
cussion and bruin iniury
Dey said that because of
Measure 5. CSD is forced to cut
out some of its priority services
and help only a percentage of
the abused
"Something bus to give, and
what's going to give is ser
vin'*..” Dev said "we'll be just
t*e t.iking the most serious laises
and tli.it really scares me "
One of the service organiza
tions OS!) works with, the Re
bel Nursery, already has a wait
ing list ol 2;if» families
I’hi- Nursery, established in
lt)?ti. is the only organization
in Lane County offering a fami
ly-focused program .it no cost
to low income parents and their
infants or young children
The Nursery is currently on a
fund raising campaign to raise
S! J million for a permanent fa
cility in hugnne So far, the
group has raised $000,000
Campaign Chairman John
Sheppard said that with a new
building, the Nursery could In
crease its capacity by 7f> per
cent
The Nursery’s 1*0-‘10 volun
teers come from all walks of
life, with many being former
parents in the program
They review the childrens'
cases and set up the toys and
l.u illlies in the three donated
rooms of the Presbyterian
Two GTFs win 1992 teaching awards
By Julie Swensen
Emerald Contributor
Two University graduate teaching follows
have commanded respect for their teaching
methods, using enthusiasm and patience to in
spire thoir students to learn.
The talents of sociology GTF Susanne
Bohrnor and math GTF Jon Clauss have been
recognized with the 1992 GTF awards for out
standing teaching, uwurdod to only two out of
the approximately 1,000 GTFs who teach at
the University.
"i recognize that a teacher can make a big.
big difference." said Clauss. who said he's had
boring teachers in the past that turned him off
to the subject, 'it's very big for me personally
to lake responsibility for my actions as a tear It
er and to accept the consequences of my ai -
lions."
Clauss, who makes a point to get to know
each of his students personally, said student
leather relations are also important
"When you like the teacher, und the teacher
rosfxtcts you. you perforin butler.” he said
Bohrnor also pointed out the significance of
the teacher's role.
"I didn't do that well in some classes in port
because the teachers weren't really that great,”
she suit). "I had to study a lot of the material so
I could look beyond the teaching "
Bohrnor used those experiences with poor
teachers to make sure she touches the class
well, which her students will attest to
“She's definitely one of the best, if not tile
best, instructor I've ever had," said Sheila
Pego-lidwurds, one at Bohmer's students
"What I 1 tktf most about her teaching is her
patience with the students, and her ability to
convey the information to the students in a
way that is understandable," she said
Bohmer said her students probably praise
her teaching techniques because of tier pa
tience.
"I think part of it is I'm really patient," she
said "I ask them to stop me when I'm going
t(x> last, and I ask for feedback on how I'm do
ing
Clauss is the only (IT!-' who has been chosen
to teach a regular Honors College math se
quence, "Topics of Modern Math " The Hon
ors College selec ts Its faculty based on excel
lent teaching evaluations
Clauss said his teaching methods work well
because he tries to instill ilia same enthusiasm
he has for math into his students
"You can’t tie exciting unless you’re ex
cited." he said "Math excites me. so I try to
pass that along "
Clauss saui he makes his students partici
pate actively in his lectures and in small
groups, and he likes to get away from the tradi
tional methods of teaching math
"Memorization is crap." Im said "Memori
zation is for the birds People that come into
my math class and think they can memorize
formulas and survive quickly realize that's not
how it works
"That scares some people, I imagine, but it
Turn to GTF. Page 12
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PERSONALITY
People who have NOT experienced
panic attacks are needed to participate
in a study comparing the personality
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Participation is strictly confidential. If
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Church, where the nursery is
him sod.
The program prides itself on
working with both the child
and family
When you see a child, you
sis- a family." said Community
Relations Director Linda
D'Spain
D'Spain said some programs
are negative in their approach
es. and thus not as successful
' Typically, child abuse pro
grams are more punitive you
are a had parent because you've
done this to your kid
D'Spain said the reason the
Nursery is seen as a national
model is due to their philoso
phy She said It is important to
built) a parent's confidence and
teach coping skills through
support groups and home visits
by Nursery stall and volun
teers
We take one good quality
that parent has and build on
it,’ shf «..»id "As lho parent
grows more confident in their
ability, tho I Hitter the parent
in«
DvSpain said m.un ol Ins
calls come from parents who
are on tho verge of violence,
and |tist need a little help anil
guidance.
Wo look at tho risk factors
involved, if there was a history
of child abuse in the family, il
they are a iow-inooino family, if
they are under a tremendous
amount of depression or anxie
ty.’ she said
Typically. (3D will gel a re
port ol i fiild abuse and Investi
gate tho claim (31) works in
conjunction with organizations
like Lane County Kelief Nurs
ery. designating kids for pro
grams
'Children on the waiting list
who are in an abusive situa
tions continue to be at risk,"
D'Spatn said
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