On campus
Young and old “fiddlin’” around for fun
people up here and make them
'feel
comfortable. And it’s a
Of the Print
’.good place for the fiddlers,
because it’s large enough to
The Community Center handle a lot of people.”
reverberated with the strains of
There are forty members
bluegrass last Sunday, as the of the local fiddlers organiza
Oregon Old Time Fiddlers held tion, District 7, which encom
their monthly jam. This is the passes most of the Portland
fourth jam to be held at the metropolitan area. State-wide,
College, and the turnout was there are several hundred
commendable.
members. Approximately 40
I would be difficult to fiddlers showed up to show
describe the average partici their stuff Sunday, along with
pant at the jam. They ranged banjos, basses, ukeleles and a
from age 5 to 82, and came piano.
dressed in cowboy hats and
Most of the players were
skimmers, denim duds and familiar to each other, and
suitcoats. There was even a often old friends. One member
guest appearance by one of the group showed up in a full
white beard, red clothes, and a .
Claus, Santa.
This was. not the first fid red hat. Herman Classen was
dlers ball to be held on campus. every bit the perfect Saint Nick,
There have been four jams except for his cowboy boots.
here, including last year’s
Unlike most of the fid
Christmas jam and the last two dlers, Classen makes and plays
annual state contests. Next his own violins. “Wheri I
year’s contest is slated to be retired, I wanted to do
held here as well.
something that wasn’t too easy
The reason so many of the but that I didn’t have to sweat
get-togethers are held at the to do,” he said, “I/don’t make
college is due to one member fiddles at any specific pace; I’m
in particular: Helen Hakanson, just killing time.”
the wife of the College Presi
So far, Classen has made
dent.
23 violins. He has been .with
“I’ve been a member for the Old Time Fiddlers for four
three years now,” Mrs. Hakan years. Last Sunday, he played
son said, “These jams are good two numbers on a fiddle he’d
for the campus. They bring made with his own hands.
By J. Dana Haynes
í
Another member there
was John Melnichuk, who is
the current state champion fid
dler. He has been playing with
this group for a decade, and
before that played in Montana.
“It’s always the same, no
matter what state you’re in,”
Melnichuk
explained,
“Everyone’s just here to enjoy
the music. It’s, always a lot of
fun.”
Melnichuk has been fiddl
ing for some time. “I used to
play in dance bands when I was
going to school. That was how
I payed' my tuition. Now, I’m
trying to make a living with
Pacific Power and Light. I just
do this for a hobby.”
Unlike many people,
Melnichuk has passed his hob^
by onto his child. His daughter
Katy was the youngest member
at the jam, at the age of five.
“She’s been playing for
about six months,” Melnichuk
said, “As a matter of fact, she
and I just got through a discus
sion about which number she’ll
play. She already knows
several.” .
Many fiddlers seem to
agree that the younger/the stu
dent, the quicker they pick it
up. One participant in the low-
key festivities was Dale
Carothers, who travelled all the
way from Oklahoma to visit his
daughter in Troutdale, when
he heard about this jam and
decided to join in.
“I’ve taught quite a few of
the younger ones,” Carothers
said, “They definitely learn
quicker than older kids do. I
took lessons in 1925, myself.”
Unlike a majority of those
playing Sunday, Carothers has
been to the nationals competi
tion several times. “Y’see, I’m
from Oklahoma,” he explain
ed, “All the good fiddlers come
from our chapter. I’ve won
about four prizes, but not the
first prize,”
\ The Oklahoma chapter'is.
different than the Oregon ones.
“We play about four times a
week, at senior citizens’
centers,” he said. Carothers
has travelled across the United
States and joined jams in as
many stafes as he could.
“It’s hard io go from state
to state to find the fiddling
association. There should be
some sort of directory, but
there isn’t,” Carothers
lamented. “Usually, I just
check in with local music stores
and try to find one fiddler who
can show me where to go.”
The entire jam lasted ap
proximately three hours,, with
anyone who wanted to get up
oh the risers with whatever ac
companiment they required.
Mrs. Hakanson played “I don’t
Love Nobody” and “Under the
Double Eagle.”
“I really love; fiddle
music,” Mrs. Hakanson said,
“it’s passed down in families,
and some of it isn’t even written
down; it’s just passed on and
played by ear.”-, <
When asked what the dif
ference is between fiddle play
ing arid playing a . violin,
,Hakanson said, “There’s a sub
tle difference between a violin
player and a fiddler. It’s not just
the pieces you play, it’s.the way
you play them.”
Suddenly, Mrs. Hakanson
stopped and cocked her head
to oneside, “You hear him
slide off that note?” she asked,
looking at the elderly man on
stage, who was playing “Rose
of San Antone.”'“A violinist
won’t do that, just slide off the
note and on to thè next. But
that’s what gives you your fid
dling sound. He makes it cry.”
Hakanson explained that
there are several variations of
bluegrass fiddling music, in
cluding Irish, Appalachian,
Canadian and.Texan, and they
are all experiencing a
re^ergence of popularity.
“Even Senator Byrd, Minority
Leader, is a fiddler. I have one
of his albums,” she said.
EMT-1 students learn basics of first aid
By Darla Weinberger
Of the Print \
I
Emergency
Medical
Technician or EMT-1, is a class
designed for those interested in
becoming a fire fighter, am
bulance technician, or rescue
aid.
“It involves training people
to perform in what we call the
‘basic life support level.’ The
participants learn to maintain
and do mandatory operations
before the ambulance arrives
when the victim is
transported to the hospital
emergency room,” explained
Carol Peterson, EMT instruc
tor.
“They do such things as
clear obstructed air ways, ad
minister oxygen or CPR, apply
anti-shock techniques, and
stabilize injuries.
According to Peterson,
EMT-1 students will “primarily
work for a fire department or
rescue squad. Most ambulance
companies in this area will now
hire on the promise of further
training.”'
The class is a 90-hour
course, with 10 hours in the
field. Five hours are spent in an
emergency room situation and
going on emergency calls with
an ambulance or fire squad.
•- “In the class, we practice
putting on splints, bandages
and CPR,” Peterson related. “I
feel it’s more important for a
person to get a “hands on”
type of experience. More can
be learned by applying CPR on
a mannequin than sitting and
listening to me talk.”
EMT-1 class originated at
the- college because “the need
was demonstrated in the com
munity. There áre fire fighters
and other personnel that need
the class. We (the college) had
the best position to offer the¿
For Those Special Christmas Gifts
Wh
A Retirement-Graduation
for older people going into
small business as an alternative
to retirement, will be held
tomorrow in the Fireside
lounge.
“This is a pilot program in
conjunction with the Agency
On Aging (AOA), and the
American Association of Corn
sets, calligraphy supplie
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Prese
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Dec. 14, Ie-* a.m.-8 p.m.
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c. 28-31 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
ercent discount on
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sets. This offer expire
657-8400, ext. 248, 421.
D50 Illuminant, 2 degree observer
munity and* Junior College^
(AACJC)j’ instructor - Dollie
Mercedes said.
“Basically the concept is to
have the students plan their
business in advance, and plan
where their investments will
be,” Mercedes said. “Its aim is
to reduce small business
failures.”
Classifieds
his ad to Bookstore
cashier tor
students a chance to become
familiar with local doctors and
the people patient situations.”
Students are certified
through a state exam, she said.
“We educate and train them,
then the state certifies them
when they successfully com
plete our program. What they
do is find a suitable- location
and set up the facilities'
throughout the state.”
“At the time we started the
program there were very few
women, now we have 8 or 9
out of 22 students. Wè have a
number of women getting in
volved fn rescue work either
paid or as volunteers.”
The EMT course will be
repeated in the spring terrn.
Graduation slated
ot Try Your College Bookstore
THE BOOKSTORE WILLsfoPEN DURI
class,” Peterson said.
“One term is little time to
get in what they need. We real
ly have to work at it, and con-,
centrate. It’s really intense,
people have to put forth an ef
fort to do this course,” she add
ed.
“Many local physicians
and other experts come in and
teach the technical aspects of
the class,” she' explained. “For
example, an anesthesiologist
gave a lecture on breathing
obstructions and foundations of
the respiratory system.
“I think we have some of
the best information,” she said.
“Doctors who receive patients,
to tell the students things they
like to see done. It gives the
Density
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