Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Page A-3
IVHS teacher steps aside
By Darcy Wallace
IVN Staff Writer
He’s a longtime Illinois Valley
High School teacher with a flair for
social studies and Hawaiian shirts.
Many teachers have put in
more than a decade at IVHS; after
34 years, social studies and English
teacher Steve Morgan announced his
upcoming retirement after this year.
Morgan said he grew up in
Astoria, Ore. near the Willamette
Valley. He graduated from South
Salem High School, attended
community college and later went
to Western Oregon University in
Salem.
He almost always knew he
would be a teacher, starting with
inspiration from a seventh-grade
instructor whom Morgan greatly
admired.
“I wanted to be just like him,”
Morgan said. “That’s when I decided
I wanted to be a teacher. It was always
in the back of my mind.”
From 1977 to 1985, Morgan
said he taught at Lorna Byrne Middle
School. Though he enjoyed it, he
later wanted to teach older students
at the high-school level.
But things didn’t always go as
planned. Morgan sent his resume to
schools all over Oregon. He accepted
an interview at Illinois Valley High
School and was awarded a contract.
He took it, planning to get a few
more years of experience under his
belt, then eventually move back to
the Willamette Valley.
“IV was the first place to call me
for an interview,” he said. “I didn’t
think I’d want to live in Southern
Oregon…but I liked it, so I stayed.”
So Morgan never moved back to
his hometown, staying in Southern
Oregon and often commuting from
Grants Pass. He has taught both
social studies and English, but social
studies has always been his favorite.
“When I first got to IV it was
like going to Disneyland,” Morgan
said. “I couldn’t believe they were
paying me to do this.”
After close to 35 years in the
school system, perhaps it’s not
surprising that learning styles and
focus have changed. According
to Morgan, standardized testing
emerged in Oregon schools in the
early 1990s, progressively growing
in importance and frequency.
Standardized
testing
has
grown even more common in the
last decade, used as a standard for
federal funding or as the benchmark
for school progress.
“I think there are so many things
you can learn that you can’t test for,”
he said. “There’s no standardized test
on how to learn to think differently.”
But teaching social studies has
remained Murphy’s favorite. He
particularly enjoys election years,
where he would present taped debates
and news segments discussing the
candidates, and students would
study the issues and viewpoints of
candidates.
“When I’m enthusiastic about a
topic, the students are likely to get
enthusiastic about it too — at least
the ones who give you a chance,”
Murphy said.
At his retirement party at Illinois
Valley High School, there was even a
silent auction for a few of Murphy’s
distinctive Hawaiian shirts. He said
he’s been collecting them for much
of his life. And once he started, he
couldn’t stop.
“It’s something I’m known for,
so I couldn’t stop [wearing them]
(Photo by Darcy Wallace, Illinois Valley News)
even if I wanted to,” Murphy said.
After
34
years
teaching
English and Social Studies
“If I’m walking down the street
with a T-shirt, people will say, ‘Why at IVHS, Steve Morgan plans to retire at the end of
the school year. He’s known for his vast collection of
aren’t you wearing a shirt?’ “
Hawaiian shirts.
3 Rivers Chorale presents concert
By Darcy Wallace
IVN Staff Writer
(Photo by Darcy Wallace, Illinois Valley News)
Members of 3 Rivers Chorale, a group comprised of members from three major
Southern Oregon river valleys: Illinois, Applegate and Rogue, sing at Immanuel
United Methodist Church in CJ Saturday, May 21 and Sunday in Grants Pass.
The 3 Rivers Chorale, a group comprised
of members from the Illinois Valley, Applegate
and Rogue River areas, performed at Immanuel
United Methodist Church in Cave Junction
Saturday, May 21, and Sunday, May 22, in
Grants Pass.
With a theme of “Bach, Barber and Brass,”
the concert featured the Rogue Brass Quintet
and pianist Nancy Hodgson, playing songs
ranging from the early 14th century all the way
to the mid 1940s.
For Campbell, the chorale makes an effort
to premiere music that isn’t always readily
available to listeners, providing a wide range
of music that can appeal to chorale members as
well as the audience.
“Even though some [songs] were
challenging to learn, the rewards were great,”
Campbell said. “Just singing it made a
difference in some of our lives: for some who
were recovering from cancer treatments, or
whose lives had been difficult, this music has
helped them.”
The concert began with “Hallelujah” from
text of Charles Wesley, composed by William
Walker. In “Kyrie,” a selection from “Mass in
G,” Campbell said Chorale members Elaine
Wolf, Merle Berry, Sandy Greene and Louise
Patty Floate and Melissa Rook
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Anderson were the four soloists.
Midway through the performance, the
Rogue Brass Quintet lightened the mood with
American jazz numbers “The Chevy Chase”
and “Do You Know what it Means to Miss New
Orleans?” getting the audience and Chorale
members dancing.
To conclude the concert, the choir sang
“Venti, Sancte Spiritus” in Latin and translated
the lines to English for a different perspective.
“This piece has such an amazing
translation, we wanted the audience to hear
how similar the [translation] is,” Campbell said.
“Even though the language is not really spoken
anymore…it’s wonderful to sing in Latin. It’s
really important people understand what we’re
singing.”
According to Campbell, a steady group of
audience members have consistently showed
up to watch performances since the group first
launched.
Many Valley residents have boosted
the ranks of the 3 Rivers Chorale, just a few
of whom include T Lund of the brass quintet,
Rachel Winters, Sue Lily, Joe Armstrong and
new member Christine Gardiner.
The chorale practices weekly, and will be
holding auditions for next year in Fall 2011.
Campbell said those interested could contact
her at (541) 592-2981.