6
SANDY (Ore ) POST T h u n ., Jan IS. m i (Sac 1)
The Sandy Post
Von Broschier, Publisher
Caroline DuH Office M anager
M ark Floyd. Editor
Dan Dillon. News Editor
Editorial & Opinion
SUHS Able & Gifted will survive
The Post erred last week in
suggesting that Sandy High
School’s accelerated program for
able and gifted students faced
financial cutbacks in the district’s
proposed budget.
Actually, the district is proposing
an increase from $6.200 local
funding to $14.338 or one-sixth staff
member to one-half staff member
in terms of special personnel for the
program
That may sound like a generous
increase in local funding, but many
parents and students feel the
program should grow bigger faster
with a full-time instructor specially
assigned to the accelerated
academics program
What especially cram ps their
growth — and
the
d is tric t’s
pocketbook — is the high school's
loss of initial federal funding The
program now lives or dies on local
transfusions, and conscientious
adm inistrators
and
budget
com m ittee m em bers apparently
diagnose present temperature of
taxpaying patrons as critical.
Hence, Sandy High’s proposed
budget for July 1. 1981 to June 30.
1982 is only 18 percent higher than
the current budget or $4.6 million
versus $3.9 million
In the case of 27 advanced
students in Able and Gifted, the loss
of outside funding certainly hurts.
The program started two years ago
with a $9.342 federal grant, and last
year enjoyed a $14.000 grant This
year, however, federal funding was
cut to $4.313. The district’s general
fund added $6.200 in local funds
In addition to two periods per day
when the 27 accelerated students
meet together as a class, there are
36 classes on campus that provide
them with advanced instruction in
language a rts, m ath, science,
social sciences, art and other
humanities.
The question whether to sustain
the program with $14,000 in funding
next year or infuse it with more
capital clearly is a question of
economics. U nfortunately for
program advocates, this may be a
sustenance budget in a make-do
economic year.
The budget committee, however,
meets again Jan. 15 and probably
will m eet again before budget
completion, tentatively set for Jan.
26. Presumably the public will have
some input on budget priorities
(VB)
Boosters give teens just rewards
A new booster club at Sandy
High School is doing a lot to
improve youth and community
relations by recognizing the
achievements and character of
local teens.
A recognition banquet Jan 28 at
Sandy High will provide a
showcase for all the good examples
of outstanding youth the 30-
m em ber booster club has
uncovered in its first two months.
The boosters have invited
students and parents of nominated
students to share in an awards
banquet, with former Trailblazer
T ern Dishmger featured speaker.
All nominated students will receive
certificates of merit, while a few
will receive plaques as outstanding
athlete and outstanding student of
the month.
Until recently, the only public
honor showed to Sandy High s
finest was a photo of the month's
top athlete on display at the school
and occasional mention of a Sandy
student by Gresham Elks as East
County’s top student of the month.
The Sandy High Boosters Club
seeks to change all that by taking
the fanfare into the streets. The
banquet list of 80 nom inees
suggests they've found a lot to be
proud of at the local high school,
and the standouts a re n ’t all
athletes, either
Students
who
excel
in
academics, dram a, band and other
activities will be honored, too, as
well they should.
The boosters plan another
recognition banquet to honor more
students in May, as they hope to
make the awards banquet semi
annual.
The supportive club also seeks to
help the high school with tutoring
services and chaperone services
Soon they’ll sport windbreakers as
symbol of their school support
We applaud their example and
commend their efforts to improve
the image of Sandy’s youth in the
community. After all, most Sandy
youth are pretty special people.
(VB)
Chamber move to hire pro timely
The Sandy Area Chamber of
Commerce is raising dues slightly
to afford a new part-time executive
secretary, and we think that's a
worthy expense overall
After all,
E stacada
and
Hoodland chambers already have
p art-tim e
paid
cham ber
professionals, and Sandy certainly
now has a lot going on, with its
Mountain F estival, C hristm as
p ro m o tio n s .
in d u s tria l
development, planned commercial
grow th, tourist potential and
political bason
Just in the last y ear, the
chamber has grown Now there are
more than 100 members, overflow
crowds at weekly meetings and a
downtown chamber office with
re g u la r hours — thanks to
volunteer efforts by a group of
“chamber maids.”
The Estacada Timber Festival
draws fewer visitors than Sandy's
Mountain Festival, yet realizes
more financial income for self-
sufficiency — thanks in part to
professional management by a
paid part-time chamber manager
Sandy as a community has a lot
going for it, and a paid part-time
chamber professional would help
this community reach its potential.
We salute Bob Kallen and the
chamber board for taking this
giant step forw ard in the
community’s behalf — even if dues
have to go up a bit to pay the way.
(VB)
Here’s chance to be editor for day
One approach to publishing a
community-responsive newspaper
is to act as though the readers own
the new spaper, with the staff
serving as caretakers of the public
interest.
We like to think this way at the
Sandy Post, and our faith is
reaffirmed every time a reader
plops down 20 cents to buy our
latest effort.
Consequently we want to know
how you feel about our newspaper
and what things vou might want
added in our weekly mix of news
After all, we do it all for you.
So please take just a few minutes
to fill out the readership survey on
pages 4 and 5 of this section Then
return it to us by mail or in person
at 17270 SE Bluff near the high
school
We’ll even reward you with a gift
for your effort But. morevoer, it’s
in your self interest to tell us how to
run the Sandy Post. It s your
community newspaper.
3. o W na «*.
C u
ä
Letters to the editori
Evolution, Bigfoot draw mail
watcher m ight offer some
a m arvel as the human brain
explanation. An account of
or the exquisite structure of a
my experience is contained
hummingbird could come
in Peter Byrnes book that
about by chance mutation
A recent issue of the Post
explores reported s ig h tin g
and blind forces of the en
included an article about
of the Sasquatch, or Bigfoot.
vironment stagger the mind
t e a c h in g
s c ie n tific
The world around us fa irly
But nowhere have I ever
creationism as well as the
shouts evidence of design
hinted that there was any
evolution theory in our
and planning 2. The fossil
connection between my
schools
record of plants and animals
discovery and the existence
of the legendary monster,
Many years ago I was shows an abundance of
specim ens and am azing
nor do I hold to such a theory
almost expelled from a high
variety, but fails to present
that there is.
school science class for
the intermediate forms, the
d a rin g to question the
H ow ever,
since
the
gradual changes required by
evolution theory and ever
unexplained mystery had its
the evolution theory and the
since I have had a keen in
origin in Alder Creek canyon,
terest in that aspect of step by step progression to
I hope that some reader may
higher forms postulated by
science
offer
a comment
ghe theory. 3. The evolution
A companion and I were
Though it is questionable
theory fails against the
hunting along Alder Creek
from a purely rational and
general rule that things left
canyon. We left Alder Creek
scientific view, the evolution
to themselves do not go from
Road and made our way
theory managed to acquire
chaos to order, nor from
across an area once logged
an
a lm o st
sacrosanct
simple to complex which that
off and later ravaged by a
standing among teachers
theory requires Our com
fo re st fire in 1926
A
and te x t w rite rs u n til
mon observation is that
machette would have been
recently.
things and creatures tend to
useful, as we groped our way
Now Ph.D .s w ith im
get old, fa ll apart, decay, or
through a tangle of un
peccable scientific standings
fa ll into disorder when left to
derbrush and second growth
are prepared to show very
themselves
alders Obviously no one had
vital weaknesses of the
A classroom atmosphere of
gone this way since the
theory and the strong
free inquiry and freedom of
passage of tim e had erased
evidence that we live in a
choice in accepting either
the scar upon the hillside
theory seems a reasonable
created world.
with heavy undergrowth and
solution.
No
harm
then
would
Most science texts in past
young trees.
be done to the students with
years have treated evolution
Suddenly, we discovered a
belief
in
a
creator
and
none
theory not really as theory ,
strange mound of earth
of those holding the more
but as fact — not to be
which rose to a height of
m aterialistic view of the
questioned and not subject to
about 4 feet. It resembled a
evolution
theory
c r itic a l a nalysis. Those
huge gopher hole. But such a
Obviously such a neutral
asking
fo r
s c ie n tific
creature could not exist. The
class atm osphere w ould
creationism to be taught in
mysterious mound of earth
please parents who them
our schools as well as the
covered
an
area
ap
selves believe in a created
evolution theory are content
proxim ately 50 square feet
world and who may have met
to let the chips of reason and
The mound was of recent
the intolerant attitude I met
inquiry fa ll as they may
origin, for no scrap of
as a student in high school
Students then would feel
vegetation had taken root in
and university
free to search for truth and
Peter Sulzbach
the soil.
accept whichever had the
Sandy
We climbed up on the
best case in the opinion of the
mound, while our boots sand
student For many years
to the ankles in the moist,
schools have presented the
ch im e d soil which might be
evolution theory as beyond
compared to a garden lately
debate and thus have done
worked by a rototiller
violence to those students
For many years I have
who believe in a creator
I did observe that around
been intrigued with a still
the perimeter of the mound
unsolved mystery that has
A few of the m ain
was a narrow border of
been explored by geological
arguments for the creation
upturned vegetation, about 4
societies and the press with
theory are these: 1. The
inches wide — as though
hopes that some reader or
mathematical odds that such
Teach creation
Bigfoot here?
could be accomplished in a
some upheaval from below
had created this oddity far relatively short period of
off any beaten path in the time, from those that are
as
fu tu re
wilderness No ferns had needed
been crushed in the area, no development occurs anil
was there any indication that which can be financed by
anyone had lately been f is system development charges
or long term City levies.
way.
Just as important is that
This discovery was made
the city has a plan with
30 years ago, and I am still
searching for a solution to predetermined goals. This
w ill mean future savings in
the mystery At the present
moment, I have heard no lim ited tax payer funds
The article mentioned that
salient comment other than
there must be a logical ex improvements were needed
to facilitate industrial and
planation.
commercial
development,
As a result of a published
fire protection and fire
article I once wrote upon this
sprinkler systems.
subject, an interested author
1 would like to point out
who has a book in our public
that water for fire protection
library offered to fly his
and water for fire sprinkler
private plane from Vermont,
systems are one and the
land at the Sandy airport and
same thing. The city has a
then fly over the area
certain obligation to provide
“ There must be other such
strange mounds," he com water for fire protection.
Sprinkler systems reduce
mented But obviously he
the amount erf water that is
was unaw are th a t the
needed for fire protection for
Cascade
w ilderness
is
individual buildings. If there
covered
w ith
dense
are enough buildings with
vegetation, and observation
from the a ir would be im sprinkler systems installed
in a given area — say the
possible.
Perhaps some reader of Sandy Industrial Park — the
water requirements for the
the Sandy Post m ig h t
respond by reporting a entire area can be reduced.
Sprinkler systems not only
comparable discovery in the
wilderness, or offer some mean better fire protection,
but lower costs to the public
explanation
Keith Soesbe in terms of reduced public
water supply facilities
3419 NE «7 Place
Bob Rathke
Portland, OR 97220
Attend hearing
Sprinklers help
The City of Sandy is to be
complimented for its most
recent
a cco m p lish m e n t,
completion of a water system
master plan
Both long and short-term
requirements were iden
tified, along w ith practical
solutions and alternatives to
meet these needs I was
especially pleased that the
plan
separated
im
provements that could be
made using city crews and
As a member of the budget
committee of the Sandy
Elementary School D istrict,
I would like to invite all to
come to our budget board
meeting 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21
in the Cedar Ridge Library .
If you would like to know
how your tax money is used
and express your ideas,
come to the meeting The
budget process works better
w ith
m ore
citize n
in
volvement and awareness
Ann Marie Amstad
The Innocent Bystander:
How do you handle a man with flu?
I have the flu I am not saying this,
for God's sake, because I want your
sympathy. I am simply stating an
obvious fact so that you won’t get too
close and catch it yourself Isn't that
just like me9 Always thinking of
others even when I ’m at death's . .
Oh, not that I feel bad, mind you.
In fact, when I stagger out to the
kitchen in my rumpled bathrobe,
unshaven, bleary-eyed, coughing
and gasping for air, and my dear
wife, Glynda, inquires how I ’m
feeling. I invariably reply, “Fine,
just fm e.’’
"D o n ’t you feel any pain?" she
asks solicitously
"O n ly when I breathe," I respond
m anfully Then I ’ ll cough rackingly
and dab my lips with a handkerchief
in order to examine it for blood
flecks Not yet9 I ’ ll be darned
As you can probably tell, I am a
living example — albeit, a barely
living example — of The Brave Flu
V ictim
There are many ways to have the
flu And as the odds arc quite good
that you'll have it yourself this
season, you may wish to give the
m atter some advance thought,
I strongly recommend facing the
virus with incredible courage We
Brave F lu V ictim s would never
adm it to our loved ones how much
we are suffering But woe betide
them if they don’t find out'
This, of course, requires a delicate
blend of stoicism and dram atics
One of my better techniques is to
totter out of bed toward the medicine
cabinet for cough syrup
"L e t me get it for you," says
Glynda.
"N o, no," I say " I can do it
myself I just feel a trifle weak,
that's a ll." At this point, if I ’ m
lucky, I ’ll crumple to the floor,
crying, "D o n ’t get close to me! I ’m
sure I can probably craw l back to
bed on my own ”
We Brave Flu V ictim s are not so
egocentric as to desire sympathy
A ll we want is our richly deserved
adm iration for being the gallant
Christian m artyrs that we are
I f you want sympathy, try being a
Sweetly Suffering Flu V ictim This
requires re tirin g to bed wearing a
permanent weak smile and ex
pressing effusive thanks for the hot
water bottles and freshly squeezed
orange juice this gets you U nfor
tunately, this technique requires a
great deal of energy and I ’m much
too exhausted from the flu to go
through a charade like that
A perfectly viable alternative is to
be a Grouchy Flu V ictim Merely
snarl things like, "Y ou mean there
isn’t a single damned Kleenex in the
house'" This has two advantages:
(1) You can vent your ire without
fear of retribution for, after all.
you're sick and (2) your loved ones
w ill leave you alone to die in peace.
Lastly, there are The Hibernating
Flu V ictim s
These are poor
misguided souls who simply retire to
their rooms with a quart of warm
ginger ale and a box of soda
crackers only to emerge 46 hours
later completely cured But what on
earth’s the point of having the flu if it
doesn’t earn you any fear, sympathy
or adm iration9
Well, I hope I have been of some
small help in making your fo rth
coming bout with the flu more
rewarding and enjoyable A ll I ask
in return, if I should survive the
night, is that you don’t tell me about
it.