2— 8AN0V (O r*.) POST T hun.. Jon. IS. IM 7 (S*c. I)
Scott Newton, editor
Kimberly Nelson, advertising representative
Give students
chance to excel
Change is often difficult, but the Sandy Union High School
administration should be praised, not chastised, for consider
ing a plan to send Sandy High School students to M t. Hood
Cbmmunity College for advanced study.
Four patrons testified Monday at the SUHS board of direc
tors meeting in opposition to changes in the electronics pro
gram . Citizens often provide good insight, and the people who
asked that the district take a good, hard look at the issue have
a right to be concerned.
I t w ill be interesting, however, to hear the administration’s
proposal in February. Any change, of course, would have to be
approved by the board.
What the board is likely to hear is a proposal to send
students from Sandy to M t. Hood Community College for ad
vanced classes in electronics, auto mechanics, metals and
other subjects.
SbU NEVER
KNOW... I Jwi
mw & twm
UNDER TRE-
NEW BUDGET
As Superintendent Kent Heaton told the patrons Monday
evening, “ We want to open vistas for students, not close
them .”
Some of Sandy’s brightest students belong on the M t. Hood
Community College campus where they can get a head start
on college without missing out on the important things that go
with a high school education, including participation in music,
sports and other activities. A well-rounded nigh school ex
perience is important.
There are other changes in education that m ay be unsettling
to some people simply because they are new. One is a potential
videotape course ottering. The use of videotape for educa
tional purposes is undoubtedly in its infancy, and no one in
Sandy is saying it w ill eliminate the need for teachers.
In February', we anticipate parents w ill testify that they are
concerned about transportation and scheduling problems that
could arise if students are sent to a college campus 10 miles
away. While concern is warranted, the more important thing
to consider is that bright students deserve a chance to excel by
taking college-level classes. Most of the students will handle
the added responsibility.
The issue is education, and parents have to be opened mind
ed when the administration attempts to investigate new ideas.
Where to write
S ta te
R e p r e s e n ta tiv e
B ab
SMprack, D-Dist. 23, 22610 Forest
P a rt Rd., Beavercreek, Ore., 97004.
631-3617.
State Senator Bab Kintigh, D-Dist.
14, 38865 E . Cedar F la t Road, Spr
ingfield, 97478. 746-1642.
Sea. M ark Hatfield, R-Oregon, 711
H art Building, Washington, D.C.,
20510. 202-224-3753. Portland office
phone 221-3386.
Sen. Bab Packwood, R-Oregon, 259
Russell Building, Washington, D.C.,
20610. 202-224-5244. Portland office
phone 221-3370.
Rep. Denny Smith, R-5th Dist., 1213
Longworth Building, Washington,
D.C., 20515. 202-225-5711. Salem office
phone (toll free) 600-452-7889.
Kid and cat: Time to say goodbye
At first, the patch of white crumpled
on the path in the woods looked like a
wind-blown paper bag. But I knew it
was a dead cat and I knew it was our
dead c a t
Clawson, now principal at North
Gresham Grade School, had one and
we went to his house. Scrawny kid
I t should have been the wild tom
who regularly raids the cat food
dishes in the garage, but it was
K iller. You don’t live with a bundle of
fur for 12 years without recognizing
it, even when the life and the purr are
gone.
I t must have happened fa s t I don’t
know if cats can have heart attacks
or strokes, but death caught K iller in
mid-stride while he was on his
regular route through the woods ten
ding to his daily cat business.
Maybe something
once too often. He
K iller always looked
said it was because
K id’s c a t
startled him
spooked easy.
surprised. We
he was No. 2
As near as we can figure, No. 2 Kid,
now 22, was about 10 when he asked
for a cat for his birthday. April is a
little early for kittens, but Ron
«I M i M l N M D a
m et scrawny c a t And Clawson, ever
since, has called me "K iller's Mom .”
The kitten wore a gleaming, black
and white tuxedo. He would have
looked like Cary Grant except he had
an off-center black spot on his nose
that made him look more like
Groucho M arx in evening dress.
Though No. 2 Kid eventually grew
into his legs and feet, K iller never
did. His legs were always too long
and he was oddly clumsy. Sometimes
his back end didn't hear from his
front end and he moved like two guys
in a horse suit. With his tuxedo and
his long legs, he was an awkward
Fred Astaire.
No. 2 Kid named him. Except for
slaughtering an occasional slow
robin, K iller never lived up to his
name. Like I said, he spooked easy.
When startled, he would panic, put
ting his back feet Into overdrive and
loping away. More often than not he
skidded on the comers and smashed
into walls.
His dignity dented, he would look
hurt when you laughed at him. Unlike
most cats, K iller looked you right in
the eye.
K iller always liked No. 2 Kid best,
even when the boy grabbed the cat by
his long legs and draped him around
his shoulders like a fur stole. K iller
stayed there, limp as a noodle.
When No. 2 Kid came home from
school, he and the cat would sit for
long time in front of the window get
ting the kinks out of their day. It was
a ritual that continued when the boy
grew older and went to high school.
He wanted to be an athlete, but he
was cursed with late growth and did
not attain his full size until after high
school. Parents are not much com
fort for problems like that. So No. 2
Kid sat quietly at the window, an
ungainly boy stroking an ungainly
cat, a furry, loving presence.
When he learned K iller was dead,
No. 2 Kid didn't say much. He kidded
that we had run out of catfood. It had
not been a good day. He had to work
overtime. His car had been rear end
ed and his cat had died All grown-up
problems for a kid all grown up.
But I expect In the long run, It will
be the clumsy cat with the tuxedo
that he will remember most. He was
a good cat, the sort that would look
you right In the eye.
Letters to the editor
AEA supports
many teachers
This is in response to “ Teachers
Deserve Decent Benefits” appearing
in the Jan. 8 Sandy Post. The writer,
who I u n d e rs ta n d teach es in
Gresham, defends the present pay,
promotion and fringe benefits of San
dy teachers.
The Affordable Education Associa
tion does not constantly attack our
teachers. In fact, we support our
hard working, dedicated teachers.
For example, the article on M ark
Smith, Aquatic Center director, tells
of M r. Smith’s hard work, long hours
and dedication to his job. We believe
teachers of this quality should be
commended and rewarded whenever
possible.
On the other hand, we believe
teachers should blend into the
economic reality of the community.
For example, the average pay for
Oregon workers is declining because
the 810 to 815 per hour sawmill jobs
are being replaced by 85 to |7 per
hour electronics jobs. Why should
teachers be immune to the realities
of our lives? We understand present
fringe benefits on teachers salaries is
now 35 percent and by the year 2000
w ill be 50 percent. Where will the
money come from to pay for these
benefits? Are we to believe that
teachers, because they consider
themselves as being different from
other professionals in other fields,
a re d e s tin e d to be th e sole
beneficiaries of economic setbacks
th a t a re d e trim e n ta l to the rest of us.
It is this patron’s opinion that teacher
demands must conform with the tax
payers’ ability to fund schools.
M r. Collins statement that most
companies provide the same benefits
as teachers is not true. Most com
panies have a 8200 to 8250 deductible
per person and 8000 to 8750 per fam i
ly. Each reader can check his/her
own situation on this point.
Also, M r. Collins feels teachers
should receive extra pay for extra
duty. Apparently he is not aware that
salaried workers do not receive over
time. I feel teachers should get on
one side of the fence or the other.
Either get paid as hourly workers
and get paid for only the hours they
work or draw a monthly salary and
work whatever hours are needed to
complete the job. You can’t have it
both ways and those who would have
it that way are acting unprofessional-
ly.
Bobcats
In closing, I commend M r. Collins
for a well-written letter listing the
specific issues on which he differs.
We understand that anyone would be
disturbed over the possible reduction
in leisure time and super-generous
frin g e b e n e fits , y e t we m ust
remember there must be some rela
tionship between the ta x p a y e r’s
salary and fringe benefits and the
teacher’s salary and fringe benefits.
Lloyd A. Cummins, secretary
Affordable Education Association
(Also part of the
52 percent who voted yes)
Benefit
was success
Many thanks to everyone who con
tributed their energy, donations,
time and love to help make the Sue
Jones benefit festival a wonderful
successful.
Special thanks to the Hoodland
Women’s Club, Cox’s Auction, Mick
A llen , E c le c tic A ntiques, John
Aldridge, Richard Kennedy, Vicky
N ju s t, M a r ily n G iu n tin i, Beth
Wiscavage, Otto’s Cross Country Ski
Rental, Pam and Steve Nelson, Deb
bie Boland, Chalet Swiss, W ill Frank,
Tom Weeks, D r. Ken Claggett of
Beaverbrooke Dental Clinic, M a r
jory and Nate Wicks, Mountain
Sports, Bev Stevens, M ary Anderson,
Sue Duling, Louise Hoyt, Maureen
Johnson, Patti Kennedy, Julie Gross,
Liza Mickle, Timberline Lodge, Cin
dy Doran, Joann and Dennis Ken
nedy, D r. J im F le rc h in g e r of
Cascade Dental Clinic, Sue and Dave
Enna, Gene and Cinda Tilgner, Los
A m ig o s S p a n is h R e s ta u r a n t,
P o r t e r ’ s N u r s e r y , K itc h e n ’ s
Nursery, D r. Larry Walsh of Sandy
Animal Clinic, the Gallery, the Book
Place, One Day at a Time Mountain
Bakery, Country Comer, Inn Bet
ween Steak House, Katheryn Bliss,
P atti Henniger, Kay Gomes, Whistle
Stop, Bev Borg, Zig Zag Inn, Barlow
T ra il Inn, Flower Garden, Sandy
Country Florists, Christina Mench,
Brightwood Tavern, Chris and Alan
L ’Hommendieu, Bonnie Stevenson,
Sue Allen, Avenetti Painting, John
H a m b u r g , P a t t i C oo k, R ic k
McAbery, D r. M aija Katlaps of
M o u n ta in Medicine, David Ronan,
Phid Simmons, M ark Bowman, Print
Right, Cliff Davis, Toney’s Farm
M a r k e tin g , M ic h a e l P. Jones,
W y’East Artisans Guild, Tom and
jA m ie Grandy and all the others that
came and shared with us on Sunday,
Dec. 14.
Thank you one and all.
Thomas and M arie Teven
and friends of Sue Jones
Welches
Sandy Post
Letter policy
Letters to the editor should be
typed, double-spaced and sign
ed. An address and telephone
number should also be provid
ed, although only the name of
the letter w riter and the city or
area he is from will be publish
ed.
Letter writers may also wish
to include a title or office held if
it is appropriate considering the
subject matter of the letter.
The news deadline of noon
Tuesday is also the deadline for
letters to the editor.
Letters should be accurate,
free of libelous remarks and in
good taste. This newspaper a t
tempts to publish all letters it
receive it receives from area
residents.
We reserve the right to edit
letters to conform to style
guidelines, for length or to
remove libelous material. A
preferred maximum length is
300 words
People reach
out to help
At times we are all vulnerable. I
was silent for a long time concerning
my illness. Then a friend said, "Sue,
don't burrow in like a rabbit — reach
out — people want to help.”
I have had to learn to accept help,
to learn the blessing of receiving
side-by-side with giving.
To feel the support and care of the
children, of my friends, of the com
munity, is very healing. We are all
connected.
I thank each one of you for your
unique and wonderful contributions.
You are all great. And I thank God
that I get to still be and continue to
live in a community of deeply
wonderful people.
Sue Jones
Cherryville
by Adam Kraft
The SffriUy Post
(USPS 481-180)
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