Wednesday March 21.1979
Vernonia Freedom — Page 5
Jenelle Wiggins
Pop Ceballos
Nehalem Valley People
Pop (Sam) Ceballos
by Jenelle Wiggins
Pop (Sam) Ceballos has led an
unusually interesting life. He was
bom in Pototan Iloilo, Philippine in
1900 and as a young man was a star
athlete winning 4 gold medals in the
Philippine Olympics.
Pop came to the USA in 1919 after
World War I and went to work at a
cannery in Alaska with a friend. “I
made $300 or $400 in a few months.
That was a lot of money. With the
American dollar you can be king in
the Philippines, My friend was going
to Portland, he said it was good there
and I went along. I wanted to finish
high school so I got a job as a
houseboy, earning $15 a month to pay
for my enrollment. I got my diploma
from Jefferson High School.”
“I was working at the shipyards
when I was offered a job as a
houseman, mowing lawns, cleaning
windows and other odd jobs from a
man named Frank. His partner was a
man named Meier. One day he said he
wanted me to be his chauffeur. And I
didn’t even know how to drive! But
less than a week later, I was sitting
behind the wheel of a big Cadillac. We
tfaveied all over the country
including Havana, Cuba and Mexico.
We had to pay a boy to sleep under
the car in Mexico City so nobody
would steal the tires. I had a lot of fun
at Mr. Frank’s expense. ”
“When the Japanese invaded the
P hilippines I went to Salem to enlist.
My home town was being invaded
and I figured since I knew every nook
and cranny of that village I ’d make a
good soldier. But they told me I was
too old. The town I was born in was
burnt to the ground in 1942. My
F ather and M other ran to the
mountains to hide. They took nothing
but the clothes on their back and they
never came back. Some of my other
relatives ran to the rice fields and
layed down in the water, breathing
through reeds. They burnt all the
houses, everything.”
“ I went back to my village 6 years
ago. Everything was so different.
There was running water, and
electricity and all the girls were
wearing short skirts!
I came to .Vernonia for the 1st time
in 1920 to visit some Philippine
friends who were working at the Mill.
those who came
Jamboree Committee meetings
Preparation for Jamboree Court
Two meetings of the 1979 Jamboree
Committee have already been held, and
officers for 1979 have been elected. They
are: Chairman - Jerry Keenon; Vice
Chairman in charge of Fund Raising
activities - Marv Meyers; Vice Chairman
in charge of Non-Fund Raising activities -
Sharon Linstad; Secretary - Cris Krieger;
and Treasurer - Mary Cota.
Many projects are under way. Among
them are: the A rt Show, the Bowling
Tournament, the Trap Shoot, the Teen
Dance, the Parade, the Logging Show, the
Queen’s Court and the Queen’s
Coronation.
The band for the Teen Dance has been
contacted, and because they are an
excellent group which will appeal to
adults as well as teeenagers, it was
decided to change th e name to the
“Jamboree Dance” and invite adults as
well as teens. It will be held in the V.H.S.
gym on Friday night of the Jamboree.
“Saw Music Sam”, who plays a musical
saw and made his first appearance in last
year’s Jamboree has been contacted and
will be back again this year.
Holding an “ Old Time Fiddlers”
Contest during Jamboree was suggested.
Chairman Jerry Keenon offered to check
into it.
The wood is being gathered for the 1979
Jamboree buttons. They will go on sale
April 1st.
Our Jamboree is a huge project, and
there are several positions which still
need to be filled. The main ones are that
of Publicity Chairman and Program
Chairman. Anyone with interests in these
(or any other) areas should contact Mrs.
Cris Krieger, Jamboree Secretary. Input
is needed from as many sectors of our
community as possible to make this
year’s Jamboree the best ever!
Last Friday the Junior and Senior girls
ar V.H.S. heard a presentation on the
1979 Jamboree Queen’s Court. Former
Jamboree Queen, Cris Krieger and former
Princess Kathy Osgood told of their
experiences on the Court. The rules for
the 1979 Court were explained, and all the
girls were encouraged to try out. Because
the Jam boree buttons which the
Princesses sell are the main fund raiser
for the Jamboree, the Jam boree
Committee has decided to give a $250.00
college scholarship to the Princess who
sells the most buttons this year.
In order to boost button sales, all
applicants to the Court will be given the
month of April to sell buttons. At the end
of the month, the four girls who have sold
the most buttons will be declared the 197Ó
Jamboree Princesses. Runners-up will
receive thank-you gifts from the
Jamboree Committee.
The advisors for the 1979 Court are
Mrs. Ann Holce and Mrs. Gayle Martin.
Any girl or parent who wishes additional
information should call Ann at 429-2205
or Gayle at 429-8371. When you see a girl
selling buttons next month, please
consider buying one. Not only do they
finance our Jamboree, your button will
help that girl become a 1979 Jamboree
Princess!
Historical Society
Twenty-five members of the Columbia
County Historical Society enjoyed slides
shown by Clatskanie’s chief historian,
Melvina Barr, at the old Mayger Grade
School. The theme was “Old Clatskanie
before the Castle and Churches.”
Next historical meeting will be March
28 at Warren Grange with the usual
potluck at noon, followed by a program.
responsibilities with his daughter-in-
That was before they built the Sunset Sam and family on Bridge Street.
Highway and you had to go from
Pop is young for his 79 years. He law Roxanne. A family favorite is
Pop’s Philippine speciality, Chicken
claims to be the oldest living berry
Banks to Timber and through. ”
In 1948 my wife died leaving me picker in addition to being an avid Adobo.
with 3 children to raise. I was fisherman. During the fishing season
Chicken A dobo _
working then and my girl was going Pop rises at 5 am every morning, gets
(Beef or pork make a nice variation)
to attend St. Mary’s and my boys in his car and heads for the Columbia
1 chicken
VaC vinegar
would have attended a boys school. River. “I haven’t caught a fish yet,”
1/8 C soy sauce
dash of tobasco
But I didn’t want my children to be Pop laments. “But I ’m going again
1 onion chopped
separated so we moved to Vernonia tomorrow. This keeps me broke.”
where we could be a family, and I
“From 1953 to 1960 you could 2 cloves of garlic pressed
went to work at the Mill. I liked it
throw your line in the river and 2 slices of ginger root
Cut the meat into pieces and place
that way.”
always get a fish. That was the time,
“I left for work at 8 a.m. and the not now. From December to March I in a large saucepan and cover with
kids left for school. I worked behind have only seen two fish caught. This water. Add the vinegar, soy sauce,
the resaw. My kids came home at 3 is the worst year for salmon fishing. tobasco, chopped onion, garlic and
p.m and I got home around 4 p.m. We If there’s a fish to be caught in ginger. Bring to a boil and then
simmer until meat is almost done. At
lived out behind the Grade School Rainier, I ’ll be the first to catch it. I
with about 50 other Philippine used to have to give fish away last add any vegetables you have and
families. The sewer lagoon is where because I caught more than we could cook them until just tender. Serve
Adobo on a bed of rice. Delicious!
our house used to be. Oh boy.”
eat or fit in the freezer.”
“There were about 100 colored
Pop puts a cow bell on the tip of his
families living behind the Chevy rod and when a fish gets on the line PCC Painting class
garage and sonie other nationalities that bell rings like crazy. “My bell
Portland
Community
College
too. There were some Japanese hasn’t rung since December,” Pop Extension Service will offer a class in Oil
Painting Tuesday 27, at 7 p.m. room 4 at
families before I came here. sighs. “I go everyday, Nothing.”
Everybody worked at the Mill. The
“In the summer we fish ocean the High School. Tony Hyde will be the
Mill build some houses and we rented perch. They average 3 pounds and if instructor.
All levels are advised to bring recent
them. Most houses rented for $5.00.1 you smoke them they taste better work
if they have any, and whatever
paid $8.00 because our house was a than salmon. Ben Fowler and I catch painting
materials they have on hand. A
little bigger. There was no electricity, those perch by the bucketful.
supply list will be available for those
or plumbing. ”
Pop
shares
the
cooking students who need to purchase materials.
“I went to the head boss and said
that I wanted ele<$ricity for my
family. He said ‘No! We can’t afford
that.’ So I went to the city and they
said ‘No! We can’t do that.’ It turned
out that Mr. Greenman, the owner of
the O.A. Mill Was also the best friend
of Mr, Frank, I went to Mr.
Greenman and told him I needed
electricity and hot water for my
Weekend Special
children. I said that I would pay for
From 5 pm Friday & Saturday, March 2 3 &24
it. Well, our house was the first to get
electricity and water, and eventually
Gary’s Special
the others got hooked up at their own
Prime Rib
expense. I went right out and bought
an electric washer and a stove. Up until
then my daughter Ret^ heated the
dishwater on the woodstove.
hours monday-thursday • 8am-8pm
Pop Ceballos is somewhat of a
friday & Saturday • Bam-9pm
celebrity, having been written up in
closed Sunday
the Vernonia Eagle, the Journal and
the Oregonian. He got his citizenship
at 73 years of age in order to make a
trip back to his homeland. Relatives
429-4743
866 Bridge Street
here worried that without it Pop
might have trouble returning to the
States. Pop presently lives with son
ROACH’S
Restaurant