Portland Observer
Thursday, January 12, 1978
Page 3
From behind the wall
by Larry Baker *35021
O.S.P. ('orrai,tondent
*
As Chuck Berry, one of the mos.
famous Black guitar blues singer's would
have shouted during the 50s and 60s. “Up
in the morning...back to school." This is
rapidly becoming the moat popular
phrase uttered throughout half of the
general population of the 1,500 residents
who reside at 2606 State Street in Salem.
Oregon.
It is becoming very noticeable to the
tiny community on the eastern outskirts
of the state capitol, that at 7:30 a.m. it
suddenly becomes alive with the ringing
of loud bells, shouting and commanding
voices combined with heavy racking
sounds of steel barred cell doors.
Slowly, many of these individuals who
live in multi colored cells start filing out,
rubbing their half awake eyes, trying to
tuck in their blue colored shirt-tails while
finding it almost impossible to balance
the large stack of books and notepapers
under their arms, all in one motion.
These are some of the prisoners,
JO E F A B IS
ranging in age from seventeen to sixty
years, who are incarcerated inside the
Meet Joe Fabis, Director of Education
walls of O.S.P.: prisoners with an educa
at O.S.P. Bom in New Buffalo, Michigan
tional or academic background ranging
Fabis is married and has five children.
anywhere from the first grade to a
Education: B.A. from Michigan Tech -
college degree; prisoners who may be
1960; M .B.A. from Michigan State Uni
carrying a sentence ranging anywhere
versity - 1971; 1960-62 - U.S. Army;
from eighteen months to life; prisoners,
1962 74 Industrial Engineer - Philip
who come from all different types of
Industrial, Plains, Georgia - State of
life-styles, racial backgrounds, and eco
Oregon and various firms; 1974 - Teach
nomic standards of living.
They are
er, Chemeketa Community College. Sa
prisoners whose number on their prison
lem, Oregon; 1976 - Related Trade
files might become more important than
Instructor - O.S.P.; 1977 - Supervisor of
the name they were born with. Many of
O.S.P, Education Programs - 1. Voca
these individuals would have frowned at
tional Training - 2. College and High
the thought of participating in any type of
School Program - 3. Apprenticeship
educational program beyond these walls
Programs.
prior to their convictions. But now these
O.S.P. Corres.MMMfent: "What major
individuals find themselves eagerly
goals and achievements do you wish to
climbing six flights of stairs many times
foresee in the near future with the O.S.P.
during the day and evening; up to the
Educational Program under your super
Education Department at O.S.P.
vision?"
What is it that motivates these
Fabis: “I would like to get the O.S.P.
inmates to all of a sudden want to im
Educational and Vocational Programs
prove their writing skills and manners
recognized for the job they are doing (i.e.
of speech? Why should so many want to
State of Oregon Legislature, Emergency
place an invested interest in subjects
Board and the general public). I t is time
such as math, social studies and English
we start talking about what we're doing,
composition - when all that was stated by
because we do have some very good
a Judge during their sentencing proce
results. We are here to serve the needs
dure was that they be sentenced to prison
of the inmate. They're the one every
to do time...time...time - and nothing
thing is centered around and the inmates
about reading, writing or arithmetic.
do appreciate what is being done in these
In brightly-lit rooms these inmates
fields while they are incarcerated here at
struggle to find an empty desk and chair
the Oregon State Penitentiary."
as they begin to busily go over many of
their notes and problems they received as
home assignments from the previous day.
Many may even have wished that they
would have invested just a little more
time and effort into their work assign
ment. instead of reading the latest issue
of Playboy or Hustler. But yet, the
majority of these individuals eagerly wait
patiently for their teacher or instructor,
so that they may swell with pride in
demonstrating that they did work hard
and got it all together.
Once again, the question must be
examined - where did it all begin? What
has been the motivating factor which has
brought forth the drive within these
prisoners who want to obtain an educa
tion? And once the motivation is instill
ed. who are the people who keep this
drive going? People who every legisla
tive session find themselves struggling to
improve the education budget, banging
on desks during different state education
committee, in order to explain their
W IL L IA M CROCKER
different purposes and needs of new
William A. Crocker, Supervisor of
books and material. People who many
O.S.P. College Programs; Bachelor's De
times find themselves desperately beg
gree in English, Master's Degree in
ging the community for volunteer teach
Education, University of Portland.
era so that they might help meet the
O .8.P. Correa.»oodeot: “M r. Crocker,
educational needs of these inmates...Peo
being the longest state employee in the
ple who have shown they care, not by
Education Department at the Oregon
their words, but by their actions.
State Penitentiary, with over 20 years of
Through a series of "Behind the Walls"
service, what do you consider the most
articles we are going to meet with some
major change you have seen in this
of these prisoners and their dedicated
department over the years?"
teachers, along with staff members who
Crocker: “There have been so many
live and work behind these walls at
major changes made since my first being
O.S.P. Because they are important to
employed. More books, larger budget
this institution and important to every
which have a_ better program, more
Oregon taxpayer within this state - but
interest by the inmates and state certi
most of all they are important to prison
fied teacher” where we once had to use
ers in search of a better life upon release.
inmates as teachers."
A ty.iical O.S.P. classroom |above|.
8 T E V E GASSNER
Steve Gassner, Supervisor of O.S.P.
Basic Education Programs.
Horn in
Portland, married with one child. Grad
uated Grant High School; 1969 Whitman
College. B.A. Political Science; 1971 Reed
College, M .A .T. Political Science. Em
ployed: Chemawa Indian School, 1972.
Salem; O.S.P., 1972, English teacher;
O.S.P., 1975, Supervisor, Basic Program.
O.S.P. Corres.tondent: "M r. Gassner,
you have seen a few changes made in the
O.S.P. Education Department since you
have been here can you tell me of those
changes?"
M r. Gasaaer: “When I first came to
teach at O.S.P., there were only four
teachers in the budget. I am happy to say
today there are eight teachers and the
budget for books and materials has
increased. We have also developed a
learning center, so that we are able to
reach more students on a one on one
concept. Our G .E.D. Program is one
today that we can all take great pride in
seeing it's improvement.
Today, any
inmates in this institution can go to school
if they want to improve their education.”
Thia Correspondent, during the month
of November, was given the opportunity
to interview some of the inmates who
attend the O.S.P. Education Department.
Here are their comments.
Jerome Ivory #38978: “The school at
O.S.P. has helped me to get a better
education."
Joe Bekesz #37390: "Would not have
had the education I have now, if I had not
enrolled in school while incarcerated
here."
W A L T G IL M O R E
Andrew Pettibone #38948: “I am at
tending school in the Education Depart
ment at O.S.P. full time. I realized that I
have a great need for a better education
and since I have started I feel it already
has helped me greatly.
(This is only the first in a series the
“Behind The Walls" staff will bring to the
general public's eyes, involving O.S.P.
Education and Vocational Programs. We
believe it is one of the most valuable tools
needed within these walls to help any
prisoner return to his community with a
better opportunity then he may have had
when he first entered the gates.)
Joe Bekesz receives s;teclal hel.i in
reading from a volunteer tutor |u;»:»er
right).
O.S.P. classes teach academic courses
on the high school and college level
(right).
AdmiRÍstratíoR proposes job tost guidelines
The Carter Administration has pro
posed uniform guidelines for employee
testing and other selection procedures.
These guidelines are aimed at protecting
the rights of workers to be hired and
promoted on the basis of job-related
standards and without regard to race,
sex, or ethnic background.
The proposed guidelines, developed
jointly by the Department of Justice, the
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC), the Department of
I^tbor, and the Civil Service Commission,
would replace the two different sets of
employee selection guidelines that have
been in effect since November, 1976. One
set - the Federal Executive Agency
Guidelines ■■ was adopted by Justice,
l^ibor, and the Civil Service Commission
at that time. EEOC adopted separate
guidelines in 1970 and republished them
in November, 1976.
The uniform guidelines are being pro
posed to implement the requirement of
the U.S. Supreme Court that employers
justify the use of tests or other selection
procedures which disproportionately ex
clude minorities or women. Under the
proposed guidelines, any selection proce
dure that adversely affects members of a
particular race, sex, or ethnic group must
be validated, or shown to be job-related.
If a selection procedure is not shown to be
valid or if the adverse effect is not
eliminated, the employer could be subject
to enforcement action by the govern
ment. Adverse effect refers to a substan
tial difference in selection rates for two or
more groups.
In choosing a selection procedure,
employers must make a reasonable effort
to identify alternatives which might have
a lesser adverse effect
Employers may also choose to elimi
nate adverse impact by modifying exist
ing selection procedures or using alterna
tive procedures. Such alternatives, out
lined in the guidelines, include using an
applicant register of persons who are
economically disadvantaged and giving
weight to such factors as experience or
language facility.
The use of alternatives to test valida
tion is part of the "bottom line” concept
adopted by the enforcement agencies.
This concept provides that if analysis of
the overall selection process demon
Maybe he thinks he's a real
thinks he should be admired
I hope he doesn't think he's
because, outside of God, the
mean dude
everytime he's rude
scaring anyone
wise fear none
To make your point understood, it's not necessary to cuss
Study the English language, it’s useful to us
We as a people are moving to a higher stage
And there are many words in English to express our rage
But Profanity? From a civilized person?
and aside from that, it hurts M Y ears
t
M J
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So now can we do something about cleaning this up?
They say a word to the wise is sufficient enough
Words make people isn't that true.......
Or..., maybe I'm talking to everybody E X C E P T YOU
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BIENOW 'S
federal government itself are subject t<
the same requirements.
The proposed guidelines are consistent
with existing law on employee select ior
and reflect the test validity standards
currently accepted by professional psy
chologists.
The proposed guidelines were publish
ed in the Federal Register. They providt
for public comments to be received until
March 7th.
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P R O F A N IT Y
The man who uses profanity, will always be a puzzle to me
What kind of image does he carry in his brain
that causes his speech to be so profane?
strates that an employer has overcome
adverse impact by in fact hiring and
promoting minorities and women, federal
agencies generally will not require that
employer to justify the individual ele
ments of the selection process.
The new guidelines insure that for the
first time all employer groups -- private
employers, government contractors and
subcontractors, employment agencies,
state and local governments, and the
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30th and S.E. Division
234-9351
S h o p 9 to 9 T u e s d a y thru F rid a y
S aturday 9 to 6
(N ot O pen S unday o r M o n d a y)