"Serving the community through cultural diversity."
Volitimi XXIII. Number 22
Ju n e 2. 1993
/
L ife in the P ortland M etropolitan A rea
(©bseriier
B ethany K indergartners P resents R hymes A nd R hythms
Hey diddle, the cat and the fiddle;
Hickory dickory dock; Thecow jumped
over the moon; The spider sat down
beside her and frightened Miss Muffet
away; Jack fell down and broke his
crow n and Jill came tumbling after
O n e -T w o -T h ree -F o u r;
Clap,Clap, Bang, Bang.
O ne-T w o-T hree-Four, Clank,
Clank, Clang, Clang.
Stay in line; Let’s use our inside
voices; Kevin stand up straight; Lisa
will you please stop
pinching; Brandon
this is not the time to
be jum ping; Boys and
girls let’s put on our best
m anners-M om and Dad
are here you know—So
let’s get on with the
show!
I f any o f the above
phrases sound familiar it is
because at some point in our
past history we were par­
ticipating in the same scene
or some scene very closely
related, before we developed
into what and where we are
now. The scenes were the begin­
ning of our molding to reach and
attain our various goals and careers.
That flash back was sharply re­
enacted as Mrs Zetta Burton carefully
guided 85 kindergarteners (assisted
by Mrs. Hesselgrave, Ms. Dudley and
Carolyn Ritacco) in their first presen­
tation to their Moms and Dads, family
and friends and other interested on­
lookers. For those 85 kindergartners it
was as grand as the illustrious pomp
and stances that any major high school,
college or university would present,
because they also have completed their
term and are going on to their next
level. Helping to attain that level for
45 of those 85 w as the responsibility ui
Mrs. Burton who has been teaching at
the Bethany Elementary School in the
Beaverton school district for the past
seventeen years.
Burton graduated high school in
California, W arner Pacific here in
Portland Did her graduate studies at
PSU, USC Irvine, Pepperdine and
Lewis & Clark, specializing in Early
Childhood Development.
When Burton first began
thinking about a career
her
focus
w as
to becom e part o f
w o rld o f m usic.
She m ajored in
m u sic a n d m i-
noredin education
early on. She has taught
both vocal and instrumental mu­
sic and still teaches music to her
kindergarten students. She has
also been a part of the Portland
Symphonic Choir. She loves op­
era and has even participated
in a few bit parts when
she was teaching in
California for eight
years. To put in it her words
she says “I took a detour back then
when a job as a classroom teacher was
offered to me and I took it. When you
need employment, sometimes you
make other choices.” Over the years
she has constantly upgraded her
teacher skills, so that she could give
her students the best, as well as adding
to her own credits and accomplish­
ments.
Burton, with a chuckle, spoke
humorously as she shared. "Remem­
ber those battery tests and skills
tests they gave us to see w hat
preparation for their performance
career we should choose, or where we
would fit best? Well, my test results
said that I was good with my hands.
Let me tell you, 1 decided right then
that I was going to college because I
knew I did not want to be a maid
working with my hands just because
they figured that’s what I could do
well My mother was a music teacher
and my grandmother worked hard as
a maid. She wanted more for me and
I’ll never forget her or put her down
for what she did because she was a
hard working woman, but I knew I
Portland Man
Receives Guide Dog
Spelling Bee
Operation E.A.S.Y., a tutoring
and counseling program for youth in
Northeast Portland, will conduct its
1st Semi Annual Spelling Bee be­
tween team s from Irvington and
Vernon Early Childhood Education
Centers. The winning team will re­
ceive $50.00 for a group celebration.
Each student in the program will be
given words to study before hand.
Then will have several opportunities
to win points for their team; no one
will be eliminated for misspelling.
This will give all students an incentive
to learn the words. The event will take
place on June 3rd at 4pm at Vernon's
M u ltip u rp o se Room (2044 NE
Killingsworth) The Public is invited
to come observe and cheer the stu­
dents in this academic team chal­
lenge.
(
More Wading Pool Monitors Needed
Application Deadline Extended to June 15
Photo courtesy of Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.: Jerry Pryne of
Portland is shown at the campus o f Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.,
with “Jesse, "a Yellow Labrador Retriever Guide Dog.
Mr. Jerry Pry ne ofPortland gradu­
ated last Saturday with a Yellow La­
brador Retriever Guide Dog named
“Jesse" at his side The duo completed
a month of intensive training at Guide
Dogs for the Blind, Inc., in San Rafael,
Calif. Graduation for the class of 16
took place on Saturday, May 22,1993,
at the 11-acre campus, located 20
miles north of San Francisco.
Jerry, a professional piano tuner,
is looking forward to introducing his
new accomplice to his clients. Other
members of the Pry ne family arc his
wife Terri and their 4-ycar-old daugh­
ter Savanna Jerry'joins the 33 gradu­
ates of the Guide Dog program lead­
ing active lives in Portland
Graduates of the Guide Dog pro­
gram are visited in their homes by
instructors on a yearly basis to assess
progress. Keith Labcr is the Pacific
Northwest Field Representative who
acts as a liaison between arca 4-H
puppy raisers, graduates and appli­
cants and the organization's central
campus in San Rafael
Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc ,
has produced over 7,(XX) trained guides
for graduates across the united States
and Canada since 1942 These ser­
vices are provided free of charge The
organization is supported entirely by
private donations
For more information about Guide
Dogs, phone or write: Guide Dogs for
the Blind. Inc . P.O Box 1512(H), San
Rafael. C alif, 94915. (4 15)499-4(XM)
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Children in your neighborhood provided Volunteers are asked to com­
are counting on you to help them have mit to one 5-hour shift per week (w hich
a safe, fun place to play this summer canbc split by two people). The bottom
Portland Parks and Recreation needs line is that if volunteers do not step
more volunteers to monitor the chil­ forward many wading pools will not
dren at neighborhood wading pools open at all this summer. To help fill
Hours are flexible—weekdays, eve­ this need, we arc extending our dead­
nings. weekends Training will be line for applications until June 15.
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PORTLAND OBSERVER
'The Eyes and Ears ol the Community
Office: (503)200-0033
Fax//: (503)200-0015
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Rocco
Washington
15 Years Old
Love
Dad and Family
E astern O regon State College to
offer a teaching endorsem ent in
early childhood education and to au­
thorize the University of Oregon to
purchase a building near the campus
The Board w ill also be asked to autho­
rize stafl" to proceed with plans to
implement a new financial informa­
tion system
The Board will receive several
information items including a quar­
terly report on investments, quarterly
audit report, status of the Western
Undergraduate Exchange, and a griev­
ance filed at the University of Oregon
The Board will also receive re­
ports on school reform projects under­
way at Oregon Institute of Technol­
ogy and Oregon state University .
The O regon State System of
Higher Education (OSSHE) is com­
posed of eight colleges and universi­
ties established toprovidc educational
serv ices to Oregonians
* • * * ‘ ••• ' * ' * fe & g M M Ê â ft& lâ
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BORTHi&Ay!
Board Asked To Approve East
Asian Language Programs
Visit OIT Metro Center
The (Oregon Slate of Higher Edu­
cation met on Friday. May 28 at Metro
The following wading pool* depend totally on volunteer*.
Center of the Oregon Institute ofTech-
Southeast
Portland
nologv Committees of the Board met
Lair
Hill
North Portland
Bcrekely
Northeast portland
and toured the Metro Center.
Arbor Lodge
Clinton
The Board receiv ed a request from
Fcrnhill
McKenna
Harrison
the University of Oregon to establish
Glcnhavcn
Northgate
Kenilworth
Norma ndalc
new graduate programs leading to the
Pier
Powell
M A and Ph D degrees in the lan­
Oregon
Southwest Portland
Wellington
guages, literatures, and cultures of
East Asia, with emphasis on China
These wading pools need volunteers especially during and Japan.
Two important factors in devel­
early evening hours and weekends.
opment of the proposed graduate pro­
Essex
grams arc the University's Center for
St. Johns
North Portland
Laurclhurst
Unthank
Asian and Pacific Studies, created in
Columbia
Lents
Southeast Portland
1988 and the Osamitsu Yamada Cen­
Farragut
M, Scott
Brooklyn
Kenton
ter for Language. Learning and Teach­
Westmoreland
Col Summers
Overlook
ing, created through the generosity of
Woodstock
Creston
Pcnmnsula
Mr. Osamitsu Yamada, a Japanese
businessman, whose $300,(XX) grant
This fun program could be a boon to you and your neighbors when the
made the Center possible
sidewalks start sizzlin'! Call the Wading Pool Volunteer Program at Portland
In other business, the Board will
Parks and Recreation 823-5121 The new application deadline is June 15.
be asked to approve a request by
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had to do better because of her “I was enough support from the adm inistra­
mulling over being a social worker, tive side because of the structural pro­
but at that time (please don’t date me) cess and communication becomes ham­
being a teacher was considered ( espe­ pered. As in all schools, parents are
cially in the minority culture) better critical before they really look into a
than being a social worker. My how situation. There should be more public
things have changed--thank goodness! relations betw een parent and teacher as
Burton who loves books and col­ opposed to parent/admimstrative. The
lects many, when asked about what flav or of school environment lends it­
prompted her interest in teaching self to students w ho have no respect for
(other than employment), she replied, those who are in positions of guidance,
which includes parents, teach­
“You know, I’ve really never
XXII
ers and adm inistrators.
thought about it.” She thought
Teachers are usually left
for a moment and smiled
alone to battle for them-
and said,” I guess I really
jjj selves particularly when
started teaching at age
you are a minority. Bur­
nine. I was at church one
ton feels that attitude of
Sunday morning and there
parents and students makes
was no one to teach the little
VI
the
marked difference for
people, so they asked me to
learning in any classroom.
handle them. I will never forget that
Burton also shared, “I took
Sunday. I arranged those old collaps­
some courses that pertained to the
ible wooden chairs for my little /
adm inistrative end and decided
group. I even remember the lesson
that’s not for me. I prefer to remain
story. Itw asabout Joseph’s coat of /
in the classroom and do hands on
many colors. I can still see my- /
every day teaching. Ifldecidetochange,
self saying, ‘Now I want you to /
I would prefer to do something w here I
listen and repeat after me.
can be creative and direct others to
Well students have been re­
follow through. “
peating after Burton for
Burton says, “Anyone who is plan­
over thirty years.
ning a career in teaching must really
Burton is also the
enjoy children, be wTiling to give 110%
longest term Kindergar­
ten teacher at Bethany. W hen ques­ of your time and effort. You must be
tioned about teaching in the suburban dedicated. You cannot be in it for the
area as opposed to the inner city she dollars. Jf this is your dream, then
responded, “Teaching in the outer reach for the sky!
Burton who is the head PE and
area of Portland puts you at a disad­
vantage because you are unable to Music teacher for all Kindergarten
classes at Bethany and responsible for
work with your own ethnic group.
her own classes, lives in SW
However, it does allow me to
Portland with her husband
expose the suburbanites to my r
Buford Burton, who is with
ethnicity.”
a
major
transportation coni-
Burton feels that in
pany
here
in
Portland.
some areas there is not
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