T he P ortland O bserver • M arch 23, 1994
P age A5
North/lnner
Northeast YMCA
Fundraising Passes
Half-Way Mark
Education Update:
Critical Deadline At Hand
by
P rof . M c K inley B urt
tized agendas o f both professionals
even the m ost garrulous o f th e ir usual
HIS IS THE WEEK PORT­
LAND SCHOOL SUPERIN-
TENDENT JACK BIER-
WIRTH PROPOSES CUTTING 500
JOBS, 300 OF THEM TEACHERS.
and laym en a lik e have been p u l on
hold; o f course that co u ld be the handi­
w o rk o f an a ll-k n o w in g m edia. B ut,
su ffice to say, we have not heard m uch
lately about Baseline Essays, B ilin ­
rh e to ric.
S im ila r to others I have described
as having been a fflic te d w ith a certain
numbness w hen faced w ith so m any
shortfalls, members o f m y groups have
The 1995-96 budget, w h ic h an­
gual education program s and d rop-
o u ts -c x c c p t that the la tte r issue is
nevertheless calm ed dow n enough to
b rin g some nagging issues in to c le a re r
focus. F o r instance, d o w n to w n there
has been a heated and continuous
very so b crcrcw indeed that conducted
the last school board m eeting. Shall
seen to arise w ith considerations o f
school violence provoked by outside
in te ra ctio n , i.e. gangs. A lo t m ore, o f
course, can be said on this subject i f
we characterize the approach as num b­
ness?
one s im p ly correlates c u rre n t m edia
h ig h -lig h ts w ith the in fo rm a tio n on
-p
J
ticipates no new fu n d in g (235 m il­
lio n ), is said to mean the loss o f an­
other 1,100 teaching jo b s. I t was a
W c arc a ll b ecom ing more fa m il­
ia r now w ith the term “ tria g e ” ; that is
th c a llo c a lio n o f m edical treatm ent fo r
v ic tim s o f a disaster. N o t o n ly do we
school program s given in “ The School
T o o l” , p u b lish e d by T h e P ortland
School D is tric t.
A s I have m entioned before in
have an operating room fu ll o f “ board-
c e rtifie d ” surgeries (pardon the pun),
but there is an en tire spectrum o f
w o u k l-b c p ra ctitio n e rs w a itin g in the
w ings, prepared to o ffe r tem porary
connection w ith education and other
solutions o r ju s t one-liners. T h a t ca­
dem ographics. M y m ore in fo rm a l in ­
cophony o f voices fro m the sidelines,
previously so strident, is still there, though
quieter and more measured (frightened?).
As m ore and m ore fingers fo r the
d ike are measured, some members o f
issues, I am p a rt o f several com m u n ity
focus groups o r sounding boards. It is
interesting to see the v a ry in g em pha­
sis placed on issues, depending on
teractions range fro m the n e ig h b o r­
hood c o ffe e c la q u c to a m o n th ly d o w n ­
tow n gathering w ith m em bers o f the
p u b lic w h o have attended a m eeting o f
the p a re n tin g populace, are c o m p e t­
ing w ith teachers in lo o k in g across the
C o lu m b ia R ive r fo r jo b s and housing.
A p p a re n tly, no one looks fo r any kin d
the P ortland W a te r Q u a lity C o m m it­
tee’ o f w h ic h I am a m em ber.
The firs t group consists o f w o rk ­
in g class A fric a n A m e rica n s fo r the
m ost part, w ith a s p rin k lin g o f retired
o f guidance o r pearls o f w isdom to be
handed d o w n fro m that lcss-than-
seniors. T he second g ro u p is e x c lu ­
sive ly w h ite and the constituency runs
A ugust b o d y, The Oregon State L e g ­
islature. N o r fo r a balanced in itia tiv e
neers and fro m doctors to e n v iro n ­
fro m a teachers union whose contract
mentalists. The interesting th in g about
expires soon.
Some o f the m ost h ig h ly -p rio ri-
both groups is how the pressures o f the
Need Something To
Do On Spring Break?
How About Camping?
the gam ut fro m housepersons to e n g i­
cu rre n t education c ris is had stripped
discussion on w h y Seattle, a c ity tw ic e
the size o f P ortland, had a school
budget h a lf as big. R a tio n a lity has
now replaced h yste ria and clearer
heads have not o n ly p lugged “ W h ite
flig h t” in to that e q u a tio n -b u t see the
p o s s ib ility o f such ra cia l events o ccu r­
rin g here as m id d le class parents,
fearing a catastrophic d is in te g ra tio n
o f p u b lic schools, o p t fo r p riv a te
schools and suburbia.
In the m eantim e we have i t —but
n o t on v e ry g o o d a u th o r it y - th a t
“ m aybe” assistant p rin c ip a ls in the
m id d le and h igh schools w ill have to
go. A teachers un io n rep th in k s that
“ m aybe” the Park Bureau w ill p ic k u p
tennis, g o lf and s w im m in g -a n d that
in new pledges to support the w o rk o f the January revised rale o f 7.2 percent
the branch. A s o f M arch 10, the cam - - and an in d ic a tio n o f a fa irly stable
paign had received m ore than $6 ,2 0 0 e m p lo y m e n t p ic tu re the fir s t tw o
in firm pledges. M o n e y raised w ill be m onths o f the year,
used to launch a B la ck A ch ie ve rs
February data was the second
program w h ic h w ill lin k A fric a n - m onth the U.S. Census Bureau used
A m erican managers and executives
redesigned C u rre n t P opulation
her c o u s in ’ s hand and p ointed to
the sky and said, “ L o o k , W h itn e y
y o u r D ad is in the sky m o v in g the
stars a round.” T h e y g e n tly
eryone.
e ve n in g
45 cam psites arc available year-round
on a firs tc o m e , firs t served basis. R Vs
arc w elcom e; how ever hookups arc
not a vailable.
V e h ic le en try fee is $2 fo r w eek­
ago m y
g ra n d -
Whitney t e r s ,
-£?
s ta n d ­
ing in the yard lo o k in g up at
the sky, the stars w ere ju s t
c o m in g
o u t.
S hea
(s h o rt
survey o f Oregon businesses showed a
positions than one year ago. G o ve rn ­
o f th e ir lives.
7,300 increase in nonagricultural wage
m ent sectors added 3,600jo b s o ve r the
C a m p a ig n C h a ir is M a x in e
F itz p a tric k , E xe cu tive D ire c to r o f
and salary jo b s between January and
m onth w ith nearly a ll o f the increase
F ebruary, a little short o f the seasonal
expectation o f 7,500 jobs fo r Febru­
ary. In the past year, between F ebru­
being in state and lo ca l education,
w here e m p lo ym e n t levels returned to
norm al after w in te r vacations ended
C o m m is s io n e r
Gretchen K a fo u ry.
ary 1993 and February 1994, Oregon
em ployers have added 40,100 fu ll and
and new term s began.
In O regon, e m p lo ym e n t strength
Branch E xe cu tive B ill D e iz says
the B la ck A ch ie ve rs program is one
p a rt-tim e positions.
N e a rly a ll m a n u fa c tu rin g and
continues to be seen in several in d u s­
tries. A s has been reported d u rin g the
o f a num ber o f program s planned fo r
n o n m a n u fa c tu rin g sectors o f the
his B ranch, w h ic h presently has an
econom y were up to seasonal expecta­
tions fo r February. The m ost s ig n ifi-
past tw o years, co nstruction continues
to p rovide em p lo ym e n t fo r m any O r­
successful adults to inspire them to
stay in school and to m ake som ething
Portland C o m m u n ity R einvestm ent
In itia tiv e s , In c. H o n o ra ry c h a ir is
P o r tla n d
arc not a llo w e d .
F o r recreation, h ike through a
180-acre o ld g ro w th forest to a w a te r­
fa ll on m ore than 12 m iles o f tra ils.
p u t th e ir heads together and
sm iled,
Whitney's Dad, Cory died
several years ago leaving two
little girls in a painful void. But
vations fo r n o n -p ro fit youth o rg a n i­
zations are also being taken fo r three
g roup ca m p in g sites at O x b o w Park.
F o r m ore in fo rm a tio n o r to m ake
reservations, ca ll 797-1850.
Willard Scott To
Host Tax
Information
Program
A fu ll hour o f tips on p reparing
1993 federal lax returns is scheduled
m id? Food shopping and label read­
ing? Food storage and safety? Then
volu n te e r to assist O regon State U n i­
versity E xtension w ith a va rie ty o f
c o m m u n ity education program s in
M u ltn o m a h , C lackam as, and W ash­
in g to n counties.
M en and w om en, young adults
and re tired fo lk s , o f a ll ages and ethnic
o rig in s are needed. The ten hour tra in ­
ing program begins A p r il 14th, fro m
6:30 to 9 :00 p.m . A d d itio n a l classes
are A p r il 21 and 28, and M a y 5th. The
classes w ill be at the State O ffic e
u* i i i « fit« u )«n < ielfu J m o lh o t o f ou *i.
fro m these tw o little g
cludes abasic resource notebook. Some
.f u lk o * l /n ln o u m
T a x(8 2 9 )-1 04 0 .
T h is S aturday service w ill be
a va ila b le fro m 9 :00 am to 2:00 pm . It
is an e ffo rt to p ro vid e service to people
unable to contact the IRS fo r assis­
tance d u rin g re g u la r business hours.
OMSI and
National Science
Foundation
Offer Summer Young Schol­
ars Research Program
role model,
mentor,
friend
master
chef.
AND
A p p lic a tio n s arc n ow being ac­
cepted fo r the O M S I Y o u n g Scholars
Research P a rtic ip a tio n P rogram , an
intensive six-w e e k research e xp e ri­
ence fo r students presently in th e ir
sophom ore or ju n io rs years. A total o f
tio n (P B S ) K O A P -T V
Bend P u b lic Broadcasting Sta­
con d u ct fie ld research under the su­
pervision o f professional researchers
TO SUPPORT YOU
tio n (P B S ) K O A B -T V
C o rv a llis ' ib lic B roadcasting
in c lu d in g D r. R ic h a rd R a y m o n d ,
C H 2 M H ill enviro n m e n ta l scientist.
D r. E ric k B cstland, U n iv e rs ity o f O r­
IN ALL
p ro file s o f representative taxpayers
are featured as w e ll as a segment taped
at an IRS o ffic e .
T o ’ l-fre c assistance w ill be a v a il­
able d u rin g the program and u n til
2:00 pm at 2 2 1-3960 in the P ortland
area o r 1-8— T A X (8 2 9 ) -1040 fo r the
rest o f O regon.
From Your Family And Friends
Yoa'RE H/s
ogy o r archaeology.
Each team o r ten students w ill
returns. The program features tw o tax
experts ta lk in g a b o utcom m on incom e
tax return problem s. Several vid e o
f o t lit«*« / / n onoi io a m o lh o t fo*
In te rn a l Revenue S e rvice ’ s to ll-
stations:
Portland P ublic Broadcasting Sta­
signed to h elp people prepare th e ir tax
o n Ih o t outfit fit« f i o l t k i f lim « ,
We could all learn something
subjects: A q u a tic ecology, paleontol­
lar m em ber o f the “ T o d a y ” program
on N B C , ‘ T A X B R E A K 9 4 " is de­
b o n i ¿ f a l l tjf> on foun t«*,
ics departm ent and request an in fo r­
m a tio n and a p p lica tio n packet.
The re g istra tio n fee o f $25 in ­
they always find something posi­
tive to fill his absence. ☆
am o ve r the Oregon P u b lic Broadcast
Hosted by W illa rd Scott, the popu­
Q)ea/t o / t l m o /h e t o f o u m .
254-1500, ask fo r the hom e econom ­
30 O M S I Y o u n g Scholars w ill be se­
lected to participate as mem bers o f a
research team studying one o f three
Station (P B S ) K T V R -T V
o u tle t f u i , U «i/t«l
i f it« «4 a lo o tu iv 'ifu l n to if o t
persons can c a ll the M u ltn o m a h
C o u n ty E xtension E ducation Center,
fo r p u b lic television station viewers
on S aturday, A p ril 2, 1994, at 11:30
S tation (P B S ) K O A C -T V
LaG ra n d c P u b lic Broadcasting
!f/ir i f
B u ild in g , 800 N E O regon, P ortland
(near the L lo y d C enter). Interested
IRS Information
Lines Open On
Saturday’s Now
through A p r il 9 to assist O regonians
w ith federal incom e tax questions.
T h e te le p h o n e n u m b e r is 1 -8 0 0 -
Sauvie Island. G ro u p cam ping reser­
To Our Mom Freida Murray
at cost.
and early spring w ild flo w e rs arc abun­
dant. T w o p la ygrounds and n u m e r­
sites at O xb o w Park, B lu e Lake Park
and B yb cc H o w e ll T e rrito ria l Park on
D o you w a n t to learn m ore about
food and n u tritio n ? T he fo o d p yra ­
reference m aterials w ill be available
free ta xp a ye r assistance telephone
lines w ill be open e ve ry Saturday
sters and adults busy fo r hours.
A ls o , the R egional Parks and
Greenspaces D epartm ent is c u rre n tly
ta kin g reservations fo r g roup p ic n ic
Food & Nutrition
Training
Opportunity
scholarships are available. A d d itio n a l
B rin g a m o u n ta in b ik e and e xp lo re
eig h t m ile s o f b ik in g tra ils. W ild life
ous sandy beaches w ill keep yo u n g ­
egonians.
n ity C enter at 77 N E K n o tt, P ortland,
Oregon.
Park gates are locked fro m legal sun­
c o n flic t w ith resident w ild life , pets
C it y
o ffic e at the M a tt D ishm an C o m m u ­
arm load o r you can b rin g yo u r ow n.
set u n til 6:3 0 a.m. fo r security. D ue to
January, not as m any jo b s were lo st as
level o f em p lo ym e n t rem ains ve ry
strong at 51,800, about 5,400 m ore
/ l T h ro u g h T h e E y e s Of A Chi
have a w a y o f lo o k in g at life in the
m ost precious way. T hey can always
see the p o s itiv e , and can fin d hope in
th in g
vegetable d istrib u tio n caused a net
loss o f 300 jobs. R etail trade c o n tin ­
ued its p o st-h o lid a y de clin e , bat as in
viduals.
The E m p lo ym e n t D epartm ent’ s
ies, is designed to lin k c h ild re n w ith
m y man! I w is h you w o u ld te ll that to
some o f m y fo rm e r students w ho are
in te ra c tin g in the c o m m u n ity .
enjoy a fe w days at nearby O xb o w
Park, n o w managed by M e tro Re­
g io n a l Parks and Greenspaces. O n ly
20 m iles east o f d o w n to w n P ortland,
and re ta il trade sectors and in c o n ­
stru ctio n and governm ent. W holesale
trade was expected to gain 400 jo b s,
but a sharp drop in fresh fr u it and
expected.
A lth o u g h the co n stru ctio n trades
lost 800 jo b s d u rin g the m onth, the
about w h a t it has or has not than w h a t
it is g o in g to leave b e h ind .” R ig h t on
S h a w n tc ll) reached do w n to take
cant changes were in the w holesale
w ith school ch ild re n . The pro g ra m , S urvey, w h ich measures the num ber
already a success in several U.S. C it- o f em ployed and unem ployed in d i-
ber Panaretos says “ m aybe’ p ro te ct­
ing class size is not the highest p rio r­
ity . A n d m em ber L u cio us H ic k s per­
haps says it best; “ ... T h is is the firs t
generation that’ s been m ore concerned
A* C h ild re n in a ll th e ir innocence
days o r $3 fo r weekends and a cam p­
ing fee o f $9 is collected in the ca m p ­
gro u n d each evening. Park rangers
sell dry fire w o o d fo r $3 per large
O re g o n ’ s se a so n a lly a d ju ste d
T h e N o r t h / ln n e r N o rth e a s t
Branch o f the Y M C A has passed the u nem ploym ent rate was 7.1 percent
m id -p o in tin its d riv e to o b ta in $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 fo r February - a one-tenth d rop fro m
the seven elem entary p rin c ip a ls co u ld
be reduced to h a lf-tim e B oard m em ­
G e t o u t yo u r cam ping gear and
Employment In Oregon:
February 1994
egon g e o log ist, and D r. James Keyser,
U.S. F o re st S ervice A rc h e o lo g is t.
Y oung Scholars w ill assist scientists
w ith o n -g o in g research at several lo ­
D epend on
USWEST
YOUR ROLES.
cations in Oregon and w ill com plete a
project o f th e ir o w n w h ich they w ill
present as a s c ie n tific paper and oral
presentation.
A ll expenses fo r the six week
program and academic year fo llo w -u p
arc paid by the N a tio n al Science Foun­
dation. Y o u n g Scholars arc selected
based upon a dem onstrated interest in
science, an a p p lica tio n essay, teacher
recom m endations and grades. F or
munity. And we view our most
our children for the future. The
important role as assisting you
values and beliefs we share with
with the latest in information and
them today lay the foundation for
communication tools and tech­
success and growth tomorrow.
nology. Like you, our role in the
They depend on you. And you can
community is versatile — we're
depend on U S WEST to keep the
volunteers, grant supporters and
lines open between all genera­
economic development advocates.
tions, now and in the future. At
And also like you, we realize that
U S WEST, we recognize the valu­
the support we provide today
able role you play in the lives of the
comes full circle for generations
next generation and in your com
to come.
UJSM/EST
a p p lic a tio n s c o n ta c t D r. J e ff r y
G o ttfrid d o r K c ri K c ltn c r at (503)
797-4571.
t's no easy task preparing
0 I W US WEST In t