University of Oregon
Gateway to The Oregon Caves
III inois Valley News
A Live Wire Newspaper Published in the Interests of the Illinois Valley and Surrounding Districts
Volume VIII.
No. 30
Cave Junction, Oregon. Thursday, November 23, 1944
Grade Schools War Bond Show Win
Oregon Vets
Have Choice Of County To
OREGON STATE COLLEGE—
Oregon veterans of World War II
have three sources of educational
aid to help them continue or begin
their school or college training af­
ter their discharge, according to
an analysis of federal and state
laws made by E. B. Lemon, dean
of administration. No individual
veteran, however, may use more
than one of these plans.
Any veteran who has served in
the active military or naval service
for at least 90 days subsequent to
Sept. 16f 1940, and whose educa­
tion or training was interrupted
by entrance into, the service is eli­
gible for a year or more aid under
federal law’ No. 346, more com­
monly known as the GI bill of
rights, Dean Lemon reports. Fur­
thermore, any veteran not over 25
years of age at the time he en­
tered the service is automatically
considered to have had his educa­
tion interrupted. The rate is up
to $500 per year plus an allow­
ance for living expenses.
If a veteran has suffered a dis­
ability he is eligible under the vet­
eran réabilitation act known as
public law No. 16. Those who can
qualify under this act will probably
find it to their advantage to do so,
explains Dean Lemon, as it pro­
vides essentially the same individ­
ual advantages and opportunities
as the GI bill of rights but the
subsistence allowances are consid­
erably larger.
The recently enacted Oregon
veterans’ educational aid bill is
available to any veteran who was a
resident of Oregon for one year
(Continued on Page Four)
--------------O--------------
GET YOUR 1945
AUTO LICENSE NOW
More than 15,000 Oregon mo­
torists have applied for their 1945
registrations, Robert S. Farrell,
secretary of state, said today. The
motor vehicle division of his of­
fice this week began the mechanics
of issuing the new registrations.
Anticipating mail congestion
during the holiday period this
year, the secretary of state's of­
fice is making every effort to
speed up early applications. So
far as staff and other office con­
siderations will allow, registrations
will be issued as applications are
received.
Motorists have been sent re­
minder letters, advising them to |
apply early for the 1945 registra­
tions. The reverse side of the reg­
istration certificate may be used
for an application form. Farrell
urged motorists to fill out the form
completely, giving all information
requested, as a means of expedit­
ing issuance of the registrations.
Military personnel may apply
for renewals in their home states
if they wish, the secretary of state |
said.
As in the past war years, owners
will use their 1942 plates, validat­
ing them with the new windshield
sticker. The new sticker has a
yellow background with the word
Oregon in white letters on a diag­
onal dark red strips.
(?)............... • M»e»i»»eee«s*ss»eeeM
Be Here Next Tuesday
Get Play Day
Of Training
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COMING EVENTS
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Thursday, Nov. 23—Thanksgiving
day.
Friday, November 24 — Garden
club at the home of Mrs. Eliza­
beth Holland, Bridgeview.
Saturday. November 25—Benefit
dance for Bruchler’s at the Deer I
Creek Grange hall.
Community Church Missionary
group, third Thursday of the
month.
Eastern Star Chapter meet» the
third Tuesday of each month.
Ladies' Auxiliary meet the first
and third Wednesday of each
month.
O’Brien Women’» club meet on
first Friday of each month.
Kerby P.-T. A meets the last
Thursday of each month, in
Kerby grade school.
One of the outstanding events of the year for the
I entire valley will be held next Tuesday evening, No­
vember 28th. when the Illinois Valley Chamber of
Commerce will give way its meeting to a troupe of
specialists from Grants Pass, who will be here and will
present a free show that every person in the valley
should see.
Grade school boys and girls of
Josephine county are to have a
"Play Day” Saturday, December
2, at the Grants Pass high school,
according to plans announced by
Fenton McAllister, county recre­
ational director and physical edu­
cation instructor for the Grants
Pass elementary schools.
Plans call for children from the
different schools of the county to
participate in the games, drills,
relays and races of various types
including rope and rytbm exercises
and scooter races.
All of the Grants Pass elemen­
tary schools and the 7th and 8th
grades of the high school will play
hosts to the other schools in Jo­
sephine county, all of whom have
been sent invitations from the
county school superintendent’s of­
fice.
■o-
“FIGHTING SEABEES”
SATURDAY, SUNDAY
Coming to the Cave City theater
Saturday and Sunday this week, is
the story most of us have been
waiting for, to learn something
about that great body of men who
are making it possible for our
armies to go forward. "The Fight­
ing SeaBees.” That’s the name of
the picture and that’s the story
they are telling us, what "The Sea­
bees” do and how they do it.
It is a brilliant tribute to the
courage and skill of those two-
fisted Americans and an inspira­
tion to all free men.
Secretary of the Navy Frank
Knox said, “The war calls for
more than courage, more than
heroism. To win, we must have
bases for our men, dry docks for
our warships, airfields for our
planes. This has been answered
by the trained American workers,
the most skillful, the most re­
sourceful in all the world.” And
he could have added, that's “The
Fighting Seabees.”
The picture is chuck full of what
the Seabees are doing and what
they have done, and shows us just
how they do it. The great tasks
they have done and are doing is
one of the reasons the Seabees are
the heart-warming pin-ups of ev­
ery girl in the U. S. A. Yep. the
Seabees have ••IT” and spell it
too. It’s a
with capital letters.
'
great picture, One you will not
want to miss, Saturday and Sun-
day only.
WEDNSDAY, THURSDAY
BRINGS ROY ROGERS
Roy Rogers is coming next Wed­
nesday and Thursday in a great
western play, “Song of Texas”,
with Trigger, the smartest horse
in the movies.
This story concerns the activi­
ties of a rodeo, where Roy and his
boys are performing so they can get
a stake to buy a cattle ranch for
themselves.
When the boys start to leave the
rodeo, the owner does everything
he knows how to do and plays all
the crooked cards in the deck to
keep the boys, but all his time is
wasted, for the boys finally win
out and get a ranch after all.
However, before all this comes
to light, there are so many thrill­
ing experiences the boys go
through it would take all night to
tell them all, so you will just have
to come to the show and see for
yourself.
Sure, it's a good picture. Roy
Rogers doesn't make anything but
good pictures. We’ll be seeing
you Wednesday and Thursday
nights, sure.
RECORD MADE IN
SOIL BUILDING
Progress of the annual AAA
compliance check-up points to the
possibility of Oregon farmers earn­
ing a record total of payments for
soil building and conservation
work this year, the state AAA
office reports.
The “honor system”, through
which farmers report their own
practices at community meetings
, or the county office instead of
having » supervisor visit the farm,
is working out well.
I
This big meeting will be held in+—-- - -------------------------------------------
the American Legion hall, through School Auditorium
the cooperation of the local post
of the Legion, and the show will Getting Face Lifted
start promptly at 8:00 o’clock,
Carpenters started work this
and knowing what is in store for
those who will see the show, we week on enlarging the Kerby high
advise that you make arrange­ school gym so that a gallery will
ments to come early and get a good be provided with seats for future
sports to be presented by the
front seat.
school.
Don McGregor, county chairman
The new portion of the
of the 6th War Bond Drive will take^ away the present south gym
wall
be here in person with a troupe of and in its place will be a number
business men and women from of long rows of seats, each row
Grants Pass who will give a big higher than the first so that spec­
free show and tell you what the tators can see games being played.
6th War Bond Drive is all about.
This is going to provide seating
Of course the show is to tell room for many sports that will be
the good people of the valley why given for the public this winter. A
they should buy an extra war bond number of basketball games have
now, and the men and women who
already been scheduled and other
are going to be on the program games will, no doubt be added to
have a most interesting message
the schedule. The new gallery will
to tell. We know one man who
seat approximately 300 people
has been in the thick of the fight
comfortably. The work is expect­
and is home because he was ed to be completed by the first of
wounded and can't fight any more. December.
He will explain a lot of things
we don't know and we should
know. His message alone will be National Bank, of Grants Pass, is
worth the time and trouble it the funniest man you ever saw
takes to come to this meeting. Ev­ when he pubs on his “kidding”
ery father and mother and relative clothes on. This part of the pro­
of men in the service should hear gram will be fun, and the commit­
this man tell of his experiences on tee wants everyone in the valley to
the battle front.
enjoy it
'f’here will be seats for all. Come
Then there is going to be some
kind of an auction. What this out and hear what the committee
will consist of we don’t know ex­ has to tell you, and see and hear
actly, but it will be interesting to one of the finest programs the val­
all. You won't have to buy any­ ley has had an opportunity to see
thing unless you want to, but may­ for a long time. This invitation is
be there will be something there for everyone, you and you and
that you would really like to you, are all invited. Let’s let the
have. The auction is only one world know the great Illinois Val­
. mall part of the program.
ley is interested in this war and
There will be some very funny we want to see that the boys who
acts presented that will amuse both are doing the fighting get what
young and old. They do say that they are entitled to. Let’s fill the
“Al’’ Cass, the dignified gentle­ American Legion hall to its full
man who is president of the U. S. capacity.
THANKSGIVING
Thursday is Thanksgiving Day, so designated by an
act of Congress, making the fourth Thursday of No­
vember each year a national holiday. This is the only
national holiday Congress has recognized.
This Thursday, November 23rd, is our Thanksgiv­
ing Day, and what a Thanksgiving Day it should be for
most of us at home.
The Great Creator of all things has been exceed­
ingly generous to the people of this nation. Most of
us. as far as we as individuals are concerned, do not
know that we are locked in the greatest war the world
has ever known, except as we read and hear the news.
As far as the war is concerned to most of us, we have
more of the world’s goods than we ever had before.
We, the ones u ho have not been hurt, have much to lie
thankful for.
To those who have sons and daughters in the war
who have lost them, they, too, have much to be thank­
ful for. They are thankful that they had courageous
souls who were willing to give their all so that we
might still live in the greatest nation in the world as
free men and women. To the fathers and mothers
who have given their sons, our hearts go out to them
unstintingly this Thanksgiving Day, and we pray and
hope that they do not have to give more.
To all the boys in the service this Thanksgiving
Day, we know they are thankful that their homes are
like they left them, that we have not had our cities and
towns destroyed like other nations. We know they
will send a prayer in their hearts for the continuation
of our homes in a free and happy nation, so that when
they come home victorious, we will still have the great
ideals they are fighting for.
While we are in this greatest of all conflicts, we
still have so much to be thankful for it is sacrilegious
for us to complain. Let’s be so thankful for what wc
have that the Great Ruler of the Universe will heap
His blessings on us all, and bring our loved ones back
home soon.
Price Five Cents
NEWS FROM OUR
BOYS IN SERVICE
Ken D. Morrison, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Don Morrison, U. S. N. spent
the week end with his parents.
Staff Sergeant Jonathan S.
Bedingfield, Army Air Forces, 24.
son of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Bed­
ingfield of Cave Junction, Oregon,
recently cleared through the Air
Transport Command s aerial port
of debarkation at the Washing­
ton National Airport Army Air
Base in the nation’s capital. He
had just returned to the United
-tates aboard an ATC plane after
2 years and 5 months overseas.
An airplane and engine inspec­
tor attached to one of the AAF’s
service squadrons, he served in
India from July 1942 until May
1943, and in China from May
1943 until just before his return
here the other day.
Prior to his joining the armed
forces in December 1941 he was
employed by Aircraft Alloys Co.,
in Los Angeles.
--------------o--------------
WORK HAS STARTED
ON NEW GARAGE
Walter Freeman with a crew of
men started work on rebuilding his
garage and service station on the
site of the old Texaco service sta­
tion which was destroyed by fire
some months ago.
The new garage will be much
larger than the old one and will
have a room which will be used
exclusively for extra parts for all
cars. Mr. Freeman, when the new
building is completed, will have
the largest stock of parts for cars
and trucks ever carried in the val­
ley.
When the new building will be
completed is a question of what the
weather man will do. It will be
a modem building, fire-proof, and
will be rushed to completion as
fast as weather conditions will per­
mit. Mr. Freeman hopes to have
the shop completed to open by the
fiist of the year.
■
o
HI SCHOOL PLAY
ENJOYED FRIDAY
Last Friday evening in the Ker-
by high school gym, the school pre­
sented a comedy, "All American
Family,” under the direction of
Mrs. Sara Wertz.
The auditorium was well filled
and an enthusiastic audience
watched the scholars present one
of the nicest comedies seen for a
long time, and all the students
taking part did themselves proud
The stage was well dressed for the
peiformance and all the needed
properties for the show were
there. Nothing went wrong, ev­
erything was excellent and the au­
dience went away very well pleas­
ed.
The auditorium was well heat­
ed and the benches were comfort­
able for the time one had to sit
on them. Everything was very
comfortable, and those in charge
of the play are certainly to be
congratulated.
--------------o--------------
Mrs. R. J. McCracken returned
this week from a marketing trip
to San Francisco and other points
to purchase stock for opening a
new business in Cave Junction
very soon.
To th? Peep!»
of this Community
Victory Volunteer goes by
names in the Sixth War
Som> times he or she is
• G illant sometimes a
Blue Star Bru­
nt'1 rnriierha 3
a BonJad ier.
Whatever the
designate n. he
or she is per­
formin': a prac­
tical patriotic
s rvice. In this
community in
the next few
weeks you will
meet many of
them at work, in
the theatres, at your workshop,
in the banks and in your home.
Remember one thing: you do
not do them a favor when you
buy an extra War Bond. You
help your country, your fighting
relatives and friends and your­
self The Victory Volunteer gives
his time and his energy in a
great cause. He or she makes it
easy for you to do your duty by
buying at least one extra 1100
War Bond over and above your
regular bond purchases.
THE EDITOR
The
many
Loan
called
Engineer
Reports On
Projects
In a meeting called by Victor
Bo^hl as a director of the Cham­
ber of Commerce and member of
its agricultural and reclamation
committees, 27 representative citi­
zens from various parts of Jose­
phine County met at the Chamber
office Monday night and heard
Francia Hart engineer in charge
of the Rogce River Basin project
of the Bureau of Reclamation,
make a report on the present
status of this project.
Mr. Boehl, who conducted the
meeting, said that its purpose was
educational: to acquaint everyone
with the true status of the sur­
vey as to what it means to each
individual and what it means to
the county in general. He then in­
troduced Mr. Francis Hart, the
engineer in charge of the survey,
who sketched the history of organ­
ized irrigation in Josephine county
up to the present time, and out­
lined a comprehensive plan for
the development of the Rogue Riv­
er Basin.
He said this complete report had
been submitted to Washington for
approval and that there was a
chance for comment and criticism
on the part of interested people of
the district. He also said that de­
tailed project reports were well
along on the separate development
units. Progrss is slow on these
because of shortage of trained as­
sistants.
He displayed a map embracing
all the units of the plan showing
the irrigational development al­
ready made and the lands still suit­
able for being watered. By graphs
he illustrated the precipitation by
months, at two different points.
Prospect ami Gold Ray Dam. At
least 18 inches of precipitation are
needed for grain.
The scant
downfall in the growing season
accounts for the need of irriga­
tion water for other agricultural
crops in this region. Other graphs
showed the highest temperatures
came when there was the least
precipitation.
Our present irrigation system is
based on records of earlier years,
when the average of available wa­
ter was higher. Since the amount
of available water has become lews
more irrigation water is needed.
Mr. Hart spoke of four classes
of agricultural land in the Rogue
watershed. First i» the fairly tevel
areas of suitable soil depth and
adaptibility, suitable to sustain ir­
rigation indefinitely. Second is
the sloping land adjoining the first
with perhaps a little shallower soil
and more expensive to provide ir­
rigation. Third comes the pasture
class. And fourth a special class
of orchard land of the same »oil
type as classes 1 or 2, but too steep
for cultivation of seasonal crops.
Mentioning the areas already
under Irrigation the engineer said
the Grants Pass unit had 8500
acres under the ditch and 1500
more irrigable aeree. Merlin has
806 irrigated areas and 16,400
more irrigable from Louse Creek
and Jump Off Joe. There is a
storage proposition with flood con­
trol entering into the picture.
Speaking of floods he said that
a flood like that of 1864 when the
water came up to where the rail­
road tracks are now or even the
one of 1892 when it came up to
the Del Rogue hotel site would
ruin the Grants Pass district with
a probable lose of human life. In
1927 there was a flow of 91,000
second feet at Gold Ray. The
estimated flow at the big flood was
161,000 second feet at the same
place.
The Applegate river can be de­
veloped for all available land there.
Eight storage reservoir sites will
provide irrigation water for the
whole Rogue river basin. Their
construction would provide post
war jobs for returned soldiers.
Four of them have been recom­
mended for the purpose in addition
to the other multiple uses that the
dams would provide for. These
four are Merlin project, Illinois
Valley project, the Talent project
and the Debinger Gap project. The
first two are in Josephine county.
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