PAGE TWO
HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, JULY 1. 1937.
EASTERN OREGON'S LEADING FARMER
ENTERTAINS 200 GUESTS AT MORO
It would be hard to imagine how
anyone could get a more complete
knowledge of wheat growing in
eastern Oregon in a shorter period
of time than in a few hours spent
at the Moro experiment station at
the feet of the fount of knowledge,
D. E. Stephens, who has lived, slept
and eaten wheat growing in this
section for the 26 years the station
has been in existence.
The more than 200 visitors who
toured the station last Saturday as
one of the events of the Eastern
Oregon Wheat league picnic, actu
ally did not sit at Mr. Stephen's feet.
A hundred or more rode in three
trucks provided by the soil conser
vation service, where they sat for
more than two hours almost abliv
ious to the hottest sun of the season
as they gave eager ear to the story
of the experiment station director,
his two assistants and E. R. Jack
man, extension specialist in farm
crops. The others rode in 25 private
automobiles that completed the car
avan. Off the record it was learned that
Mr. and Mrs. Stephens came to Ore
gon from the east at the time Mr.',
Stephens took the station superin
tendency. Mrs. Stephens didn't care
for Oregon, and they planned to
return east after a couple of years.
What happened to those plans is
seen in one of the most complete1
and effective experiment stations in
the entire country developed under
the constant guidance of a man
whose scientific purpose is reflected
in the station's every aspect. "Dave"
Stephens is the, friend and neighbor
of : every eastern Oregon, wheat
groweri and he took real pleasure
in "showing off" his farfn the most
valuable farm in eastern Oregon,
not for its immense crop yields but
for its production of statistical in
formation to guide other farmers
for it is at all times evident thai)
Dave Stephens is a real dirt farmer
at heart.
The white buildings of the sta
tion lie on the hill at the east edge
of the city of Moro, a picturesque
sight against the green background
of trees and crops made especially
verdant this season by recent co
pious showers. (The showers had
benefitted the growing -crop there
much in proportion as they have
helped crops in Morrow county,
giving prospects of one of the high
est production years in the station's
history.)
There was significance in every
thing seen. The trees about the
station buildings themselves com
prised a nursery on which data are
kept to assist in providing farmers
with better shade for their homes.
On the rolling hills beyond the
buildings lie the acres upon acres
of varied appearing plots which
give information to their planters
and tenders, and through them to
the general farming public, of var
ious tillage, rotation and seeding
practices for innumerable cereal
crops not only wheat, but rye, oats
and barley besides various grasses,
alfalfa, peas, potatoes, and we know
not how many more.
Mr. Stephens told of the general
work of the station, and his re
marks were supplemented by talks
on summer fallow practice and
wheat varieties by his assistants.
Brought out was the direct bearing
of moisture and nitrogen content
of the soil to crop production, and
the striving to produce an early,
high-yielding wheat variety that
will resist all types of smut. (And,
lay the way, much progress is being
made in this line through years of
experimentation by hybridizaton.)
The superintendent himself pointed
out one plat where rotation practices
using several different combinations
of crops has been carried out, and
check kept, for 26 years; not a long
enough time yet, he said, to give
much worthwhile information, but
which will provide an invaluable
record after being caried on for 25
to a hundred years more.
Probably the nearest to a sensa
tion of anything on the trip was
caused by the beautiful stands of
crested wheat grass. E. R. Jackman,
who pioneered the way in the intro
duction of this grass into eastern
Oregon on a large scale, including
several thousand acres in Morrow
county, told the story of this grass.
He believed it more profitable for
many farmers to turn lower pro
ducing lands into crested wheat
production than to continue to at
tempt to raise wheat on them. Crest
ed wheat grass has been proved to
be a hardy, highly palatable cover
crop which may be grown almost
any place in eastern Oregon. While
seed the last two years has sold as
high as 40 to 50 cents a pound, Mr.
Jackman believed that eventually it
will find a level of about 10 cents,
so that he did not encourage wide
spread speculation. The grass has
proved especially useful in applying
the soil conservation program where
wheat lands have been turned to
soil conserving grasses.
It is impossible in short space to
convey all the worthwhile informa
tion disseminated on the tour. But
that those in attendance were ap
preciative was evidenced by the
many complimentary remarks heard
from the long line of men which
formed as the tour ended to await
each one's turn at the end of the
office hose to relieve parched and
dusty throats.
Legion Climb Sets
Amazing Safety Mark
One of the reasons tor the out
standing success of the Hood River
American Legion's annual climb of
Mount Hood, which last year drew
125 climbers, is the meticulous care
for the comfort and safety of par
ticipants which characterizes every
movement.
With the date for the seventeenth
yearly ascent set for July 18, 1937,
the climb has yet to record a ser
ious accident, although more than
2000 persons have taken part.
All climbers are required to wear
colored glasses and greasepaint
against the continued glare of sun
shine on the snowfields; to wear hob
nailed, waterproofed boots; to carry
an alpenstock; and to be "sound in
wind and limb," as the horse-traders
say. Anyone old enough to
climb who can meet these require
ments is eligible to take part.
Aside from these personal proper
ties, many other precautions are ob
served. When the party starts climbing in
the snow above Tie-in rock, climbers
are divided into groups and roped to
gether. Near the top of the moun
tain, where the snowfield becomes
steeper and the ascent through the
"chimney" begins, heavy ropes have
been firmly anchored so that mem
bers of the party can grasp them as
they climb.
Rest stops are frequent, particu
larly after the party ascends into
the rarefied air of high altitudes.
It is here, near the mountain-top,
that the scenery gradually becomes
more grand and other-worldly. The
sky assumes a deeper blue, new hor
izons open up beyond the old until
they are finally lost in the hazy dis
tance. Hood River valley itself, up
which the climbers drove the day
before, is but a bright patch in the
broad green may spread out below.
The Columbia gorge is a magnificent
gash angling through the mountains
to the east, north and west.
Throughout the climb members of
the Crag Rats, mountaineers' organ
ization, keep watchful eyes on their
charges, on the snow, on the sky, on
the peak above. With long exper
ience among rocks and snowfields,
they know when high-country travel
is safe and when it is not. The Crag
Rats have been invited to guide the
climb again this year.
Not only in the aspect of safety,
but also in all other considerations
the same care and preparation is
practiced by the Legion's climb com
mittee. Work begins early in May,
so that by the time the climb be
gins every detail has been thorough
ly looked after.
Cars usually begin arriving at Til
ly Jane Legion camp where the
climb starts, before dinner time Sat
urday. Tents are pitched and beds
made before the program Saturday
night. A natural amphitheater sur
rounded by high rocks and trees, is
the setting for the campfire fun and
ceremonies which are climaxed by
lighting of flares and setting off of
fireworks on the mountain, where
carefullly-picked men have spent
the afternoon in preparation.
This spectacular display, beginning
at 10 o'clock, is visible from nearly
all points in Hood River valley but
cannot be seen from the west side.
The flares, forming a huge V on the
mountaniside, burn for about 30
minutes.
The climb starts at 3 A. M. Sun
day, and ends 12 or 13 hours later.
Weather and climbing conditions are
more apt to be favorable the third
week in July than at any other time
of year, the committee has found.
While the climb is one of the big
gest community enterprises in Hood
River valley, outside participants
have always been welcome. Regis
tration for the climb does not take
place until Saturday evening before
the climb, and every year the names
of . persons from distant cities ap
pear on the roll.
Knowledge of Kiddies
Saves Parental Nerves
A knowledge of children and of
the various ways in which they are
likely to react at different ages is a
valuable "shock absorber" for par
ents, taking much of the effort and
worry out of their daily experience,
said Dr. Ada Hart Arlitt, chairman
of the division of parent education
in the National Congress of Parents
and Teachers, who addressed the
Parent Education Leader Training
conference at Oregon State college
June 24 and 25. More than 150 del
egates from parent teacher associa
tions, study clubs and other organi
zations attended the conference.
"You begin trying to teach your
child table manners when he is
about two years old," Dr. Arlitt said
in illustrating her statement. "You
progress fairly well until he is about
nine years old, when he begins to
lose them. By the time he is 10 they
are all gone, and Mother and Father
worry about it. Then at about 14 or
15 he falls in love. His table man
ners immediately improve and he
starts correcting yours. If you had
realized that this was characteristic
behavior a lot of worry might have
been saved."
Another significant need for par
ent education these days is found in
the fact that parents must under
stand what is going on at school if
the child is to get the best out of
life, Dr. Arlitt pointed out. The
things a child learns at school may
not carry over at home unless these
two phases of his life are coordin
ated, she said.
Dr. Arlitt also pointed out the
need for imparting to children a
philosophy of democracy, and train
ing them to be self reliant, responsi
ble citizens.
The conference was sponsored by
the school of home economics and
drew many regular summer session
students as well as registered dele
gates. Other speakers included Miss
Ava B. Milam, dean of home econ
omics; Howard F. Bigelow of West
ern States Teachers' college, Kala
mazoo, Mich.; Dr. E. W. Warrington,
professor of religious education, O.
S. C, and Dr. O. R. Chambers, pro
fessor of psychology, O.S.C. A num
ber of group discussions were held.
Kennewick to Honor
Heppner Princess
Word conies from Kennewick
that "Doc" and Jiggs Simmons, Pu
eblo, and Blackie Bryant, Ameri
can Falls, will be on hand to com
pete in the featured bulldogging
events at the Kennewick three-day
festival beginning July 3.
Johnnie and Bernice Taylor will
do the trick riding and three fa
mous Indians will do trick roping.
Bulls from Jump Off Joe have
been brought in for the celebration.
An unusually large number of bronc
riders and calf ropers are on hand
to help make the show a success.
Plans to entertain the Heppner
princess when she arrives at Ken
newick as befits ane of her station
are announced.
The Fourth of July parade Mon
day morning will be a featured attraction.
CROSSIN CRASHES MOUNT.
Despite the fact that every railroad
crossing in Oregon is marked, often
with several warning devices, serious
automobile accidents are increasing
there, statistics compiled by the Ore
gon State Motor association reveaL
Betty Bergevin is
Queen Candidate
Willows grange held its June bus
ness meeting in the hall at Cecil
Sunday, June 27. Miss Helen Lun
dell was elected to become a mem
ber of the grange and will be initiat
ed July 25th with ten other candi
dates. Miss Betty Bergevin of lone was
elected by the grange as their can
didate for Morrow county Rodeo
queen. , ,
Mrs. Marie Ledbetter, chairman
of the Home Economics club, had
charge of the lecturer's hour, and
presented a very pleasing program
of music, songs, readings, skit, talks,
etc, in the form of a radio p?ogram,
with a large number of the grange
members taking part.
Willows grangers enjoyed a splen
did pot luck dinner and many nice
gifts were donated by the members
for the kitchen shower.
Potted plants at all times, phone
1332; will deliver. 15tf
IONE UNIT ELECTS
The American Legion auxiliary,
lone post No. 95, met in their club
room Saturday and elected the fol
lowing officers for the ensuing year:
Beulah Mankin, president; Alice
Zielke, first vice president; Vivian
Haguewood, second vice president;
Gladys Drake, secretary-treasurer;
Vera Rietmann, Mabel Cotter and
Elaine Rietmann, executive com
mittee. Beulah Mankin and Vera
Rietmann were elected as delegates
to the state convention at Albany.
Gladys Drake and Alice Zielke are
alternates. Meetings are adjourned
for the summer. Next meeting will
be held the second Saturday in
September with hostesses Vivian
Haguewood and Margaret Blake.
BEWARE OF WEEK ENDS
Saturday was the most dangerous
day of the week to venture on Ore
gon's streets or highways, last
month's figures garnered by the Or
egon State Motor association show.
Saturday scened 628 traffic accidents,
Sunday 558. Thursday with 282 mis
haps, was the safest day of the week.
ENJOY THE
FOURTH
Keep cool with warm weather
SPORTSWEAR
WASH SLACKS $1.95 to $2.95
WOOLEN SLACKS .. $3.65 to $6.95
POLO SHIRTS 95c
STRAW HATS $1 to $1.95
SPORT SHOES $3.65 to $4.95
SPORT SOCKS 25c to 35c
SUMMER TIES 50c to $1.00
GET INTO THE DIP IN A
JANTZEN
Men's and Boys' Trunks New Natty
Si to $2)S
WILSON'S
The Store of Personal Service
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CITY OF PORTLAND
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EXAMPLE Of FARE
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LOCAL AGENT