xmXXt
Volume 56, Number 10
26 Graders Given
Diplomas; 25 H. S.
Grads to Make Bow
Commencement
Rites Tomorrow
Mark School End
With both grade and high schools
enjoying picnics today and tomor
row, eighth grade graduation last
night, and high school commence
ment slated for tomorrow evening,
Heppner schools are at the year's
close.
Rev. Martin B. Clark brought the
farewell message to 26 eighth grade
graduates yesterday evening who
received diplomas from A. H. Blank
enship, superintendent. Featuring
the exercises were American Legion
auxiliary Americanism awards made
by Mrs. Chas. B. Cox, unit president,
to Patty O'Hara, first, and Dorotha
Wilson, second for the girls, and
James Barratt, first, and James
Kenny, second for the boys. James
Kenny sang the class song of his
own composition, while the entire
class sang, "The Old Schoolhouse,"
written by Wilma Beymer. The class
prom followed with the gym appro
priately decorated in class colors
of blue and white. Harold Buhman
was class instructor and graduates
were:
Wilma Beymer, Nita Rae Bleak-
man, Marjorie Cantwell, Kingsley
Chapin, Claudine Drake, Shirley
Hamrick, Colleen Kilkenny, Helen
Knowles, Patricia O'Hara, Eunice
Osmin, Dorotha Wilson, James G.
Barratt, Jr., Wade Bothwell, Billy
Bucknum, Alton Christenson, Philip
Cohn, Lyle Cox, Claude Drake, Dick
Edmondson, Glenn Fell, Robert
Grockett, James Kenny, Leon Mc
Clintock, Albert Schunk, Billy Snow.
Dr. Dan V. Poling, representative
of Oregon's higher institutions of
learning, will address the high school
graduates tomorrow evening. The
program includes:
Prelude, "Scarf Dance," Charmin
ade; Processional, "Grand March,"
Verdi Accompanist, Dorothy How
ell; invocation, Rev. R. C. Young;
vocal duet, "Barcarole" (from the
opera, "Les Contes d' Hoffman") J.
Of f enbuch Helen Lundell, Jack
Merrill; trio, "Neapolitan Nights,"
Kerr-Zamecnik Carolyn Vaughn,
Jeanette Blakely, Helen Lundell;
presentation of Jane Mitchell trophy,
Jane Boyer; presentation of honor
plaque, Robert Knox, high school
principal; presentation of Norton
Winnard cup, Earl W. Gordon, mem
ber of class of 1918; presentation of
class of 1939, Alden H. Blankenship,
superintendent; presentation of di
plomas, C. N. Jones, chairman of
board of education.
The class motto is "Forward,
come what may;" the colors, purple
and gold, and flower, white rose. List
of the 25 graduates with activities
will be found in another column.
John Day District
Dissolution Started
The beginning of the end of the
John Day Irrigation district, paper
organization of long standing which
originally intended to make north
Morrow county blossom from waters
of the John Day river, was started
Monday.
David Hynd, John Krebs and Leon
Logan, elected new directors at a
meeting of district directors earlier
in the day, that day met with the
county court and instigated disso
lution proceedings. It was expected
the dissolution would be a lengthy
process requiring considerable liti
gation before final court order could
be obtained. Indebtedness of the dis
trict was recently adjusted on the
basis of paying off face of warrants
fifty cents on the dollar, and has
been largely liquidated.
Heppner,
Lightning Too
Close for Comfort
Say Maidments
Coming across the hills from
Condon Monday, J. W. Maidment
and son, John, Jr., heard lightning
strike on the road a short dis
tance behind them. It made a big
flash and cracked like a rifle shot
The lightning was part of an
electrical storm that was accom
panied by a light shower. While
the rain was most welcome, the
lightning struck much too close
for comfort, they averred.
Mr. Maidment is a pioneer sheep
raiser of Lone Rock, and for many
years hauled his wool into Hepp
nere. He was checking up on the
wool and lamb market while in
the city, and expected to start
shearing soon atfer his return
home. They returned home Mon
day evening.
Leland Edmondson
Named 'State Farmer'
As one of 24 out of 2400 "green
farmers" in FFA work in the state,
Leland Edmondson, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Edmondson of Lexing
ton and local chapter member, was
raised to the degree of "state far
mer" at the recent FFA convention
at Corvallis. Young Edmondson and
Omer McCaleb appeared before the
Monday Lions luncheon and told of
requirements for individual and
chapter advancement in FFA work.
Edmondson told of the three de
grees into which FFA membership
is divided, green, state and Ameri
can farmers. All Future Farmers are
in the first degree when they start,
and advancement to the higher de
grees is based upon high scholar
ship and project management
Among requirements for state far
mer id attainment of grade average
in upper 40 per cent of class and in
vestment of at least $250 in mem
ber's own project. Edmondson cited
that his project of sheep and hogs
represented a $400 investment. '
McCaleb told of requirements for
a chapter to obtain "keystone" rat
ing, the highest rating for local
chapters. Heppner had not yet at
tained these requirements, but he
gave it as the plam of Guy Moore,
next year's president who was un
able to attend the luncheon, that
every effort would be expended to
attain keystone rating next year.
F. W. Turner, Lions president who
accompanied the band to Portland
last week end complimented the
Heppner youths for their excellent
behavior, and general good reports
were brought from the trip. Mrs.
Lucy E. Rodgers, a guest, com
mended the boys representing the
FFA for the excellent manner in
which they presented their subjects,
attributing credit to public speaking
work of the Future Farmers. Little
Miss Yvonne Bleakman pleased with
tap dancing accompanied at the
piano by her instructor, Mrs. Robert
Knox.
INJURED IN ACCIDENT
Miss Ellen Morgan, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Levi Morgan, sus
tained painful abrasions and bruises
last Sunday afternoon when the
Harold Evans car in which she was
riding with Mr. and Mrs. Evans col
lided with the car driven by Miss
Ilene Klkenny on the Ditch creek
grade. Both cars were considerably
damaged though other occupants
escaped serious injury. Miss Morgan
was treated at a local physician's
office, and several stitches were
taken to close a scalp wound.
POSTOFFICE RATES HIGH
R. C. Sheldon of Portland, postal
inspector, announced a rating of 95
per cent for the local postoffice fol
lowing an inspection last Thursday.
The good rating was pleasantly re
cevied by Chas. B. Cox, postmaster.
L. G. Voight of Spokane, who owns
timber at the head of Rhea creek,
was a business visitor in the city
Saturday investigating the possibil
ity of making sale of his timber.
Oregon, Thursday, May
Eugene Matteson,
Long Resident, is
Accident Victim
Injuries From Horse
Fatal; Funeral Rites
Largely Attended
Tragedy struck the Matteson com
munity early Sunday morning when
one of its leading citizens and long
time resident of the county. Eugene
Matteson, 69, was fatally injured. Mr.
Matteson had just left the mountain
schoolhouse where a program and
dinner had been held, to ride home
horseback. Shortly after he had left,
other members of his party heard
him yell, "Whoa!" and then, "Help!"
His son, Lyle, and Louis Cason were
among those responding immediate
ly to his cries.
Finding his father on the ground,
Lyle asked him if he were injured,
to which Mr. Matteson replied some
thing about his back, then fainted
away. He was immediately placed in
the son's car and they started for
town, but death arrived when they
had gone only a few miles. Later
examination revealed a large bruise
on the abdomen, believed to have
been the result of a kick from the
horse, and one hand was badly in
jured, indicating that he had been
dragged. The young horse was said
to have been quite frisky, and Mr.
Matteson had not yet fully recovered
from three broken ribs received
when he had been thrown from it
some time before.
Funeral services, held from Phelps
Funeral Home chapel here Tuesday
afternoon, were largely attended by
residents of the Matteson comma
nifcy and many relatives, friends and
neighbors from over the county.
Rev. Martin B. Clark officiated, and
interment was in .Masonic cemetery.
A large bank of beautiful flowers
gave added tribute to the esteem
held for the deceased. Pallbearrs
were all long-time friends of the de
ceased, including Tim Rippee, Louis
Cason, Tom Harris, L. E. Bisbee,
Glenn Hayes and Walter Luckman.
Eugene Matteson was born in
Umatilla, May 11, 1870, being aged
69 years and 3 days at death. He
was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert
Matteson, pioneer residents of the
mountain district that took the fam
ily name. Coming to the county
with his parents at an early age, Mr.
Matteson was nearly a life-long res
ident, following ranching. He was a
leader in the affairs of the commu
nity, and respected by all who knew
him. A veteran of the woods, he
was numbered among the county's
best game shots and many times
played host for hunting parties. He
married Sarah McFerrin, who with
five children survive, Mrs. E. A.
Bennett, Loren, Larrence, Lyle and
Delvin, all of Heppner. He is also
survived by four sisters and three
brothers, namely Mrs. John Mul
vaney, Anchorage, Alaska; Mrs. E.
L. Matteson, Gaston, Ore.; Mrs. Geo.
Cason and Mrs. Geo. Kirk of Hepp
ner; Adrain of Susanville, and Har
ley and Elmer of Monument, besides
six grandchildren.
PEDDLERS WARNED
"Peddlers Beware Heppner has
adopted the Green River Ordin
ance," is the wording of three signs
that have been made for placement
at three approaches to the city. In
dividual contributors of the signs
are J. Logie Richardson, George
Howard and Humphreys Drug Co.
ALVIN STRADER DIES
Alvin Strader, 46, of Boardman
was found dead in the field on his
farm where he had been irrigating,
Tuesday morning, according to re
port given the coroner's office. Death
was believed to have been from
natural causes.
Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence
Slocum of Rhea creek at Heppner
hospital Saturday, an 8 pound girl.
18, 1939
CCC BUILDING
RAZED BY FIRE
Mystetrious Blaze Hits Early
in Morning, Taking Camp
Heppner Educational Building
A mysterious fire of undetermined
origin completely razed the Camp
Heppner educational building and
all contents shortly after 4 o'clock
Tuesday morning and called out
most of the citizens and all the camp
inhabitants to witness the conflagra
tion that for a time threatened to
wipe out the entire camp.
Had it not been for the well en
gineered hard work of the CCC boys
and the city fire department tht
blaze would surely have spread to
adjacent buildings.
Lt. Marius P. Hanford, camp com
mandant, credited the city fire de
partment with saving the "A" bar
racks. If this barracks had caught,
there would have been no saving the
camp, he said. Sincere thanks of the
camp were extended the city for its
help.
CCC boys themselves lined up in
bucket brigades, and with some of
their members standing on apexes
of the roofs to receive them, passed
along buckets of water that doused
several starts. A line-up was also
made to empty barracks, and as ar
ticles were passed along heaps of
clothing and bedding grew in the
road nearby as if by magic. ,
The fire was the first to visit the
local camp in its several years of
existence, but the fire-fighting train
ing of the enrollees told in the way
it was handled. Camp Heppner be
fore stood high in rating of district
camps for fire prevention.
Lieutenant Hanford was making a
check yesterday to estimate the
amount of loss. Plans are going ahead
for the building's replacement and
in the meantime recreational facil
ities have been installed in tempor
ary quarters, he said.
Faculty Named for
Coming School Year
Only two changes appear in the
teaching staff for the local schools
next year, as contracts are now
signed, reports A. H. Blankenship,
who will be back again next year
as superintendent. Miss Martha Mae
Blair of Monmouth has been signed
to succeed Mrs. Floyd Jones, re
signed, as fourth grade teacher, and
Miss Dorothy Gerlach, who taught
last year at Aurora, will take Miss
Maude King's place in the fifth
grade while Miss King goes on a
year's leave of absence.
Other grade teachers will be Miss
Alma Neill, first; Mrs. Elizabeth Dix,
second; Miss Mary White, third;
Miss Rachael Forsythe, sixth; Ken
neth McKenzie, seventh and grade
school athletics; Harold Buhman,
eighth, grade school principal and
band director.
The high school staff will include
Mrs. Ethel Clark, part-time instruct
or; Miss Shirley Smith, commercial;
Miss Cecelia Nordstrom, home ec
onomics and social sciences; Robert
Knox, principal, science, mathemat
ics and physical education; ' W. S.
Bennett, Smith -Hughes; Norbert
Peavy, English and public speaking,
and Mr. Blankenship.
Don Drake Named
Barometer Editor
Don Drake, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Ray Drake of this city, was recently
elected editor of the Oregon State
college Daily Barometer, campus
newspaper, recognizing previous
work in responsible positions with
the paper.
Drake will succeed Edward Bur
chell of Lexington who is serving
his third year as editor, bringing
the editorship to Morrow county for
the fourth consecutive year.
The laughs Charlie Wininger gets
in THREE SMART GIRLS GROW
UP, showing at the Star Theater,
Wednesday-Thursday, May 24-25,
are worth double the price of admission.
Subscription $2.00 a Year
"Excellent" Rating
Given Band at
Regional Contest
Many Townsmen,
Past and Present,
at Portland Event
Back from Portland and the re
gional contest last week end with
"excellent" rating, Heppner's school
band will make its final appear
ance of the year with a free concert
at the gym-auditorium next Wed
nesday evening, beginning at eight
o'clock. The concert is slated to last
one hour.
No entry in class C of which
Heppner was one, received the high
est or "superior" rating at the hands
of the judges in Portland. Four
bands, including Heppner, received
the second or "excellent" rating,
while a fifth entry was given the
next lowest, "good" rating.
Accompanied by a host of parents
and enthusiasts from here, who were
joined in the city by another host of
former Heppnerites just as enthus
iastic, appearance of the local band
was greeted by as large a crowd of
outside boosters as any band appear
ing, reports say. The band played in
contest at the Washington high
school at the morning session be
tween 8 and 10 o'clock Saturday.
Ensemble presentation of all bands,
slated for Grant high school bowl
that afternoon was called off, due
probably to the extreme heat. Head
quarters were made at the Clyde
hotel.
The complete check-up on fi
nances for the trip had not been
made yesterday, but A. H. Blank
enship, chairman of the committee,
said those taking cars would be re
imbursed for at least part of their
expenses. Receipts had totalled ap
proximately $235 and an unexpended
balance of $75 remained from the
La Grande trip, of which about $100
had been paid out for hotel expense.
"Overture Militaire," Joseph Skor
nica, was the required number,
Sousa's "U. S. Field Artillery March"
was used for warm up, and "Lust
spiel," overture by Keler Bela was
played as selected number. The band
was also judged in sight-reading.
Fifty-thre bandsters besides Har
old Buhman, made the trip. Miss
Jeaenette Blakely appeared as drunt
majorette.
Among those taking cars were:
Gene Ferguson, Ed Dick, Lee How
ell, Harry Tamblyn, Henry Aiken,
C. J. D. Bauman, D. A. Wilson, Bert
Johnson, Thomas Wells, Spencer
Crawford, Harold Evans, Milton
Morgan, Marguerite Chapin, Cyrene
Barratt, B. C. Pinckney, Harold Bur
man and Alva Jones.
Band members appearing were:
Clarinets Omer McCaleb, Richard
Hayes, Donald Jones, Carolyn
Vaughn, Clifford Faye, Laura War
field, Elizabeth Healy, Dorotha Wil
son, Kingsley Chapin, Jack O'Hara,
Betty Cunningham, James Barratt,
Bill Bucknum, Dick Edmondson.
Trombones Joe Aiken, John
Crawford, Bill Barratt, Don Evans,
Henry Aiken, Bob Pinckney, Guy
Moore.
Bass Horns Don Bennett, Jack
Vaughn.
Percussion Milton Morgan, War
ren Blakely, Shirley Wilson.
Trumpets Jack Merrill, Don
Frederickson, Thomas Gonty, Dor
othy Howell, Kemp Dick, Austin Mc-
Atee, Kay Ferguson, Nelma Hanlon,
Dick Ferguson, Howard Gilliam,
Merle Burkenbine.
Oboe Margaret Tamblyn.
Baritone Hugh Crawford, Calvin
Crawford.
Alto Horns Jackson Cantwell,
Lowell Ashbaugh, Don Wehmeyer,
Walter Skuzeski.
Saxophones, Eb Betty Happold,
Emery Coxen, Sibyl Howell, Philip
Cohn, Harold Armstrong, Wilbur
Worden. Flute John Skuzeski.