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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 1962)
HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES. Thursday, October 18. 1962 THE m fm HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES MOBBOW COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER PHONE 676-9228 The Heppner Gazette, established March 30, 1883. The Heppner Times established November 18, 1897. Consolidated February 15, 1912. HELEN E. SHERMAN Associate Publisher ttMLCLNAl !DITOIAL WESLEY A. SHERMAN Editor and Publisher NEWSPAPER pyuiiNits ASSOCIATION Subscription Rates: Morrow and Grant Counties, $4.00 Year; Else where $4.50 Year. Single Copy 10 Cents. Published Every Thursday and Entered at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, as Second Class Matter. OFFICE HOURS: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. .HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIHIIMItllMIIJIIIIIIIIII" IMIIIHIIHHIIHHIIIIIHHIMIIHHHI Why We're Against Measure 10 One of the most Important measures" on the ballot at the general election November 6 will be measure 10, which seeks to repeal the school reorganization law of 1957. If the proposal should receive an affirmative majority, 80 of the 82 existing administrative school districts in the stale would be declared unified school districts. The other two, Hood River No. 1 and Morrow County R-l, would be declared county unit systems. Fifty of the 82 existing administrative school districts that, at the time the State Board of Education approved the reorgani zation plan, consisted of single unilind school districts and would not be materially affected by the legislation, except that they would be designated as unified rather than admin istrative' districts. Thirty of the districts could be subject to an election on petition of residents to determine whether they remained a unified district or whether the unified district would be dis solved. If they were dissolved, the former local districts that were included within the administrative district at the date it was created would be re-created. A provision in the repeal measure specifies that such an election could be called when petitions were presented bearing the names of 10 of the legal school voters of the district or 50, whichever is the lesser number. School reorganization has had as some of its objectives to gain efficiency in education, improve the curriculum, provide better school facilities and to reduce the cost. Adjustments necessary in reorganization have not come easily'. When it upset local districts that had been functioning for years, it caused some bitterness. Among foremost opponents to reorganization has been Serve Our State, Inc., which has worked zealously towards its repeal. We admire this organization's spunk and feel that the interest it has taken on reorganization has proved a good safeguard but we believe measure 10 would result in near educational catastrophe. Mary Hintz, legislative chairman for S.O.S., has stated that the main objection to reorganization is the tendency towards state control. However, repeal of the act would not lessen state control. Small local districts are more subject to stiingent state scrutiny on standards than are larger districts who are more nearly able to comply with state standards. The state has leverage under the basic school support plan because it supplies a substantial portion of financing. Although it has been rough going in many districts in Oregon, gains have been made under reorganization, and students today are getting better education, by and large, than they did before the act. In 1919, Oregon had a total of 255G school districts, and the little white one-room school with cloakrooms at either side of the entrance was common. With the development of roads, transportation, and communication, trend towards consolidation began. Times have moved on; great progress has been made in many fields; we enjoy many advantages that we didn't use to have. All tills has created more demands on education, and students whose elementary work is taken in the smallest district with the fewest advantages are pitted against those who come from largest schools witli many advantages in curriculum and facilities. They are thrown together to compete in institutions of higher learning. Today there is less than one-fifth the number of districts that there were in 1919. Oregon has 463 districts, of whicli 139 are unified (including the 82 administrative districts), four county unit systems, 274 elementary school districts (of which 227 are component to union high school districts), 43 union high school districts, and three county high districts. Since the 1957 reorganization act was instituted, 31 counties have dissolved 327 school districts, and 2G counties have created the 82 administrative districts. Today, 77.6 per cent of all Oregon pupils attending public schools go in districts that pro vide education in grades 1 through 12. In nine counties, including Morrow, all children in public schools are in districts that provide education in grades 1 through 12. True, mere bigness alone is not justification for unification, and the editor, who had his early education in a one-room school, is as nostalgic about their passing as anyone. We full well know the feeling that comes with losing a school as a community center. But progress commands its price. Small school districts are just unable to offer the educational advantages that are essential today. Only by districts pooling their resources by combining can they provide for staff, curriculum and facilities that are necessary in this modern world. To offer less than the best available to our students is to handicap them in the keen competition that they face when they enter adulthood. The reorganization act of 1957 was not all good. It had its shortcomings. One example was the requirement that a local district that had been included in a unified district could only vote its way out, after voting against unification originally, by a second vote with a 60-40 majority. This truly was an undemocratic provision and should not have been Included in the first place. The 1901 legislature changed this provision 'so that now only a simple majority is required. Around the state we have noted instances where reorgani zation brings problems that would test a King Solomon. But, although It has not gone smoothly, there has been substantial progress. Hundreds of people interested in education have turned to and have studied and planned to work out feasible systems in their own areas. The result is that students today are en Joying facilities that their parents never had; they use methods and equipment that the little old one-room school could never get; they have teachers that are better trained; and they take courses that are well beyond those that their elders took. Why vote against measure 10? Because it would be a step backward. It could undo the progress that has been so difficult to achieve in many districts. It could create almost unlimited trouble and confusion in at tempting to split districts presently unified. One example of this would be the division of property. How could directors split a newly-built high school among local districts should the residents vote to return to the old districts? The measure provides that after repeal of reorganization, an election could be called any time within two years by petition of 10 of the residents, or 50, whichever is the lesser number. This small number could force an election in a district of thousands of voters. Then, if a majority of voters in each of a majoriy of precincts in the district favored the dissolution of the unified district, it would be done. This provision is more undemocratic than the 60-40 pro vision that was in the reorganization law. For instance, consider a mythical unified district that in cludes seven precincts, of which, say, four had approximately 50 registered voters each, and three had 500 registered voters each. Fifty voters In any portion of the unified district could call the election by petition. Then, if the majority of voters in the four small precincts favored the dissolution, it would be effected, no matter how strongly the three larger precincts voted to retain it. In this hypothetical instance, the precincts with 200 voters would override the wishes of the majority in the precincts that had 1500 voters. A minority could truly destroy a unified district. Henry Hartley, superintendent of schools at North Bend, brings out another pertinent point in regard to this election procedure in measure 10. If it is passed in the general election, unified districts all over the state will not be able to make a major step forward, no matter how badly it is needed, for two years, because they would never know when an election would be called to dissolve the district. Systems bulging at the seams and in dire need of new buildings could not call for bond elections because of this uncertainty. If they disregarded the implications and went ahead anyway, it is almost a certainty that they could not sell the bonds because of the cloud thrown on them by this election provision. Ballot measure 10 could also lead to overlapping property tax districts with additional financial burden on the taxpayer. But the greatest reason it should be defeated is that it would nullify all the good work that has been done, create con fusion and doubt. This is not a time for that; this is a time to move forward. " Let's take a look on the local level. Morrow county and Hood River county, under terms of the bill, would revert to county unit systems from their present administrative systems. This would mean little change In organization, and they would not be subject to the vote, as dealt with above, during the 2-year period. They would remain essentially as they are. and there could be no return to the previous local district for at least six years because of a provision in the county unit law that stipulates this. Thus, if measure 10 passes, Morrow county would be in an abyss of uncertainty for six years. It could not undertake any major construction or other major improvements. Incidentally, measure 10 undemocratically gives the state-at-large the opportunity of voting on the future of the edu cational systems in Morrow and Hood River counties, and this is undemocratic in itself. If the majority of the state should vote for repeal, even if Morrow voted against it, we would be changed to a county unit system. We realize that the school situation in Morrow county has had troublesome times and is still faced with big problems one of the most notable at present being the Riverside High school site selection. There has been bitterness, and vestiges of it remain. Looking at it from the standpoint of a newcomer, we might conjecture that reorganization may have come too quickly here, without enough study, and perhaps more was expected of it than could readily be achieved. Certainly, some mistakes have been made and perhaps some decisions have proved unwise. During the year and four months we have been here, we have studied the matter as best we could. We have attended every regular school board meeting, and we have heard pros and cons on many problems. It Is our feeling that the district is moving forward and is making progress beneficial to its stu dent population. We believe that there Is more interest shown from the public on school matters than in any other area in which we have lived, and we have never seen an individual refused a hearing. This is a time when bitternesses, however justified they may be, should be laid aside. It Isn't feasible to turn back. To let rancor influence the vote of a thinking person on this matter would be a mistake that would be regretted later. A strong negative vote on measure 10, although not expected here, would be one of the greatest things that could happen for the county's morale. It would mean that we are ready to unite in spirit, as well as in fact, and join in harmony for better days in the county with the conviction that our children are entitled to the best education we can offer them. Criteria of a Good Newspaper On the occasion of National Newspaper Week, October 14-20, we reprint "Criteria of a Good Newspaper," which was written by a study committee of the Associated Press Managing Editors Association. Although the authors represent daily newspapers, the criteria are nonetheless applicable to a weekly paper and may stand as a yardstick by which the public may judge a paper. We of the Gazette-Times endorse their statements and adopt them as a guide for our publication. We cannot measure up fully to all their tenets, but we try. Whenever one of our readers believes we are seriously failing on any of the princi ples, we would like to know it. (Written by a Study Committee of the Associated Press Managing Editors Assn.) A good newspaper prints the important news and provides the information, comment and guidance that is most useful to its readers. It reports fully and explains the meaning of local, national, and international events which are of major significance in its own community. Its editorial comment provides an in formed opinion on matters of vital concern to its readers. By reflecting the total image of its own community in its news coverage and by providing wise counsel in its editorials, a good newspaper becomes a public conscience. It also must be lively, imaginative, and original; it must have a sense of humor, and the power to arouse keen interest. To implement these principles of good editing requires a skilled staff, an attractive format, adequate space for news and comment, and a sound business foundation. The staff must possess the professional pride and competence necessary to breathe life and meaning into the daily record of history. Good writing must be combined with an effective typo graphical display of copy and pictures to capture the full drama and excitement of the day's news. Good printing is essential. News and comment of most immediate interest and im portance to the local community shall have priority for the available space, which will depend on the size and resources of the newspaper. To assure a financially strong and independent publication, and one that is competitive with other media, a good news paper must maintain effective circulation, advertising, and promotion departments. Finally, a good newspaper should be guided in the publi cation of all material by a concern for truth, the hallmark of freedom, by a concern for human decency and human better ment, and by a respect for the accepted standards of Its own community. A good newspaper may judge its own performance and be judged by the criteria that follow. INTEGRITY The newspaper shall: Maintain vigorous standards of honesty and fair play in the selection and editing of its contents as well as in all relations with news sources and the public. Deal dispassionately with controversial subjects and treat disputed issues with Impartiality. Practice humility and tolerance in the face of honest con flicting opinions or disagreement. Provide a forum for the exchange of pertinent comment and criticism, especially if it is in conflict with the newspaper's editorial point of view. Label its own editorial views or expressions of opinion. ACCURACY The newspaper shall: Exert maximum effort to print the truth in all news situations. Strive for completeness and objectivity. Guard against carelessness, bias, or distortion by either emphasis or omission. Correct promptly errors of fact for which the newspaper is responsible. RESPONSIBILITY The newspaper shall: Use mature and considered judgement in the public in terest at all times. Select, edit, and display news on the basis of its signifi cance and its genuine usefulness to the public. Edit news affecting public morals with candor and good taste and avoid an imbalance of sensational, preponderantly negative, or merely trivial news. Accent when possible a reasonable amount of news which illustrates the values of compassion, self-sacrifice, heroism, good citizenship, and patriotism. Clearly define sources of news, and tell the reader when competant sources cannot be identified. Respect rights of privacy. Instruct its staff members to conduct themselves with dig nity and decorum. LEADERSHIP The newspaper shall: Act with courage in serving the public. Stimulate and vigorously support public officials, private Chaff and Chatter Wes Sherman WHILE RESIDENTS of Western Oregon are counting their losses in property damage, deaths and injuries in the wake of the week-end storm, we in Eastern Oregon may well count our blessings. The rain and mild wind that we experienced were nothing. In fact, the rain will prove a bless ing as it pours more moisture on the land to give a boost to seeded crops. Harold Erwin re marked as he looked over the countryside near Lexington that the hills are all greening up, and he said that he had never seen the sprouts come through so evenly and so early. We hope that nothing happens to change this good start. ONE TV weatherman said that the windstorm whipped up the Willamette Valley and the moun tain ranges on either side con tained it On the eastern side, the Cascades prevented it from booming into our section of the state, which makes us mighty lucky. This storm caused the greatest destruction in the history of the state, but as an early Associated Press report pointed out, it didn't cause the greatest loss of life. The Heppner flood of 1903 still holds that record at 247. MEMBERS OF the Methodist Youth Fellowship in the Port land district are beginning to believe they are jinxed. Two years ago their annual iieeting was scheduled for Pendleton. The train carrying Portland and valley youth to Pendleton was hit by a slide and several cars were dumped into a slough near Crown Point. This year, they had their meet ing scheduled for Gresham Fri day, Saturday and Sunday. A carload from Heppner's Meth odist church, with Mrs. Dick Wilkinson taking them, arrived at Gresham just as the storm hit. More than 300 were expected, but only 70 made it. Friday night they had a meeting by candle light, but on Saturday decided to adjourn. Fortunately none of the young people were hurt and no damage was done to Mrs. Wilkinson's car. However, they saw homes with roofs gone and other awe some damage in the area. MR. AND MRS. CLINT McQuarrie were driving down a Portland street at the height of the storm and didn't really realize it had hit until the lights went out all around them and things started flying around. Clint mentioned that the wind was freakish. Strong metal signs on steel posts were often noticed to be gro tesquely twisted by the wind while rickety wood signs some times remained intact. They were among those who attended the OSU-Washington football game in storm-ravaged Multnomah stadium. Quite a few others from Morrow county made it there, too. Still other Morrow residents were in Portland or the valley for other reasons and went through the onslaught. Mrs. Mary Bryant, on a week's va cation, spent the time in Port land and Beaverton. The latter town, which once was well sup plied with trees, became a sham bles. One Beaverton resident report ed to a relative in Pendleton that of 13 fir trees that he had on his place, two were left stand' ing. MANY OF those who tried to call relatives in the storm area couldn't get through. A recording answered from "Station X-150" or something like that and said that emergency calls only were being taken. I tried to mall my mother in Forest Grove about six times, only to get the re cording each time. On another occasion I tried through the op erator, but she had no better luck. The lines were down and remained so, at least through Sunday. Forest Grove, aptly named because it probably has more trees than any other city ot its size in the state, is un doubtedly a terrific sight. Mother writes that the sound of chain saws can be heard constantly all over the city. Brother Harry, superintendent of the power de partment there, and his crew have been working around the clock to get power restored. Pacific University's cherished grove of old oaks, long a proud symbol oi the institution, un doubtedly is devastated. We wonder at the fate of the giant sequoia trees in Forest Grove, the only town in the northern part of Oregon that has such Haven't heard whether they went down or not. If they did, it was with a memorable crash. ED AND ELEANOR Gonty left Heppner about 4 p.m. Friday, headed for Ashland to the borop timist convention, going via Spray and Bend. They were In the mountains when the storm hit. Of course, it was nothing compared to the western part of the state, but it was a big blow, They reached Bend with their car a mass of red mud from the Service Creek road, but the next day the rain was so heavy it all washed out. When they neared Ashland Saturday after spending Friday night at Bend they entered an awesome scene ot destruction Trees had been pretty well cut from the main roads, but they saw barns flattened, roofs miss ing off other buildings, but were most amazed by the number of phone and power lines down. By the way, this was Ed's first trip to Ashland since 1927 when he went with his family in his dad's new '27 Oldsmobile, That was a 4-day trip with night stops at East Lake, Bend and Klamath Falls. Gonty thinks that they hit one small stretch that was paved, but the rest was dirt and gravel. a JEWELL HAGER and Betty Pfeif fpr wont to the Sorootimist convention by airplane and left Pendleton Friday afternoon for Portland on the first leg of the flight. When tney pot to rorc InnH thp nlane couldn't land be cause of the storm. The pilot nnintprl nut damage to the debris- strewn field. They went on to Rpattlp where the HeDDnerites snent the night in a hotel as diiPKte nf thf airlinp. and then flew on down to Ashland the next day, seeing damage every' where below them. GORDON HUTCHENS was head ed for Portland when the storm hit, but outside of the city was stopped and told that he could not go in. The patrolman told him that in case a wire came clown on his car to keep his hands on the steering wheel and groups, and individuals in crusades and campaigns to increase the good works and eliminate the bad in the community. Help to protect all rights and privileges guaranteed by law. Serve as a constructive critic of government at all levels, provide leadership for necessary reforms or innovations, and expose any misfeasance in office o any misuse of public power. Oppose demagogues and other selfish and unwholesome interests regardless of their size or influence. ANNOUNCING The Opening Of Pecks' Ski Shop NOVEMBER 1 In The Collins Bldg. Main Street, Heppner (Former Location of Pacific Power and Light) Specializing In Quality Lines Of Ski Equipment Boots and Sportswear At Economical Prices We extend a cordial invitation to all to come in and get acquainted. Headquarters For Arbuckle Ski Area Bank Shows Gains Over Year Ago A 13 per cent gain in loans over a year ago was set by First National Bank of Oregon in its statement of condition for Sep tember 28, it was announced by President Ralph J. Voss. Both loans and deposits were at all-time highs for the state wide bank. Figures were com piled at the request of the U. S. Comptroller of the Currency. The Heppner branch of First National reported third quarter deposits of $5,565,748 and loans outstanding of $3,163,428, accord ing to Branch Manager J. H. Bedford. Comparable totals for the branch a year ago were $4,825,- 993 in deposits and $2,446,169 in loans. Loans outstanding for the sys tem at the end of the third quarter totaled $555,999,098 com pared to $493,401,142 for the same time a year ago. Deposits of $950,107,387 were six per cent above the $895,752, 179 figure a year ago. Capital funds total $78,311,927 which is an increase of $2,329,783 from 12 months ago. Total resources also reached a new peak with a figure of $1,051,064,222 for an increase of $40,870,890 above the correspond ing total of last beptember. The 89-office banking system has three new branches under construction. One will be adja cent to the Peninsula Center Shopping Center in North Port land. The other two are the Uni versity branch near the Univer sity of Oregon campus in Eug ene and the Standard Plaza in downtown Portland. Spanish Class Due To Start October 23 An evening Spanish class for those wishing to learn the lang uage or continue with the in struction of last year, is an nounced to start Tuesday even ing, October 23, in room 14 in the Heppner High school build ing. Instructor will be Mrs. Ray Williamson, who also taught an adult Spanish class last year. It will cover a series of six les sons, given on six consecutive weeks. Cost of the series is two dollars per student. Classes are scheduled for Tues day nights, October 23 and 30, and for the four Wednesday nights in November, between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. The first two weeks will be used as a refresher course for the advanced students. However, beginning students are also en couraged and asked to be present at the first meeting. Books will be available at the class. For further information con tact Mrs. Williamson or Mrs. Ray Smith. his feet on the floor mat, and not to move. This was enougli for Gordon. He turned around, went back to Hood River and stayed there. OUR FELLOW Oregonians who went through the storm have shown themselves to be cour ageous and resourceful in this emergency. As Governor Mark Hatfield put it in a release to the press Wednesday, "The de structive power of the elements could not match the constructive power of the will, initiative, neighborliness and determinat ion of our people." Metsker maps of Morrow county, $1.25, at the Gazette Times office. COMMUNITY BILLBOARD Coming Events LEGION MOVIES Saturday Night, 8:00 p.m. Legion Hall This week "Tarzan" Feature. Plus one-half hour cartoons. HOME FOOTBALL GAME Heppner High versus Pilot Rock High Friday night, 8:00 p.m. Heppner Rodeo Grounds Support the Mustang- MYF CAR WASH Saturday, October 20 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Methodist Church Corner Church and Gale Sts. Outside wash $1; Inside and Outside $1.50 WRANGLER BUCKBURGER FEED Saturday, October 20 6:30 p.m., Fair Pavilion Dinner, Awards, Prizes Drawing for Colt This space will be used each week to announce com ing events of a public service nature at no charge. SPONSORED AS A PUBLIC SERVICE BY C. A. RUGGLES Insurance Agency Heppner P. O. Box 611 PH. 676-9625
