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.
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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