Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1962)
HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES, Thursday, November 1, 1962 Citizens Voice Opinions On General Election Ballot Issues To The Editor: The election controversy over the repeal of our reorganization laws would be amusing u it con cerned something other than education. Would repeal be a step backward? Continuing on our present merry way 01 con sohdation might make us a spoke in the Umatilla system. I suppose you could call this pro cress? We Americans pride ourselves on doing things in the democra tic manner and have found our selves in almost every field of endeavor to be in the number one position. The public schools deserve the credit but our pre sent reorganized schools can hardly share In this. I doubt if it is wise to have so much power in the hands of such a few peo pie. Facts bear out that we have passed our local control out of our hands. We have retained the right to vote on the budget and our tax money is still acceptable. Oh yes, we can elect our board of directors. How many directors have resigned because the pres sure on their business made it impossible to continue? How many good men have refused to ue a candidate Because 01 me time, expense and the unpopu larity which goes with a board membershiD? Are our present board members retaining a good relationship with their friends and neighbors? Morrow County has been hounded by law suits since its Inception. For instance Schools Vs. Lexington patrons, budget election failure (Note lone elec tion results), communities are up in arms (present Boardman Irrigon site squabble) and of course communities are divided among themselves ( He p p n e r school site). Also I recall a parent- student strike over on the river getting that group reorgan ized. The laymen and the pro's have spouted enough legal opinions and law since 1957 to do for the whole 50 states. Of course, these usually are uttered to fit a given situation or prove the orators point. Reorganization has awak ened a lot of people to the degree that they are expensive. As a native of Morrow County it distresses me to see things continue in the present vein at a time we should stand united. I hope the voters will remember that civil law can and does err and that moral law should al ways reign supreme. May the majority continue to rule with wisdom. Very truly yours, Charles O'Connor any authoritative decision or statement to support their posi tion. While the supporters maintain this measure would be more democratic, they fail to consider the fact that the passage of the measure would change the ad ministrative structure of Hood River county School District No. 1 and Morrow Count v School District No. 1, regardless of the wishes of the voters in tnese counties. Our reorganized school district has fostered the development of various improvements in educa tion In Morrow county, such as more economical op e r a ti o n ; greater variety of courses, remed ial reading program, retarded children's program, expanded counselling program, district wide testing program, more effi cient financing system, and many other improvements. Let's give our children the best education we can and think of them rather than our local pride. Very truly yours, Clarence Rosewall, Dr. Wallace Wolff, Homer Hughes, Kenneth Peck, Dr. L. D. Tibbies, Fr. C. Bruce Spencer. Dear Editor: We feel that repeal of the school reorganization act, pro posed in Initiative Measure No. 10, would be an expensive, con fusing and discordant step back ward for education In Oregon. While a great deal has been said as to this measure In returning local control to the schools, a close examination of the mea sure indicates that its passage would lead to chaos In our schools. The supporters of this measure have made numerous statements as to what will hap pen to Morrow county in the event this measure passes; how ever, they have never produced Long Distance Nation-Wlde Moving Service Mayflower Agents Padded Vans PENLAND BROS. TRANSFER CO. Pendleton, Oregon Phone CR 6-3111 To the Editor: I read your editorial a couple weeks aeo and vour comment on one of the letters to the editor of this past week. You believe we turn the clock back on edu cation if we vote for measure No. 10. You mention confused uncert ainty and inability to make edu cational advancements if we re vert to a county unit system. I do not agree with you in any way, shape, or form. It is against my better judge ment to support any law that would allow 10 people and the State (appointed) Board of Edu cation to move school units around like dominoes to suit their convenience. Mrs. Hintz gave you a good example in her letter. I would like to make it a little plainer if her explanation wasn't enough. Suppose 10 voters in lower Butter Creek of Morrow county decide it would be advantageous to merge with the Hermiston unit and thev succeeded in convin cing the Board of Education that they should merge, tor a various logical reasons. They would be merged. Then we would wake up some morning and find we had no voice, recourse, control, or opinion whatsoever. We could be attached to Pendleton or tne whole of Umatilla county, where the city of Pendleton alone has three times our whole county s voting power. Your representa tion would be nil. Adjustment for our facilities against theirs, buses, supplies, etc. would break the property owneis of Morrow county. The recent adjustment here at Lexington, shook us up a bit. I would like to know if you realized where the original re organization plans originated from? Why the NEA, the OEA, and School Administrators tried to snow ball this bill and suc ceeded In getting it into law? That all of Oregon has been resisting reorganization as of December 31, 1961 after four years of the law, out of 137 plans approved by the state, that only 32 plans have been approved by the voters, (several under the GO-40 provision re quired no vote as they did not get their petitions in on time.) 57 were rejected by the voters, and 46 were formed without a vote. The districts daily atten dance varied from 92.8 to 5,902.8 yes we could stop further re organization but we would have to petition and petition and petition. I would like to bring to your attention that Measure No. 10 was sponsored by four Senators and six representatives, plus several prominent and in telligent people, and the pet- To Our Friends In Morrow County ... Hob Chandler, our good friend and next door neighbor here in Bend, is a candidate for U.S. Representative from the Second District. We urge you to vote for him on November 15. We know Bob and his family very well. He is an exceptionally well-informed, courageous newspaperman, and he is the kind of forth right, honest congressman Eastern Oregon needs in Washington, D. C. He is a hard fighter who doesn't pull any punches. Congress will know there is an Eastern Oregon if Bob is "our man in Washington." (Pd. Adv., by Brad and Dagmar Fancher, Bend.) ition was filed with the approval of some odd 43,000 voters. Wouldn't this make you think something might be wrong with the reorganization law as it now stands. Ten members of the leg islature think so. The voters pamphlet is misleading in their statements and the basic issue is carefully ignored. I also was not surprised to note that one of Morrow county's local school board members is on the other side of the fence and signed as a sponsor of the argument in opposition. I do not wish to exchange my right to a ballot and a vote for a right to petition. Under the present law there is no restriction on how many times a new plan can be pro posed, nor any restriction to size. Don't say it can't happen here because Eastern Oregon could be tacked onto Portland and no representation would result. I be lieve we are seeking some rep resentation in Measure No. 9. As for confusion and uncert ainty if we adopt Measure No. 10, how can there be more than we now have? I might remind you that our School Board re cently finished selling the need for a building program for a stipulated sum, the money to do and complete the proposed plan, and then we learn the new that this, that and a whale of a lot of something else is to be excluded and not be there. They intend to pick up the loose ends on the next go around. Just a few more mills, is this un certainty? Is it confusion at the north end of Morrow county when we pit Boardman against Irrigon? Is it confusion if we should put lone High into the new school building at Hopp ner? I believe it is. Repeal could bring better edu cation benefits. Certainly the money and efforts now spent in fighting this measure and the yearly appropriation of $70,000 to enforce the reorganization law would go a long way towards betterment. Problems of schools and units could be considered on their merits without hover ing under a shadow of continued forced centralization. I have one son in the service, one daughter in High school, a daughter, and a son in grade school. I expect them to obtain the best education possible, cost be high but not excessive, but I intend to reserve the right to vote, criticize and require a def inite dollar value for a dollar spent. Ellwynne Peck, Lexington To the Editor: Many persons have asked us for an example showing the need for the degree of local rep resentation which will be assur ed by the passage of ballot measure number 9 for legisla tive apportionment. Thr o u g h your newspaper I'd like to give such an example. First, do officers of labor or ganizations, headquartered as they are in Portland, truly rep resent their members in upstate communities? Their recommen dations are often contrary to the best interest of their members in small communities. But does this mean that all union members will be best served? As one of 350 growers oper ating a cannery in Hood River that processes 25 of Oregon's Bartlett pears each year, I am interested in marketing our fruit profitably and in doing so pro viding hundreds of jobs for lo cal people. But here's what is happening. Returns from Bart letts for four consecutive years have been less than that paid by California based canners. We cannot meet their kind of competition because we don't have the diversity of pack. When they lose on Bartletts, and they do, they are able to absorb that loss by making it up on some other line outside of pears. We only pack a few apples and by-products, so our loss Is direct. Impatient with a continuing loss operation, can we continue indefinitely? The answer is ob vious. Should we cease operat ing, a local payroll of $600,000 annually will be lost! Will the "labor bosses" think of a situation like this when asking the Legislature to in crease unemployment compensa tion benefits? They've never done so and it is highly un likely in the future. That's why working men and women in We Will Deliver Your Processed Meat SSL J jCl Of Charge WyM Heppner, Lexington lone, WHOLESALE MEATS CUSTOM SLAUGHTERING SCHEDULE: Hogs Tuesday Cattle Wed., Thurs. Sheep Anv Day Folletr Meat Co. Hermiston, Oregon Ph. JO 7-6651 On Hermiston-McNary Highway Hood River need a local repre sentative in the Legislature. Our people are no different than people anywhere else. They are interested in employment, not unemployment compensa tion. A further increase might well be the straw that breaks this camel's back. This example undoubte d 1 y exists in many communities throughout the state. Ballot Measure No. 9 will es tablish a degree of local rep resentation that will consider fac tors, including the diverse in terests that exist between "big labor" and local labor. Working men and women, un ion or non-union, will best be served by voting "Yes" for Measure No. 9. Sincerely, George Annala, Secretary Mr. and Mrs. Jim Lewis, Mad ras, were week-end guests of Mr. and Mrs. Cal Sumner. The men enjoyed an elk hunting trip. Scotty Applegate and son, Steve, Hood River, were Saturday night houseguests of Scotty's uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln Nash. Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Jensen, Bend, visited his sister and fam ily, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Palmer, lone, Sunday and spent Monday with his parents, Mr. andMrs. Lincoln Nash. mm cry - Warn nrrnn.H'.Ma Pld Ad, by CITIZENS COMMITTEE FOR REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT Lon Slln.r, TrMi., 1024 3.W. 0th Avt Portland Vote Rifllti VOTE REPUBLICAN B06C MARK HATFIELD for Governor Your Governor has made an excellent record during his first term in office and deserves re-election. SIG UNANDER for Senator "Oregonians who want effective representation of their interests in Washington, who want a senator who will have ; f;'iH.1 f". ,resPect of his colleagues, who want a senator who will be tough on the issue of world peace, should cast their votes for Sig Unander." (The Oregonian, October 28, 1962) HANDLER for Congress 3,1htin,TofE?n,'r0rcROP1aj5?amomentto consid(r t"e two candidates for our Congressional seat on ,i VJ ,cn(Lup wh Bob Chandler as the best long range investment in good representation and good government. (C. Allen Tom, The Dalles, President Oregon Wheat Growers League) am 1'',gist-0,'e(1 ,J?(0C1'at and don't like Socialism. I am voting for Bob Chandler." (Pat Cecil, Burns, Oregon. Retired Appraiser, Northwest Production Credit Association.) , ' ",CBU"- PAT BLAIR For Labor Commissioner Fair and impartial arbitration of all labor matters, regardless of political party. GAYL0RD MADISON For State Representative Will work for the Interests of our district, make every tax dollar count, and will not be taking orders from the Portland Labor Temple. HERMAN WINTER For District Attorney Herman's name will not be on the ballot. Please write in the name of this fine young Republican, then mark "X" before it. ROD THOMSON FOR COUNTY ASSESSOR Always on the job to serve all the people of Morrow county. GENE FERGUSON FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER In the best interest of the taxpayer. GAR SWANSON FOR PORT COMMISSIONER Who will protect the interests of Morrow county. E. F. HIIGEL OF BOARDMAN FOR PORT COMMISSIONER Write in the name of this candidate for the Tort Commission and be sure to mark "X" in front of his name Con servative, wants to protect interests of sports fishing. J. O. HAGER FOR JUSTICE OF THE PEACE Absolutely fair and impartial justice to all, regardless of party. This advertisement paid for by the Morrow County Republican Central Comm Don Turner, Chairman
