U OF 0
EUGENE, ORE.
Irrigon-Umafilla
School Merge Eyed
Seven Irrieon residents, in
eluding Harvey Warner, a direc
tor of Morrow County School
district R-l, appeared before the
State Board of Education and
Dr. Leon Minear. state suDer-
intendent in Salem Wednesday
to recommend that an admin
istrative school district be es
tablished to include Umatilla
Irrigon and Boardman.
Also at the meeting were Supt
Robert Van Houte of the Morrow
county district; Darrel Reisch,
director of special services; and
uirector Fred Martin.
Mrs. LaVelle Partlow of Irri
gon acted as spokesman for the
irrigon group and Warner pre
sented a statement from the cit
izens. Others included were Mr.
and Mrs. Warren McCoy, How
ard Gollyhorn, Mrs. Ernest Jorg
enson, and Lee, Gustafson.
Warner said, "At the present
time Umatilla and Irrigon are
very mueh in favor of consoli
dation, but unless this is done
very soon, the Morrow County
School board will be calling for
bids for a building at Board
man." Director Warner had present
ed the matter at the school
bo'ird meeting in Heppner Mon
day night, and the board dis
cussed it. The three Van Houte,
Reisch and Martin were assign
ed to attend the meeting in Sa
lem with the Irrigon delegation.
Irrigon sometime ago proposed
a merger with Umatilla for con
sideration, Some of the residents
there have expressed displeasure
with the school board's decision
to relocate Riverside high school
in the Boardman area. It is pres
ently located in Boardman.
Warner's statement said, "We
believe this decision is in con
flict with the State Department
of Education and contrary to the
recommendations of consulting
engineers and the State Depart
ment of Planning and Develop
ment." He said that a consolidation
of Boardman, Umatilla and Irri
gon would result in a high
school of 220. Riverside presently
has 75, of which 45 come from
the Irrigon area and 30 from the
Boardman area. Umatilla has 145
students.
Dr. Minear extended the pro
posal farther when he suggested
that the area consider combin
ing those proposed by Irrigon
residents together with Echo and
Stanfield to join Hermiston,
forming one administrative dis
trict of the whole group. He said
that he was interested in the
reorganization of the area and
would send members of his staff
to assist.
Van Houte said that he would
meet with Ken Stanhope, Uma
tilla county superintendent, to
arrange for a meeting with the
Umatilla Rural school board to
consider the matter.
Should such a district be form
ed, including the five towns to
.loin with Hermiston, Hermiston
high school enrollment would
climb to about 850, roughly
equivalent to Pendleton high
school, although Pendleton also
has a, junior high school.
Formal proposal towards such
a district would have to be in
itiated by petitions to be filed
with the Umatilla Rural School
board and the Morrow County
School board from those seeking
the district. If the boards singly
approved, they would then prob
ably meet jointly and, upon
agreement, would submit the
plan to the State Board for .ap
proval. When this was accom
plished, notices would be given,
and if no remonstrance came
from any of the districts involv
ed, the consolidation would be
effected.
However, an election would
have to be held in any district
where a remonstrance is issued
and any district voting against
the proposal would be omitted.
Van Houte said that he dis
cussed the matter with Stan
Speaker 'Dispels Myth'
At Farm-City Dinner
Stimulated by the lively wit
ticisms of Bill Barratt as master
of ceremonies, 84 persons enjoy
ed the annual Farm-City ban
quet at the Lexington Grange
hall Tuesday night, sponsored
jointly by the Heppner-Morrow
County Chamber of Commerce
and by supervisors of the Hep
pner Soil Conservation district.
They heard J. H. Southworth,
assistant director of livestock
industries, State Department of
Agriculture, in his words "dispel
a myth" that "farmers are slav
ing away for nothing out of the
magnanimity of their hearts."
He declared, "Farmers and
ranchers are farmers and ranch
ers because they want to be."
He pointed out ttiree areas
where he felt that farm and city
people could work cooperatively:
1. In the area of soil and water
conservation. 2. In the area of
recreation. 3- In stability of mar
kets and stability of production.
Barratt had sounded the key
for the guest's address when he
said in opening remarks that
"even when things are bad in
Morrow county, they are fairly
good." Later Barratt said face
tiously, "There is the farmer's
side, the businessman's side, and
the truth."
The master of ceremonies call
ed upon Raymond French, chair
man of the board of supervisors
of the Soil Conservation district
hope early Thursday, and the
latter said that Umatilla s mas
ter plan called for consolidation
of Echo, Stanfield, Umatilla and
Hermiston.
The Morrow superintendent
stated the opinion that the State
Board would not favor any re
organization move that would
not fit in with the Umatilla
county plan; in other words, that
Irrieon and Umatilla could not
form a district alone but would
need to become a part of the
larger district.
Board Renews
Contracts; Acts
On Other Matters
Contracts of four administra
tors were renewed for one year
at the regular meeting of the
directors of Morrow county
school district R-l .Monday night.
Included are Ron Daniels, prin
cipal at Riverside high; Gene
Harryman, principal of lone ele
mentary school; Gene Harryman,
principal at lone high; and Dar
rel Reisch, director of special
services. Other administrators
previously qualified for three-
year contracts and are not up
for renewal.
The board considered a num
ber of other matters at the meet
ing. Acting on a letter from the
City of Heppner, they discussed
the matter of drainage and im
provements to the extension of
Morgan street near the new
Heppner-Lexington high school.
ihe city council at a recent
meeting had brought up the
matter and councilmen express
ed the feeling that it was the
school board's responsibility to
provide for drainage.
School dircetors, however, ex
pressed some doubt as to the ex
tent of their responsibility on
the matter. A committee was
appointed by Chairman Dick
Wilkinson, including Mrs. Esther
Anderson, Ed Dick, Robert Van
Houte, supt. of schools, and him
self to investigate the matter.
Van Houte was asked to arrange
a meeting with the city, county
and school committee partici
pating to determine the respon
sibility of each.
Marcel Jones presented a re
quest from the PTA asking per
mission to flood the Heppner
tennis courts for use in ice skat
ing in cold weather. The board
approved using tennis courts
throughout the district for this
purpose provided that advisory j
boards also approve.
Further discussion centered on
the district's policy in regard
to married students and their
participation in school activities.
There was some disagreement
among the directors on the mat
ter, particularly over a " portion
of the policy that left a final
decision on participation to the
school administrators. It was de
cided that the administrator
would be polled before the next
meeting to determine their feel
ings on the matter.
A request to run an activity
bus on the Butter Creek run,
which would provide for 7 to
11 students taking part in extra
curricular activities, was approv
ed, subject to funds available.
This was in accordance with an
earlier policy set by the board.
Good progress was reported on
the construction of the Heppner
Lexington High school building.
At the time of the meeting all
of the new structure was under
roof with one layer of paper ex
cept for the gym and rough walls
were up on most of the building,
which will make it passible for
the contractor to continue in
side work through the colder
and more inclement part of the
winter.
to introduce other supervisors
and those connected with the
district. Among them were Ray
Lundell, Ken Turner, Bob Jepsen,
Ralph Richards and Nels Ander
son, and their wives that were
present. Richards was chairman
of arrangements for the banquet.
French presented a gift from
the supervisors to Mr. and Mrs.
Elmer Palmer and Mr. and Mrs.
Roger Palmer. The father
and son were chosen Morrow
county's Conservation Men of the
Year for 1962.
Fred Gimbel, president of the
Chamber of Commerce, gave a
brief talk of welcome to the
crowd, and later introduced his
officers.
Leaders of various farm organ
izations of the county who were
present were introduced by Bar
ratt. Pastor Ken Robinson of
Valby and Hope Luth e r a n
churches delivered the invoca
tion, asking that all remember
that they have "dominion" over
their lands and properties and
do not have "possession."
The banquet, with turkey as
the main entree, was prepared
and served by the women of the
grange, and the hearty applause
given to them testified to the
crowd's appreciation of it. Group
singing concluded the enjoyable
evening after the group had ad-
(Continued on Page 6)
79th Year
ggSC- miMtezWg"0"
THE HEPPNER
GAZETTE-TIMES
Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, December 13,
3
k 1 i
' ,T
s M- V.
DICK RTJHL
Ruhls Take Jet
With OSU Team
For Liberty Bowl
Residents of Morrow county
are more than casually interest
ed in the Liberty Bowl game in
which Oregon University football
team will play Villanova Satur
day in Philadelphia, Pa., because
one of its own, Dick Ruhl, son of
Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Ruhl of Lex
ington, will take part in the con
test with the Beavers.
Dick and his wife, Suzv.
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clint,
McQuarrie of Heppner, boarded
the jet plane for the east in Port
land Wednesday night to em
bark on the experience that they
looked upon with the greatest of
anticipation. It climaxes a won
derful season for Dick in his
first year as a back for OSU.
He has felt it a ereat honor to
have had the privilege to work
in the backtield with the incom
parable Terry Baker, who is now
receiving the highest honors that
can be accorded a college foot
ball player. Dick, according to
Mr. and Mrs. McQuarrie who
visited the Ruhls Monday night
and Tuesday, has enjoyed the
season immensely and is grate
ful that he was under the influ
ence of a player of the magni
tude of Terry Baker and that he
became so well acquainted with
him.
The young Mrs. Ruhl is one of
six wives who are traveling with
the team and will have all the
inside thrills of being with the
OSU contingent.
The McQuarries brought the
Ruhls' infant daughter, Dana
Marie, home to stay with them
until the football player and his
wife return from the Liberty
Bowl trip. After the game Satur
day, the Ruhls, with the rest of
the OSU group, will be honored
at a big banquet in Philadelphia
and then will take a side trip to
New York. The young couple ex
pects to arrive in Heppner Tues
day and will spend the rest of
Christmas vacation here. In
Philadelphia, they will stay in
the Sheraton hotel and in New
York they will be at the Astor.
The game will be televised
and will be seen here at 10 a. m.
over KGW-TV. Members of the
family, like other fans in the
community, will be strictly un
available for interruption during
the time the game is in progress.
Ruhl has had a highly success
ful season with the Beavers and
has contributed his share in
their fine record that resulted in
the Liberty Bowl invitation.
The Beavers are pre - game
favorites over Villanova, but the
eastern team far outweighs the
Staters. It was reported that des
pite the cold wave hitting the
east, prospects are for a drv
field Saturday. If this is true,
it would seem to be in favor of
the Oregonians. '
Elks Building
Moving Forward
Progress of the Elks building
towards planned completion next
week is on schedule, Glen Ward
of the lodge said Wednesday
night. Painters are now work
ing in the club and lodge rooms
and it is expected that the ren
ovated quarters will be ready by
the time of the Lodge's Christ
mas party and dance, Satur
day, December 22.
Flooring is yet to be laid in
the lodge room, finishing work
needs to be done in the kitchen,
and considerable other work is
yet to be accomplished, but it
appears that the contractors will
have just time enough to get
the work done.
School Christmas Programs
Due Tuesday, Wednesday
Christmas programs by ele
mentary and high school music
departments in the Heppner and
Lexington schools will be pre
sented to the public next week
on three successive nights.
First of the holiday programs
will be the grade school band
and chorus in conceit and pag
cant beginning at 7:30 Tuesday
evening, December lh, in the
multipurpose room, under the
direction of Arnold Melby and
Mrs. Ola Mae Groshens. Martha
Santa Coming Back;
Kids Enjoy Show
Old Santa Claus will be back
in Heppner Saturday to greet
kids in the downtown area,
and it is suspected that he
will have treats for all who
visit with him.
Mike Whitesmith, chairman
of the Chamber of Commerce
Christmas emphasis this year,
said that he understands Santa
will arrive about 11 a.m. and
will visit through the business
section until about 5 p.m.
A total of 270 youngsters
jammed into the American
Legion hall Saturday to see
the free movie sponsored for
the holiday season by the
Chamber and the Elks lodge
with the cooperation of the
Legion. Glen Ward said that
somehow they found seating
places for all of them, and they
seemed to thoroughly enjoy
the colored movie, as well as
the two cartoons.
O'Donnell Heads
Scout Fund Drive
Harry O'Donnell has been
named chairman of the Boy
Scout fund campaign for this
area and met with other interest
ed leaders at a kickoff meeting
Monday evening,
Mr. O'Donnell stated that the
funds received in the drive
would be used by the Blue Mt.
Council for continued service to
the Heppner area by the District
Scout Executive, Don Wike, and
through varied services of the
council service center.
It was also stated that plans
are now being made to develop a
second troop here and also an
Explorer Post for high school age
young men.
Mr. O'Donnell urged public
support of this campaign in
order to Insure more and better
scouting for children in this
area.
IONE'S CARDINALS open their 1962-63 regular basketball season with games at home against
Arlington Friday night and Weston Saturday night Shown with Coach Glenn Biehl (kneeling
right) are (back row, from left), Gary Morgan, Bill Klinger, Marv Padberg, Jim Martin, Ron
Crabtree, Rollie Ekstrom, Les Madden. Bill Akers, and (kneeling front, from left) Ken Klinger,
Steve Lindstrom and Tom Heimbigner. (G-T Photo)
Teams Face Week-end Games
Both southern Morrow county
high school basketball teams,
lone and Heppner, have tasted
nothing but victory in the young
hoop season to date, the Mus
tangs with three triumphs and
the Cards with a win in the
West End B jamboree. But each
will have two challenges in the
upcoming week.
Ione's five entertains twice at
home on the week-end, playing
host to non-league Arlington
Friday night and then jumping
smack inio its league schedule
against Weston at lone Satur
day night.
Number 41
1962
10 Cents
Peck will be heard in an alto
saxaphone solo, "Holy City." The
band will play the familiar
"White Christmas," "Santa Claus
is Coming to Town," "Winter
Wonderland," and "The Christ
mas Suite."
Immediately following, vocal
students will be heard in a
Christmas pageant, "Prince of
Peace." A verse choir will nar
rate, through song and scriptur
al readings, the story of the birth
of Christ, as told in the book of
Luke. On the stage, after the
processional, will be pantomined
seven Biblical scenes, from the
vision of Mary and the angel to
the traditional manager and na
tivity scene. Students from
grades five through eight will be
dressed in costume and several
soloists will be featured.
Assisting Mrs. Groshens with
costumes and special stage ar
rangements are Mrs. Lois Kirk,
Mrs. Lena Kelley, Mrs. Inez Er-
win, Mrs. Inez Meador, Don
Clark, Tom Hughes and Mrs.
Frieda Slocum.
The following night, Wednes
day, December 19, the classical
and semi-classical music concert
by the high school band and
chorus will be presented in the
gymnasium, at 8:00 p.m., under
the direction of Mr. Melby.
boioists will include Tamara
Smith on the flute in Schubert's
Ave Maria," a piano solo by
Marti Dixon, "Christmas Rhap
sody," and a vocal solo by Spen
cer Sampson, "What Child is
This?" A girls trio, Sherron
Bunch, Shirley Carlson and Pam
Cochell, will sing the carol,
"While Shepherds Watch." Band
and chorus will be heard in fav
orite Christmas numbers, closing
with a finale by band, faculty
and students uniting in Handel's
"Hallelujah Chorus," from the
Messiah.
Parents of the children in the
four elementary grades in the
Lexington school will be offered
"Christmas Present in Song,"
on Thursday evening, December
aj, cm p. m. in the Lexington
school auditorium, under the
direction of Mrs. Groshens. The
program, in seven parts, will
feature characters and singers,
in costume, in a musical revue
of favorite Christmas songs.
Acting as master of ceremonies
will be Charles Pointer, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Don Pointer, with
special parts being taken by
Greg Davidson, Luke Padberg,
Barry Munkers, June Ledbetter,
Marlene Smith, Becky Doherty,
George Steagall and Victor
Klinger.
Assisting the director are
teachers, Cleo Robinson, Donalda
Knighton, Fordyce Hills and
Lorena Jones.
No admission will be charged
for any of the programs.
Heppner, riding the three
game winning streak, will go
to Pilot Rock Friday night for a
non-league affair, although Pilot
Rock will furnish league oppo
sition later. On Tuesday, the
Mustangs will be back on the
road for a game at Stanfield.
This will be the end of their
action until they play hosts at
a return game for Stanfield here
on Saturday night, December 29,
in a holiday encounter.
The Mustangs, on paper, loom
as favorites in each of their con
tests. Their big worries come
arm Reappraisal
reement Made
Irm
State of Oregon and Morrow
county at a meeting Wednes
day night, December 5, agreed to
share costs of a farm reappraisal
program in the county, each
paying 50 of the cost. Judge
Uscar Peterson and Commission
ers E. O. (Gene) Ferguson and
Milton Biegel signed for the
county and Charles Mack, chair
man of the State Tax Commis
sion, signed for the state. It was
approved by Assessor Oliver
Croswick.
The appraisal of farm property
is scheduled to start here as soon
as Bill Johnson, appraiser, com
pletes reappraisal of urban prop
erty. He said Thursday that he
expects this to be done about
April 1. When a reappraisal of
farm property is concluded in
Umatilla county, some help will
come from there to assist with
the job.
It is expected that the county s
share of the cost will approxi
mate $25,000, which includes
Johnson's salary, and it is plan-
Irrigon School
Dedication Set
Dedication of the new addit
ion to the A. C. Houghton ele
mentary school at Irrigon will
be tonight (Thursday) at 8 p.m.
with dedicatory address by Ew
aid Turner, Pendleton, past pres
ident of the National Educa
tion Association.
Others on the program include
Don Adams, mayor of Irrigon,
Joe Tatone, mayor of Boardman,
Dick Wilkinson, chairman of the
county school board, and Robert
Van Houte, superintendent of
schools.
Don Olmscheid, principal of
the school, will introduce guests
and Mike Partlow, president of
the student body, will present a
picture of A. ,C. Houghton, for
whom the school was named.
Roy Bechtel of Bechtol Bros. Con
struction Co., contractors, will al
so give a few remarks.
Combined bands of A. C.
Houghton school and Riverside
high schol will play and Rev.
J. A. Kenney will give invocation
and Rev. G. A. Hash will pro
nounce the benediction.
The addition provides a multi
purpose room, library and class
rooms to the school.
Lexington Light
Contest Planned
Deadline for entries in the
Lexington Christmas light i n g
contest, sponsored by the I'TA,
will be Saturday evening, Dec
ember 22, Mrs. John Ledbetter,
chairman, announces.
The contest is open to both
town and country entrants and
pnzes will be given from funds
solicited for the purpose. En
trants .should register at Gene's
Chevron Service Station, and
more information may be ob
tained from Mrs. Ledbetter.
with the opening of the league
season at Moro with Sherman
county on January 11.
Coach Glenn Biehl says that
he knows little of the Arlington
team and does not know what
to expect Friday night. Against
Weston Saturday night, he
knows that his team will have
a tough battle.
"They are always tough." he
said. "Coach Don Roberts is
shrewd. He does a real good job.
Even if he had all freshmen he
would develop a' team in con
tention before the end of the
season."
ned to spread this over three
years' budgets, beginning with
the 1963-64 fiscal year.
At least two years will be
required to complete the job,
but the staff hopes to have the
reappraisal completed in time
to go on the 1964-65 tax roll.
However, it may not be finished
until 1965-66.
Some 100 persons, most of
them Interested farmers, were
present at the 2 -hour meeting
in the courthouse last Wednes
day night to discuss the reap
praisal program and hear an out
line of procedure.
Mack pointed out that Morrow
county had not had a reapprais-
al every six years as required
by law and .said that the state
would assist with the program
now, but if the work were not
started there is a possibility that
the Tax Commission would
"have to act."
Many farmers participated In
the discussion, including Orville
Cutsforth, Herb and Jack Hynd,
Norman Nelson, Frank Anderson
and others. Some expressed the
fear that taxes would go up as
result of the reappraisal pro
gram.
However, Assessor Oliver Cros
wick stressed that it is not val
uation which Increases taxes but
the addition of more services in
budgets.
I would suggest that farmers
participate in budget hearings
and show more interest in how
their tax dollar is being spent,"
he said. Reappraisal is expec
ted to equalize the tax load in
the county for the first time,
Creswick said. His prediction Is
that the tax levy will be re
duced about seven mills as a
result of reappraisal on the basis
of the current tax load.
Robyn Godwin, superintedent
of appraisal for the tax com
mission, discussed three ap
proaches used to arrive at the,
true value of property for assess
ment purposes: Market, cost and
income. The first market is
the easiest to apply to this type
of property, he said.
Mack declared during the
course of the evening that he
favored the setting up of a non
partisan committee on a perm
anent basis to study taxes in
the state of Oregon.
The committee could study the
tax structure and determine if
the burden is unfair to any par
ticular group. If taxes are un
fair to any group, something
could then be done about it, he
suggested.
Mack said he had long advo
cated an overhaul of the tax
system in the state and had
made the request to the tax com
mittee of the House of Repre
sentatives at the last legislative
session. He believes that the re
quest will result in a favorable
report to create such a comnftl
tce. Purposes of reappraisal is to
determine the true market value,
Mack declared. The new state
law requiring a 25 percent ratio
must be based on true cash
value for the property tax load
to fall equally on property own
ers.
Navy, State Talk
On Range Terms
Sam Mallicoat, director of the
State Department of Planning
and Development, together with
Rupert Kennedy, met with U. S.
Navy officials in Seattle, Wn,,
Wednesday to work on price
negotiations between the state
and Navy on the bomb range
lands that tne JNavy wilt deed
to the state, Judge Oscar Peter
son said.
The judge and Assessor Oliver
Creswick were asked to attend
the meeting to help work with
the price negotiations, and they
Intended to fly from Pasco, Wn.,
to meet Mallicoat and Kennedy
at the Seattle airport.
However, when they reached
Pasco they learned that their
plane was fogbound in Salt Lake
City, and they were grounded.
The two drove home via Walla
Walla to visit the Corps of Army
Engineers.
The judge said that the Navy
expects to be completely moved
to the eastern part of the range
within about a week. The county
built a road recently through ar
rangements with tne Navy to
facilitate the move.
Lighting Contest
Entries Lagging
Only two entries have been
received in each of three div
isions of the annual Heppner
Christmas lighting contest.
Sixty dollars in prizes are of
fered in the contest, split be
tween outdoor residential, in
door residential and business
windows.
Business entries have until
Saturday at 5 p.m. to register
at the Gazette-Times, and res
idential entries have until Sat
urday at 5 p.m. to register at
the Gazette-Times, and resi
dential entries have until Sat
urday, Dec. 22, at 5 p.m. to
register. The event is sponsored
by the Heppner-Morrow Coun
ty Chamber of Commerce with
an anonymous donor giving
the prizes.
Registrations may be made
by telephone (670-9228). Mrs.
Arnold Melby is chairman of
the contest.