Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1963)
i HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES. Thursday, February 28, 1963 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. WESLEY A. SHERMAN HELEN E. SHERMAN Editor and Publisher Associate Publisher NIWIPAril PUI1ISMIII 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. In Defense (From Sherman County Journal) Writers in cities have been having another round of noting the decline of small towns. Perhaps It would not bo amiss for a lifelong resident of a small town to have a turn. Small towns are declining in economic Importance because the roads are good enough and the incomes are good enough to permit residents of rural areas to go some place to trade if they want to. In the first years of this century it took a farmer probably on the average, about two hours to get to town and tie his team to the hitch rack. Today his grandson can get toj Portland In about that time and start looking for a parking place. In that halcyon day a farmer bought something when he went to town, which wasn't often. Most of the time he stayed home and worked, which has something to do with grandson's leisure. Small towns used to have available nearby everything need ed by the farm families, at least, all they could afford to buy. Today that isn't true, not so much because of the decline ofj small towns as the Increase in the wants of people and incomes to provide them. Small towns do a better job of catering to the wants they do fill than they ever did. Small town groceries have about all the facilities the big stores have, refrigeration and frozen food dispensers and dally deliveries of bread and milk (Grand pa would have scorned them). They also do a good job of handling the machinery for the farms, most of which is sold in small towns. The farmer Is closer to extras that way. Those who like to trade at a food store where canned rattlesnake and champagne are available will have to go to the big towns, but that, we think, is a restricted trade. The country doctor with his black bag and his wisdom is no more, medicine having exchanged the black bag for some glittering gadgetry and the wisdom for scientific impersonality. Country lawyers are fewer because law suits are fewer. Small towns as a social center are stronger than ever. Any one who lives in a rural area knows that there is something going on every night. There are grange meetings, school activ ities, lodge doings, committee meetings and social get togethers enough to keep a country family as occupied as any denizen of a big city. A farmer's Sunday suit doesn't expire from the attention of moths. Life in a small town is just as interesting as in a large, city. Residents know fewer people, but know them much better. Also they are known much better and, one's conduct must pass the inspection of the all-seeing eye of the public. If one wants to be a non conformist in the matter of conduct the city is the place for him. And if one is good, and decent, and honor able, and upright a small town will love and protect him and feed him when he Is sick and pay his hospital bill. There is no finer security than being a good citizen in a small town In America. Small towns may continue to decline in economic import ance; it may be harder to find a night club in them or a suit of clothes or a set of bedroom furniture. But It is easier to find a friend. Farra Joins Navy As Seaman Recruit James Allen Farra, son of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Farra, Hep jner, was sworn Into the U. S. Navy, at Portland, on February 25, in the rating of High School Seaman recruit. James attended Heppner high school and was graduated in May, 19C2. He made application for enlistment at the Pendleton recruiting station and was pro cessed for enlistment by Earl L. Cox, Navy recruiter. Shortly after receiving t h e oath, James left Portland for San Diego, Calif., where he will Attend Wedding Mr. and Mrs. Fred Parrish were in John Day on Saturday to attend the wedding of their nephew, William Fletcher of Pendleton, to Carolyn Allen, also of Pendleton. Mis. Fletcher's father is assessor of Grant coun ty. Also going with Mr. and Mrs. Parrish was her brother, Bill Huddleston of Pendleton. SPRING Is Just Around The Corner! LAWN FERTILIZER House Plant Food GARDEN SEEDS Cornett Green Feed Heppner, Oregon HEPPNER NATIONAL EDITORIAL undergo basic training for ap proximately 10 weeks. Upon completion of recruit training he will be granted two weeks leave prior to reporting to his first duty station. As a High School Seaman Re cruit, James will receive a Navy school in the field of his choice. TO THE EDITOR Dear Editors: Our subscription cheek enclos ed. We enjoy the Gazette very much. We must admit it does make us very homesick for Mor row County at times. There Is something about your area and its people that gets into the blood. We keep thinking how pretty the hills will be soon with spring flowers and meadow larks on every fence post. Don't be sur prised if you see us come driving in anyday to soak up some of that good old Eastern Oregon sun and let the wind blow the mildew out of our hair! You see, we really are homesick. Sincerely, Katherine & Erling Thompson McMinnville, Oregon SHADE TREES Dworf Fruit Trees HERE NOW PLANT WHILE DORMANT TO THE EDITOR . . . To the Editor: I should like to make some observations in regard to your article entitled, "Irrigon Petit ions Board; lone Re-Affirms stand," on the front page of your paper in the February 14, 1963 edition. In the ninth paragraph of your article you say: "Jack Hynd of Cecil started to read a prepared statement," etc. You failed to mention that the chairman of the school board asked if there were any remarks anyone cared to make on the subject. Jack Hynd rose, addressed the chair man, and stated that he had some remarks. The chairman acknowledged Mr. Hynd, and then he started to read his pre pared statement. Your article might leave some doubt as to whether Mr. Hynd was interrup ting the board, when in reality he actually had the chairman's acknowledgement, if not Mr. Martin's. In the tenth paragraph of your article you state (in reference to Mr. Martin's interruption,) "One person challenged Martin by declaring to him, "You're out of order.' " Unless there were two persons in the room who made similar comments, you have reported this incorrectly. I was sitting next to the person who made the statement, and his exact actions were to stand up and say, "Mr. Chairman, that man is out of order," and to point at Mr. Martin. If there were one person in the room dur ing the exchange between Mr. Martin and the audience who made a worthwhile statement according to all of the rules of order with which I am familiar, it was this man. I think that your article does not reflect this. I also noted that during this unseemly exchange the gavel of the chairman of the board was silent. I could not clearly see the desk at which the board was sitting from my position in the center of the rignt siae oi tne jury room since I did not stand ud durine the exchange. How ever, I noticed as I entered the room that you, Mr. Editor, were in a much better position to ob serve the board, being seated in the front, I think that if the gavel had been stolen during this exchange that you would be doing a public service to expose the culprit or culprits who spir ited it away. If this happened, the gavel must have been promptly, returned, for later in the meeting it could again be heard clearly in the rear of the room. In regard to the letters sub mitted to the board by the lone citizens I noted that the board acted swiftly to refer them to the budget committee and to enter them in the minutes without readine them. This was done hist after an intermission in such a quick manner, while people were still entering the room, that I could not near tne motion and I did not find oppor tunity to request a re-reading of that motion until some minutes later lust before the board re tired to the Judicial chambers to review teacher recommendat ion matters. As the secretary of an lone fraternal organization, I wrote one of those letters, and it was delivered to the board with the express intention that it be read into the minutes of that meet ing of February 11, 1963. I realize that the secretary of the board has read that particular letter upon entering it into the min utes, but I wonder it the mem bers of the board are familiar with its contents. Incidentally, li was not addressed to, nor did it mention anything about, the budget committee. In regard to the mimeograph ed, unsigned letter circulated to the lone Advisory Board mem bers under the heading, "Morrow County Schools," I interpret the contents to mean that the closing of the lone High school would result in a savings to the tax payers of Morrow county. Let me state that every publicized pro posal that the proponents of this school system nave maae, mat I have read, has contained words to the effect that they would save the taxpayers' money. If this system is efficient, then I think that the board and the superintendent's office wou 1 d have been able to absorb at least in part, the rising costs and increases in services in the add ed efficiency which they claim centralized control would pro duce. However, school budgets have taken drastic jumps during the several years of the County Unit system. We have had a low turnover of school directors and no change Therefore, I must believe that either the system is at fault, or the people who administer it, or a combination of both. 1 think that a full-scale investigation of the administration of the Mor row County school district is in order and that the investigation should be conducted by a dis interested agency who would have no connection with the National Education Association, the Oregon Education Associa tion, or the Oregon State Board of Education, or any of their allied agencies. The proponents of this system have had several years to prove its efficiency. If the system is efficient, well-run, is providing the best education available to all students in all schools at a cost that a good majority of the taxpayers of this county approve, then the people in charge would be quickly vin dicated. But, If waste is evident and equal education opportuni ties are not being provided to all students In all locations, it would be evident that a change would be desirable. In regard to any proposed closing of lone High school and the merging of its student body with the Heppner High school, I would be opposed to such a thing for these following reas ons. If the capacity figures of the new Heppner High school which I read were accurate, (250 student capacity) and Heppner's present enrollment is now at 200 students or over, such a merger would result in another building program immediately. Ione High school's enrollment is now over 50 and lone Advisory board Director Don Meialigott stated in the aforementioned meeting that the projected en rollment, based on present grade school enrollment, at lone High school in the next four years would make a high school enrollment of nearly 80 students. Incidentally, these figures do not include any hypothetical increase caused by the influx of students due to a Boeing project or any other similar project. Project the same rate of increase ratio for Heppner High school's present enrollment and the unfinished building would be woefully in adequate. I would be curious to know if the taxpayers of this county would be willing to pile another large amount of money on top of the hill where the present building is being built. Also, one would wonder what the cost would be of renovating the present lone High school for grade school purposes. In view of present rising building costs, I think it might well exceed the $130,000 which the school board condescended to spend to build it in the first place. The second reason I am not in favor of any such merger is that I am not confident in the future of the City of Heppner as a center of population. It is based on a lumber economy and there are many examples In Eastern Oregon of the purchases of small mills by corporations such as Georgia Pacific and Boise-Cascade and then the subsequent closing of these mills. If the Heppner sawmills close, I be lieve the county seat will be moved to a location in the north end of the county where the best possibilities for growth and pop ulation increase exist. When this occurs, the south portion of Mor row county would be left with one high school serving three towns of approximately the same size. But instead of the high school's being located in a geographical center, it would be on one end, in the most inaccess ible location of any school build ing in Morrow county. And that school can be reached on a bad secondary state highway that is likely to Be improved. My third reason is that if and when lone High school's enroll ment is waning there is a much greater possibility of there being a population center to the north that would be closer to most of the lone area than is Heppner, the roads leading to this popu lation center would be better, and that center would be based on something more solid than the lumber industry or any yet to be seen missile industry. That would be an area with which lone High school could merge much more satisfactorily. In conclusion I realize that the Morrow County School Board graciously moved, seconded and carried a motion to continue lone High school one more year. However, that motion did state "one more year," I am curious to know what their intentions will be at the end of that one year. Incidentally, my wife is an employee of the Morrow County Schools, and she and I are pre pared to suffer any consequences which might arise out of the statements contained in my let ter. Very truly yours, Gene Rietmann lone, Oregon 'Rcmtmkx GOOD BmlHwy ftMVit fnwsfovy JsWsjIs) ftfflBmnfc Smmm) IWllHIIW.ltli'lll Sl.bfc The Gazette - Times Chaff and Wes IF GLOOM could be sold, a good many Heppnerites would have been rich after the basketball game with Sherman county Tuesday night. Disappointment was keen in seeing the Mustangs go down to a 62-66 defeat at the hands of the Moro boys. With it went chances of Hepp ner's going to the state tourna ment at Coos Bay, this, of course, on the possibility of their beat. ing Vale for the district chamD- ionship. But now with the pressure off, and a couple days of wound licking having gone by, fans can point to a fine year with pride. The kids did a wonderful job this year and turned in one of the school's finest seasons with a record of 14-4. It can also be said that Heppner also defeated every team that defeated them. Sherman county was the only team to down them twice. The Mustangs lost to a very fine outfit. Sherman county shows poise, balance, and ac curate shooting. It is good to have a team of this caliber rep resent the western division of the Greater Oregon league, and we're sure that anyone from here who happened to be able to see them play Vale would be solidly behind Moro. It would be a great thing and a feather in Hepp ner's cap if they now could go all the way and take the state championship, but that is in deed pure speculation. We don't know how our team could have played any harder than they did at Condon. We Reserve the right to think that we might have had enough ex tra to win if Lee Padberg hadn't been ill. It is a tribute to his courage and determination that he played that game with a temperature of 102 degrees in a bout with the flu. We regret particularly that Lee didn't get the chance to perform in the state tournament this year. It hardly seems right in view of the fact that he was high prep scorer for any single game ( the last we've heard) with 44 against John Day. He has run up a high total for the season (statistics are not fully compiled yet) and has had some other fine nights. It isn't only his scoring though, it's his agility and never-say-die attitude that go along with his other basketball skills which make him a real player. Lee played a fine game against Con don, but think what he might have done if he had been up to par. But he has another season, and who knows? Might bring an other team along to a title. Coach Bob Cantonwine and all his players deserve high tribute. Dick Springer really came on $100 DOWN PAYMENT BUYS ANY New or Used At HEPPNER FORD Yes, a pencil and good BUSINESS FORMS mtan RELIABLE RECORDS Out of the targe variety of business formi that we handle you can chooM thoie that both speed up and In crease efficiency In your personal forms system. The completeness of our Dim assures you-a business form for every form for Complot Information RECORDS met GOOD Chatter Sherman strong in this one, as he did against Athena, and it's too bad that he doesn't have another year. Shan Applegate, another senior, player his heart out and nearly brought the game out of the fire. Two more seniors will be lost big rebounding John Porter and Fred Harnden, who came from Mitchell to add floor strength and spark to the team. LOCAL FARMERS who, like others, have been witnessing a period of declining income and higher costs, including taxes, should appreciate this story from the recent issue of Forest Log: "Ralph Yeafer says one of his farmer friends has been buying scads of claw hammers for a buck and a half and selling them for the same price. 'There's no profit in it,' admits his friend, 'but it beats farming.'" THE JIM CONWAY show, "Out door Sportsman," sponsored by the PTA Wednesday night was a dandy. The color presentation is twice as good as the program one sees on TV over KGW. There are some beautiful shots in the 2-hour show, and hunting and fishing sequences that really stir the outdoor sportsman, even though because of costs and dis tances, the actuality is out of reach of the ordinary guy. This picture drew a better crowd than the last PTA ven turethe magician show but it still deserved a better atten dance than actually turned out. Too much other competition, ap parently. DID YOU ever pause to listen to a conversation between a couple of old fishermen? The Wallowa Record last week print ed a little squib, "When Fisher men Meet": "Hiyamac." "Lobuddy." "Binearlbng." "Cuplours." "Ketchanenny?" "Bassencarp." "Ennysizetoom?" "Cuplapowns." "Hitinard?" "Sordalite." "Wahchoozin?" "Bobbawurms." "Fishanonaboddum?" "Rydonnaboddum." "Igoddago." "Tubad." "Seeyaroun." "Yeahtakideezy." "Guluk." IT'S KIND of interesting to think that spectators crowding into the gym at Condon, figured at AR together BUSINIIS '. cottons of rWe EusJnots., - 1 1100, nearly equalled the pop ulation of the town there. The highway between Heppner and Condon probably carried more traffic on the single night than It usually does in a week. Car lights going home over the curving and bobbing highway looked like a Dragon Dance on Chinese New Year's, with the lights weaving and twisting. It was a longer trip home than it was going over, but we're proud of our boys. IMPORTANCE of the hyphen in our English punctuation was brought out recently when omission of a hyphen in a form ula caused a huge missile to malfunction with a resultant loss of many millions of dollars. This week we had an illustra tion of how inclusion of a hyphen threatened to cause a little chaos, too, but fortunately we caught it in time. Darrel Reisch brought in a story about an economic survey conducted by lone high school students. It reported on their summer earnings, which ran sur prisingly high, and how they spent the money they earned. "Most often mentioned," said the typewritten report, "were clothes, cosmetics, books and magazines, car expense, candy, gifts, movies, dental and med ical, and to help with the family expenses." However, when Darrel typed the story, his righthand little finger apparently reached up be yond the "p" and hit the hyphen when he typed the word "help" so it came out like this: ". . . and to hel- with the family expenses." Well, there are undoubtedly some youngsters in some fam ilies who look at it that way, too! L. E. Bisbee, who has spent the past two months at Wald port, was a true harbinger of spring when he returned to Heppner Tuesday. He often spends the winter in Waldport to return in the spring, and this time his return was accompanied by bright sunshine. Coming Events LEGION MOVIES Friday, March 1, 8 p.m., "Dino," starring Sal Mineo. plus one-half hour cartoons. High School Music Concert Thursday, February 28, High school gym, 8 p.m. Public invited. Elks Pinochle Tournament Starts Friday, March 1, 7:30 p.m. Continues for six weeks. Elks club rooms. BENEFIT CARD PARTY Rhea Creek Extension Unit, Saturday, March 2. Grange hall, 7:30 p.m. SQUARE DANCING Saturday, March 2, 8 p.m., Fair pavilion building. All Squared-up Rounders come and bring a friend. PTA TALENT SHOW Plan now to participate. Var iety of talents needed. Fri day, March 15, 8 p.m. SPONSORED AS A PUBLIC SERVICE BY C. A. RUGGLES Insurance Agency P.'O. Box 247 PH. 676-9625 Heppner versatile toots of tfadmt ' .. COMMUNITY I J BILLBOARD ( I " i n i.0 mm ii'frJ I
