Page 2, THE GAZETTE-TIMES, Heppner. OR, Thursday, Jan. 1, 1978 i fJsyor offfsnfmsn Horse sense f ERNEST V. JOINER J Ml 8: For Years I have been making predictions of what each new year will bring, at home and around the world. It's interesting fun, except when they come true! Here are my predictions for 1976, done without tongue in cheek. The Environmental Protection agency will continue to be the nation's biggest policeman in 1976. One unusual target will be the locomotive. EPA, with concurrence of many people, will sue to force locomotives to operate more quietly no more whistle tooting, bell banging, or clickety-clack-clickety-clacking on the rails and my, aren't we getting touchy! . . . One of the biggest booms in 1976 will be the return of the trolley to American streets . . . The Church of Scientology, which has filed a $40 million damage suit against Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and the U.S. State Department for infringing its right to enjoy the free exercise of religion without government interference, wiH be dismissed. Henry Kissinger will fall from grace as Secretary of State, and leave office . . . New York's fiscal problems will be repeated in a dozen U.S. cities, and all for the same reason graft, corruption, wild spending sprees . . . Americans will lose even more faith in their government leaders, with more and more of them refusing to trust their savings to government bonds . . . There will be civil war in Spain and Portugal. . . The price of gold will rise sharply over the next six months and hit $350 an ounce in 1978 . . . Offshore oil drilling will continue on East and West Coasts despite environmentalist objection . . . The consumer-environmental kick we've been on for far too long will go into a sharp decline . . . President Sadat will be dead by the end of 1977, either by heart attack or assassination . . . Look for a new Arab-Israeli War, which will be won by Israel at a high cost . . . Russia, already the No. 1 military power will make a military grab for power outside Russia, of course ... Terrorists activities will hit the -U.S. Political terrorists will high-jack an atomic weapon and threaten to annihilate an American city; and their demands will be met . . . Labor unions will strengthen their hold on political and economic fronts, fueling inflation and placing the U.S. in the position England enjoys, with labor-dominated government . . . Italy will go communist. 20 years ago I wrote a column for another publication, predicting what is happening in Africa today. While it earned me no honors as a prognosticator, it did show I could be right now and then! After reading it, just think how things are gng to b n 1976 if the same degree of accuracy is obtained in my predictions for the New Year ! If I'm wrong on as many' " as 30 per cent of the 1976 predictions, the drinks are on me. Here's how that item went: Ever since I was old enough to draw scowls of disapproval for refusing to contribute money to support the "conversion" of those African heathens to Christianity and capitalism, I sensed, without knowing exactly where Africa is, that a - crime was being commuted by trying to force a carefree, " happy people into the niold of the western man. Thousands of ' religious, commercial, and governmental missionaries have . swarmed over Africa like locusts to bring the blessings of brassieres, refrigerators, time payment plans, hymnbooks, taxation systems, pasteurized milk, and Christian morals to a people who needed and wanted these refinements like they needed and wanted a second head. This country refused to tolerate anywhere in the world the peaceful existence of a people who got along well with their centuries-old gods; who refused to buy more than they could pay for; who had no neuroses, psychoses, or frustrations that couldn't be cured with a night raid on some tribal village; and who found it a hilarious suggestion that they could find peace and happiness by laboring 12 hours a day in the foul bowels of the White Bwana's copper mines for considerably less than the wage paid by missionaries for copper workers in the West. The results of a hundred years of unwanted and uninvited mission work among the Africans are spread over the front pages of the world's newspapers. Robbed of their way of life; cheated by their religion, customs, morals, pleasures, habits, dress, speech, purpose and identity they stand today a product of the western world, an angry, ignorant, rioting, warring, brawling and brutal mob without purpose or direction. Along with the brassieres and refrigerators, they also received from us our same ambitions, greeds, cunning, boredom and discontent. The Missionary's chickens are home to roost. In London, Mrs. Elspeth Huxley, a British government commissioner studying Africa, reports only 2 alternatives for the black people One is a return to tribal factions: the other is to turn to a strong dictator. In either case there will be bloodshed, because the Africans are bored stiff with the artificial peace that the western democracies has hung over everything. Here are the words of Mrs. Huxley: We've taken away all their amusements. All the enjoyable orgies and tribal customs that were very gay have mostly faded out. Also the inter -tribal wars, which were so exciting for the young men. These didn't kill thousands of people only perhaps a few were killed but the tribal warfare and cattle raiding gave the young men a purpose in life. With a system like that, we want to improve on it? Story of Famed Indian Leader . . . Retold as TV Special www 0&rt .... The mail pouch EDITOR: EDITOR: The arruuinf ttory of Chief Joseph, great leader of the Net ft ret Indian Wlbe. will te shown wain to Uievlilon audleneaa Friday evening. Jan. 9, from f to 11 o'clock (ED over Ux ABC TV network. , Hoping that many Heppner people have read about the LAPP Project. I'd like to tell why Pauline Miller and I began it. We are concerned because many of our children do not read as well as they should. Mrs. Miller. Special Reading Teacher, works with children who are seriously below grade level. I am one of the three first grade teachers. We feel that our school's reading program is excellent, but like any other skill reading must be practiced. This is the purpose of the LAPP Project Listen, Appreciate. Praise. Progress. Why can't this practice be done at home, or without extra help at school? More than half of our children's parents are both working, or the child lives in a one parent home. 60 per cent of our students come to school by bus. Some are picked up as early as 6:45a m. and dropped of as late as 5 15 p m. Some travel 88 miles a day on a bus. Although school starts at 8:30 and closes at 2.30 for first and second graders, actual classroom time is only 4 hours, 10 minutes. Third and fourth graders are in class 4 hours. 40 minutes. The rest of the day is spent eating lunch and in recess. Teachers have a mandated 30 minute duty free period at noon: the rest of their time is used for supervision of the children while eating or playing, and in preparation In order to utilize the limited classroom hours effectively a teacher must be well prepared. But there is no magic way to stretch the time so that each child can have more than minutes snatched here and there for one-to-one attention from the teacher. About two hours day is spent in language arts-reading, phonics, spelling, language, story time, dramatics If the entire two hours were divided so each child had his share of his teacher's time, he'd have about five minulps a day. Our high school aides have been very helpful, but we don't have enough of them, and they area! the school less than an hour and a half of the morning. Two adult teacher aides provide the half hour free time for the teachers and part of the playground supervision. They help with clerical work too. But our school population has increased 25 per cent in the last three yar Kindergarten prepares children much belter for first grade, and for reading. But not all children have a kindergarten background. Few of these have had the amount of help at home that prepares them to go lo school on a par with the other youngsters. Reading doesn't seem lo be the goal that it used to be for children. Television is the major culprit. Parenls don't read as much themselves, or to their children. SO we need help. We need a number of adults who can spend a few hours each week with children. They will listen lo children read, or play reading games with them, or read TO (hem. (Some youngsters haven't heard the traditional fairy stories.) By supportive, noncritical listening, with appreciation and praise, these people will make reading very important lo these youngsters. If you can be one of our foster "grandparents," please call (76 9128 or complete one of the LAPP forms available at the grocery stores Thank you. RACHEL DICK On behalf of the Heppner Lions Club I would like to express appreciation of those who helped on the Heppner Lions Club "Santa Calling Project" and on Santa's visits to Heppner. It helped bring Heppner a Merry Christmas. First of all, we appreciated the work of Albert Connor as the Heppner Lions Santa. He really seemed to enjoy it greatly. We also appreciated the cooperation of Hubert Wilson and the Post Office crew for providing a special "Santa Calling" box at the Post Office and space for it. - Our thanks goes to Forey Burkenbine and Ernie McCabe for providing candy canes for Santa to provide the youngsters. Also, ; we want to thank the Chamber of Commerce for their candy donations and the oranges for the Pioneer Memorial Hospital Nursing Home. We also appreciated the work and publicity of Ernie Ceresa and the Gazette-Times. Thanks to Lions Club project chairman Dave Dollarhide and his helpers. Dick Sargent, AI Osmin and Neil Parks. DAVE HARRISON. Secretary Heppner Lions Club Gleanings R.A.Maxwell From the Oregonian by AP wire service. This little gem . . Alexander Solzhrnitsyn being interviewed, gave warning. He declares we are not aware that "The existence of the - civilization it (Democracy ) created is going to be at stake in the next years." Me feels the crisis is politi cal. He is one of those w ho has been on both sides of the iron curtain as a citizen. Maybe we ought to listen. Talking about what he called the Soviet threat, the writer continued, "Interior will is more important than a policy. If the leaders of the East felt there was the slight est (lame in you the slightest drive to make freedom to survive on your side and spread, if they understood you were ready to sacrifice your life, then at that very second they would give up. Every time that you really showed resolve Berlin. Korea, Cu baeach time the Soviet trailer rptre:ited " That sounds just about dead " a m""on P"unas 8 ear on to me. How about you? n M' 11 iurcs everything from weak eyes to premature You have heard the grumble ;,,Jl.n8 about the super tankers, many 0,nM'" "yone? over 200,000 deadweight tons, S04 at last count. Maybe some fads will be of interest lo you. 19 5 6 Not one has ever broken up in a storm anywhere in the Mr ,,, Mrs Kar Arnd world ih,. n .r0ni. r (i,- 1 1 -1 "Ul II If. pl VII19 11 11117 I II 91 baby born Jan I. Little Jumiiie arrived at 2 30 am llimmir Pitil flffif- uhnai cargo, oil It delivers 28 nn in,.n,!lK nvpP ,he uar in Unimportant, I don't think so when you look at the energy picture. The more you know the better to make right choices in all things. Attention all fishermen and those who would be fishermen; the 1976 Synopsis ' of Oregon Angling Regula- turns is now available at ' license dealers. Better check the rules and season dates. The old saying "better safe than sorry." For those hunters who manage not to see an elk during hunting season and others who would like to see an elk, now is the time. Jewell Wildlife Meadows. Slate Highway 202 about a mile west of Jewel has a herd of about 150, several are large bulls. Belter late than never. Did you know thai in 1784 the ship Empress of China carried 20 tons of Ginseng to China and that by the year 1800, clipper ships were carrying A 200.000 tonner is only twice the sie of a 20.IW0 tonner but carries 10 times the r. ...... ,i ..i .i f ... ......... uiiiiii.- in uii Mil c n y line- n,-- . .. k. In - ,u.u.u ...,.r . va AM. m , ove(. ,he tonner delivers only 13 3 lor ()f each barrel used ' Mlim,w Cou(),y w one counties lo be free of brucello- The local office did tankers with the tanker Used in WWII we would need 6. two of them. K WHKS ( I. IMC sis The certificate will be presented at the annual meet ing of the Morrow County Livestock Growers Associa tion In January. A rabies vaccination clinic Wa.knry ,has will be held Jan. 14. 9 12 and . r'reuJ nl of the Hepp- 15 p m. at the Norene Veler- n,,,r Vha.?',?r of Lommn' . inary Clinic. Heppner. H" ' "0!,n": mTT u The rab.es clinic is being ' ne. Jownict basketball held in conjunction w.th M. fnd,'v.r ' ke? state wide effort to have all c ,,,8m s T .'T? dog, vaccinated against the Uv Wl" T' wi h he "h' dreaded disease. No pops ""ice wpiad on Friday. The under 4 month of age w.ll be !"" ",,',, rl.ng lineup will vaccinated and the fee for the UrM rab,es vaccination is ,ng ' Va"e '"V' uch done at cost, or $4 per animal Ku,",,k!, ond Ko,H'r' fM"' r son DEAR MISTER EDITOR: I'm happy to report that all the fellers ihowed up at the country store Saturday night In good shape. Ed Doolit tie spoke fer most of em when he allowed thai the most exciting think he done New Year's was not turn on the television. Ed said that was the smartest move he't made this year, and he recommended It fer everybody that don't want his life broke up in quarters and halfs and half-baked opinions on how many ways one bunch of grown men can gil a ball thru another bunch. Ed said his one New Year'a reserlution was not to cut the television on whenever possible. The fellers general ain't to strong on reserlutions. Most of em is at a time In life when temptation is easy lo resisl anyhow, and as much as they look forward to the year ahead they ain't about to make any big changes or take on any major projects. So, like Josh Clodhopper said, if you ain't going lo resolve not to do somepun or to do somepun the field of New Year's reserlutions gits narrowed down quick. Ed reported that while he was not watching television New Year's Day he reminded hisseir that this is Leap Year, and he was of a mind that this event ain't give the attention it use to be. When he was a young feller, Ed said, the gals made a big to do about Leap Year, and he even had one to come right out and invite him to a church social onct. But the idee of wimmen taking advantage of Leap Year to go out chasing the fellers is as out of date as the gal who's sweet 18 and never been kissed. Even back in his sporting days, Ed allowed, Iap Year was fer fun, and any year a gal set her cap serious fer a man he was lassoed and hogtied afore he knowed what day it was. Now. best he can figger. Ed said, courting is ever man and woman fer theirself all the time. Clem Webster said that Leap Year will git less notice this -year than usual, because short of the Second Coming and World War Three 1976 is going to be the year of the bicentennial. America s 200th birthday is going to be on the front pages everwhere. Clem allowed, and folks have been setting up nights fer the past five year figgering how to git a free ride out of the event. By the time July 4 rolls around this year, Clem declared, he expects to read more history than in all the rest of his life put together, and he'll be seeing everthing from red, white and blue ice cream to a big business fer men in knee britches and powdered wigs playing Ben Franklin andCeorge Washington at year-around shopping center sales. Actual, Gem said, he ain't agin permotion, cause that's what keeps this country going and growing. But he said he hopes we don't git so caught up in riding the bicentennial bandwagon we fergit to pay some mind to the wagon. Like the feller said that hired a 18 year-old girl to be Santa Claus in his store, we are permoting the spirit of the occasion, not the people involved. If we can keep that thought, Clem said, we'll do fine. Yours truly, MAYOR ROY. Learning Disabilities THE GAZETTE-TIMES Moltmm ( III ATY'.HNhWSP.W'KH Hot Ilepjirirr. OK. 7n:m: Subscription mlr: IS per year In i Orrgon, I rUewhere. I rnrl V. Joinrr. Publisher Hubert ,V M.uwrll. Id (tor Published evrrv Thursday and entered a srcimd lass matter al the post office at llrppnrr, OrrjfMt. under the arl of Man h 3. x9. Srrond clan postage paid al llrppnrr, OreKnn. (Second In sertrl) - By JAMES ANGERMEYR. MA As mentioned in last week's article, one Is confronted with many different definitions and descriptions when talking about learning disabilities. These different disabilities can be very misleading and confusing until one can begin to organize them in some way. In general, most of these different viewpoints can be categorized under two headings: Educational and Neurolo gical. The former usually defines learning disabilities by describing the behavior that goes along with them. The latter is usually more concerned about the physical process that causes the behavior. It must be kept in mind, however, thai these categories are general, and that the two areas are not mutually exclusive. Many educators borrow the neurological terms of learning disabilities and neurologists are, too, concerned with the behavior of the learning disabled child. The use of the two areas is only to help make sense of a complex subject and to understand that talking with different professionals can present you with different and sometimes conflicting information. In talking with parents or teachers, I generally use a descriptive approach in helping them understand learning disabilities. For example, a child who seems to have average or above-average intelligence, but is underachieving In school, would make me want to check the possibility of his having a learning disability. The same is true of a child whose vision checks out alright but who has difficulties in reading or writing; or the child whose hearing is intact, but who can't seem to follow directions In short, any child who does not seem to be living up to his apparent potential, should lc suspected as having a learning disability. At different ages, a child will, of course, exhibit different behaviors, and a carefully taken history will lend evidence to the existence of a learning disability. A child makes attachments lo people based on how he perceives them through his senses. Every mother has witnessed that point at about six months of age when a child suddenly is able to distinguish between his mother and a strange or new babysitter. Prior to that, anyone could hold him without eliciting any fear. This is called "stranger anxiety" and la considered a normal development. It stands to reason that a learning disabled child would have difficulties in being perceptually aware of people in his environment and he therefore may not develop this "stranger anxiety" or not show it until much later. This then would be a good clue of some perceptual handicap or learning disability. The onset of such milestones as walking, talking, and toilet training can also be used to determine whether or not a child has a learning disability. Again, it Is Important to note that other things besides learning disabilities can affect the rate of a child's developmental milestones. Its a fact lhal all children are unique and develop al an individual rate. Even children within the same family usually will not achieve the same milestones at exactly (he same age. The things that educators and psychologists look for are "gross" changes in ' the developmental process, or the existence of several of the learning disability symptoms In the same child. It Is when a child reaches school age and Is first compared systematically with other children the tame age, that most ' learning disabled youngsters are discovered. For S or I years they have lived for the most pari In a tolerant world In which little pressure was placed on them to learn. Now their faulty perceptual apparatus It confronted with tremendously new situations : a large group of children ; structured settings; the written word; new and confusing rules. It la a tremendous adjustment for alt children and a task bordering on the impossible for the learning disabled youngster. In next week's article, we will examine the expectation! of the school age child and how the handicapped child attempts ; lo cope with them. kvik iAikuw 4im It it said of a wall In England that If bride drinks of It first, the will rule the house, If bar husband dots, be win.