SPRAY
I was privileged today to
read three letters from Sandy
Britt to her parents here, the
Marvin Britts, and I would
like to share few excerpts.
Sandy is in missionary work
in Africa, Accra Ghana, the
capitol city and the U.N.
center in West Africa.
Primarily, Sandy wishes to
allay any fears the home-folk
may be entertaining concern
ing the cannibalistic intent of
her African neighbors. Right,
Sandy? She reports Accra as
beautiful, of greater propor
tion and population than our
largest city and, she states
ultra-modern.
Also, unbelievably infla
tionary, one pound of peanut
butter (Skippys, no less)
reducing 13 to pennies.
At Jos for a short period,
elevation 4,000 ft., Sandy
, commented, "if one turns for
a moment from the grass
roofed huts it is enough like
Eastern Oregon to give one a
painful twinge of nostalgia."
Tali bushes of crimson
poinsettas grow in profusion in
Ghana.
A package mailed Aug. 4
had just reached there.
One may buy many brands
of hair straighteners at most
unlikely places, while hair
rollers and other curling
devices are not to be found.
Sandy took a plane from
Lagos for Accra Ghana and,
due to time change, reached
her destination fifteen min
utes prior to her departure!
Are you following? Don't.
Information misleading.
To make long distance calls
one must book ahead, state the
number of minutes and pay
for that amount in full, before
an operator can clear your
call time.
Lastly, Sandy, while work
ing with WAAST, West Africa
Advanced School of Theology,
found a dedication sign on the
pulpit there which read, "In
Loving Memory of Leslie
Vandeford, his son Jack,
Fossil, Oregon." Small World.
Sandy, eldest daughter of
Marvin and Louise Britt, was
born in Spray and set her goal
in the missionary field at a
remarkably early age. This -community,
her church, her
friends, wish her well in her -
Christian endeavors and guid
ance in the New Year ahead.
Larry Brisboii was here
over the holidays and has
moved his family to Board
man where he has been
employed the past month with
Eastern Oregon Telephone Co.
Prior to this, Brisbois has
been with the local Blue
Mountain Telephone Co.
The Don Troxells visited
their daughter and family in
their new home at Boardiftan
New Years Day.
JuneTroxell, President,
called a special meeting of the
Ladies Auxiliary of the Amer
ican Legion on Friday at City
Hall where Celia Reed and
Edith Chapman were reci
pients of special awards, in
recognizance of their many
years of service in this organi
zation. Mrs. Reed received a
plaque in observance of her 27
years as secretary, while Mrs.
Chapman was awarded a pin
honoring her SO years of
membership and services re
ndered. The Jack Sit tons were here
from Kinzua Friday for a day
with Virginia's mother. Cora
Burnside.
Mr. and Mrs. Herman Mun
Jar and the Uoy Munjars were
in Burns Thursday where they
were dinner guests at the
home of the latter 'i daughter
and family, Dick and Linda
Cole and son Richard.
Bobby Kelsay has spent a
few days here from John Day
visiting his mother. Laurel
and adding to her wood
supply. He left Saturday for
Heppner where he will get
better acquainted with his new
grandson. Travis Matthew,
son of Donna and Terry
Hughes, who arrived Dec. 30,
weight 7 lbs. S'i ot.
BoMy's daughter Sandy,
who spent the holidays In
Heppner, will return to John
Day with her father.
Visitors at the Don Griffith
ranch home through the week
Included Mr. and Mrs. Leon
ard Toll and Terry and Mr.
and Mrs. Brian Adams, all of
Prineville; Mr. and Mrs. Ted
Toll. nd Stacy. Heppner,
Merna and Billy Richards,
Spray, Beverly Goebel and
Deb Denny, Pendleton.
On Monday, Dec. 29. Don
and Joanne, with their sons,
John and Gib, made
business trip to Pendleton.
NEWS
Dr. and Mrs. John Titus
have been recent visitors at
the home of Judge and Mrs.
Andrew Leckie.
Among those at" the county
seat this week were Josephine
Howell, Laurel Kelsay, Alta
Spauldlng, Jodi Brisbois and
Little Brick, Mimi Williams
and the Jerry Osborns.
Mrs. Sid Britt, with Marty,
Shawn and Libby Dawn and
her mother, Dixie Dawn Wiley
of Echo visited Monday in
Spray with Miml Williams and
a number of other relatives
and friends.
Ted, Rocky and Benny Britt
returned to their home In Pilot
Rock Monday evening, having
spent a few days here at the
home of their grandfather, the
Roy Britts.
Ray Britt drove a bus load of
Spray youngsters and chaper
ones to John Day Friday
evening for roller skating.
The Odell Adams left for
Kennewick WA, Saturday
morning to return their gran
dson, Paul Shen, home follow
ing the holidays and were
accompanied to Heppner by
Edith Chapman who will
spend a month at the home of i
her son, the Mick Chapmans '
at Pilot Rock.
Post holiday visitors at the
home of Billy and Anne Chap
man are the Oakley Otts with
Troy, Kelli and Ami from
Oakridge. The Otts are visit
ing other relatives In Spray
and the Ray Rectors in Fossil.
Johnnie and Bessie Butler
are somewhat improved fol
lowing their recent illnesses.
Their condition necessitates a
doctor's observance however
and they will go to Prineville
early in the week.
Jerene Enyart has been ill
and confined to her home the
past week.
Mayor and Mrs. Gus Slrec
ker have returned from their
holiday vacation in Portland
and Willamette Valley points.
' Jerry and David Burris came "
with them for a short stay.
Mrs. James Bowler has
resumed her duties at the post
office following a few days
illness.
We fold up the weekly news
sheet on rather a chilly note,
Old Man Winter making
manifest his intentions, a
frosty finger directing the
mercury downward.
Crispy days and Jolly snow
men. Cold nights and the
coyote's anticipative howl,
heralding the arrival of a new
born calf or lamb. The two
faces of winter. . .
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1025 North First St.
Hermiston
Plonttr Profiles
OSCAR PETERSON'S
FAMILY
By Justine Weatherford
A vital part of Morrow
County centers about Valby
with neighboring Gooseberry
and Eightmile south of lone
and west by south of Heppner.
Valby 's heart is the old church
that celebrated its 75th anni
versary in 1961. This Swedish
settlement has seen four and
five generations of its original
families flourish.
Among the early comers
was John Edward Peterson
who came to the United States
from Sweden in 1809. He first
lived with an uncle in Indiana
and later moved on to Oregon,
settling in Eugene. In 1894 he
came to Arlington (Alkali).
One day he walked to Eight
mile and staked a homestead
which was later taken from
him by a claimjumper. He
took up other land in the
Gooseberry-Eightmile area
which is the original part of
son Oscar Peterson's ranch.
Oscar E. Peterson, now
approaching 83, loves this
country; he has served on
boards and commissions and
as County Judge and has
represented the county in
state and regional organiza
tions. Oscar and his wife
Esther reared their three
children on the ranch. Donald,
the eldest farms nearby;
daughter Eunice lives in Bea
verton with her own family;
youngest son Gerald lives on
the homeplace with his par
ents and operates the ranch.
Among the founders of the
Valby Swedish Evangelical
Congregation were John Jon
son, the great-grandfather of
Esther, and John E. Peterson,
the father of Carl, Oscar and
Emma (of Heppner) who was
chosen the original secretary
of the church. He continued in
this position until 1912. The
minutes of the church admini
stration from 1886 until today
are carefully kept at the
church. Oscar treasures a
congregational record book
which lists all of the families
related to the church from its
founding until today. Carl J.
Peterson, 83. died in 1974.
John E. Peterson was an
early director of the lone Bank
started by J.A. Woolery.
Oscar owns an original stock
certificate of this bank. Two
brothers of John E. also came
to Morrow County Henning
came in 1886. he lived on a
homestead which was later
sold to Ben Anderson when
Henning moved to Portland.
Aaron Peterson another
brother, arrived 1888. He was
married in Sweden where his
son Richard was born. Henry.
Ture, Victor and twins Elmer
and Esther were born here.
Hwiry, past 80 lives in Pendle
ton. Henry represented this
area in the state legislature
for 10 years. He has a son Ted
and daughter Marjorie living
in Portland, and sons Robert
and Herbert farming at Valby.
Ture's widow, Lucy, lives in
Heppner; they have three
eruicG
will be in Heppner every
Thursday, starting January 15,
in motor home at Cal's Arco.
Hours 10 a.m. 5 p.m.,
later appts. taken.
More information contact
Hermiston Office, 567-8498
Biccnfonniol
daughters. Richard and Esth
er live in the Willamette
Valley and Victor and Elmer
are deceased.
Oscar Peterson privately
published a 71-page hardback
book "75 Years of the Valby
Lutheran Church" soon after
the anniversary celebration.
The book is well illustrated
with photographs of the chur-,
ch and many of its members,
beginning with a large picture
of the dedication of the church
building and cemetery in 1897.
. It includes interesting early
farming pictures taken in the
vicinity. Oscar has given the
Heppner Library two copies of
this book the first was lost,
and he presented a new copy
just last week.
Giles French in the intro
duction to "Homesteads and
Heritages," says "Mr. Oscar
Peterson, who describes him
self as a stubborn Swede, cast
about for someone to write the
county's history, and I was
chosen." One of his chapters
describes the early "Irish and
Swedes." It reports "most of
the early Swedes stayed by
themselves and stayed away
from towns as much as
possible; they took no part in
public affairs and in the 80s,
when they were settling on
hills in Eightmile and Goose
berry or in the flatter lands
north and east of lone, their
names appear in the local
paper only when they proved
up on their homesteads."
"They did, however, pro
gress religiously ... by 1897
the Lutherans were sufficient
ly well off to name a building
committee and to erect a little
church, 24 by 36 feet, and to
name it Valby (Shepard's
Dell) although the location is
on a windswept hill."
French continues, "Now
nearly every family in the
county is allied in some matri
monial relationship to one or
more of the Swede families,
and the Petersons, Berg
stroms. Troedsons, Swansons,
Carlsons, Lundells. Lovgrens
and Andersons are in every
activity. Many are living on
the original homesteads their
ancestors took up over 80
years ago; verily the Swedes
came to stay."
His pride in the achieve
ments of all the good folk of
Valby and his quiet satisfac
tion with his own active life
are admirable.
Duck hunting
poor
Duck hunting prospects on
(he controlled hunting area of
Umatilla National Wildlife
Refuge are poor. According to
Refuse Manager John Kurtz,
about 90 per cent of McCoi--mack
Slough is frozen.
Approximately 125.000 mal
lards and 65.000 geese are
wintering on Umatilla Refuge,
but most of the birds are
feeing off the refuge on
private lands.
"We expect duck hunting to
continue to be poor until we
get some warmer weather to .
thaw the ice in the hunting
area," said Kurtz.
n
Forum
The American
"Never put off till tomorrow
what you can do today," Folk
saying.
"I never did anything worth
doing by accident, nor did any
of my inventions come by
accident, they came by work,"
Thomas Alva Edison.
"You can't eat for eight
hours a day nor drink for eight
hours a day nor make love for
eight hours a day all you can
do for eight hours is work.
Which is the reason why man
makes himself and everybody
else so miserable and unhap
py." William Faulkner.
In the largely self-sufficient
society of colonial times, the
individual worker could often
see and sample the fruits of
his labor immediately. On
farms and plantations, in
workshops and trading cent
ers, working may have meant
something more than merely
"having a job." Maybe it was
then that the phrase "the work
ethic," was born. But what's
"ethical" about work? In
colonial days it was believed
to be good in itself, a religious
duty. The hardship of work
was seen as a test of
character, the routine as a
source of discipline, the acti
vity as a means of fulfillment,
and success as a proof of
moral worth. Do we still look
at it that way? Or as a
necessary evil? In those days
there were craftsmen carving
their own furniture and farm
ers tilling fields and carving
Farm
record
class
The Farm Record Keeping
class will be held at the
Columbia Basin Conference
Room in Heppner, reports
Harold Kerr. County Exten
sion Agent. The session will
begin at 1:30 p.m., Monday,
Jan. 12, 1976 and will also be
held on Tuesday. Jan. 13.
Time for the Tuesday session
will be set by the participants.
Farmers, ranchers and -their
wives should find this
session very helpful. The
purpose of the two day session
is to give those attending ideas
and suggestions for keeping
day by day farm records.
Manning Becker, Oregon
State University Farm Man
agement specialist is the
instructor.
Everyone is welcome to
attend this informative and
educational session. There is
no admission or charge for the
class.
Drought to you by
Page
Work Ethic
their own furniture and farm
ers tilling their own fields (not
to mention slaves tilling fields
and carving furniture for
others). Now, although none
are slaves, fewer and fewer
Americans still work for
themselves; more and more of
us work in offices or factories,
and in large organizations.
Has the remoteness of the
worker from the end product
of his labor robbed that labor
of some of its meaning? Or do
we seejc different rewards
from the ones that workers
sought 200 years ago? Has the
tenure and status of our jobs
become more important than
the opportunities they give us
for freedom and productivity?
Does the work ethic still
prevail among us?
Captain John Smith warns
the young men of Jamestown
in 1607 that if they persist ?n
looking for gold insteaj of
planting corn, they will not be
fed.
Many of the early settlers
are spiritual descendants of
John Calvin. This great 16th
century reformer preaches
the glorification of God by
action sacrifice, labor, disci
pline. Thrift, sobriety and
industriousness are consider
ed prime virtues, and prove
useful ones as well in a society
that is rapidly moving toward
a money economy and indus
trialization. The wife of the early settler
is a jack-of-all trades; she
spins thread from wool or flax,
weaves it into cloth, fashions
the cloth into clothing, makes
soap and candles, smokes
meat, preserves fruits and
vegetables; churns butter;
brews beer; cooks and wash
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electric energy needs of 3010 square miles of
Gilliam. Morrow. Wheeler. Sherman and
I'matilla Counties.
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