Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 1976)
BESS I E WETZELL 0 OF ORE NEWSPAPER LIB EUGENE OR 7403 , Between Friends HEPFBIEE2 "' o GAZE ii ii 18 Pa&( VOL. 93, NO. 45 HEPPNER. OR. Thursday, Dee. 23, 1976 KS ' "V- i I f i Whv? Christmas customs become simple habit e r By Justine Weatherford How many people actually know why we do the things we do during the Christmas season? Why do we send greeting cards? Why do we trim trees? Why do we welcome Santa Gaus? We all are creatures of habit and many of us are likely to do things for no better reason than that we've always done them that way. Here are a few facts about Christmas customs. Christmas Cards The first Christmas greeting card was sent In 1843 by Sir Henry Cole. It was Louis Prang, printer from Germany, who Introduced the custom Into America. He produced his first Christmas cards in 1874, perhaps at the urging of his good friend. Charles Dickens. In 1875, he decided to try the idea on the American public. The cards were accepted so wholeheartedly that in five years be was producing 9 million cards a year. That seems a small amount compared to the output today of over 3 billion Christmas cards which are exchanged by Americans. Christmas Tree To many of us, it wouldn't be Christmas without our decorated tree. One legend tells that St. Winfrid originated the Christmas tree In Germany in 1604. He was there on a mission to preach Christianity. He became greatly disturbed when on Christmas Eve he discovered a group of people called Druids, members of a pagan cult, gathered around a huge oak tree about to offer a human sacrifice in accordance with their rites. To prevent this, St. Winfrid chopped the tree down and in its place a young fir appeared. "A miracle!" cried St. Winfrid. "Here is a new tree unstained by human blood. It is the tree of the Christ Child. Henceforth, go net into the forest to celebrate heathen rites, but rejoice In your homes around the fir tree to honor and glorify God." Another story is that Martin Luther, walking the hills on Christmas eve, was so deeply impressed with the beauty of the night that upon returning home, he set up an evergreen tree and then illuminated it with candles to represent the star , - .. . One German legend about its origin says that one Chi'stmas eve, a strange child knocked at the door of a farm.wuse, begging shelter and food. He was taken in, fed and Joined in the family's festivities. The next morning, he had disappeared, but standing in one corner was a flowering tree which appeared annually to commemorate his visit. Christmas Carols The carol is perhaps one of the earliest form of song and dance known to man. A very early book of carols was authorized by "My Lord of London" in 1562 and bore the title page, "Christenmasse Carowles." Caroling reached its musical height during the reign of the Tudors of England. It fell into disrepute during the day of the 1'uritans. In spite of their restrictions, however, one of the most deeply rooted American Christmas traditions is the singing of carols on Beacon Hill in Boston in the very heart of the Puritan area that once banned Christians. . Actually, music for Christmastime began with the litanies of the early Christian Church. An historian verote that in A D. 100, the bishop of Rome urged his people to sing "in celebration of U birthday of our Lord." Christmas hymns go back to the A.D. 400's, when most of them were written in Latin. Priests strolled around their parishes on Christmas Eve singing them. St. Francis of Assisi, who started the use of the Nativity Scene in 1223, is also known as the father of caroling. After churches began acting out the Nativity and other mystery plays, the actors composed carols to sing with their roles, and after the religious services ended, they strolled through the streets still singing their carols. V r (Continued on Page 4) lone parents upset over doubling up i n a Morrow County School Board members fared a firing line of concerned parents Monday night. A petition signed by 121 persons was presented to the board over the doubling up of second and third grade classes at lone Elementary School. "We feel doubling up of classrooms has a downgrading affect on the quality of education our children re ceive." said Patricia Wright, mother of a second grader. Mrs. Veva Skow, teacher of the two classes, is considered by the parents as an excellent teacher but the situation is difficult. "Crowded and double-grade classrooms is not the type of education we want for our children." said ' Mrs. Wright. A delegation consisting of Mrs. Wright. Mary and Tom Martin. Judy Ilea and Betty Marquardt wanted to know what had happened to the money budgeted for a second teacher. The bond election had listed one. According to Supt Matt Doherty part of the money had been used to air a teacher's aide for the first and second grsdes. The rest of the money remained in the budget. "The contingency fund has $26,000 for emergencies." stated Doherty. "Well. I'd call this an emergency situation." replied Martin. "We have got good teachers in our system. Let's keep them instesd of working them to death." A total of 13 students in the second grade and 10 in the third have created what lone Principal Chuck Starr called "a very difficult situation for the teacher." The state recom mends a maximum of 24 students for a split classroom situation. The board requested time to look at alternatives and discuss the situation with teachers before making any decision about taking on a second teacher. "I just don't my daughter to have kind of sckwling any- said Martin. "She had it in the first grade and now again in the third. Boardman City Manager Jim Thompson approached the board with a request that it make a 70 sq. ft. corner of Riverside High School proper- (Continued on Page 2) want this more. Boyce elected chamber president Ray Boyce will take over In January as the new president of the Hrppner-Morrow Coun ty Chamber of Commerce. Boyce will be inducted Mon day. Ivc 27. to follow Urry Mills. Inside Laurie McCabe-3 County Art Shotc-5 Letters to Santa Claus 13 Gonty't Shoea tell out-12 Boyce was elected Monday along with two other officer and four board members. Don Cole was elected first vice president and Lyle Lowe, second vice president. Boyce will name a new secretary treasurer to take the place of Nona Grace, who has bvrn in that position for seven years. Elected by the entire cham ber to board positions were Incumbents Boyce. Cole and Wishart. Mark Johnson was Ixo elected to fill the spot held by Marshall Lovgrrn. The meeting Monday will be buMncts meeting with the Inslallttlion of the new of fleer. Friendly faces sell Heppner to Portland dentist Friendly faces and a good town attitude has committed a new dentist to Heppner. Dr. O. Lee Hazen. a 35-year-old Portland dentist, told the Gazette-Times Tuesday that "based on the people we met. and the attitude of the town, we think Heppner would be a nice place to raise a family." Hazen. a dentist in East Portland for the last five years, will begin practice by March 1, he said, and will move to the area In February. Hazen is enthusiastic and anxious to get to Heppner, h said. When asked when he'd begin practice, he said. "I'd like to say yesterday." Small towns won't be anything new for Hazen. a 1969 graduate of the University of Oregon dental school. He lived in Battleground. Wash , as a youngster and attended grade and high school In Florence. Ore., on the coast. Why Heppner? There's a little history behind it. Hazen's grandmother was born In Heppner and his great grand father, a blind cabinet maker, was washed away in the big flood of 1903. "When we get around relatives, talk always comes to Heppner." Hazen said. "For a long time, I thought Heppner was In Washington. When I found out where It wss, I started looking into possibilities." Hazen said he found out the community could support a dentist and came here and visited with Bob Ewell. TrlCounty Health official; Mark Murray, pharmacist; and doctors in the town. 'Hrppner is not a typical little town." Hazen said "The pecpte are enthused." Hazen Intends to build his own facility, which will be located next to the Heppner Medical Center on the hill. Hazen. 35. was married to Kathy In July. Kathy has one girl, 5 year-old Stephanie. Hazen graduated from U of O dental school In 1969 following a five year stint at Oregon State I'niversity In Corvalhs. He also served In the United States Army Dental Corps in Thailand. He plans to live in Heppner and Is currently looking for a house or a place to move a trailer into. His wife, Kathy, has been a bookkeeper for many firms In Portland and plans to continue her work for bulnea In Heppner. "It's for sure." Haen said Tuesday. So Heppner will have a full time dentist by March I. , A aJ This spirited picture is taken from a Heppner Gazette-Times dated Dec. 20. 1922. The meaning is still the same: Merry Christmas Planning surveys draw conclusions A survey taken by Don Burns, citycounty planner, working out of the Morrow County planning commission office in Heppner, shed a little light on the things residents of Heppner, Irrigon and Lex ington would like to see chsnged and some things they'd like to see stay the same. ITabulated results of the surveys art available fas tfteir respective towns. la lleppaer, the survey records ar avail able at dty kail; ia LexiagtM. they are available at Vic Klingera Jiuper Servko sad IM's Markets fas IrrigM, taey are available at the city recorder's elBc.! According to Burns, the data will be used as "guiding information" and will be uti lized In making up the com prehensive plans for the cities of Heppner, Lexington. lone and Irrigon. (lone completed their survey In May.) In Lexington and Irrigon. the survey represents about 20 per cent of the entire ppuUln. li Keppr.er, that percentage Is 13. In lone, an lone man wins $100 LA. Millan, lone, wss the 1100 grsnd prize winner In the Greater Hermiston Chamber of Commerce's annual Christ mas Bonanai shopping con tet. Other winners were: extensive effort brought 65 per cent of the population. The surveys were dispens ed by local planners in the respective towns and were available to the public in each city. The survey, sponsored by the East Central Oregon Association of Counties, was prepared by Columbia Basin College in Tri Cities. Participating parties in the survey were asked to rate questions on two different categories. The first wss a rating of present city or other local governmental services; the other was the need to improve city or other local governmental services. Surveys in Heppner reveal some interesting responses. Streets and roads inside the city limits, including mainten ance got a mark of average from 29 of the 63 answered and 35 said some improve ment was needed; streets and roads outside the city limits, including maintenance got 22 of 56 average and 31 said some Improvement was need ed; street lights got a good rsting with no need for Improvement gsining the most responses. Sidewslks and curb were marked below average and some need was asked. Park ing availability got a nod of average with no need for Improvement; the water sup ply and sewer dipnal both Itol good marks and no nwd fur improvement Garbage nUI"tin gnt an etrvMrnt mark with no need gaining the most response. City goverument operstion got an average vote with some need for improvement. Library facilities were termed good with no need the top response. City parks and picnic areas are rated average and some need is asked. Public meetings and recrea tional facilities for children was listed as poor with great need for improvement For teenagers, the same held true. For adults, the rating was average with some need. Senior citizens facilities was listed average with some need. Fire protection received an average and good nod and no need was asked. Law enforcement got an average vote with some nred. Dog control was the biggest ropoa. W persons out of 63 said the rsting was poor snd great improvement was need ed. Litter, junked car remov al nusiance enforcement and quality education all gt aver age nods with some need for improvement. Medical and health facilities was listed as giod with some need. Some other questions con cerning Heppner: How badly do we need new Industry srd the new jobs it brlnm? 22 of 59 said not moch. How badly do we need new non industrial employment opportunities? 27 of 57 said quite a bit How much chmce of housing l there for new re!rnU? 34 of 59 said slmot no choice. (Continued on Pag 2) spHUfla4tMs9. syBiss1fteasMaefcaa l4sa1 psssajssasAgs 0
