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18 Pa&(
VOL. 93, NO. 45
HEPPNER. OR.
Thursday, Dee. 23, 1976
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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)
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