Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 16, 1978)
Sifting through. LETTERS COMMENTS EDITORIAL 4? Will be missed... On this week's front page there is a news story about Oscar Peterson retiring from the Port of Morrow Commission. The man's record speaks for itself.. .a life of public service spanning many areas of government and concern, and nearly all 84 years right here in Morrow County. More than 30 years ago Oscar joined the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association and from there he worked many hours bringing a Port District to life in Morrow County. Finally, in 1959, as Morrow County Judge, Oscar was the guiding force behind formation of the Port of Morrow. He rightly earned the title of "Father of the Port of Morrow". Oscar saw what was available and through his attitude and efforts we can all see the results. Therein lies a lesson for all of us. Spring's here Heppner area residents are invited to be participants in a week-long activity fitting of spring. Numerous groups and organizations are hoping to beautify the city before Easter. ..ridding streets, alleys and yards of trash. Become a participant. ;f . I" XTCTt iX T M Si i $ n.Tfc f k . "' 1 iii i i!f T ' ""1 w -S ! I . i . V . I :J " I- - a A ' . x- . 1 , J ' ' 4 il y- i b ! I i T!..J:; ::: f . '( 1 Letters to the Editor Portland General Electric again showed with the donation of $14,000 toward the purch in Boardman. Accepting the check from Commissioner Homer Hughes looks on. its concern for the community this past week ase of an x-ray machine for the medical clinic PGE's Bus Clough is Judge D.O. Nelson. AAUW supports solution to overcrowded classrooms Dear Morrow County Citizens, In the past we citizens have taken pride in providing uncrowded classrooms for our children in the Heppner schools. As an organization we are writing this letter with the hope of informing you the public that the growth in Heppner has increased our school enrollment to the point that the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade rooms at Heppner Elementary are overcrowded. The situation is expected to become worse next year. If enrollments remain the same as they are now there will be from 24 to 29 students in each of the 5th and 6th grade rooms. Each of these four rooms has an average maximum capacity of 19.5 students. On the Junior High level the rooms have a maximum capacity of 20 students per room but these rooms will and presently have, from 26 to 32 students per room. One of the rooms in use actually has a maximum capacity of 15 students. This situation of overcrowding raises several questions. How much individual help can be given any student? Isn't the teacher limited to spending a large percentage of her time in lecture-type teaching? In the case of an emergency can students be evacuated from an overcrowded room safely? Our ultimate question is, are our tax dollars being used efficiently when children are taught in an overcrowded situation? A workable solution to the problem, that would only involve the cost of two teachers' salaries was presented to the School Board and the School Budget Committee, but not adopted. The proposal was to hire two additional teachers. The rooms are available as are desks, books, etc. The proposal was to hire a teacher to teach a combination of 5th and 6th grade students and a Junior High teacher. The combination of 5th and 6th grade students is quite workable at Heppner Elementary as students already go to different rooms for such subjects, as reading, on their own individual level. The Heppner Branch of AAUW has gone on record supporting this proposal. We would like to see this proposal put back into the school budget. We urge you parents to become more familiar with the situation at Heppner Elementary and Junior High and voice your support for a solution to overcrowded classrooms. Sincerely, The Heppner Branch of The American Association of University Women BMCC strike explained Editor, . As a taxpayer, former BMCC student, concerned citizen, and spouse of a faculty member, I feel it is absolutely essential that some facts regarding the strike situation be explained. I am a former student who worked very hard during the early sixties to promote the growth and expansion of BMCC, so I feel a great kinship with the students who are concerned with the fate of their educational programs. For many students, as it was for me, BMCC offers the only apportunity to attend college. Many students simply do not have the resources to go elsewhere, nor do all other colleges offer the same benefits as does BMCC. The faculty DID NOT vote to strike simply because they were seeking higher SALARIES. The issues of most concern to the faculty are those of academic freedom and the continuing integrity of the profession of teaching. The faculty voted to accept the results of the impartial factfinder's report sight unseen. The board voted no. The faculty voted to accept the finished report. The board voted no. The board meeting on Wednesday, March 8, 1978, was certainly an eye opener. So many people attended that the meeting had to be moved to the theater. Worried students sought answers from an unresponsive board. The directors declined comment about their intentions until they could meet again in executive session. The chairman explained that the letter regarding the strike vote by the faculty had been officially received only that day, and they wished to make no comment. Gad! The negotiations have been going on for fourteen plus months. Surely, the board has some opinions. These men were elected by and are accountable to the people, but it was not apparent Wednesday night that they thought it was necessary to explain anything. The Faculty Association president read a list of items rejected by the board negotiator. Some items rejected by the negotiator were so ludicrous that the audience laughed out loud. The strike vote did not occur because of union influence. The decision was that of the faculty alone, and faculty members who are not paying OEA members were permitted to vote on the issue. The proposed strike can have serious consequences. I urge all concerned citizens to find out all the facts. Citizens should ask question, demand answers, and take a role in matters which are relevant to the well being of our area. Sincerely yours, Carole L. Innes Pendleton Reps offer death penalty petition To the Editor, Several years ago Oregon voters elminated the death penalty in our state. We have found from letters to us and conversation with people all over Oregon that there is a growing concern about the need to return to capital punishment. The Oregon Legislature has not allowed the voters an opportunity to determine for themselves if they want the death penalty reinstated, therefore, we have filed with the Secretary of State a preliminary initiative petition for a statutory measure to restore capital punishment in Oregon. The petition will require 46,235 signatures prior to July 7, 1978 to place it on the November 7, 1978 General Election Ballot. The petitions will not be available until about April 1, 1978, at which time we plan a 90 day intense campaign to obtain the signatures. The effort to secure the signatures will be taken to the people. During March thousands of letters will be mailed to Oregonians asking their help in gathering the necessary signatures. We hope we will get a good response from people requesting petitions which they will circulate. If any of your readers want to receive petitions we ask that you write to anyone of us. We can provide the content of the measure upon request. Jack Sumner Cecil Johnson Bud Byers State Rep. State Rep. State Rep. Route 1 3513 Upper Riv. Rd. 3221 S. Main Rd. Heppner, OR 97836 Grants Pass, Lebanon, OR 97355 Oregon 97526 Appreciates support To the Editor, The Morrow Soil and Water Conservation District would like to thank the Gazette-Times for the excellent presentation of our annual report in the March 2nd, issue. We appreciate your continued support in promoting our informational program to the public. We hope that through your effort Soil and Water Conservation is recognized as a benefit to all. Rudy Bergstrom Chairman, Morrow SWCD THE GAZETTE -TIME The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow Published every Thursday and entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. G.M. Reed, Publisher Dolores Reed, Co-publisher Terry M. Hager, Managing Editor Jim Summers, News Editor Eileen Saling, Officer Manager Elane Blanchet, Reporter Gayle Rush, Composing Chloe Pearson, Composing Justine Weatherford, Local Columnist Letters Policy ALL LETTERS of general interest are welcomed, providing they are in good taste and not libelous. 250 WORDS IS about the maximum length we can accept, however, if you need more space, please use it. ALL LETTERS MUST be signed to be considered. If you wish to have your name withheldfor good cause we will do so after contacting you for an explanation. TELEPHONE NUMBERS should be included. The number will only be used by the Gazette-Times to confirm it was you who wrote the letter. THE GAZETTE-TIMES reserves the right to refuse any letter it deems unfit for publication. LETTERS SHOULD BE addressed to Editor, Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Ore., 97836. : V Heppner gained national attention this week in 1968 when gold was discovered on the Don Greenup place on Hinton Creek. Twenty-eight gold coins ranging from dollar gold pieces to double eagles worth $20 apiece, were unearthed while bulldozing work was being done at a pond site on the Greenup ranch. A front-page Gazette-Times story reported: "Discovery of the coins caused a wave of excitement that rippled-via wire service stories-across the United States. It brought back into the limelight a story that Press Thomas, early settler who homesteaded on the spot, had hidded a small fortune there . Face value of the gold pieces found last week is $375 but from a collector's viewpoint the value is far greater. ..Apparently this is the third time that gold coins have been found at the pond site. A story written m i rue west magazine by Paul Atkinson in the August 1966 issue said a fisherman spotted a double eagle in a foot of water while fishing. "...Some ten years ago according to Mrs. Greenup, four boys were going fishing at the pond and while digging for worms on the bank uncovered five $5 gold pieces. "...Since the story appeared in Ture West magazine, the Greenups have been almost besieged by would-be treausre hunters, with calls coming from all parts of the United States. ..It happened that two treasure hunters from Minnesota arrived (last week) and asked for permission to hunt for the treasure. Since Greenup was working there they were given permission and he agreed to split any gold find on a 50-50 basis. The Minnesotans used detecting devices and helped spot the 28 coins which were uncovered by one of the dozers. ..The gold pieces were apparently found in approximately the same location where the boys found the $5 gold pieces years earlier..." Two movements were underway in Morrow County twenty years ago which would eventually bear fruit. The Gazette-Times reported this week in 1958 that the manager of the Port of Walla Walla was scheduled to speak before the Chamber of Commerce on port development and how it could aid an area in developing a greater business and industrial potential. The county at the time was just beginning to contemplate the establishment of a port commission with an eye toward the greater development of the north end of the county! An Educational Betterment Committee was formed this week twenty years ago in Lexington with Kenneth Peck elected chairman; Gene Cutsforth, secretary; and Tad Miller, treasurer. The committee planned to prepare a complete report on details of an education betterment program for Lexington students. The ultimate aim of the group was the consolidation of the Lexington and Heppner High Schools. Honor students Mardine Baker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. Markham Baker, was selected valedictorian of lone High School in 1958. Salutatorian was Grace McCabe, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L.A. McCabe. This week 40 years ago, the Times reported that the tank in Willow Creek referred to affectionately as "the ol' swimming hole" would soon be only a memory, as work by a CCC crew progressed on straightening the creek channel through Heppner. The article editorialized: "So, as the ol' swimming hole disappears, the work of progress proceeds. Maybe the dawn of a new day will bring another swimmin' hole of a new and improved type..." There must have been some Californians eyeing Columbia River water even 30 years ago, according to this Gazette-Times editorial printed March 11, 1948: "While Californians are crying and perhaps praying for much needed moisture, we of Eastern Oregon could stand a little more sunshine. In truth, we have enough moisture for the present and need to catch up on our sunshine.... The much touted winter sunshine (in California), while enjoyable, is becoming a matter of serious discussion over the radio rather than inspiration for clowning by the radio comedians. Drastic measures are being taken to cope with the continued drouth, such as adoption of daylight savings time, curtailment of use of electricity and who knows but that California will have to revert back to the Saturday night rule of bathing. . "Just at present we don't believe we would trade Eastern Oregon for California but believe it would make living conditions better for both regions if the moisture and sunshine couiu be evened up on a 50-50 basis. We will have to do something about the unbalanced condition of the weather or stand to lose the Columbia River to California." George N. Peck submitted a short-to-the-point announcement in the Times of 40 years ago that cleared up; uncertainty around his intentions of running again for county i office: "I will be a candidate for the Republican nomination' . for the office of county commissioner.. .My record is your' guarantee and my experience is your protection." j The special feature at Star Theater this week in 1938 was i "Stage Door", "where hope, laughter and heartbreak f meet starring Ginger Rogers, Katherine Hepburn and j Adolphe Men jou... from the famous stageplay by Edna! Ferber and Geo. S. Kaufman." In 1928, the Star featured "the: world's greatest motion picture, "What Price Glory", an' epochal picture in which two strong men and a beautiful woman work out their destinies on the Fields of Glory." When World War I was being fought on foreign soil, thei American newspapers of the day did everything they could to drive home the need for civilian support in the war effort. , Here's a classic example, published in the Gazette-Times this week in 1818, titled "Go After The Glutton": "....There are people in this country, we won't call them Americans, they have not yet shown they deserve that title, who do not 4 seem to realize the task of supplying the starving people of. Europe with food. Three square meals a day have had the' effect of making gluttons out of our well-meaning" people.. .they are probably eating enough to nourish their own bodies and two or three starving children of Belgium also. These are the people the Food Administration should go aften just as hard as the Hun in our midst who would put ground glass in sugar. Both are giving aid and comfort to the enemy and prolonging the struggle which will eventually weed them both out. It's time to go after the glutton."
