The Heppner
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LlffEiS
FROM READERS
'Another option open to
concerned parents9
Editor:
Animals, but not with human instincts ; a scary definition
of our children's behavior here in Heppner. However, Mr.
Ackley and Mrs. Paine are to be commended for their
truthfulness and courage to speak out about a situation I've
heard many parents express in private.
There is, however, one probable, irreversible outcome
from the Legion Hall dance situation that might not have
occured to parents. Heppner is going to lose a good,
competent and concerned teacher and no one will be more
to blame than the parents who have allowed their children to
conduct themselves in the manner described in the letters.
This is not an isolated occurance this is the general
behavior of many, many of our Heppner children.
This is one of many reasons that a group was formed this
last fall in which many parents are actively working and
being educated in order to help the situation.
On Dec. 28, we held a drug abuse panel discussion with
approximately 65 people present. The committee and the
panel members. ..felt the problems discussed and informa
tion obtained were helpful to all present.
Our next meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m.,
Heppner Grade Schoool multi-purpose room, at which time
we will discuss the new discipline code being implemented in
the junior high' school. We issue an invitation to any
interested person, parent, teacher, grandparent or
concerned citizen to participate. Let's not close our eyes to
the problems any longer,
Barbara James
Concerned Parents Group
'Must encourage a different direction'
Dear Editor:
We'd like to claim we don't have many problems at HHS,
but Jim Ackley and Judy Payne in their letters last week
showed us that the school isn't the only place kids are
grinding gum into the floor, writing on the walls, getting
stoned, spitting snoose on walls, ceilings, and floors, and
smoking up the girls' restrooms.
Yes, a minority of kids are beginning to make going to
our school a tough proposition. We're seeing an increase in
vandalism. The grounds and lawns are beginning to look like
a 4-wheel drive testing ground. The restroom walls are
etched with insults meant to degrade anyone trying to
maintain a little respect. A girl who goes into the girls'
restroom three minutes reeks with smoke whether she's been
smoking or not. The covered entrances in the upper building
have become havens for smokers. When chased from there,
they go behind the shop, up to the ball field, to cars, and
finally, as the pressure grows, they skip and drive around
downtown.
Pot smoking is a big problem here. Some kids tell us their
parents condone it as long as hey don't get caught. Catching a
pot smoker red-handed is not easy to do. Our right to search
is limited. When we do catch someone, it is often turned into a
heroic event where the teacher is the bad guy out harassing
the students.
To this minority, learning grades mean little. They
complain that school is boring, like a jail, and that no one
trusts them. They gain attention by notoriety: being late,
noisy, generally disruptive in class. Some other students see
this and are drawn in, model themselves after the trouble
makers and soon find themselves in the same boat low
grades, poor attendance record, and a poor attitude toward
getting an education. When the decent kids speak out against
this, they are often threatened and attacked for being
'Law enforcement, parents to blame9
Editor:
I wholeheartedly agree with Judy Paine and Jim Ackley
and their comments in last weeks "Editor" letters. I only
hope that after these letters more people will begin to voice
their opinions instead of just talking about problems in the
privacy of their homes.
The conduct of the youth in Heppner has long been in
neglect of doing something about it. People would rather let it
go on being as is rather than saying something for fear of
stepping on the wrong person's toes. I'm guilty of this myself,
but when I think of my two daughters being subjected to
indecent, filthy behavior and activities of others, I'm no
longer concerned about stepping on anyone's toes or what the
reprecussions may be to myself.
The first thing I would like to know is where were the
"fine" city and county police when all of these activities at
the Legion Hall were taking place? They never seem to get
in the right place at the right time, nor do they want to get
involved in picking up "so and so's" kid because that might
not be the "right" kid to arrest. Rather than do this they close
their eyes to all of these actions. I can site an instance this
fall when the county police were confronted with a situation
and I was told, and I quote, "We don't have the time to get
involved." Da we, the people of Heppner and Morrow County,
have to put up with this type of elected officials? We elect
them, yes, but we can also see that they don't serve any
longer than need be. In most instances where drugs are
concerned, I can see where state laws interfere with their
legal rights as officers. But when it is common knowledge by
most of the people on Main Street as to who is dealing in
drugs, it seems like the city, county and state police could
pick up on that knowledge.
As stated in Judy's and Mr. Ackley's letter, 1,-too, blame
parents for not doing a better job of raising their kids with a
little character and responsibility. Too many parents in this
community don't know what their children are doing and in
most instances are just happy to have them out of the house
for a little peace and quiet. This world is moving at too fast a
pace as it is. Kids in the fifth grade in Heppner are doing
what I wasn't permitted to do until I was in the ninth grade. I
don't count myself as a prude either, but what business do
fifth and sixth graders have going to dances at the Legion
Hall in the first place? Some parents will probably say: it is
something for them to do, it keeps them off the streets. When
did playing cards or games with your children or just plain
watching TV at home go out of style? If our children are
subjected to these outside activities at the early age of 9, 10
and 11 what is there going to be for them to do when they are
16 and 17? They will have done everything.
Discipline starts at home but it must also be carried out
in the schools. I know the laws today make it practically
imposible for a teacher to use any force. Too bad we can't go
back 15 years and use some discipline as was used when my
husband and I attended Heppner schools. The old paddle
worked wonders for the unruly show-offs. The school building
didn't have to be locked at noon time and no one smoked in
the restrooms, much less tried to burn them down. Granted,
there are some wonderful teachers in our system, but there
are also some merely "putting in their time" for pay. Today,
in most cases, the child has the upper hand in the classroom
Why can't the teachers patrol the halls and restrooms at noon
time rather than lock the building. When I went to school
there were no "coffee breaks" or teachers-aids. And as for
the parents overheard saying "We can't do a thing with our
child," have you ever tried using your hand, a paddle or, if
necessary, a belt on their backside to prove who still has the
upperhand?
I know Heppner isn't an isolated case with its
disrespectful, unappreciating kids, but we are a small
community and it is common knowledge by many that
something is vitally wrong and only the parents of these
children can render the wrong that has been done. If you are
one of the parents who says, "My child would never do
anything like that," stop and think. ..where was your child
last Saturday night and who was your child with, what was
your child doing and when did your child come homer How
many of you can answer all of those questions truthfully and
feel satisfied?
My main concern is raising my children with good
morals and in a community where they will be respected for
their morals. Right now I'm not sure Heppner is that place. I
certainly don't want them feeling they have to do the "in"
things to be well liked and popular. It seems as though the
majority is into doing the "in" things. Since when did
urinating on the walls and floors, breaking furniture and
writing on the walls become such a popular sport? In my
view, it is only the mentally deranged or babies who are too
little to be taught do activities such as these.
It seems to me that now is the time for the decent kids of
this community to speak out against those few filthy
individuals who are jeopardizing everyone else's rights.
Don't condone them or yo;i are just as guilty.
If nothing else has been said of any meaning, I would like
to say thank you to Mr. Ackley for his time and effort in
working with the young people of our community. I'm sure
some kids appreciate what you have done. Not all the kids
are bad weeds and I'm confident that with your continued
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The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIME
Morrow County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper
The Off icial 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
Rick Steelhammer, News Editor
Gayle Rush, Composition
Dolores Reed, Co-publisher Terry M. Hager, Managing Editor
Eileen Saling, Office Manager Justine Weatherford, Local Columnist
Melissa Scott, Composition Cindi Doherty, AdvertisingOffice
Ron Jordan, Printer
"goody-two-shoes." It's almost to the point where even the
best kids consider it unethical to "narc" on another kid,
regardless of the offense.
What can be done about this? We think the school is
trying to curb this behavior. Our new discipline procedure
assures a teacher who has continuing problems with a
student that the student's parents will be asked to help. If the
problem continues, the student will be removed from the
class. These kids argue that school isn't their job, that grades
aren't worth the effort and yet strangely demand they be
handed a diploma. Other penalties such as our three-to-five
day discipline policy aren't being too effective. This is partly
because the parents in some cases allow the suspension
period to be a little vacation instead of a penalty.
The point is : our young people, lovable or not, need our
best efforts. We are trying, but we need to do more obviously.
We agree with Jim Ackley that the "decent kids are going to
have to pull together and stop encouraging the activities of
the few that are jeopardizing everyone's rights." That
includes the parents and adults in this community. The
attitudes and activities described are spreading like cancer,
and cancer seldom arrests itself. We have to find better
ways. One solution tried successfully in other schools is to
make the consequences for offenders more severe. For
example, if every student caught smoking pot at school were
suspended for a semester on the first offense, many would
think twice before doing it. Now, they are suspended three
days and are back in school doing the same thing while they
and their friends laugh about it. We're pretty sure the school
board would be glad to revise the consequences policies if
enough decent kids and their parents requested it. The
board's function is to make the school just as good as its
community wants it to be, but they have to hear from us.
Strangely enough, the kids who will benefit most from
putting the brakes on this behavior are the kids who are doing
it. Whether the cause for their attitudes is unstable parents,
T.V., drug peddlers, school failure, poor teachers, parents
who don't care, or some other factor, our kids in these teen
years have to grow to become responsible for putting
meaning and happiness in their own lives. They have to wake
up to see that they won't find happiness in going on another
high, breaking windows, tearing out plumbing, writing ob
scenities on walls and in library books, spitting snoose in
books and fountains, tearing out the ceiling tiles, heckling
teachers, cheating, and oh and on. Somehow there must be a
way to show them a basic law of humanity : happiness comes
from behaving decently toward other people and being
willing to sacrifice to make others happy.
We admit with Jim and Judy that when you try all day to
help kids and receive more and more of the lousy responses
described above and see academic standards lowering, you
feel, as they did, some desire to "phase out." But that's not
the solution. The solution rests with all decent kids, parents,
and teachers pulling together to stop encouraging the
activities of the few, because by not stopping them, we are
really teaching them that these activities are acceptable.
Concerned-but-not-phasing-out teachers,
Gordon Munck John Sporseen Les Payne
Jane Rawlins Ralph Schubothe
help and support the good will prevail. It's not every day a
small town such as Heppner gets someone with your talent
and concern. I just wish everyone would appreciate what we
have in you.
A concerned parent,
Judy Wright
Jr. High council apologises
for actions of others
Editor:
We, the student council of Heppner Junior High, wish to
apologize for the behavior of the kids at the disco dances.
It is not always our parent's fault, nor anyone's other
than ourselves, as to what happens out of their sight.
We are as much to blame as the guilty ones, because we
see these things happening and we are not brave enough to
say, "Hey, knock it off or else leave!" The innocent ones
should somehow change this and learn to become stronger
and stand up to the ones doing wrong. What if some of the
more dependable kids formed a committee to supervise these
dances to support Mr. Ackley?
One of the first places we need to start is with all the bad
language used. What we can't understand is a girl using foul
language, but we have heard plenty of foul language from
boys and girls. We ourselves are also guilty of fhis. Our first
problem is we don't respect ourselves like we used to. If we
did, we would not have done what we did.
Even if we're not very old, we still know right from
wrong. Each one of us kids knows when we are doing
something wrong. It would be nice if the kids who caused this
to happen had enough guts to come forward and apologize to
Mr. Ackley. Then maybe we could have a second chance.
We would like to invite Mr. Ackley to our next student
council meeting and maybe we could form a committee to
supervise the dances as we mentioned before.
We know every one of the kids in our school respects Mr.
Ackley. It is hard to understand why they did this when they
tell us they respect him so.
It seems the people like Mr. Ackley are the ones who
always get hurt.
It is sad when a few ruin things for everyone and hurt the
ones who try to help us.
Sincerely,
Heppner Jr. High Student Council
the TIMES
W.P. Mahoney was elected president of the Oregon Wool
Growers' Asociation, following a convention in Baker 50
years ago this week. Mahoney, a Heppner area sheep
producer, succeeded K.G. Warner of Pilot Rock as leader of
the statewide special interest group.
During the same week in 1929, Thomas A. Hughes of
Heppner arrived in Tucson, Ariz., where he planned to
recuperate from a respiratory ailment. Meanwhile, back in
lone, Cole Smith was recuperating from the painful effects of
an eye infection, caused by a windborne wheat kernel.
Heppner High School teacher Grace Fleming was in a
Portland hospital recuperating from influenza.
Thirty years ago this week, the Hugh Samples family of
Kinzua began entertaining their neighbors with impromtu
radio shows broadcast from a home-made transmitter. The
Samples featured the electric steel guitar of Don Brock,
backed by the singing and strumming of Sonny Matteson.
Third grader Tommy Samples was also a popular local
entertainer, as the youngster was able to play the guitar and
sing request numbers.
The new indoor radio show was especially popular in
light of the fact that the Kinzua community was experiencing
temperatures as low as 23 degrees below zero during that
week in 1949.
A fund drive by the Heppner post of the Veterans of
Foreign Wars succeeded in raising enough money to order a
new, fully-equipped ambulance to serve the community, and
Hodge Chevrolet in Heppner had taken delivery of its first
spanking-new 1949 Chevy.
Morrow Countians 25 years ago were no strangers to
unseasonably cold weather such as we have recently been
experiencing. The mercury dipped to 15 below zero in
Lexington. Heppner had about three inches of snow on the
ground, but in Cecil and Boardman, depths of up to seven
inches were reported. As it was gst week, the Columbia
Gorge highway was covered withsolid sheet of ice during
this week in 1954, bringing traffic to a standstill.
Bobby Weems of Spray was found guilty in Heppner
Justice Court of stealing two sheep from the Frank Wilkinson
place near Heppner, then selling the animals at the
Hermiston Livestock Auction. The confessed sheep thief
received two years probation, and was ordered to repay
Wilkinson for the rustled mutton.
It was also a bad week for George Reed, Heppner's newly
hired night duty policeman during this time 25 years ago.
Reed was moving his personal belongings from Umatilla to
Heppner when his truck caught fire a short distance below
Butter Creek Junction. The truck and all the new officer's
household goods were lost in the blaze.
The heaviest one-day snowfall in 40 years blanketed
Heppner during this week 10 years ago. A total of 10 inches
fell on the city during the course of a night, and the following
morning, a Saturday, temperatures rose into the 40s,
creating a carnival atmosphere for local youngsters.
But the snowfall caused headaches for telephone and
power company servicemen. The weight of the ultra-moist
snow broke lines and even toppled poles, disrupting power
and phone service in scattered locations.
At that time, the heaviest one-day snowfall on record
occured on Dec. 10, 1919, when 12 inches fell on the city. The
most snow on the ground at any one time was 23 inches, back
in February of 1916.
The 1969 snowfall was so heavy, it broke off an awning
covering the entrances to the Wagon Wheel Cafe and Lounge
and the Heppner Auto Parts building. It was so deep that a
rig used to plow the white stuff off the streets failed to see a
fire hydrant at May and Chase streets, and sheared it off. The
snow was welcome by area skiers, as it brought the total
covering at the Arbuckle Mountain ski area to 48 inches.
Snow was also a problem during this week five years ago,
when Chinook winds brought temperatures from 10 degrees
to 40 degrees in less than an hour. Willow Creek overflowed
between Lexington and Heppner, flooding fields and forcing
ranchers to move their livestock. Mud and water flowed over
the highway in spots near the Ken and Mike Palmer homes,
and tons of ice jammed dams and bridges at the Harrison,
Way, Palmer and Jones ranches from Lexington to lower
Willow Creek.
In lone, water rushed down Rietmann canyon, sending
mud and water down Main Street. The runoff water followed
. the railroad tracks past Beecher's Cafe and Hubbard's
warehouse, on past the Independent Garage and Pettyjohn
Oil. Straw bales were used to divert the water from going on
down Gooseberry Road.
The sudden thaw prompted the Morrow County Court to
impose 10 ton weight limits on county roads, to prevent
damage.
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GAZETTE-TIMES
676-9228