EIGHT The Heppner Gaiette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, December U, 1981
Heppner students grades 5-12
perform at Winter Concert
Former M.C. Extension agent receives honors
. i tSfite N L . .
V 1
Heppner band and chorus students in grades 5-12 performed at a Winter Concert held Tuesday
night, Dec. 15 in the high school gym.
The concert featured a variety of songs as well as Christmas music.
7
f
A Merry Christmas
Y JJI TO CHERISHEd frtiENcls
anq NEiqhboRS.
H
OWEN'S UIEflR
. -us xz&i
CAL'S ARCO
AM
holiday to
remember, fillel
'iL .1.
Willi t nuriii
of cheriHhed
Iradilions...
new-found hope
and happiness.
A. I W-m
Oh
0
I
Morrow Co. Abstract & Title
vx
KEEN FEED & SEED
The best gifts are those
that keep on giving year
round. A fine art reproduc
tion, for instance, attrac
tively framed, or a sub
scription to a special maga
zine can be constant re
minders that you remem
bered someone with some
thing special.
Hanging our holiday
stocking for Santa,
and wishing you the
best Christmas ever!
PETTYJOHN OIL
n
,eres to a
holiday trimmed
with gaiety and
good cheer.
Thanhs
to you all.
P & D
MOBILE
mcww" " Harold Kerr
Harold Kerr, former Mor
row County Extension staff
chairman, was among other
Around About
By Justine Weatherford
Here is a story which was included in "Guidcposts
Magazine" quite a few years ago. It was written by Dina
Donahue who titled it "Trouble At the Inn."
For years now. whenever Christmas pageants are talked
about in a certain little town in the midwest, someone is sure
to mention the name of Wallace Purling, Wally's
performance in one annual production of the Nativity Play
has slipped into the realm of legend, but the oldtimers who
were in the audience that night never tire of recalling exactly
what happened.
Wally was nine that year and in the second grade, though
he should have been in the fourth. Most people in town knew
that he had difficulty in keeping up. He was big and clumsy,
slow in movement and mind. Still, Wally was well liked by
the other children in his class, all of whom were smaller than
he, though the boys had trouble hiding their irritation when
Wally would ask to play ball with them or any game, for that
matter, in which winning was important.
Most often they'd find a way to keep him out, but Wally
would hang around anyway-not sulking, just hoping. He was
always a helpful boy, a willing and smiling one, and the
natural protector, paradoxically, of the underdog.
Sometimes if the older boys chased the younger ones away, it
would always be Wally who'd say, "Can't they stay? They're
no bother."
Wally fancied the idea of being a shepherd with a flute in
the Christmas pageant that year, but the play's director,
Miss Lumbard. assigned him to a more important role. After7
all. she reasoned, the innkeeper did not have too many lines,
and Wally's size would make his refusal of lodging to Joseph
more forceful.
And so it happened that the usual large, partisan audience
gathered for the town's yearly extravaganza of crooks and
creche, of beards, crowns, halos and a whole stageful of
squeaky voices. No one on-stage or off was more caught up in
the magic of the night than Wallace Purling. They said later
that he stood in the wings and watched the performance with
such fascination that from time to time Miss Lumbard had to
make sure he didn't wander on stage before his cue.
Then the time came when Joseph appeared, slowly,
tenderly guiding Mary to the door of the inn. Joseph knocked
hard on the wooden door set into the painted backdrop. Wally
the innkeeper was there, waiting.
"What do you want?" Wally said, swinging the door open
with a brusque gesture.
"We seek lodging."
"Seek itelsewhere." Wally looked straight ahead but spoke
vigorously. "The inn is filled."
"Sir, we have asked everywhere in vain. We have traveled
far and are very weary."
"There is no room in this inn for you." Wally looked
properly stern.
"Please, good innkeeper, this is my wife, Mary. She is
heavy with child and needs a place to rest. Surely you must
have some small corner for her. She is so tired."
Now, for the first time, the innkeeper relaxed his stiff
stance and looked down at Mary. With that, there was a long
pause, long enough to make the audience a bit tense with
embarassment.
"No! Begone!" the prompter whispered from the wings.
"No!" Wally repeated automatically. "Begone!"
Joseph sadly placed his arm around Mary and Mary laid
her head upon her husband's shoulder and the two of them
started to move away. The innkeeper did not return inside
his inn, however. Wally stood there in the doorway, watching
the forlorn couple. His mouth was open, his brow creased
with concern, his eyes filling unmistakably with tears.
And suddenly this Christmas pageant became different
from all others.
"Don't go. Joseph." Wally called out. "Bring Mary back."
And Wallace Purling's face brightened with a big smile.
"You can have my room."
Some people in town thought that the pageant had been
ruined. Yet there were others, many others--who considered
it the most Christmasy of all Christmas pageants they had
ever seen.
If That festive Vr HfiA 'tl&SgftA'o
MB
it festive
holiday spirit Is
In the alri with
hearts filled
with excitement,
we say
Merry Christmas,
and thanks.
4
Lexington Lumber
Extension agents and special
ists honored for outstanding
Extension work. Kerr receiv
ed the honor from the Oregon
Extension Association, an
organization of Extension
staff members, at a ceremony
held December 11 at Oregon
State University in Corvallis.
Kerr received his award in
the experienced staff category
after being nominated by
co-workers throughout the
state. Winner selection was
made by a panel of OSU
agents and specialists and was
based on work he had done
during his twelve years
in Morrow County, said a
spokesperson.
The awards by the associa
tion recognize staff members
i
who have made outstanding
contributions to the education
program of the OSU Extension
Service, continued the spokes
person. Kerr and his wife Curol left
Heppner last February, when
Kerr began his position In The
Dulles as Wasco County Ex
tension agent.
w.
CHRISTMAS
We Thank our
many new clients
and friends for
the patronage
and pleasure you
have given us.
We hope your
Christmas will be
a best ever,
among friends
and family
togetherness.
Bob & Babe Harris
t2eal slule
CHRISTMAS
Hope your
holidays
beat the
bond!
Thanks all.
11
GOUTY'S
A ,
A-tS WE CjATHER
TO Uqhl TrlE
CIlRiSTMASTREE,
wr wish our
fRiENds
Jlum holidAy
rm
ABRAMS &
KUHN
i r
VeV purring with llianktt
thiM merry hrll man-lid.
Hope your holiday! a bow-WOW!
Heppner
Auto Parts
Gathered round Santa In merry celebration, we think
of our friends and take this moment to say "thanks."
we appreciate you continuing association and hope
your holidays will be bright and happy!
QgsIVlorrow County nhn
tJFaGrain Growers. .LiUi!
989-8586
A A