Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 4, 1997)
Ione graduates seniors P 1 S S I F ¡r T T y or o & c* E (j ,j J r V VOL. 116 NO. 23 8 Pages Z' o “ . n z . i 5 « 7 .; o ^ ~ Wednesday, June 4,1997 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon LaRue to retire from teaching Not too many coaches can honestly say, "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game." lone High School's long-time teacher and coach Del LaRue can get away with it-and mean it, whether it's the game of basketball or the game of life. LaRue, 59, who has announced his retirement from teaching and coaching at the end of this school year, says that his goal has been to make good citizens of his students and athletes. "I've never considered myself to be a great teacher," said LaRue, who has been teaching in lone 26 years. "I want kids to leave my classroom with the subject matter, all right, but I , want to give my kids something so they're good citizens and can go out into the world. How they end up as individuals is more important than the facts. I want them to be able to make good decisions." LaRue says that understanding kids has been crucial to his career. "I think it (liking kids) is important. If you don't like kids, you're in the wrong profession. I think that some people don't understand kids. You kind of have to get into their minds." LaRue said that when he first came to lone, he had planned to stay only for a short while and then move on to a bigger school. But, after living in the lone community for a while, he found he was able to get to know his students and their families better. "That's the neat thing about lone," he said. "That's probably the reason we stayed. I realized I didn't want to be in a bigger classroom." "Bigger isn't always better," continued LaRue. "I know our kids go to college, get good jobs and are as successful as kids from bigger schools. That's important." Teaching and coaching are inseparable to LaRue, but coaching is his real love. "I've said, if I ever quit coaching, I'd quit teaching. I enjoy putting changes together and getting immediate results. It's more rewarding. In the classroom, you don't get those immediate results." Over the years at lone, LaRue has coached basketball (his favorite) and track and was assistant football coach for several years. Through it all he says he has remained relatively unscathed by parents, critics and fans, which is probably an amazing feat in itself. "The thing is to try to handle the kids and be as fair as you can," he said. "Some parents understand what's going on. In The 1997 lone High School graduating class The motto, "Our greatest glory Taylor and Erick Walters. and special consists not in never failing, but awards Scholarships were presented by in rising every time we fall", set various organizations to the the tone for the 1997 lone High following students: School commencement exercises Steve Allen: Carl Troedson on Friday, May 30, in the school Scholarship,$800; lone Youth gym. LaRee Anderson delivered the Group, $150; Jason Halvorsen valedictory address and Luke Memorial Scholarship, $500. LaRee Anderson: Elks Swanson, the salutatory address. Long time teacher and coach, Del Scholarship, $200; Morrow LaRue, who will retire this year, County Education Association, was guest speaker. Espindion $ 150; Carl Troedson Scholarship, "Pete" Cantu lead the Pledge of $800; lone Lions Club, $100; Allegiance. lone High School Soroptimist International Club, Principal Dick Allen, Morrow $400. County School Superintendent Kemmery Bumght: Pat Gillette Chuck Starr and school board Memorial Scholarship, $250. member John Rietmann assisted Jory Crowell: 4-H Leadership in ceremony. The senior class Council, $300; American Legion gave a special slide show Post #95. Suzy Heideman: Carl Troedson presentation. Graduating seniors include: Scholarship: $800; Senior Steve Allen, LaRee Anderson, Athlete of the Year. Brenda Holtz: Blue Mountain Joe Bacon, Dawn Boor, Kemmery Burright, Espiridion Community College (BMCC) Cantu, Jory Crowell, Camie tuition waiver one year; Jason Memorial Crum, Patrick Eberhard, Corey Hal vorsen Ehrmantraut, Jon Garrett, Scholarship, $500. Stephanie Haguewood, Suzanna Kelly Morgan: Ken Snider Heideman, Brenda Holtz, Kelly Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; Morgan, Ryan Nevala, Chuck lone Cardinal Club, $300; lone Nolan, William Parm, Mindy Youth Group, $150; Jason Memorial Qualls, Randolph Scott, Dawn Hal vorsen Sheirbon, Luke Swanson, Jacob Scholarship, $500; Carl Troedson Scholarship, $800; lone Lions Club, $100; lone Volunteer Fire Department, $400; Mike Mathews Memorial Scholarship, 1 000 Will Parm: Agn Comp Scholarship, $500. Mindy Qualls: Earl and Hazel Wilson Scholarship, $250; BMCC tuition waiver one year. Dawn Sheirbon: BMCC tuition waiver one year; Carl Troedson Scholarship, $800; Ken Snider Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; Jason Halvorsen Memorial Scholarship, $500. Luke Swanson: Oregon Laurels Scholarship, $10,000; 4-H Leadership Council $300; Cargill, Inc., $200; George Martm-COSA Scholarship, $1,000; Carl Troedson Scholarship, $800; lone Lions Club, $100; Ken Snider Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; lone Youth Group, $150; Jason Hal vorsen Memor i al Scholarship, $500; Senior Athlete of the Year; Laurel Scholarship, $10,000; Farm Credit Service Scholarship, $100 (Pendleton). $ , . Heppner holds graduation Teacher Del LaRue goes over home work with freshman Brandi Brantley (left) and Liz Allen. 412 victories on the basketball the 26 years I've been coaching court. "There have been so many here, I've had a few parents high spots," he said. "I don't complain. But, it's been pretty think I could single out one." good, I haven't had too many problems." He says that he suggests that parents who have complaints should come to practice. "You need to come to practice and you need to find out what's going on. Game time isn't the whole thing." LaRue says that his ability to block everything out except the game has really helped him. "I go into the gym and concentrate on the game. I couldn't tell you if the other team had cheerleaders or not. It (yelling from the fans) doesn't bother me, because I don't hear it." LaRue has had only three technicals to his credit throughout his career. "I had two one night, and the other one, I kind of begged for, because he (the ref) was doing such a bad job." The first two were at Fossil his first year of coaching at lone—after leaving a teaching and coaching job at Fossil. "It just depends on your philosophy," said LaRue. "I've always figured that if I got a technical and we ended up losing, then I considered it to be my fault. I've tried to convey to my kids that their conduct on the floor could influence the ball game." LaRue is reluctant to go on about his successes, but he has coached his lone teams to around One thing he is especially proud of, in addition to his wins, is his contribution to the Oregon High School Basketball Association 1- A All State Game. Feeling that the 1-A students needed a 1-A game, LaRue went to the OHBA and asked what it would require. They told him that it would require a show of interest. So, he went back home, wrote to all the 1 - A coaches and then returned to the OHBA. They pretty much told him, fine, now you can organize it. And so he did. LaRue has organized the East team for all of the five years the 1-A teams have participated. LaRue says that after he retires, he and his wife, Linda, are not planning to go anywhere else and she will continue to work as chief operations officer at the Bank of Eastern Oregon in Heppner. "I'm going to take care of the yard and probably the house and I've got a 1960 . Thunderbird convertible that I want to rebuild," he said. "I probably won't try to find something else to do until fall. It (retirement) probably won't set in until fall when school starts. Linda is concerned about what I'm going to do. I'm not the kind of person who can sit around." Continued page 2 The 35th annual lone United Church of Christ Auction and Barbecue will get underway this Saturday, June 7, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Willows Grange Hall in lone. The auction will feature a country store, opening at 10 a.m. with foods, crafts and other goodies; a silent auction beginning at 10:15 a.m.; and the auction beginning at 10:30 a.m. Bids will open at 1 p.m. for the auction which includes furniture and antiques, tools, services and more. Auctioneers will be Frank and Gary Bettencourt, Triad Auctioneers. The pit-barbecued beef dinner will be served starting at 12:30 p.m. Cost is $5 for adults, $2.50 for children six-12 years and preschool children will be admitted free of charge. IU CC Auction Saturday in lone Nicole Van Etta receives her diploma from School Board member Russ Morgan. Waiting to shake her hand is Morrow County School Superintendent Chuck Starr. and Anthony and Jennifer Cox, Traci Dickenson, Thirty-four seniors received graduation school board Russ David Gray, Brent Gunderson, diplomas at the 1997 Heppner Morgan presented member diplomas. Mandi Gutierrez, Stormy High School graduation held The following members of the Howard. Chris Jones, Toni Saturday, May 31, in the gym. junior class assisted in the Kemp, Brian Koffler, Stacy Honor speakers jvere Brian ceremony: grand marshals-Josie Launtsen, Brandi Marshall, Koffler, Toni Kemp and Traci Proctor and Travis Wilhelm; Frank Martin, Amy Mathews, Dickenson. Honored guests were Matteson and Justin Matteson, David Michael, their former teachers, Jannie candlelighters-Lexi Lon Moeller, Tiffame Munkers, Chris Anthony; programs-Jessica Allen, Mark Dowdy and Dave VanWinkle and Annie Hisler; Jend Ployhar, Lonnie Rill, Jim Gunderson, teacher Walter ushers-Bnan Bumside, Adam Schlaich, Eric Schonbachler, Pilgrim, library tech Ginger Doherty, Miles Hill, Tyson Robby Schultz, Tellechea, Bowman and custodian Stub Palmateer. Josh Roy and Cam Nicole Van Etta, Phillip Rebecca Ward, Lewis. Sweeney; and gifts-Katie Nichols Lindsey Waterland, Jeff Watkins, Principal Ron Anthony and Linsey Ropp. Damien Wilhelm, Jeff Wilson presented awards. Morrow Graduating seniors include: and Rick Worden. County School Superintendent John Blake, Matt Browning, Chuck Starr affirmed the Sarah Cimmiyotti, Josh Coiner, Continued page 2 SUMMER TIM E SAVINGS Farm & Hardware Sale Sale starts June 5 , ends June 14 MORROW COUNTY GRAIN GROWERS Lexington 989-8221 1 -800-452-7396
