Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 10, 1998)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 10, 1998 - THREE Two longtime educators retire from Heppner High School Two longtime Heppner High School teachers have announced their retirement. Social studies teacher Dale Conklin and counselor Barbara Hayes will leave their teaching positions at the end of this school year. Dale Conklin Conklin, 58, is originally from Eastern Oregon. Bom and raised in LaGrande, he graduated from LaGrande High School and attended Willamette University for two years. He left school for a while and got a job as sports editor at the LaGrande Observer from 1960-62. He was then drafted into the Army where his job was to put out a post newspaper. H t also coached basketball and softball at the military base at Fort Wolters, Texas. After his stint in the military, Conklin transferred to Eastern Oregon State College where he got a job as the college's sports information director. In that position he was responsible for putting out press guides and press releases and keeping stats at ball games—for a $100 a month. This job also whetted his appetite for athletics, which became an important part of his career. Conklin graduated from EOSC with a bachelor of science in both history and education. He also got a bit of advice from a professor, which was apropos at that tim e- if you want to get a teaching job, you need to coach. His first job offer came along, which did, indeed, include a coaching position and he jumped it. He was hired to teach at Klickitat High School and also coached three sports-football, basketball and baseball. After two years at Klickitat, Conklin and his wife, Linda, decided to return to their native Oregon and he was hired at Heppner High School to teach social studies. "I knew I wanted to live in Eastern Oregon," he said. "My wife is originally from Union and I'm from LaGrande and we wanted to get a little closer to home. I certainly have not regretted being here. It's a great place to live." Over the years at HHS Conklin has taught U.S. history, psychology, government, sociology, global studies, personal finance and economics and has been assistant football coach and assistant track coach. In 1976 he became head track coach and in 1984 became the athletic director. As HHS head track coach Conklin has taken members of the track team to the state championships every year but two. "I'm very proud of our track teams," says Conklin. The boys' track team won the state championship in 1988 and the team has had 15 individual state championships since he was named head coach. Conklin observes that teaching has changed a great deal over the years. "You no longer can just teach full-time," he says. "There's a lot of paperwork and other distractions." Conklin says he is proud of the job teachers do at HHS. "I've always thought at Heppner High School that we have done an excellent job of preparing our kids for college," he says. But, he added, "We probably have not done as good a job for the kids who are not going to college." He says that the HHS work study program and the new state-wide CIM and CAM program may help place more emphasis on students going right into the work force. Conklin sees both good and" bad in the CIM and CAM programs. "About every 10 years, we go though changes. The experts aren't always sure which way to go," he says. "The CIM and the CAM are largely performance based and that's good. But one of the negative things for teachers is the amount of paperwork that has to be done. There's an awful lot of recording." Conklin says that the biggest change he has seen in education over the years is in the kids. "I The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES U.S.P.S. 240-420 Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper Published weekly and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon under the ActofMarch3, 1879 Periodical postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 147 W Willow Street. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax (541) 676-9211. E-mail: gt@rapidserve net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $18 in Morrow, Wheeler, Gilliam and Grant counties; $25 elsewhere David Sykes........................................................................................................ Publisher April Hilton-Sykes.................................................................................................. Editor FATHER’S DAY GIFTS For That Special Dad ( I I M Í !,lñ n m -IW ^ . U M IN don't think the kids get as much support or direction from home and school isn't as important." But, he added," Still there is a number of parents who are extremely supportive and their kids are the ones who have the greatest amount of success." Conklin says he plans to continue coaching track and will possibly continue as athletic director at HHS after retirement. "I'm not ready to give everything up at once," he laughs. Conklin officially retired in March, but taught through the end of the school year. He adds that he will probably have some "honey-do" projects at home, since teaching and coaching have taken up a lot of his time. He also plans to make sure that he has plenty of time for bird hunting and "any kind of fishing". Conklin and his wife, Linda, have been married since 1965. They have four grown children: Ashley, who is a sports reporter for the East Oregonian Newspaper in Pendleton; Jill who teaches in the Douglas School District in Winston; Sheryl, who works at an assisted care facility in Milton-Freewater; and Mark, who is an accountant for a computer company in Tigard. They also have one grandson, Bradley. Linda is a bookkeeper and receptionist at Morrow County Grain Growers in Lexington. Barbara Hayes Heppner High School counselor Barbara Hayes will end a 13-year career at the school when she retires at the end of the month. Hayes has not only been the counselor, but has also been the media specialist and has often been called into service videotaping games and special events over the years, which has amounted to long hours on the job. Hayes was bom in Santa Barbara, CA. The family moved to San Luis Obispo, where her father owned a grocery store. There they lived in a Spanish land adobe house. They moved to Bakersfield, CA, where her father grew cotton, before moving two years later to Ashland. She graduated from Ashland High School, whose mascot is the grizzly. "So I'm a grizzly," laughs Hayes. "Occasionally the kids agree with me. After high school, Hayes went to Oregon State College, initially majoring in business. She changed her major to education and was the last class to graduate from OSC before it became a university. She received a bachelor of science degree in business education. Her first job after graduation was at newly-opened Marshall High School in southeast " A T lone United Church of Christ t 1 says “thank you !” to the follow ing b u sin esses for donating to our 1998 auction; y A X | ■ V » A U W ilcox Furniture Pea R idge T-Shirts Herm iston Cinem a Nomad R estaurant Club H ouse on Kunze M orrow C ounty Gram G rowers Farm Equipm ent H eadquarters Magnum Opus Devin O il R obinson D istributing ■ W illow C reek Styles W ' W illow C reek C ountry C lub H eppner G azette- T imes £ G ardner's Men s W ear X | ■ Les Schwab Tires. H eppner Judy 4 Sandy's Photography Beecher's R estaurant f Krebs Ranches East O regonian Corinne Mites Nursery Green Feed 4 Seed Roger B ritt Septic and G ravel Dick Tem ple. DVM A | ■ V ▼ A Tony’s Pizza ■ T h a n k s A a ls o to F in a lly , th e t h a n k s to th e w h o h u n d r e d s A A i I ? ▼ Oregon T rail Pro Rodeo lone Repair Travekn Tractor M cG regor Company c a m e — se e y o u “ W lr a l w a y s g i v e t h a n k s to G o d f o r a l l o f y o u . ' - - 1 T h e s n e x t y e a r! 1 :2 Worship Service on Sundays at 11 a.m. Meeting in the /th-day Adventist Church 560 North Minor, Heppner And a hig WELCOME to our new pastor and his wife Brent and Jennifer Waldrep ‘Wacky Wednesdays’ W IN ONE OF 4 NEW VEHICLES! TWO 1998 FORD RANGER 4x4*$ TWO 1998 FORD ESCORTS On Four "Wacky Wednesdays" in )une Register NOW! Must be 21 or older to enter. (Xtarts at ttw Casino. Progressive Cash Draw ings every hour Vom noon to 6 p m 7pm - Draw ing fo r tw o-27" T V S • pm - Vehicle Giveaway Ring ‘Em Up Slot i 9 pm - Drawing fo r $50« WIN YOUR FAVORITE FATHER Cash Prizes Totaling ‘The Best Seat in the House’ $ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ! Grand Prize Includes; TO URN AM EN T R N ALS! TH URS., JUNE 1« • 1ST PRIZE $15,000 Big Screen TV First round starts at 6 pm Dish w ith access to more than W M DHORSE HOTEL Recliner • Robe • Slippers One year subscription to TV Guide too channels • Welcome Basket of Sparkling Cider Fine Chocolate & Treats ■ • Fresh Flower Basket V ▼ • Casino Discount Package ($20 value) A • Dinner for Two at Wildhorse Restaurant Person who entered him wins S100! • $159 Weekdays < 179 Weekends) Other great prizes, too. (The Lucky Dad must be present to w in ) Receive an entry for your favonte Father whenever you dine in the Wildhorse Restaurant Monday through Thursday, now through June 18 • One night In Deluxe Whirlpool Suite with extended check o u t Drawing at 3 pm Father's Day (June 21) Winning Dad gets "Best Seat" Prize Package Add a second night's lodging for only $89 All prices plus tax Play In A Place Like No Other. 1-14 east - Exit 2 16-At the base of the Blue Mountains Pendleton, Oregon l-800-654-WILD(94S3) ^ w Manav-m«« m tnrt ttm ne* ' » m * siapmd or «aM rs* oRtn'pnnuuom « m * a m You are warm ly invited to w orship w ith us at 11 a m . on Sundays a t S t WBtema C atholic Church, lone • A 1 f iz r e a t s t u f f ! Willow C reek B a p tist C hurch A 1 A Cotom bia G orge Discovery Center t im e , t a le n t a n d Come Share With Us A t Escape to Romance A M urray Drugs C ountry Flowers lone M arket Triad Auctioneers Heppner Chamber of Commerce and this year she was named honorary Chapter Farmer by the HHS FFA Chapter. She is also a member of the Oregon Trail Library Board and the Morrow County Commission on Children and Families. Hayes will work through June and plans to be on hand later to help the new counselor, Kay McKenzie, in transition. She says that she will also have "plenty to do" at the Hayes' ranch, "The Flying H". She also enjoys camping and plans to develop her expertise in fishing, a favorite pastime of her husband's. A i ■ ■ ? A 60 M inute Photo, Herm iston Van W aters and Rogers UAP N orthw est d o n a te d w h o 1 ▼ G ene's Foods Hodgen D stnbubng The Pet Store Robert Reid lone Auto Parts TKO Tom W hite Aviation G ar Aviation Kmzua H ills Go« C lub C ottage Flowers Peterson's Jewelers Just Sew In d iv id u a ls A Pizza H u t Herm iston H ate's Tavern Fam ily Pet C enter Pepsi-C oia Bottling Coca-Cola Klam ath Savings. H eppner W ooiery House Bed 4 Breakfast Safeway, H erm iston H air Expressions Dobyns Pest C ontrol Juke W eimar. M ary Kay Cosm etics M ount Hood R ailroad K ate's Pizza Bank o f Eastern Oregon m a n y A Sweeney M ortuary Schwan s Ice Cream Shop N K art USA Subs Arlene s H allm ark Papa M urphy's Pizza Kopacz Nursery M cD onald's, H erm iston P o w e fs Books, Condon Sanitary D isposal A f Pendleton U nderground Tours Bucknum 's Tavern Tim es-Journal, Condon C entral Market Adam s D istributing D airy Queen, H erm iston f Portland where she taught typing, bookkeeping and business law. There were more kids in her classes at Marshall, which was built around the same time as HHS, than there are in grades nine-12 at HHS. Hayes and her husband, Jim, met at college and were married in 1961 at Pensacola, FLA. Jim, who was in the Navy, completed flight training school and then the couple moved to San Diego. He served in Vietnam from 1963-65, before the war escalated. Haves staved in San Diego while he was in Vietnam, and worked as a legal secretary. She worked full-time before their son Jay was bom in 1964 and then worked part-time. After Jim was discharged from the service they moved to Yakima where he worked as a crop duster. From there they moved to Medford and Jim commuted from there to San Francisco where he got a job flying for Pan Am. Their second son, Loran, was bom in 1968. Hayes substituted quite a bit for several years and then got a part-time job working for the Britt Music Festival in Ashland as manager. In 1976, Pam Am, facing financial problems, laid off 300 workers, including Jim. The family moved to Heppner, where Jim was bom and still had a family farm. Hayes worked as a court clerk for Morrow County. After Jim started a Farmer's Insurance office in Heppner, Hayes worked there as office manager for a while before returning to the court system, this time with the state. Hayes then decided to return to teaching and updated her certificate at PSU. She was hired at HHS in 1985 and was high school librarian for several years before all certified media specialists were eliminated from the district school budget because of budget cuts. HHS didn't have a school counselor at the time, so Hayes went back to school at PSU to update her certificate. She was then hired as HHS counselor, a position she has held ever since, with the exception of a year's leave of absence when she traveled to Europe. At that time, her husband had since returned to Pan Am and piloted planes from Frankfurt, Germany, to Berlin. Her son, Jay was also stationed in Frankfurt. Besides visiting with her husband and son in Germany, she traveled to Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland and England and then traveled in the U.S. before returning home. Hayes says that she is especially proud of the number of scholarships HHS seniors are awarded each year. "I've worked hard to build up the scholarship program," says Hayes. "Probably my most fulfilling year was when the graduating class of 1995 got over $235,000 in scholarships. The seniors that year got some really fantastic scholarships." In 1995 she was also named citizen- educator of the year by the
