TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 22, 2000
Have compassion, vision,
return to five-day week
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Letters to the Editor
H eppner
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publish unsigned letters. Please include your address and phone number on all
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responsible for accuracy o f statements made in letters.
G A Z E T T E -T IM E S
U S P S 240-420
In memory of Jimmy Farley
Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
Published weekly and entered as periodical matter at the Post O ffice at Heppner, Oregon
under the A ct o f March 3 ,1 8 7 9 Periodical postage paid at Heppner, Oregon O ffice at 147
W W illo w Street. Telephone (5 4 1 )6 7 6 -9 2 2 8 Fax (541 >676-9211. E-m ail gt@heppner net
or gUti’rapidserve net W eb site w w w heppner net Postmaster send address changes to
the Heppner Gazette-Tim es, P O Box 337, Heppner. Oregon 97836. Subscriptions $22 in
M orrow C ounty, $16 senior rate (in M orrow C ounty only; 62 years or older); $29 else
where
David Sykes
To the Editor:
At a recent meeting where the
school board was seeking public
input for a tax levy, one question
under "challenges" they offered
us was "What needs to be done to
improve student achievement?"
Seated around tables, we were to
write our ideas on a large sheet to
be given to the board and those
present. At our table my answer
was to return to a five-day week.
This was ignored (two teachers
had the pens). Here it can be
printed.
Initially, the four-days was
supposed to save $200,000 (now
they claim, $300,000), a very
expensive cut, considering the
harsh effects it produced.
Although it cramped all grade
levels, the most crucial was on
children
kindergarten-third.
Children this age simply are not
old enough to take or be
subjected to that extra long day.
At age five-eight, a child gains
(or loses) the basic foundation
for academic success in grades
four-12 and beyond. Here he
develops attitude toward school,
healthy self-concept and other
traits, but probably most
important, basic reading skills. A
child that cannot read by the
third grade will have trouble
from then on. He cannot be
computer competent, cannot fill
out a job application (much less
prepare an effective resume'), is
more likely to be a drop-out, and
will probably never know the joy
...........................................................................................................................Publisher
Apnl Hilton-Sykes.................................................................................................«••■ Editor
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Engagements
Picka-Shaw
To the Editor:
In memory o f a successful
businessman of many years in
Heppner: Jim Farley.
I appreciate Jimmy for starting
our Heppner St. Patrick’s Cel
ebration in 1982. Our whole com
munity was sorry that Jimmy
could not be here to enjoy it with
us. Judging from the number of
people on the sidewalks to view
the parade, it was the largest
crowd ever. It is such good clean
fun and entertainment for all ages
and is drawing larger crowds ev
ery year.
Cheers and congratulations to
Bob Kahl, who managed the great,
long, interesting parade in grand
style. Not a break in the line, just
the way a parade should roll by.
Heppner can be very proud of
the young school children’s band.
Thanks to the band master and
children for what they have ac
complished. A marching band is
a very important part of a parade,
to pep up the crowd. Just what
Heppner needs.
My wish is that someone would
start some kind of a project to raise
money to put band uniforms on the
band master and his great kids.
At my age (91), I’m too old to pro
mote the deal, and besides I have
a full-time job speaking up for
those that can’t speak for them
selves, the animals.
I appreciate all the churches
and organizations who worked so
hard to prepare food for the large
volume of people who came to
visit our quiet little town.
May Heppner have this popu
lar celebration forever.
(s) Lois Winchester
Heppner
Support your local hospital
To the Editor:
I would like to say something
about your local hospital: I do
not live in your community but I
work in your hospital. I have
seen how important this facility
is not just to those who are
employed there but to those
whose lives have been saved or
stabilized in order that they could
be safely transferred to a facility
with more technology.
To lose this hospital could
mean the loss of lives and a
warm caring place for your sick
and elderly to die since there is
no hospice here.
My intent is to advocate for
greater support from you. I have
lived in 76 different places in my
life and one commonality is that
"the grass is greener..." Most
everyone thinks the hospital in
the next town is better. Heppner
is not Hermiston or Pendleton or
Portland, but can you imagine
what the quality of life would be
like for your children, your
parents, your grandparents if it
weren't here? (Especially with all
the accidents from rodeos,
snowmobiles,
automobiles,
sports injuries?)
Who better to care for your
loved
ones
than
you?
Improvements are in the process
of being made, but we need
dedicated, efficient care givers. If
you join the team there will be
work but there will also be To the Editor:
Reading a newspaper can oft
excitement and joy and a sense of
fulfillment in making the times be detrimental to one's
difference in someone's quality blood pressure. Especially if it's
of life (or in the case of the difficult to understand the
terminally ill, the tender farewell reasoning behind some actions.
As I understand it the school
called death). I give you food for
board was legally compelled at
thought.
(s) Shannon McDonald, RN the March meeting to approve
Stanfield extension of teaching contracts
for next school year including
some of the positions that were
previously scheduled to be cut.
"Swallowtail
Jig".
The Otherwise these teachers could
performers represented eight not be hired. But Catch-22 is that
different towns and all were there may not be any money to
dressed in coordinating green and fund those positions.
And whose to say that if a $1
black outfits.
The young fiddlers were one of million five-year levy passes, the
12 elementary entries in this school board will honor such a
year's competition. There were commitment. It certainly leaves
more than 50 entries overall in those teachers in a precarious
position as well as high school
six different age categories.
The "Little Bit o' Irish" Fiddlers students who like to plan ahead
received $100 for their first place for classes.
How much trust can the public
finish.
A vocal duet in the college place in this board, when the
division, Heather Pearson and school board chairman publicly
Spencer Hull, claimed the $500
grand prize.
The local fiddlers are now
getting ready to play in the
The American Legion and
Oregon State Fiddle Competition Auxiliary will meet Monday,
in Salem on Saturday, April 29. March 27, to celebrate the
They will present a concert in Legion's 81st birthday.
The
meeting will be held at the
Heppner in early May.
Assurance needed that school
district spending prudently
Fiddlers win Kapers division
Barb Picka and J.J. Shaw
The parents of Barb Picka and J.J. Shaw have announced their
engagement to be married.
Barb is the daughter of Grace and Ed Picka of New Prague,
Minn. J.J. is the son of Linda Shaw, Heppner, and John Shaw,
Condon.
The bnde-elect graduated from New Prague High School in 1988
and Mankato State University in 1992. She is employed by
Northwest Technical Institute, Eden Prairie, Minn., as a math
instructor.
The groom-elect graduated from Heppner High School in 1989
and the University of Idaho in 1994. He is employed by Thermo
King Corporation, Bloomington, Minn., as a test engineer.
The couple lives in Savage, Minn., and will be wed at Minnehaha
Falls, Minneapolis, on June 24,2000. The couple became engaged
on a recent rock climbing vacation at Smith Rock in Central
Oregon. Ms. Picka didn't dare say "no" with Mr. Shaw holding the
rope to rappel off the 350-foot tower.
Briggs-Barrett
Phyllis M. Briggs, lone, and David K. Barrett, lone, announce
their engagement to be married.
The bride-elect is the daughter of Don and Lam Briggs,
Pendleton. She is a homemaker.
The groom-elect is the son of Betty Waterberry, John Day. He
is employed with Lexington Auto Body in Lexington.
The couple plan an April 1, 2000, wedding at the lone Legion
Hall at 3 p.m. Friends and family are invited to attend.
"A Little Bit o' Irish" Fiddlers
took first place in the elementary
division of the Kiwanis Kapers
Competition in Pendleton on
March 11.
The group, directed by their
teacher, Peg Willis of Pendleton,
included six Heppner area
students: Alex Carlson, Eric
Jepsen, Kate Kendrick, Blaine
Maley, Seth Morgan and Brynna
Rust.
The entire group of 18 fiddlers,
string bass, guitar, and drum,
performed an Irish song entitled
Oops
What a difference one little
letter makes-it can even change
one country into another.
This year's Wee Bit O' Ireland
Celebration Parade Marshal Bill
Mitchell informs us that he has
never been to Iceland, but he has,
however, been to Ireland several
times.
The Gazette-Times, justifiably,
has endured more than a little bit
of kidding during the St. Patrick's
festivities. We apologize for our
very non-St. Patrick's boo-boo in
the March 15 issue of the
newspaper.
As he suggested, maybe we
were finally giving the local
Scandinavians their due.
of reading a good book.
Two years into the four-days
here, the state tests on third grade
reading showed that virtually
every school in Oregon on the
four-days was lower than before
and were also below the state
average. Our school board was
presented with this information
directly
from
the
state
department and with over 200
signatures of people wishing the
five-day week and willing to
display their names to the public,
in the Heppner area alone. The
board ignored us, their chairman
even ordering one of our
spokesmen to sit down.
Now, just take a look at the
state test scores for fifth grade.
Finally, we deceive ourselves
to
think
that
all
the
administrators, teachers, parents
and school boards (supposedly
representing the county at
large?)—all the king's horses and
all the king's men—can stress,
disrupt or change the natural
physical and mental development
of children five-eight with
impunity.
Sadly, the punished are our
children who are at our mercy.
The four-day-week is Morrow
County's acceptance of one
version of child abuse.
How can we improve student
achievement? One important way
is to have the compassion and
vision to return to the five-day
week.
(s) Jane Rawlins
Heppner
stated that the reinstatement of
one teaching position at lone was
for "political reasons." Although
he reiterated that a small school
requires a certain staff level, the
focus doesn't appear to be on the
quality of education. It seems
more like a blatant strong-
arming of lone area voters and
others concerned about the
quality of education.
Adequate health care facilities
and good schools are the core of
our rural communities in south
Morrow County. Higher property
taxes on top of rising fuel costs
and other operating expenses is
not a happy thought for rural
property
owners
in
this
agricultural-dependant area when
commodity prices are below par.
While farmers and ranchers
continue to tighten their budgets,
they need to be assured that their
tax dollars are being spent
prudently.
(s) Merlyn Robinson
Heppner
Legion, Auxiliary plan meeting
I t ’
s
G
T
ood
o
L
ive
I n
Methodist Church basement with
potluck at 6:30 p.m.
Cake and ice cream will be
furnished by the Auxiliary.
Members are welcome to
attend.
O
regon
Reason If 77:
SCHEDULED POWER OUTAGE
There’s a bank here that would happily
answer all your questions about IRAs.
(Even the really silly ones.)
Saturday, March 25 • Olex Area
Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative
has a power outage scheduled at the
Olex Substation, Saturday, March 25,
from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
for maintenance work.
A
G O O D
Thank you for your patience.
I
E ligible
Actually, almost everyone is qualified
to invest their retirement dollars in an
IRA. Even people who are over 70'/2
years of age can make contributions.
The real question is which kind of IRA
Reenergization will occur when the
needed maintenance is completed,
which could be earlier than 6:00 p.m.
This will include all consumers
served from the Olex Substation,
encompassing Mikkalo Lane,
Upper Rock Creek, Lower Rock Creek,
Baseline Road, Cedar Springs Road,
Highway 19, Barnett Road,
French Charlie Road, Four K Road,
and Shutler Flat areas.
m
P L A C E
T O
L IV E .
F or
A n
IRA?
- if any - is the right one for you. Our
friendly people are more than happy
to answer that or any other burning
questions you might have. Why not
stop in some time soon and ask away.
G O O D
P L A C E
T O
Klamath
ftt fallirai
W d ht honored.
Member FDIC • Equal Housing Lender
We regret any inconvenience this will
cause: however, it is very important
we complete this repair work.
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B A N K