Communications
Letters to the Editor must bear the name and address of the writer, although
under certain circumstances the use of a pen name or initial for publication
i permissible. The Mail Tribune reserves Che right to edit all letters with a
view to clarification and condensation. Letters submitted for publication must
not exceed 400 words.
Overburdened, Taxpayer
To the Editor: Why is one op
posed to fluoride treated water
more of a zealous fanatic than
one who so determinedly works
for it? Since when are a few
caries in a few children's teeth
of such momentous concern that
the water supply of over 20,000
people should be treated with an
insecticide?
It is just..as silly as having to
brush the teeth of a neighbor's
child because the parent wants
to shift his own responsibility.
The taxpayer is already burden
ed with the care of neglected,
deserted and delinquent chil
dren, most of them products 01
irresponsible parents. When I
was a child most every home had
a grandparent or elderly relative
as a revered member of the
household. Now these old people
are farmed out in convalescent
homes and county hospitals fi
nanced by welfare funds, also
from taxpayers' pockets.
Where is our pride?
Do we want to live in a wel
fare state?
One thing leads to another.
Soon someone will' be advocat
ing the addition of a laxative to
our water supply because some
kids are constipated. . -
Let those who want fluoride
treated water fix their own. Let
Us not burden the overburdened
taxpayer further.
Mrs. Docia Jones
Barnett road
Medford, Ore.
Better Teeth
To the Editor: Thanks to the
Mail Tribune for pointing out to
the citizens of Medford the sim
ple way to help prevent tooth
decay of its youngest citizens. It
. is hoped more people can be
come informed of the safety and
economy of the method involved
, The Jackson County Public
Health association ' has been
working ' for . -better health of
children since its organization in
1917. One of its interests has
been dental health. For many
years it supported a dental clinic.
Shortage of dentists forced the
closure just before World War
II. The one frustrating feature
was the small number of chil
dren helped when the need was
so great. . ,
Now we have a new and safe
method for the prevention of
tooth decay, one that helps rich
and poor alike, namely adding
one part of fluoride to one mil
lion parts of water. There are
over 50 physicians in the county
who are endorsing this method
and who say so publicly. Dr. A.
Erin Merkel, director of the
county health department, has
investigated the question exten
sively and urges the city coun
cil to pass the proposal at the
earliest possible time.
Paying for dental care is a real
problem to many families. The
dentists of this county are aware
of this and are working hard to
help people understand that flu
oridating a city water supply is
a safe and effective way to in
sure a decay-resistant enamel
covering the teeth of the young
child.- They also tell us frank
ly that painting children's teeth
with . fluorides, taking tablets
and brushing teeth is less effec
tive as compared to using fluor
ide in the drinking water. A re
cent survey indicated that the
average cost of yearly dental
care per Medford child was
$58.96. The cost of adding fluor
ine to the Medford City water
supply would be 13c per water
user per month, and that in
cludes the $30,000 building and
upkeep. '
Here's to the health of Jack
eon county children. May we all
join hands to insure their future
well-being.
Mrs. Henry Padgham
President, Jackson County
PublicHealth Association
Meck .Stuck Out , v
: To the Editor: Haven't you
stuck ' out your neck on this
fluoridation business?
To me the medical associa
tion's recommendations mean
money in fair chunks in some
one's pockets, for I, for one, do
not believe such a plan would
be advanced except there is.
I vas a United States patrol
man during the times that the
91st and 96th Divisions were at
Camp - White taking military
training At. that time fluorida
tion was 100 per cent forced
upon the men of those divisions.
In so doing the water was
changed from sweet and pure
to a nasty and vile liquid. So
much so that I carried water
from my well that I should not
be compelled to drink of .it.
The words 'nasty' and 'vile'
fully describe it.
Do we want our 'pure' water,
of which Medford is so proud
and has so long advertised as
a "mountain spring in every
home' changed to the taste of
the seepage from a sewer? Per
sonally, I do not.
Regardless of the Medical as
sociation or the editor.
Andy L. Unger,
634 Pennsylvania ave.,
Medford, Ore.
(Editor's note: An officer who
was stationed at Camp White in
an engineering capacity during
the war advises the water in use
for the Army never was fluor
idated. Our correspondent may
be confusing it with chlorine, an
entirely different chemical,
which was used to kill bacteria
in the wartime water supplies
at the camp, and which does have
a distinct taste and odor. Flu
orides, on the other hand, have
no odor and no taste in the con
centrations recommended.)
Authorities Identified .
To the Editor: Congratulations
on yourTecent editorial pointing
up some basic facts on the issue
of fluoridation which have long
needed clarification.
It seems to me, as a result of
the welter of controversy con
cerning this subject, that the
water consumer may be truly
confused. The anti-fluondation
group uses statements calculated
to increase this , confusion by
quoting various dentists and phy
sicians on statements as to the
harmful effects of fluorides. In
part, these quotations are taken
out of context from articles on
fuorides which have nothing to
do with the subject of fluorida
tion of water supplies for pre
vention of tooth decay.
A more serious confusion is
created by the quoting of various
writers from the professions,
who purport to have independ
ently discovered harmful effects
from the consumption of fluori
dated water. These articles
would, on the surface, seem to
indicate that there exists a real
division of opinion among the
dental and medical professions
and allied groups on the subject
of the efficacy and safety of
fluoridation. Such is far from the
truth; as is shown by the en
dorsement by the thousands of
members of these groups, each
one of whom is professionally
qualified to jexpress a studied
opinion, but has usually done so
only by his endorsement. It is
the case of a practically micror
scopic vocal, minority opinion
being magnified thousands of
times; to create a false impres
sion of "division of opinion
among the authorities."
Who are the "authorities" on
this subject?
1. They are, especially, the
health officers of the hundreds
of. cities where fluoridation has
been used, - successfully, for
years. .
.2. They ' are ihe hundreds of
thousands of dentists and doc
tors of America, who have Tone
on record, through their national
and local organizations as favor
ing fluoridation. .
3. They are the Federal, State !
and Municipal health agencies,
who have made exhaustive and
unbiased studies over ten years'
time. , i
The authorities do agree.
Fluoridation of drinking water
reduces indcidence of dental de
cay in children up to 65 per cent.
Fluoridation does not cause
harmful effects, in the concen
trations used, to children, adults,
animals, fish, birds, vegetation,
or inert objects.
John L. Welch, M.D.
Doctors Clinic
1032 West Main St.
: Medford, Oregon
Leave Sugar Alone , ,
To the Editor: For many years
it has been known positively
that a high sugar diet and high
incidence of dental caries (cavi
ties) go hand in hand. Other de
generative diseases, less obvious
and probably more significant,
also accompany a high sugar
diet. Many of us parents are
aware of these relationships and
try to guide our children away
from deleterious foods. '
But what a time we have!
Parties and sweets are almost
synonymous. ,Well wishing
adults offer candy to the young
sters. ' ;
The wisdom of our research
ers, which usually precedes pop
ular knowledge by many, years
(too many, top often) is not even
felt in our schools. The schools
foster sales of ; carbonated bev
erages and ther sugar products.
Even some medical doctors give
suckers to little juniors for being
good during a shot!
Thank heavens for our South
ern Oregon Dental association
which flatly recommends cut
ting out sweets entirely.
Please, kindly well wishers,
eat the suckers and other sweets
yourselves, for you, no doubt,
are beyond hope dentally and
spare the little folks, that they
may have a better chance of
reaching maturity with 32 beau-'
tif ul teeth in a healthy body!
Irving S. Thomas
Box 428-A, Route 1 . .
Medford, Ore.
Expense Compared
To the Editor: Thank you so
much for your editorial on
"Fluoridation." ;
I have two daughters, age 7
and 3. Both have been going reg
ularly to the dentist since they
were 2V& years old. If some peo
ple think fluoridation would be
expensive, they should, see the
average family's dentist bills.
I am delighted that the Mail
Tribune is giving the public the
facts. - T ;
Thank you, it is appreciated.
Mrs. Paul Norris -1481
Ridgeway dr.
Medford, Ore.
Replies lo "Sinner"
To the Editor:
From One Sinner to Another:
I thoroughly agree with you
for I have had some of the same
experiences.
My gripe is this, if you do not
give large donations to the
church, or in other words keep
up with the businessman, you
are not considered a Christian
family.
We receive records from our
church telling us just how much
we have given through the year,
and we are also considered not
a Christian family. Why? Be
cause our donations are smalL
They are just what we can af
ford to give without . taking the
food out of our mouths,, or the
shoes off our feet.
I always "thought church was
a place for everyone, regardless
of wealth, a place to go to pray
and sing and meet friends aad
make friends, a place to go with
your troubles, and to give, what
you feel you can. Nowadays one
can't afford to go to church. I
would like to start my child in
Sunday school, but should I, if
he is going to be pushed aside
because his Mother and Daddy
are on the non-Christian list?
We sinners ought to get together,
we might find we have a friend
after all. '
Sinner No. 2 ,
(Name on file)
Bouquets
To the Editor:
We are in a "bouquet-tossing"
mood, and since, far too often,
people are prone to air 'only
their verbal brickbats, we'd like
to publicize, instead, our posies.
.They're tagged for the count
less public utilities crews that
are working day and night, long,
cold, wet, and miserable hours,
to . provide us, against stormy
odds, with those facilities we ac
cept so casually our roads, our
phones, our power lines. All of
these men deserve more ,' than
just their pay checks in the way
of appreciation.
Specifically, we're grateful
tonight to the Copco crew of
four friendly, cheerful fellows
who, though they'd been buck
ing the elements since very
early morning, stayed up in the
hills for long and weary flours
tonight, trudging through knee
deep snow up and down the
mountainside, until ' they har
nessed their little pal, Reddy
Kilowatt, and put him back to
work for .us. The phone crews
and the county road crews have
been equally cooperative, and to
each we are grateful. - ;
Mr. and Mrs. Jack C.
' ' Petterson
Route 2, Box 430 ,
Ramse"y Canyon rd.
Gold Hill, Ore.
Passenger Trains ,
To the Editor; That we do lave
in " a changing world," is to be
taken for granted.. Read an
article in a midwest paper, "The
Kansas Corporation Commission
announced Jan. 11 it will hold
a new hearing on the Missouri
Pacific Railroad's application to
discontinue operation of two
daily passenger trains between
Atchison' and Downs. The M.P.,
along with other R.R. lines, has
been endeavoring to cancel local
trains for a long time. Towns
most affected have generally
fought a losing battle to hold
the trains." "
We remember quite well when
we rode one of above named
passenger trains, before high
way buses , were invented. One
of the manifest trains was nick
named "Calamity Jane." We
never knew for sure why '- the
train got the name. What ' our
wonder is, that the passenger
trains held up as long as they
have since modern times have
changed the ways of traveling.
Bert Kissinger,
520 Boardman st, Apt 1
Medford, Ore.
Seeks Her Rights
To the Editor: Since we are
all certain that we cannot fail
to get our rights here in Amer
ica, will someone tell me why
I was cheated of mine?
Laws say that working condi
tions for. women must have a
certain temperature, yet for sev
en years I worked when called,
L exposed to rain . and " snow and
freezing temperatures. When my
husband protested I said "why
not work, we are safer than at
home, because we' have accident
insurance and sickness benefits,
railroad retirement and sickness
benefits. But alas! It was only
on paper. Came the day of "great
economy" and I worked with
only one helper instead of , the
usual five. Fruit rolled through
the window uncontrolled, knock
ing us and covering us, as we
were in a small corner. There
was no escape.- Finally , in des
peration I pushed . at the tum
bling boxes and when it was
over I grew very ill. I reported
totw o-bosses, but was told to
help fill the next car and go see
the doctor in the morning. I
could only walk the floor in
agony. After 20 hours I was
able to see the doctor, who im
mediately called for an opera
tion, and after -18 months an
other. I was called by the com
pany to come and get the money
due me from an error in 1950
wages. Blinded from hot glue
that had splashed in my face
I signed the supposed receipt.
Guess what?? It was a work
sheet naming the days and hours
of labor, on those days and many
more. I was in bed curing a
fever. But now they say I
worked, but didn't earn enough
for benefits, since supposedly
In Medford's Schools
m$m P V? Pt
I- v;
MEXICAN VISITS Raul Noris (above, left) will leave for his
home in Mexico City Feb. 25 after a two-month stay at the home
of Gary McGill, (right) 116 Black Oak drive, while a student at
Hedrick junior high school. His father is a Mexico City doctor.
; (Hedrick. Junior High Buzz-ette photo)
Mexican Student Returns
After Visiting in Medford
Raul Noris, a 12- year- old
ninth-grader from Secundria I
military school in Mexico City
has been an exchange student
at Hedrick junior high school
for the past two months. He left
Saturday, Feb. 25. A guest of
Gary McGill, 116 Black Oak
drive, the youngster is paying
his first visit to the United
States. His father is a doctor at
Hospital General and his moth
er is a chemist at Maternity
hospital in Mexico City.
Complaint Filed
Against Dentist
A complaint seeking a temp
orary restraining order against
Lee Poirier,,, Jacksonville, was
filed in circuit court Feb. 23
by Attorney General Robert Y.
Thornton for the state board
of denial examiners. ' .
The board charges that Poir
ier is practicing dentistry with
out a certificate from, the board
and is "openly, publicity, re
peatedly, persistentently and in
tentionally violating . . provision
of ; . statutes . . detrimental to
public health and welfare."
: Poirier,- who has been ordered
to appear before Circuit Court
Judge Orville Millard March 6,
was fined $200 in district court
June 13, 1955, for practicing
dentistry without a license after
approximately a year's battle
in the courts. :
His attorney, O. H. Bengtson,
filed an appeal which is- expect
ed to be considered soon.
Cub Scouts
Pack 8
-:Pack 8 of the Cub Scouts
held a blue and gold dinner cel
ebrating 46 years of cubbing
and scouting at the Jackson
school cafeteria Thursday night.
Dr. G. A. Dierdorff, local ven
triloquist, provided entertain
ment, Pack Dens were presented
and Pack committee was intro
duced. Wilson Smith was master of
ceremonies, and John Lynch
portrayed "Akela" in full Indian
dress.
Den 3, of which Mrs. Byron
Griffith is Den mother, retained
the attendance trophy cup for
having the largest group pres
ent. Harry Barneburg, neigh
borhood - commissioner, spoke
briefly on the importance of
active parent participation in
cub scout activities. ...
4-H Club News
Antelope 4-H Sheep Club
Antelope 4-H club now has a
complete sheep club. We have
five members, and will welcome
anyone interested. The mem
bers are Mike Higday, Donald
Higday, Jim Williams, Jim Berg
and Tommy Perdue.
The next meeting will be held
on March 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the
Antelope Valley school.
Jim Berg
Reporter
MILL WORKER KILLED
Klamath FaUs (U.R) Eu
gene Mayfield, 41-year-old Klam
ath Falls millworker, was killed
Saturday when his car skidded
at a stop, street and rolled into
the path of a truck on Highway
97 just south of here. Driver of
the truck was Harry Mollotte,
Seattle. ' He was not injured.
one must earn $300. We all
knpw that U. S. Railway Retire
ment and Sickness begins and
ends in July. And I had seven
year's credit. -
The president should have re
ceived a letter, Congress knows
it, and I believe U. S. Railroad
Retirement has heard of it, all
legal. So why does a polio vic
tim get cheated "of benefits and
have to pay doctor bills that are
supposed to be covered?
Harriette Hagerman .
(maiden name)
. 1375 South Columbus ave.
Medford, Ore.
. Mexican schools are in ses
sion from February to Novem
ber. Raul : described , Hedrick
junior high as one of the best
schools he has seen. Spanish
classes in the school, which
have received must help from
the visitor, presented him with
a viewer, pen and pencil set,
and American jazz records.
' Ice cream, pie and milk are
among his favorite United
States foods, and he also enjoys
American popular music.
Students at the school pre
sented Raul with a student body
cap at a pep assembly last week
as a remembrance of his Med
ford stay.
PATRIOTIC ASSEMBLY -
Students in Mrs. Alice Webb's
sixth grade home" room at
Washington school presented a
patriotic assembly program Feb.
24. Puppets for a show entitled
"Washington's Visit to Betsy
Ross" were made by the stu
dents. A special stage was con
structed by the children for the
show. '
The history of the flag was
told by displaying replicas of
the various official flags of the
United States. Proper- proce
dure for the use and display
of the flag was explained by
"Old Glory" who answered
questions presented by the
children. "
PURUCKER PIANO HOUSE presents
Pointers for the Home Organist"
An informal program of organ music and playing tips A
t if:' "' '
v conducted by
111 North Central Avenue
Sunday, February 26, 1956
Forestry School
To Observe 50th
Anniversary at OSC
Corvallis The school of
forestry at Oregon State college
oldest forestry school west of
the Rockies and fourth largest
in the nation will celebrate
"Fifty Years of Forestry at
OSC"- March 3.
Hundreds of the 1,411 gradu
ates of the school during the 50
years are expected to attend cer
emonies. The forestry school
was made a four-year institu
tion in 1906, although classes in
forestry had been taught since
1892.
The school is - considered one
of the better in the nation with
demand for. .its graduates far
ahead of supply. A major reas
on is that "graduates , are men
ready and competent to work as
foresters," according to ' W. F.
McCulloch, dean of the school.
OSC owns . forests . covering
13.502 acres which serve as vast
outdoor laboratories. McDonald
forest, seven miles north OSC,
covers 6,761 acres, and is the
center of daily student instruc
tion. 3
Specialized Fields
Courses in the school are in
three specialized fields forest
products and forest engineering.
In all three, emphasis is on
west coast forestry.
Coupled with the four-year
program, students must have
six months of satisfactory field
work in. some phase of forestry
before graduation. OSC was the
first of the nation's 35 four-year
forestry schools to make the re
quirement. McCulloch, who has ' been
with "the school since 1937, is its
fourth dean. : The first was
George W. Peavy, dean from
1913 to 1941, who established
most the policies now in effect
He was followed by E. G. Ma
son, acting dean until 1942 when
Paul M Dunn was appointed.
McCulloch succeeded Dunn ' in
1954. .
Enrollment in the school of
forestry is going up steadily. In
1951, 273 students were regis
tered. The figure was up to 321
last year and to 362 this year.
Grange
Phoenix Grange
Phoenix ',' Grange will cele
brate its silver anniversary
Tuesday, Feb. 28. Charter mem
bers and 25 year members will
be honored.
It is hoped all Phoenix Grange
members will make an effort to
be present. There may be some
who have not been contacted by
the calling committee, but a ijeal
one of America's fine organists
4 ,
'Southern Oregon's Exclusive Hammond Dealer''
High School
By NELLIE RAWLINGS ;
Final elections for Student
Government day are over and
Dave Bosworth will act as
mayor - for - a
day. The fol
lowing stu
dents. were
elected as
c o u n cilmen:
Ward I, Mira
Fro hnmayer
and Katherine
Gott; Ward n,
Monty Hoist
and Honor
S t a n s bury;
Nellie Rawlings
Ward HI, Sonja Peterson and
Gary Shaffer; Ward IV, Janet
Jamison and Sheila Spence.
Many students recently com
peted with other schols in vari
ous types of competition.
. Some of the school's artists
have won honors in the. regional
division of the National Scholas
tic Art Awards held in Portland.
Dorothy Allen, Pat Crofoot, Ron
Wisdom, Jim Gordon, Carol Bal
lard, and Betty Jamieson won
gold keys. Johnie Jones, Bill
Henderson, Pat Callaway, Linda
Robertson, Lorita Jennings,
Greta Ripfl, Marilyn Clear
water, Bob Mitcheltree, Barbara
Cox and Ann Stimson won Ex
hibit Awards.
Medfordites came back from
the Linfield Tournament with
the following results: . Bruce
West, second in Interview; Mary
LaBarr and , Ted Lawson from
Hedrick Junior High, second in
Junior Oratory; Eric Eitreim in
Impromptu; David Frohnmayer
in Extemp; and Harlow Head
from Hedrick Junior High in
effort has ben made to notify
every member. .
, Members attending the pot
luck supper are to brine either a
salad or vegetable unless other
wise notified. ......
The supper will be at .7 p.m.
A short business meeting will
follow, and the program will fol
low the meeting.
You'll Always Find
Reliability
Uniformity
Full Strength
IN EVERY LOAD OF
TRU-MIX CONCRETE
-Trii-Mix Concrete Co.-
FAST, PROMPT DELIVERY
MeAndrewt Road Phone 2-5271
Porter Heaps
Although professional organists are welcome to
attend, this program is primarily for home or
ganists and people who just like organ music.
Here are some of the worthwhile things Mr
Heaps will discuss and demonstrate on the Home
and Spinet Organs:
How to play a simple piece in one lesson.
How to play and arrange popular music ,
chords, countermelodies, special rhythms.
' How to play special instrumental effects.
Easy rules for handling the drawbars.
Bring the whole family and your friends. There
is no admission charge. .
;:ljiiie:?;';::::.'
Monday Feb. 27th
8:00 P.M.
Place
Assembly of God Church
1 108 West Main - Medford
Ml
rin
nl
V Medford, Oregon
MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE FIVS
News Notes
Junior Division Storytelling.
- A group of student delegates
from Medford attended the
I. R. L. ' Convention in Eugene. .
John Van Dyke, Bill Isaacs,
Marilyn Olson, Deanna Camp
bell, Nancy McKeown, Jim
Boyd, John Reeder, Bill Frake,
Kaye Christian, Dianna Russell,
Marilyn Parsons, ,Sue Donna
Doolen, Don Christenson, Mira
Frohnbayer, Larry Gents, and
Janet Perry, were the students
attending from Medford.
- Outstanding orchestra mem
bers were selected to play in the
All-State Orchestra, to be held in
Portland March 14, 15, and 16.
The following musicians will be
attending: Deanna Campbell,
Betty Hershiser, Doris Ryn, Ka
ren Lytle, Shirley Stafford, Pa
tricia Kahle, Terry Brereton,
Carol McKinley, Freda Raw
stern, Nancie - Walstead, Molry
Walker, Ruth Phillips, and Son?
ja Peterson. ,
: This orchestra will present a
concert for the Oregon Educa
tion "Association which will be
broadcast over the radio and
televised from Portland.
Representatives of the Ore
gon's state-supported colleges
and universities were at the '
school on Wednesday, Feb. 22,
and all seniors attended meet
ings of the different college
groups. This program was plan
ned to help the seniors' find out
about the college of their choice,
and also tell them a little about
other colleges in Oregon. 1
w
f.:: UK
K
?MAKIC I TO
OPEN EVERY J
k NIGHT TIL &
llj. MIDNIGHT-1
V