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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 29, 1956)
JI?EEN MEDFORD (OREGOST) MAIL TRIBUNE Sunday, April 29, 1956 Is That So? ty EUSENE BURNS Riner-NJturalist leaving Honolulu, With Japan iness or gustiness all of which Air Lines We are on our last enabled him to identify the wind flight-leg from Honolulu to San Francisco, a distance equal to that which spans our North American continent from Los Angeles to Jacksonville, Fla. The thought recurs: VSst as is this trackless sea, angry and wind-swept as it can be, how did the Polynesians, surely the greatest of all prehistoric voy agers, pinpoint their tiny island homes over 2.500 miles away, making regular voyages in their seemingly frail canoes year after yeaf with their families? Tradition is vaaue today as to the methods employed by these prehistoric ancestors of our golden-skinned Hawaiians, who are citizens of the U.S.A. But this we know: These fearless sea-rovers, born with the thun der of the surf in their ears and the ocean breeze on their cheeks, had a wide and intimate knowl edge of their surroundings. They knew the heavens by heart descendants today can still name 60 stars: they were keenly ob servant of the winds about them they still have names for 24 different winds; and they under stand the waves, too they have personal names for more than dozen waves! Their oral tradition much of it gathered by that South Seas expert, Kenneth P. Emory, and recorded by my Polynesian friend, Mary K. Pukui, both of the Bishop Museum, Honolulu tells us that father instructed son, and he his son, that a string of stars arose from the same pit of the sea each night and beat down to a complementary pit across the horizon. Hence, if the voyagers set their course by An tares (the giant red star, Mars) to a certain island, then any other star from the same pit might also serve as guiding star. Star's Course Followed So in bearing eastward, the star from that certain pit was used after it had risen clear of the horizon haze. Its course was followed until after it began to curve high in the sky, when it was dropped for another star in the same string, following the same path in the heavens. But if headwinds demanded that the helmsman take a tack across the true course, then a greater task was set for the navi gator's calculation and judg ment it was not enough to have merely a guiding star ahead; it was also necessary to have one directly over the stern, so that the line of these two stars con stituted the true course. That way, the navigator always knew where east and west, north and south were, and he could steer near to his true course until the forward and stern guiding stars twinkled again on the horizon, marking the precise course. Of course, allowances had to be made for ocean currents, crosswinds, and storms and re membering the tiny pinpoints at which they were aiming, week3 distant, tolerances had to be close for their lives depended upon it. Less than a half-degree change, and the canoe-load was doomed. What if clouds rolled in across the sky, erasing the stars from his only chart and blotting out the sun by day? And what if they persisted, as they can, for a fortnight? Then the navigator would summon his profound knowledge of the wind and the waves. He knew that from what ever quarter the wind blew, it took on a quality cf coolness or warmth, dampness or dryness, gentleness or strength, stead- and name it and know what it would do. In Gentla Puffs For example, there was the Maoake which came in gentle puffs from due east; the Maran gai which blew heavily from the southeast but less strongly as it veered toward the east. He knew too, according to sea son, the likely number of days a wind would hold from a cer tain direction and the wind like ly to succeed it. Further, cloud formations and ocean swells indicated to these experts the coming of rainy or clear weather, adverse or fair winds vital factors which play ed a life-saving part in the course chosen. The choice always was between life and slow death when they pin-pointed lone is lands, 2.500 miles distant. With the angle of the wind, the Polynesian depended too, upon the angle of the waves. A feather pennant fluttering from the outer tip of the triangular pandanus-plaited sails served as a sensitive weathervane. Steer ing by the angle of the wind and the waves, the navigator would notice immediately the shift in one or the other, because the change is never simultaneous the wave action remains con stant long after a wind shifts. What of the night, when even the light of the stars was blotted out and he could not see the pen nant or the direction of the waves? Then this master of navi gation lowered a stone tied to the end of a fibre and from its tug knew the direction his boat was running. Small wonder that songs were dedicated to the helmsman's steering paddle; that the navi gator was celebrated in chant, In the Day's News By FRANK JENKINS President Eisenhower's health is a big political issue back here in the East (where these words are written.) The Democrats say the wicked Republicans have prevailed upon a VERY SICK MAN to run again. They intimate that prevailing upon him to run is a personal crime so far 'as the President is concerned and from the stand point of the nation, at large is a political crime in that if he is elected he can be only a "part time" President because of the state of his health. This the Republicans vigorous ly deny. editors. He tras obviously en joying every minute of it, and if he felt any fatigue he concealed it well. YOU can draw your own con clusions. But I'll offer this advice: Don't pay too much attention to what you hear about Ike's health. My personal faith in his integrity is such that I'm sure if he'd felt himself physically unable to assume the strains of a political campaign he would have refused to run. I'd say that HE feels he is a WELL MAN. 4-H Club News Phoenix Sheep Club Phoenix Sheep club met April 21 at the home of their leader, Charles Swingles. Vice-president Fred Swingle presided. Pictures were shown of mem bers and their sheep. Renee Johnson Reporter Rogue River Dairy Club The Rogue River Dairy club met at Strickland's on April 21 at 1 p.m. Members present were Ronald MeGee, Sandra McGee, David Parson, Larry Moorman and Zane Strickland. We discussed our calves and preparing them to show at Gold Hill May 19, at 10 p.m. We also discussed ways and means of raising money for our club. Parents present" were Mr. McGee, Mrs. Strickland and our leaders Ed and Betty Parsons. Our next meeting will be May 12 at 1 p.m. at Parsons. Refresh ments were served, and we ad journed. Zane Strickland, Reporter MAPLE FURNITURE and LAMPS To Buy or Sell - Use Tribune Classified Ads ITfHAT is the truth? Not being the President's personal physician, I wouldn't know. I can only offer here personal observations. a few ! 4-ia-s and once dead, he was deified by future generations. After all, such navigation had never been equalled by any other people, much less surpassed. (Copyright, 1956, by Eugene Burns) (Released by McClure News paper Syndicate) Free: By special arrangement with the editors of the Encyclo pedia Americana, my panel of judges will award each week to the reader who sends me the best true-life nature adventure, the best nature observation, or the best questoin on nature and wildlife, a complete 30-volume set of this world-famous refer ence work in a handsome Seal craft binding. Each week new submissions will be considered. Sorrv. I simply can't answer your many friendly letters Please addresse your letter to: IS THAT SO! co Medford Mail Tribune, Box 575, Sausalito, Calif. San Francisco (U.RI Maurice A. Hutcheson, general president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, has criticized AFL- CIO President George Meany for threatening to suspend the Teamsters' Union. Hews About Books From the Library A LITTLE more than a week ago, our President vetoed the hodge-podge farm bill that had been batted up to him by the Democrats after they had hashed it up to the point where he HAD to veto it. (Their strategy was to force him to veto it so that they could claim he is the enemy of the farmer, thus giving them the chance to garner enough big state farm votes to enable them to win the election this fall.) Shortly after his veto of the farm bill, Ike made a personal talk over a television hook-up to explain his veto. The talk was staged in the White House. It was a good talk, but the Presi dent's personal appearance on the screen that night was cer tainly not flattering to his can didacy. He looked AWFUL. His face was gray aand haggard and lifeless. He seemed shrunken and old and worn. Someone sitting in the group in which I was watching the TV screen remarked in a shocked voice: "Why, the poor man! I don't believe he'll ever be able to make it through the campaign." On the evidence of the tele vision show, it sounded like a logical observation. S. MUCH for his TV appear-! ance on the occasion ot his farm bill veto. A few nights later, he appeared j IN PERSON before the nation's I editors, assembled in their an-! nual convention at the Statler j hotel in Washington. That was I a different story. In PERSON, ! Ike was tanned and husky. At i the table, during the dinner at which he was the honored ' speaker, he chatted animatedly ! with his neighbors to the right and left. When he arose to speak (at the j exactly timed instant when all i the lines were cleared so that at ; the predetermined moment peo- ; pie all over the land could settle down in their living rooms to watch their President in action) he was full of zing and vigor. His voice was strong and clear. To everyone, Republicans and Democrats alike, he seemed in the pink of condition. THEN i When the TV show was ' over and the world was no longer ' looking in He arose in his place to make an extemporaneous talk to the guests. He spoke for more than a quarter of an hour. Through out this informal appearance, he seemed even fuller of zing and energey and enthusiasm than he had been before. If ever there was a picture of health and strength, it was pre sented by Ike there in the Pres idential room of the Statler hotel, addressing the nation's Mental illness is taking a greater toll in the United States today than ever before in our history. According to recent figures, there are some 700,000 men, women and children in mental hospitals more people in men tal hospitals than in all other hositals combined. In Observance of Mental Health Week, April 29 to May 5, the Medford Public library called attention to books avail able at the library on the coun try's No. 1 health problem. Mental hygiene information can be found in such vrecent books as John Schindler's "How to Live 365 Days a Year," a guide to mental hygiene written for the average reader who wants medical lingo translated into the language of every day. Everyday Problems Another is Wendell Johnson's "People in Quandaries." dealing with the problems that plague all of us day in and day . out. "Psychiatry and Common Sense, by C. S. Bluemel gives a sane and sound interpretation of the mind and emotions and how they affect all of us. A helpful and readable book on this subject is "Why You Do What You Do," edited by Rob ert Linscott and Jess Stein. Da vid H. Fink's "For People Under Pressure," is a self-analytic anodyne for the complexity of contemporary living. A number of books tell how to overcome fear, worry, anx iety and emotional strain. Tney include David Fink's "Release from Nervous Tension," Lowell Ditzen's "Personal Security Through Faith," Bonaro W. Overstreet's "U n d e r standing Fear in Ourselves and Others," George Lawton's "Aging Suc cessfully." and many others. The library also has many books on self-improvement, psy chology, personal living, psychi atry, and other related subjects. ' All of these books are avail able at the Medford Public libr ary anil any branch of the Jack son Co jnty Library district. ROAD OILING DUST PALLIATIVE - ROAD MIX All Types of Asphalt Work Concrete Work Trenching HUGHES & DODD CO. PHONE 3-422 1 Paint with the ! Nicest Colors Se us when you want wonderful new color j ideas for home decora- j tion. Easy to use paint finishes. Inside or outside i PAINT WITH MEDFORD PAINT & WALLPAPER STORE Corner 6th & Holly, Diagonally Across from the Post Office We Give S&H Green Stamps PHONE 2-9321 Pe mm$ MEDFORD MEY 9s We're Making Way for Summer Merchandise, and We're Really Cleaning House ON SALE MONDAY MORNING . . -v 1 1 P-. M, M I aMWa I 71' 5 1 II B If i .H H -', I J I DL I WVJ or Mail Orders U SORRY! 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