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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1998)
The INDEPENDENT, April 1,1998 Between theBoohends By Cecelia Sadtler Volunteer, Banks Library Exciting events mark the April calendar at the Banks Public Library. The Banks History Lecture Series continues with another interesting pro gram that focuses on local history, the annual plant and book sale is scheduled for late April, regular recycling occurs on the second Satur day, and a newly formed Writers' Group meets monthly in the Library Community Room on the second Monday. The April presentation for the Banks Lecture Series is titled Japanese Americans in Banks. This lecture and slide show will be presented by George Katagiri, Historian of Japanese Ameri cans in Oregon, and Ann Fulton, Adjunct Profes sor in History at Portland State University. The presenters will discuss the history and contribu tions made by the Japanese Americans to the community of Banks and surrounding areas. A general discussion will follow their presentation, historical photographs will be displayed and refreshments will be served. All history lecture programs are free and open to the public. Funding for this particular project comes from the Oregon Council for the Humanities, the Japanese American Citizen’s League, the Japanese Ancestral Society and the Friends of the Banks Public Library. The Japanese Ameri can program will take place on April 9,1998 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Banks Public Library, 111 Market Street. The final program in the 1998 Banks Lecture Series will be held on May 14 when Ann Fulton will discuss the interesting story of growth in Banks and surrounding communities with a slide show titled, Banks, A Darn Good Little Town. Participation has been enthusiastic for the Banks Lecture Series, and those who were unable to attend earlier lectures have the oppor tunity to view them on public access channels courtesy ot Tualatin Valley Community Access. Hands All Around: Quilting Traditions is sched uled for ten showings on Channels 11,9 and 23 during April and early May. This is a fun and informative lecture using quilts to demonstrate the unique role of quilting in American folk art. Page 3 Lstters to the Editor Check your local listings for specific times. Once again, April marks the time for the Banks Annual Plant and Used Book Sale spon sored by the Friends of the Banks Public Library. This event comes just in time for spring planting. The sale will be held at the Library on Saturday, April 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Many vari eties of annuals and perennials, vegetable starts and hundreds of books will be on sale. Plan to attend this popular affair and pick up some good bargains for a good cause. The Friends are still looking for more plant donations. If you can help, please call Ann Krutsinger at 324-2743. The Banks Writers’ Group is meeting monthly at the Library on the second Monday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. April’s date is the 13th. This is a small group whose purpose is to provide a low key format for developing writing skills. Partici pants are invited to share their writing and to receive sensitive and honest feedback from peers. If you would like more information or would like to join this group please call Cecelia Sadtler at 324-0225. Some new books on the Banks Library shelves are Sooner or Later by Elizabeth Adler and Song of the River by Sue Harrison. Another new book by Deepak Chopra is titled, The Path to Love. Dr. Chopra is known for his unique abil ity to blend ancient knowledge and scientific research. This recent work is no exception and it probes the reader’s innate strengths, desires and spiritual insights while also offering exercis es designed to overcome obstacles that often block the pursuit of satisfying relationships. If you haven’t seen the new Banks Public Library and Community Room, stop by soon to check out one of these books or to browse for other recent additions or old favorites. Pick up current flyers, fax forms and local news bul letins. Copies of THE INDEPENDENT are also available at the Banks Library. Youth in Action, a community resource To the Editor: “Youth in Action”—YA! The simple mention of these words brings visions of youth doing. What are they doing? Anything requiring action. Why would they take action? Well, for the past two months I have been discussing this question with them. Not all of them, but not just specific groups, either. Some might think it’s just honor students or leadershp stu dents. Some might think it’s not the students who appear to be simply hanging around, looking bored. Why not both? I do not know the exact number of the student body at the high school, but at last count it was 235. I have 23 names on the roster of youth who have already taken action. So, it starts with 10 percent in action. I know the discussions have included at least 75 stu dents and, after April 18th, the roster may include the vast majority of the student body at VHS. That will be determined by them, not me. So, what’s going on? In January I was asked by community members to con sider sitting on two boards: The Friends of the Scout Cabin (FSC) and the Vernonia Com- munity Development Corpora tioned has been extremely tion (VCDC). They seemed to encouraging. This club is cur be two very different groups rently only at VHS, officially, but, as I sat and listened, I but the mission I would like to heard a resonating harmonic encourage is inclusion of all between both of them: Com youth in our community. munity. I also felt that an impor As I see it, they are already tant element of their desired improving the quality of life success was missing. here; cooperating respectfully FSC, specifically, is working with others, including them on a building “for youth”. As I selves in community groups looked around the table at the and choosing to practice ran board of directors meeting, I dom acts of kindness. Yes, noticed that this huge effort they are the honor students was being addressed by and leadership students and adults. I pointed this out and students who appear to be was told by a very proud father simply hanging around, looking that his daughter had been bored. Of course... both I involved since the beginning. Michelle Blum This started a discussion about Vernonia youth in the community. After suggesting that the youth Slovakian family life become intricately involved in planning, in any bylaws revi not same as Oregon sions, in all the work that still needs to be done before its To the Editor: In this second part of my use by them and others, there cultural summary of Slovakia, I was discussion about the youths’ willingness to partici will describe the differences pate. Could this be a “win/win” between Family Life as I knew it in Oregon and as I find it here scenario? At the VCDC meeting, there in Slovakia. This will include was discussion about some of differences in schedules and the goals in the strategic plan attitudes, as well as differ for economic development in ences in living conditions. First of all, Slovakia has a Vernonia, specifically regard ing future actions of the Quality much higher population densi of Life Committee. In this p u b ty than Oregon. Oregon con lished plan, a picture is painted tains approximately five times of what Vernonians want our the area of Slovakia, but Slova community to be like in 10-15 kia’s population is twice that of years. I agreed with the state Oregon. One effect of this is ments but wanted to know how that in cities (including towns of the community was going to 10,000 or more), the most get there. I explained that I common type of home is an believed the Quality of Life apartment. This is especially Committee could start true in Bratislava, one section addressing these goals, but of which, Petrzalka, is the that we could not go forward largest housing estate devel 10-15 years without including opment in the world. In the the youth and their community, larger cities, those who live in the schools. It is they who are houses are, typically, better off role modeling for the second financially than most others. In some Slovak families, graders today, the senior class, three generations live under ten years from now. So it has begun: Youth in the same roof. Slovak families Action. This group, an official are also much closer than VHS club (who chose their own American families. When I say title) as small as it may be now, “closer," however, I do not or as large as it may become, mean that the caring is more is choosing by their own intense; I mean that Slovak actions to reach out beyond families often spend much their school community. To more time with relatives who date, they have introduced do not live in the same house. themselves and given presen Families have gatherings at tations to: Friends of the Scout grandparents’ houses approxi Cabin, Vernonia Senior Center, mately every three or four Vernonia Pride, and Vernonia months. During these gather Community Development Cor ings, there can be twenty or poration. They have also more people spending two or addressed the Oregon Rural three days in one house. Mealtime is also very differ Development Council. A few volunteer at the Hands On Art ent for a Slovak family. Often, Center, and the Friends of the the family eats a small break Scout Cabin have new atten fast of toast, jam, yoghurt, rolls, dees at their weekly meetings. and so on; a small brunch is However, they will not always usually packed for those family be the same youth attending. members who go to school. As a matter of fact they are Then, the family eats a rather encouraged to play “Meeting large lunch meal including Tag” and deliberately send as soup and a dessert. Another many different students as option, for those at school, is to possible to each presentation eat lunch at the school’s cafe or meeting. The Senior Class teria. Dinner is usually a small of ‘98 is working in partnership meal, fairly similar to breakfast, with Vernonia Pride, SOLV-IT, but with more vegetables and and Vernonia Senior Center meat. So, when compared to via 'The Senior Class Chal the typical American system of lenge" which is scheduled for eating, where breakfast is April 18th, during the annual passed by as often as not, lunch is not very large, and din Vernonia Pride Clean-up Day. ner is usually the main meal. The reception of “Youth in Please see page 16 Action” by the groups men
