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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 2003)
The INDEPENDENT, August 7, 2003 Letters Page 3 M l M iM ^ m * m m m m w m m « m * m m m * Teacher says thanks for 15 great years To the Editor: In 1988, [Vernonia] high school principal Randy Ault- man, took a chance on a 28 year old “greenhorn” and hired a social studies teacher/basket- ball coach. Fifteen years later I still can’t properly express my gratitude for the opportunity given to me. But I’d like to give it a try. The reason for this letter is that I have taken a position in the Beaverton School District at Mountain View Middle School, teaching eighth grade social studies. Closer to home, closer to my family. This will be a ter rific opportunity for me in a number of ways. However, that means I will be giving up the “home” that I’ve built here. So, in saying goodbye, I would like to try to convey my gratitude for the experience I’ve had with the community of Vernonia. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to develop many special relationships in the community. I would like to single out a few people here as examples of the wonderful treatment I have received from this community. Certainly it started with Randy Aultman. In the first years here, I had to learn fast or get swallowed up. But I got valuable support from Randy and the cast of teachers on hand at that point. What started out as a big challenge became a labor of love as I came to appreciate what each student has to offer if you get to know them. Teaching is what I do, it is part of how I define myself, but basketball is a passion of mine. It was my way of building onto my experience in the communi ty. While learning the craft of coaching at Vernonia, I re ceived a lot of help. Among those who stand out is Chris Cota. While he and his family were welcoming the Finlays to Vernonia, Chris took the time to watch how I operated and pro ceeded to enhance our pro gram by picking up on and do ing the things that I didn’t. In this way, his assistance made my coaching look much better. I have been around a lot of good coaches throughout the years and Chris is the kind of guy that I’d like to have coaching my kids. Among the many people that surrounded me in the building, Jill Griffin is an example of the number of educators that truly reflect a caring attitude for our youth. Anyone that spends time with her knows that her com mitment is unquestionable. Likewise, Roxanna Sherman- Heath exemplifies the quality of help that our classified staff brings to the classroom. She always makes extra time to work with both the students and the teachers to provide oppor tunities to meet our students’ By Ann Krutsinger, Library Assistant Banks Public Library When I look for a good vacation read, I always think mysteries. I'm not a big fan of mysteries gener ally, but somehow, hot summer weather and travel whet my appetite for a sus penseful but not too scary read. Lately I’ve been hooked on the mysteries of Walter Mosley. His main character, Easy Rawlins, is a complex fel low. Learning about the man is almost as fasci nating as the scrapes he gets into and the mur ders he seeks to solve. The novels are set in post WWII Watts, California. Easy is a black man and a vet whose life was changed by serving in the military. Coming back to Watts, Easy is amazed that nothing has changed in his com munity. The police are all white and persecuting the black community (particularly him), the dance halls are still full of dangerously sensual women who drink too much and violent men who gamble away their paychecks. Easy came home from the war craving the individual needs. If you look at the positive changes that w e’ve gone through over the last five years, certainly the leadership of Mike Durbin has been critical for the high school. Our administration has also been surrounded by cheerful, competent and effi cient personnel like Jan Bernardi, Barb Carr and Cindy Baker (to name only a very few of our many terrific staff). Leon Torgerson represents the im mense and often thankless ef forts from our maintenance crew. On a daily basis, I have been surrounded by teachers that, in their own way, have brought the best they have to the class room every day to share and help educate our children. “Old timers" like Gordon Crowston and Ward Nelson have been great sources of information while the “young bloods” like Laura Waddell and Tony Pupo are among the many whose en thusiasm will be the base for VHS’s future in education. James Brookins has been a colleague across the hall from me for years. We have shared ideas, stories, laughs and a few Altoids! At lunch, though the crowd has changed a bit over the years, Randy Shockey and Jeff Cheney and I get together and embellish our war stories. These guys are quality profes sionals in their craft. Jeff has done a good job of taking over the basketball program and American dream: He wanted to own his own home, have a wife and kids. In the series, he achieves these things, but not without a price. It isn’t easy to keep a woman when you’re always Sneaking out of the house to do his sideline - sleuthing. Coming home battered and bleeding without any explanation is hard on a relationship. Each book has an interesting insight into Easy’s life and the characters around him. So, if you want to read a great series, try starting with Dev il in a Blue Dress, White Butterfly and A Red Death. The newer edition is Six Easy Pieces. Banks Public Library patrons with Internet ac cess can browse the library resources by click ing on www.WILInet.wccls.lib.or.us. Materials can be reserved electronically. ........ Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street Hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7 p.m,; Fri. and Sat. 11 a. m. - 5 p.m. Preschool Story Time: Wednesdays, 10:15 a.ro., through July. Phone: (503)324-1382 Internet: www.WILInet.wcds.fib.or.us. ss ...... making it his own and Randy is always finding ways to help kids “get math” (no easy task). Thanks too, goes to the Staff at WGS for sending us kids that are ready for high school. Finally, I could list many many more people than have been mentioned so far. Hope fully, the few that I have men tioned shine as examples of what is good about education in Vernonia. However I need to finish with two more debts of gratitude. First to the parents of all the young men and women I have had the opportunity to work with: Thank you for your support and for entrusting me the care of your children’s edu cation. Last, to all the students that I have worked with over the last 15 years, that allowed me a chance to get to know them better: Thanks, Dudes! I am better for it. Give me a call if you’re in the Tanasbourne Area. I’m in the phone book. Scott Finlay Portland How can we get back the good in Jamboree? To the Editor: The Vernonia Friendship Jamboree has reached a fork in the road and our annual little get together is going through some growing pains experi enced by many events of a sim ilar nature. Granted, there have been problems in the past due to in dividuals blowing off steam in ways that are disturbing and sometimes downright danger ous to others. When that many people are together, there are bound to be problem s that need to a creative resolution. I don’t think anyone wants a return to the brawling and scuf fling of the past, but the overzealous policing of this last Jamboree seems a step too far in the other direction. What is needed is to find some middle ground or we will lose the Jam boree altogether. Some local business owners said their revenue was down. I spoke with several vendors that told me of their lack of business and [that they] might not return in the future. Several lost mer chandise to pilferage. With the economy in bad shape, it is dif ficult to make up for losses like that. I agree that a police pres ence is necessary to deter problems and I fully support them with their all too difficult task of keeping the peace, however, I have heard several reliable reports of confronta tional behavior by the State Po lice. The peace can be kept by presence or intimidation. The State Police seemingly chose the latter whereas the interac tions I had with our local police were pleasant and respectful. A little respect by everyone in volved goes a long way toward keeping the peace. In the end, we must decide what kind of a Jamboree we want to have. Do we want a friendly gathering to see old friends and have a good time, or to be surrounded by an overzealous and intimidating presence that knows nothing of our rich history and culture? Somehow we need to find a way that everyone can respon sibly enjoy them selves and deal creatively with those that go overboard, without turning the city into an armed camp. The only way we can put the friendship back in the Jam boree is to get involved person ally and help make it happen. We need to address the issues that came up this year and start planning for the next. We need people with productive sugges tions who are willing to assist in the im plementation of those suggestions. We have been given an op portunity to create a new future for the Jamboree. What will we do with it? Burt Tschache Music Chairman Vernonia Friendship Jamboree Committee C o u n ty listen s to voters, State doesn’t To the Editor: On July 22nd at Vernonia City Hall, our Columbia County Commissioners listened to lo cal County residents voice their concerns regarding the Goal 4 proposal m andated by the State of Oregon. Despite the few voiced objections over the State requirements, it was my observation that the Commis sioners are trying to implement the process in such a way as to be the least intrusive of County Property owners. Nevertheless, when I requested that the Com missioners simply tell the State, "No!", I was provided the fol low ing: The last tim e the C o please see page 20
