The INDEPENDENT, May 6, 2004
Page 3
Letters
Art is too important
for board to cut back
To the Editor:
For the last 27 years I’ve giv-
en my time, my money and my
heart to develop what I feel is
one of the best art programs in
the state, if not the country. Our
kids get a wider variety of medi-
ums than most schools. The
program is designed for every-
one, the artist and non-artist
alike.
Everyone is successful in
the art room. It’s the one class
where they leave with a physi-
cal project that can either be
hung on a wall or displayed on
a shelf. How many of you out
there have spoon holders on
your stoves that came out of
the art room? They are a prod-
uct of the 8th grade sculpture
unit. 7th and 8th graders also
learn graphic design, calligra-
phy and black and white pho-
tography.
The school district has pro-
posed to cut the Jr. High Art
program next year. The pro-
gram services all the 7th and
8th grade students. It’s a pro-
gression that gets them ready
for more advanced art tech-
niques and media in high
school. The IEP students can
also come into art and be on
the same level as everyone
else. They are not tagged or la-
beled in the art room. If any-
thing, they excel beyond any-
one’s expectations.
I came here in 1977 and was
told by Darrell Proehl, the Su-
perintendent at the time, that
they wanted to build an art pro-
gram that would teach all kids
to appreciate the arts. Since
then, every administration and
school board has supported the
art classes, up until now. This is
the first time it’s ever been con-
sidered for a budget cut. I don’t
want to hear the excuse there
is no money. We’ve gone
through several bad times in
my 27 years and the program is
stronger than ever.
Next year they plan on de-
veloping a new middle school
that will include the 6th grade
class. It’s even more important
that art becomes part of this
middle school curriculum. The
1990 Oregon Education Re-
form Act put the Arts into the
core curricula, meaning that
students must meet learning
benchmarks in third, fifth,
eighth and tenth grades in sup-
port of meeting educational
standards in all content areas,
including the arts.
I have had 60 students in my
HS Art 1 classes this year, and
40 of them are freshman. Be-
cause of Jr. high art, these stu-
dents have a solid foundation
to begin their high school arts.
You cannot teach higher math
Between the Bookends
By Ann Krutsinger, Library Assistant
Banks Public Library
Finally, the Oregon
presidential primary elec-
tion is upon us. Ballots
should be in the voter's
hands by the time this arti-
cle is printed.
Among the ballot meas-
ures is Washington Coun-
ty Measure 34-77, a five-
year local option levy that
would restore and main-
tain public library services in Washington Coun-
ty. Washington County Cooperative Library Ser-
vices (WCCLS) provides funding for county-wide
library operations, outreach programs, and cen-
tral services that link together the county's public
libraries. Funds from this levy can be used only
for library operations (staff, utilities, and materi-
als.) On an average, county-wide, 67 percent of
library operating funding comes from WCCLS.
Measure 34-77, if passed, will cost a fixed
rate of 26 cents per $1000.00 of assessed value
(not market value). The average homeowner
would pay an additional $43 in property taxes in
2004 (average home assessed at $165,000). An
estimated $48 million would be levied county-
wide over a five-year period.
What would Measure 34-77 mean to the
Banks Public Library if it passes?
• Restore budget for books and other materials:
A 20 percent reduction in the book budget
was made after the defeat of the November,
2002, Washington County Library Levy. The
book budget would be restored to its former lev-
el.
• Restore and maintain service levels to re-
spond to increases in population and use:
Add one full day per week of open hours:
Monday 11 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
• Repair and replace computer equipment, of-
fer word processing capabilities and more Inter-
net access.
• Maintain staffing levels to serve the growing
population.
• Reinstate programs eliminated this year,
such as the Club Newbery and Family Cultural
programs.
What Banks Public Library Services would
be reduced if Measure 34-77 fails?
• Reduced budget for books and materials:
Further reduction in available materials.
Longer waiting times for best sellers, books on
tape and other frequently checked out items.
• Reduced library hours and service levels.
• Reduced library staff to provide assistance
in-person or by phone:
Longer lines at the check out desk. Reduced
open hours.
• Reduced funding for public access comput-
er equipment:
Shorter session times for use of Internet on
public access terminals. Longer waiting time for
public computer use. Elimination of computer
equipment repairs, replacements or purchases.
For more information about Measure 34-77,
go to www.WILInet.wccls.lib.or.us
REMEMBER: the Banks Public Library is an
official Washington County Ballot Drop Site. You
may drop off your ballots during open hours in-
side the library. Do not put ballots in the outside
drop box.
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.m., through July.
Phone: (503 ) 324-1382
Internet: www.WILInet.wccls.lib.or.us.
to browse library resources or to
reserve materials electronically.
without students knowing basic
addition, and the same applies
for the arts.
I’m sending out this invitation
to the community to please
help us stop the elimination of a
program that is so important to
the instruction of our children.
Jr. high art needs to stay in our
curriculum. Art teaches the ap-
preciation of work done to the
best of one’s ability. Art is a lan-
guage of visual images that
everyone must learn to read.
You cannot create art without
touching on values; values
about home and family, work
and play, the individual and so-
ciety, nature and environment,
war and peace, beauty and ug-
liness, violence and love.
All students should have the
opportunity to express them-
selves through visual means.
Communication through art is a
powerful thing. Remember, a
picture is worth a thousand
words.
Write to the school board
and let them know your con-
cerns. Call the district office. At-
tend the next school board
meeting on May 13th and
budget meeting May 27th.
To the district, it’s about
numbers. To the students, it’s
about missing an important
segment of their lives.
Doug Tesdal
District Art Instructor
Vernonia
Is your family worth
$54 in an emergency?
To the Editor:
The Operating Levy for the
Columbia 9-1-1 Communica-
tions District failed last year.
This wasn’t because the major-
ity voted against it. Seventy
percent of the voters who both-
ered to vote were in favor of the
bond measure. The measure
failed because some of you just
didn’t vote. The votes fell one
percent short of the required 51
percent of voters necessary.
[9-1-1’s] Dispatch volume
has more than doubled in the
past decade. If this bond levy
fails, the next time you need as-
sistance, the response may not
be as effective. The cost of this
service is reasonable. The 9-1-
1 Levy for a $100,000 home is
$54.00 per year. The bottom
line is, is the health and safety
of your family worth $54.00 per
year? Mine is, and I will vote to
support this levy again.
The five-year Operating
Fund supports all ongoing func-
tions of the 9-1-1 call center,
such as 24-hour staffing, train-
ing and coordination with local
and state emergency opera-
tions. Renewal of the funding
will maintain the level of effi-
cient, responsive service citi-
zens now receive. The existing
levy expires on June 30th. All
this ballot measure does is
keep it going AT A LOWER
RATE THAN WE ARE PAYING
NOW.
Take 5 minutes out of your
day, fill out your ballot and mail
it in. Your life is worth more than
the cost of a postage stamp, is-
n’t it?
Cindy Ball
Mayor
City of Vernonia
Are you certain you
will never need 9-1-1?
To the Editor:
Ponder this scenario. A
loved one is stung by a bee and
develops difficulty breathing.
Without thinking you call 9-1-
1… and you’re put on hold.
With the phone receiver in
hand you attempt to help your
loved one. FACT: Living in rural
Columbia County emergency
vehicle transport time is double
or even triple that of the valley.
As a former volunteer emer-
gency medical technician
(EMT), wife of a volunteer fire
fighter and mother of a volun-
teer EMT paramedic, I under-
stand both the need and the
tragic result of an ineffective 9-
1-1.
DID YOU KNOW?
• This operating levy sup-
ports 24-hour staffing, training
and co-ordination with local
and state emergency opera-
tions.
• Columbia 9-1-1 dispatches
for 16 public safety agencies.
• The average call volume of
240 calls per day and dispatch
volume of 175 incidents per
day is double that of 10 years
ago.
Still not convinced? Well,
this is my last ditch effort. A
great man once said, “Thou
shall love (help) thy neighbor.”
I can’t think of a better way to
help your neighbor than the as-
surance that in the event of a
medical, fire or police emer-
gency their call is answered
and acted upon immediately.
Please see page 23