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The INDEPENDENT, April 16, 2009
Between the Bookends
By Nancy Burch, Librarian
Vernonia Public Library
The current issue of Reminisce maga-
zine has an article titled, “I know…. I was
there”, which tells about “surviving” in the
1930s. Through the tough economic times
we are currently experiencing, it might be
helpful to call to mind the “really” tough
times of the Depression, when surviving
meant standing on a street corner trying to
sell apples to people as hard up as you
were. It meant begging for food at back
doors and waiting in long lines at soup kitchens. It meant trying
anything and everything to make money, including taking part in
dance marathons, opening one’s home to take in boarders, and
raising foxes for the fur market.
Published in 1939, The Grapes of Wrath is probably the novel
most recognizable as depicting the reality of the Great Depres-
sion. The idea for this Pulitzer Prize winning novel began when
John Steinbeck was sent by a newspaper to report on the migrant
situation. Driving up and down California’s Central Valley, he
toured the camps with notebook in hand to describe the de-
plorable situations of the workers. After publishing the articles,
Steinbeck correctly guessed that his material was substantial
enough to form the basis for a novel. Not only did the novel be-
come an enormous best-seller, it most importantly focused nation-
al attention on the migrant situation and with the support of
Eleanor Roosevelt, large sums of federal money were directed to
California to aid the migrants. The novel, thus, became the cata-
lyst for a change in attitude of Californians, many of whom had not
understood the extent of the plight of the migrants.
The library has other materials relevant to that era of America’s
history including a video of the Grapes of Wrath and one entitled
The Journey of Natty Gann. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy
Egan tells the history of the group of people living at the center of
our country who suffered not only through the economic depres-
sion with the rest of the country, but through the biggest dust
storm on record. Richard Peck’s A Year Down Yonder and A Long
Way from Chicago are fiction written about and for young people,
but are designed to transport the reader to that era. The Bones of
Plenty, by Lois Phillips Hudson, is a powerful novel about a proud
and independent North Dakota wheat-farming family and its strug-
gles during the depression years of 1933 and 1934.
Yes, times were tough, but these materials and others in the li-
brary show how people survived under the harshest conditions,
and how they learned to treasure things such as family, friends,
Midway
Veterinary
Clinic
Senior
Discounts
Open in Vernonia
Wednesdays and Saturdays
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Call for appointments
503-429-1612
805 Bridge Street
Vernonia
Small and Large Animals
kindness, and generosity—things that money couldn’t buy. They
tell how the difficulties of the times resulted in positive changes
such as improved working conditions and nutrition and recreation
programs in schools. They tell of the hope generated by President
Roosevelt’s New Deal, and of making do and recycling (long be-
fore the word “recycle” was used). Mostly, I think they reflect the
optimism of the American people that obstacles will be overcome
with a resultant better tomorrow—something we need to remem-
ber today.
New acquisitions include Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson,
Borderline by Nevada Barr, Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins
Clark, Long Lost by Harlan Coben, Malice by Lisa Jackson, The
Lost Quilter by Jennifer Chiaverini, and The Scarecrow by Michael
Connelly.
Remember the Chautauqua presentation on Tuesday, April 21
at 7:00 p.m. entitled, Justice in Frontier Oregon. Movie nights for
the month are April 23 at 7:00 p.m. and April 25 at 6:00 p.m. with
featured movies being Marley and Me and Madagascar II Escape
to Africa. Book Discussion time will be April 27 at 5:30 p.m. with
Susan Vreeland’s, Girl in Hyacinth Blue, being the book chosen
for the month.
Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Ave.
Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tues., Thur. 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Preschool Story Time: Mondays, 10:30 a.m.
when school is in session.
Phone: 503-429-1818
Jarman gives winter sports report
by Gordon Jarman
Athletic Director
The winter sports seasons
have come to an end with
some successes and some dis-
appointments. The Girls bas-
ketball team was very much im-
proved over last year’s team,
winning three more games
than the victories posted last
year. Once again, the girls just
barely missed the league play-
offs and finished the season
with four victories. Next year’s
team looks promising with the
graduation of only two seniors
and all other players are back.
The girls should get some help
from the JV team and they
have been practicing very hard
at open gyms, trying to hone
their skills for next year.
In Boys basketball, the team
made the league playoffs again
this year, but took an early exit
losing in the first round. The
team reached a milestone this
year defeating Portland Adven-
tist Academy for the first time in
about twelve years. PAA has
been a powerhouse in basket-
ball in the league and at the 3A
state level. Vernonia started
the season very positively, de-
feating a team from Canada
early on and winning several
nonleague games. They lost
some close non-league games,
but still managed to make the
league playoffs with a 13 win,
11 loss season. There were
several seniors on this year’s
team and they will be hard to
replace.
In wrestling, the Loggers
placed third in the league dual
meet season, behind Rainier
and Clatskanie. They placed
second in the District 1-3A tour-
nament, a special district for
wrestling schools in the Lewis
& Clark league as well as
Colton, Gervais and Chemawa.
They qualified seven wrestlers
to the state tournament, with
two district champions, one
second and four thirds. At
state, Trever Gwin and Tylor
Owen earned all-state honors.
Both of the previously men-
tioned athletes placed third at
the state level tournament. This
was the Loggers third year of
finishing in second place in the
special district tournament,
quite an accomplishment for
one of the smallest schools in
the conference.
Awards All League: All
league Girls Basketball; Tricia
Levenseller, Honorable Men-
tion. All League Boys Basket-
ball; Byron Schorzman, First
Team and Jason Weller, Honor-
able Mention. In Wrestling, the
following members qualified for
See winter sports page 21
Head Start is
now recruiting
Head Start, a federally fund-
ed pre-school program, is
seeking students for the 2009-
2010 school year. Applications
are being taken from all three-
and four-year-olds in Clatsop
and Columbia Counties. Re-
cruitment for fall enrollment is
now in progress and will be
completed in August. If parents
are interested in enrollment in-
formation they are urged to
phone immediately.
Prospective students must
be three or four years-old by
September 1, 2009. Children
must be from limited income
households or have a disability
and/or special needs to qualify.
Head Start incorporates a
total family program that in-
cludes nutrition, education,
medical and dental services for
the enrolled child, and home
visitations. USDA approved
meals are served. Training on
various subjects and on-the-
job training is offered to all en-
rolled families. Limited trans-
portation may be available.
The U. S. Dept. of Agricul-
ture (USDA) and the State of
Oregon prohibit discrimination
in all USDA programs and ac-
tivities on the basis of race, col-
or, national origin, sex, religion,
age or disability.
The Vernonia Center is lo-
cated in the Blue Heron Hous-
ing Project. Families who live
in the Mist, Birkenfeld and Ver-
nonia areas may phone 503-
429-9243 for more information.
Students in the St. Helens
area attend class at the center
on Columbia Blvd. next to Mc
Bride School. Families may
contact 503-397-4114 for more
information.
Head Start is an agency of
Community Action Team, Inc.,
serving Clatsop, Columbia and
Tillamook counties.
Time to sign up
for Kindergarten
Vernonia’s
Kindergarten
Round-up 2009 is scheduled
for Friday, May 8, at Washing-
ton Grade School. Children
must be five years-old on or
before September 1, 2009.
Bring immunization records
and birth certificate to your ap-
pointment.
Call 503-429-7941 to make
an appointment to sign up your
kindergartener.