Library, U of O
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RAINFALL NEAR
10-INCH MARK
FOR NOVEMRER
Demonia
VOLUME 40, NUMBER 48___________ VERNONIA, OREGON
THURSDAY, NOV. 29. 1962
Chamber Sponsors Yule
Lighting Contest A gain
The Vernonia chamber of com­
merce is again sponsoring a Christ­
mas lighting contest to encourage
increased decorations during the
holiday season, but have made a
few changes from last year, ac­
cording to Horace Hertel and
Ralph Bergerson who are in
charge.
This year, the only judging will
be on residential displays and
prizes of $15 for first place, $10
for second place and $5 for third
place will be awarded.
The elimination of judging on
commercial and non-commercial
other than residential was discon­
tinued because of the difficulty
in judging due to different sizes
of organizations and other factors.
The chamber committee feels that
the businesses decorate as a part
of their Christmas sales program
and encourage them to do even
more under this set-up.
A plan is being considered for
having students or various school
groups decorate windows in va­
cant buildings and if this is done,
State Board to
Test Hearing
The odd numbered grades of all
the county schools will have their
hearing tested by the state board
of health. This is an annual pro­
gram offered to our county. If a
hearing loss is found the nurse
will contact the family and ar­
range for their attendance at a
free clinic to be held at St. Hel­
ens. This clinic is held by the
state board of health. The exami­
nation by a MD specialist in ear,
nose, and throat is made. He then
makes recommendations for treat­
ment if necessary.
Im p a ire d
h e a r i n g is
caused not by a single factor but
a combination or frequent repeti­
tion of these factors. The greatest
cause is repeated infections such
as colds, sore throats, measles and
scarlet fever. The result of these
infections often times involves the
middle ear resulting in hearing
loss.
Because the sense of hearing
plays such an important part in
every day life and is so necessary
for children to progress more ef­
fectively at school, this annual
program is offered.
In district 4V joint, the tests
will be given December 5 and 6,
Wednesday and Thursday of next
week. Wednesday, Miss Sandra
Biggs, audiometrist for the state
board of health, will be at the
Lincoln school at 9:00 a m. to test
first and third grade students from
that school and the first, third and
fifth grade students from the Mist
school who will be brought to the
Lincoln school. Thursday, she will
start testing at the Washington
school at 8:45 a.m. for the kinder­
garten, first, third, fifth and se­
venth graders.
Grade Teams
Slate Jamboree
Six Columbia county grade
school basketball teams will meet
at the Vernonia high school gym
on Friday, December 7, at 7:00
p.m. to participate in their an­
nual jamboree. The program will
start with the pep clubs of the
five schools presenting drills and
demonstrations. The teams will
then draw for opponents and order
of play.
The East teams are: Scappoose
and two St. Helens junior high
teams, the Lancers and the Buc­
caneers. West teams are: Clats­
kanie, Rainier and Vernonia.
The Vernonia team this year is
coached by James Johns and about
60 boys in the sixth, seventh, and
eighth grades are turning out for
practice. The Toppers, Vernonia's
pep club is directed by Mrs. Gin­
ger Johns. The student body has
selected Shelly Lonquist, Carol
Floeter, Judy Weller, and Jannette
Aultman as cheer leaders for the
year.
prizes will be sponsored for that.
The immediate residential light­
ing contest will extend from
Pittsburg to the Timber route
junction with Sunset highway.
However, all those outside the city
limits who wish to be considered
must notify Horace Hertel at the
Vernonia Drug company and if
others wish to enter from as far
as Timber or Birkenfeld, they can
do so by notifying the committee,
also. The desire is to make the
entire residential area of Vernonia
and all routes leading into the
city beautiful with Christmas
lights.
There will be three judges who
will do the judging over the period
from December 15 to Christmas.
Places may be viewed at intervals
to check the over-all enjoyment
afforded during the Christmas sea­
son.
In addition to this Christmas
program, the chamber of com­
merce is supporting the Lions club
program of street decorations by
providing financing for additional
lighting.
Building Code Points Discussed
At Hearing Tuesday Evening
Twenty-nine persons gathered
at the Vernonia fire hail Tuesday
evening for a public hearing on
the proposed building code ordi­
nance for the city. Included were
the mayor, two councilmen and
all seven members of the city
planning commission.
The meeting was called to order
by Mayor George Johnson at 8:15
p.m. who explained that the pur­
pose of the proposed ordinance
is not to formulate a code but tc
adopt a uniform building code ap­
proved by the International Con­
ference of Building Officials. This
code, with modifications, is now
in use by Columbia county outside
incorporated cities.
Robert C. Lindsay, chairman of
the planning commission, stated
the purpose of establishing build­
ing regulations is to promote im­
provement of property values by
insuring that such construction or
alteration as may be done will be
according to standards which will
not tend to lower the value of
adjacent property and be accept­
able as a basis for obtaining build­
ing loans and financing.
Doubt was expressed from the
floor that, under present condi­
tions, regulation is desirable. Be­
lief was expressed that such build­
ing as has been done without reg­
ulation is all a benefit to the town
and would have been greatly re­
duced had a system of permits,
fees, necessary inspections and
high standards been in effect.
However, the majority seemed
to approve standards for entirely
new construction. The principal
objection centered on standards
applying to additions, alteration
and repair to existing structures.
The uniform code sets up mini­
mum standards for all building.
Principal requirements for com­
pliance were illustrated by a chart
introduced by the planning com­
mission containing the following
points:
1. All new construction should
comply with code and permits
would be required.
2. For additions, alterations and
repairs of 50% or over of valua­
tion of existing building, permit
would be required, with the new
work to comply and the existing
structure shall be brought up to
code.
3. Additions, alterations and re­
pairs 25 to 50% of valuation, per­
mit required, new work to com­
ply but no change necessary in
existing structure.
4. Less than 25% change, permit
required, (a) for structural change,
new work, to comply, old need
not be changed; (b) Non-structur-
al, permit required, new work may
be comparable in materials and
construction used in the old build­
ing, no change in original construc­
tion.
5. Roof repair, permit required,
if more than 25% replaced within
12 months, new covering shall
comply with code.
After discussion, it was agreed
to eliminate item 2 and change
item 3 to cover 25% and over of
valuation as regards dwellings.
No exceptions were made in re­
lation to business district within
Vernonia fire zone 1.
Approved were permit fee pro­
posals whereby permits to $100
construction cost would be issued
without charge. For permits of
over $100, fees would be assessed
on a scale comparable with those
of the county code. (Proposed
fees for city purposes not avail­
able as the proposed ordinance was
in possession of the city attorney
who was not present.)
Some sentiment was voiced in
favor of including licensing and/or
bonding provisions for construc­
tion contractors.
Also, it was asked that the or­
dinance be publicized before pas­
sage.
A question was p u tto county
building inspector, Joe Walker,
as to whether the county experi­
ence has shown that the existence
of a building code would assure
good work in construction. He
answered that the code cannot as­
sure good work but inspection
will show non-compliance with
standards.
The ordinance will be written
incorporating agreed on points and
it will be considered further in
Council meetings.
Historical Group Hears Reports
On Museum, Booklets Saturday
The Columbia County Historical neers, and further stories will be
Society met Saturday, November published as they are collected.
17, in the Vernonia Grange hall
Since the Vernonia Grange hall
with a good attendance consider­ is an old school house, several pre­
ing the weather. The ladies of the sent told of early experiences in
Vernonia Grange served a noon their childhood when they attend­
potluck luncheon which was en­ ed school here. This was before
joyed by all, after which the meet­ there were good roads and modern
ing was called to order by Presi­ improvements. Some reporting
dent Wm. C. Wood.
were LeRoy Smith, Harve Chris­
It was reported that plans are tensen and Walter Parker. Lunch
progressing toward getting the was carried in a five pound lard
building ready for the museum bucket and school was held for
and it is hoped it may be open only a three month term in good
soon. All that remains to be done weather. Old time teachers were
is remodeling the rooms for the recalled and incidents remember­
ed from long ago.
living quarters for the curator.
The historical booklets were re­
It was decided to meet next in
ported to be moving satisfactori­ January, probably on the fair­
ly with members selling them in grounds. It was also planned that
all parts of the county. Favorable printed notices in the county pa­
comments have been heard re­ pers should be sufficient except
garding the contents of the book­ for those living out of the county,
lets, and it is felt that they are a since postage rates will be high­
valuable addition to the history of er after the first of the year and
the county. All areas of the coun­ it is extra work for the secretary
ty are covered in stories of pio- to write notices.
Almost 10 inches of rainfall dur­
ing November has been measured
by Mrs. Helen Spofford, coopera­
tive weather observed on Corey
hill. Actual figures up to noon
Wednesday of this week was 9.77
inches.
Of the above amount, 5.65 inches
fell last week from Monday morn­
ing, November 19 through Sunday,
November 25. The heaviest day
was last Sunday when 2 inches
fell, to bring the week end total
for Saturday and Sunday to 3.24
inches, an amount which sent ri­
vers and creeks out of their banks,
took out bridges, caused slides
and along with the wind Saturday,
uprooted some of the trees weak­
ened in the October storm.
The warmest day in November
was November 1 when the tem­
perature reached 70 degrees. The
coldest temperature recorded on
the official themometers was
Wednesday morning of this week
when mercury stood at 29 degrees.
November 7, mercury dipped to
30 degrees for the first killing
frost of the season.
• ------------------------------------e
Chorus Grows
To 31 Singers
The all-community chorus has
grown to thirty-one singers, ac­
cording to John Jensen, director.
The men’s section has grown to
eleven and it looks like it will
get even larger.
The chorus is now putting the
finishing touches on the cantata
before the performance December
16 at 4:00 p.m. at the high school.
The next rehearsal will be Tues­
day, December 4 at 7:00 p.m. at
the EUB church. Two rehearsals
will be scheduled for the final
week.
Library Gets
Data on Japan
Vernonia high school library
has received a copy of a brochure
entitled “The Japan of Today” and
a packet of pictures, “Japan in
Pictures”, according to J. W. Acai-
turri, superintendent.
Two-hundred sets of these ma­
terials were made available by
the Japanese consulate in Portland
for distribution to selected school
libraries and Vernonia was for­
tunate to be one of the schools
chosen by the state department
of education to receive a set.
The 109 page brochure is illus­
trated in color, contains maps and
is apparently an authentic and up-
to-date account of modern Japan.
B. L. Simmons, director of curric­
ulum and instructional services
for the state department of edu­
cation, stated that is appeared to
be very useful in connection with
instruction in ninth-grade World
Geography and seventh-grade so-
ical studies.
The picture packet contains 40
excellent pictures, some in color,
of Japanese subjects, showing fea­
tures of the country and the cul­
ture and life of the people.
Lions Schedule
Day for Work
Work day for Lions club mem­
bers will be Saturday, December
1 at 8:00 a.m. At this time the
Christmas decorations will be go­
ing on display. The four new
Christmas projects are in the fin­
ishing stages and Dr. J. W. Buell,
chairman decoration projects, re­
ports that they will be ready and
it will take a large work party to
get all the decorations up in one
day.
On Monday, December 3, the
Vernonia Lions club will have its
regular meeting one-half hour la­
ter because of the visitation of
Earl Hurlburt, guest speaker, and
some members of the Southwest
Lions club from Portland. This
should be a very interesting meet­
ing because of the many years of
service and leadership that Hurl­
burt has given to Lions members
in District 36-0.
Honor guests for the evening
will be charter members of the
Vemonia Lions club which is
celebrating its 16th year in Ver­
nonia. John Jensen, president,
emphasized the time for this
meeting, Monday, December 3,
7 00 p.m., at the fire hall.
Younce Wins Post
In Vote Recount
The hotly contested battle be­
tween Spencer Younce and Roy
Wilburn for the post of Columbia
county sheriff came to a head last
week when Younce filed a petition
with the secretary of state in Sa­
lem for a recount of the 8,446 bal­
lots that had been cast in the
county at the November 6 election.
His petition was accompanied by
$340, representing $10 for each
of the county’s 34 precincts.
Monday of this week, the re­
count got under way in St. Helens
with two separate boards doing
the counting, one in the county
clerk's office in the court house
and the other at 295 South First
street in St. Helens.
According to Robert A. Wel-
wood, county clerk, the recount
revealed that Younce was the
victor by a margin of 40 votes.
The total was 4214 votes for
Younce and 4174 for Wilburn. The
original count had given Wilburn
a 100 vote margin.
The counting boards were ap­
pointed by the county clerk and
those who served on them were
2 To Speak on
Tourism Topic
Two guest speakers will be
heard next Thursday evening, De­
cember 6, at the county-wide tour­
ism dinner to be held at the Ver­
nonia Legion hall at 7:00 p.m.
They are William Miller from the
Oregon Department of Planning
and Development who will speak
on tourist promotion and Ron
Shay from the Oregon State Game
Commission who will speak on re­
creation in Columbia county.
Louis Towne, local chairman for
arrangements, stated this week
that he hopes local people will turn
out to welcome those attending
from other areas of the county and
to participate in the meeting
which vitally concerns this area.
Dinner tickets are $1.50 each and
are on sale here by Ralph Berger­
son, Leys McCarter and Louis
Towne.
Service Clubs
To Provide Aid
In cooperation with the Colum­
bia county school health commit­
tee, the St. Helens service clubs
have established a joint committee
with school health. This service is
an aid to the school health pro­
gram in that services not budgeted
for are provided through the ser­
vice clubs.
The various activities with
which the group is associated can
include such projects as clerical
assistance at health clinics, trans­
portation to acquire special medi­
cal or psychological evaluations,
specific assistance in providing
certain aids for handicapped
youngsters, and other programs
of this nature.
The various programs with
which the committee deals is co­
ordinated through the school
nurse and the county school super­
intendent’s office.
Grace Sonneland, Martha Rich­
ardson, Ethel Waters, Janice Ack-
erson, Margaret Myers, Elizabeth
Magone, Marjorie Stroud and
Audrey Tooley.
Both Wilburn and Younce had
a representative at each board and
there was another watcher at each
board to ascertain that the count­
ing was correct. Names of these
were not available.
Since
the recount
found
the election in favor of Younce,
the $340 will be refunded and the
expense will be stood by the state.
If the decision had remained as it
was originally, the $340 would
have been forfeited.
In 1928, a recount was also call­
ed on the sheriff's race. Candi­
dates were William Pringle Sr.,
Democrat and Oscar Weed, Re­
publican. The vote was very close
in favor of Weed. Pringle called
for the recount and it resulted in
an eight vote bonus for Weed,
leaving him elected as in the or­
iginal count but with a slightly
wider margin.
Also, there once was a recount
on the judgeship, believed to have
been about 1916. This was on a
recall election after which a man
named W. J. Fullerton for whom
the vote was favorable took of­
fice at once. The recount reversed
the decision and put the other
candidate (name not recalled) in­
to office.
Firemen Called
Monday Night
The Vernonia fire department
was called about 11:30 p.m. Mon­
day to the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Frank Hays on Stoney Point road
where fire had broken out around
their chimney from the fireplace
in the living room.
The fire was dicovered by the
Hays’ son, Jerry, who awoke to
find his upstairs bedroom filled
with smoke. He went into the
room through which the flu passed
and found the wall too hot to
touch and he also could hear the
snapping of the fire. He alerted
his parents who called in the
alarm.
Fire damage was extensive in
the flu area, going from the fire­
place clear through to the roof,
but it was contained in that area.
Smoke and water damage resulted
to the interior of the house, al­
though the Hays expressed great
appreciation to the firemen who
kept damage at a minimum.
The loss was partially covered
by insurance.
Another fire that was more dis­
astrous was reported here last
Friday morning. The house in
which the Clyde Pitts family was
living at Tillamook while their
new home is being built, was
burned to the ground Thursday
night while the family was at
Estacada for the Thanksgiving hol­
iday. Almost everything was lost,
according to information received
here. Glen Hawkins called Robert
C. Lindsay about 1:00 a m. Fri­
day to see if he could recall the
name of the people the Pitts might
be visiting in Estacada. They were
finally contacted through Crown
Zellerbach employees in Estacada.
ASCS Balloting on Delegates to
End December 7; Names Released
The election of the ASCS com­ halem Valley:
munity committeemen will be Robert L. Berg, Bruce Berndt,
held by mail. Ballots were mailed Stanley Chandler, Robert DuPuis,
November 13 and must be return­ Lloyd Garlock, James Gaston, Ce­
ed to the county office by Decem­ cil Huff, Ronald McDonald, Albert
ber 7, or po-tmarked no later than Schmidlin, Frank Schmidlin and
John Siedclman.
that date.
Any person of legal voting age To be elected are three regular
and having an interest in a farm committee members and two al­
as owner, tenant, or sharecropper, ternates. The chairman and vice-
and any person not of legal age chairman ot the elected ASCS
who supervises and conducts the community committee will also
farming operations on an entire serve as delegate and alternate
farm, is eligible to vote if he has delegate, respectively, to the coun­
participated in, or is eligible to ty convention where the county
participate in, any of the programs ASCS committee will be chosen.
administered by the ASCS com­ The county convention will be
mittee. Eligible voters not re­ held December 17 at the county
ceiving ballots may call at the office, 20 Plaza Square, St. Helens.
county ASCS office, 20 Plaza Ballots for community commit­
Square, St. Helens, and get a bal­ teemen will be tabulated by the
ASCS county committee at an
lot.
W. A. Kessi, chairman, County open meeting December 10, at 10
Agricultural Stabilization and a m., in the county office. Ques­
Conservation Service committee, tions on eligibility to vote and to
has released the following slate hold office will be determined by
of nominees for the ASCS com­ the county committee, subject to
munity committeemen for the Ne- appeal to the state committee.