Library
U n iv e r s ity o f Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 97^O3
Awards Due Non.
The Vernonia Chamber of Com
meree will hold its annual awards
dinner Monday evening, January
23, at the American Legion hall
and extends an invitation to all in-
terested persons to attend. Time
for the dinner is 7 p.m and tickets
are $2.
During the evening, announce­
ment will be made of the man and
woman who have been selected as
outstanding citizens for 1966 on the
basis of their service to the com­
munity. Plaques will be presented
to them in recognition of their
work. Attendance at the dinner is
At the meeting of the Vernonia an opportunity for residents of
Lions club Monday evening of this the community to pay tribute to
week, Miss Ann Sargent, daughter those who give so much of them­
of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sargent, selves for others to provide com­
was awarded a plaque as first munity services for the benefit of
place winner in a Peace Essay everyone.
Specially invited guests at the
contest sponsored by the Verno­
nia club on the local level. The dinner will be Dr. T. M. Hobart,
contest is of international scope Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Atkins, Mr.
and Ann’s essay will now be enter­ and Mrs. H. T. Hertel, Mr. and
ed in the district 36-0 contest in Mrs. C. E. Miller and Mr. and
which 48 clubs are included. Dis­ Mrs. Deri Roberts. Hobart has
trict winners enter the state con­ served as mayor of Vernonia for
test and state winners go to Chi­ the past four years and retired
from that office January 1 and the
cago for the national contest.
The local contest was carried on other men have served as council-
under the direction of Mrs. Alvilda men for the past several years.
It is in recognition of this service
Hearing, English teacher at Ver­ to the community that they have
nonia high school, and was entered been invited as honored guests by
by four senior girls. The other the chamber.
three were Kathy Jensen, Sally
The fried chicken dinner is to
Knowlton and Linda Armstrong be served family style and the rep­
and each received a cash award utation of the Legion auxiliary for
serving good food leaves the as­
from the Lions club.
surance that all who attend will
Guest of the Lions Monday eve­ have plenty to eat.
ning at the dinner meeting at the
Timbernook was Carlos Ruz-Milan,
foreign exchange student from
Chile who spoke to the club. He
told of the history of Chile and
The meeting of Columbia County
showed slides of the country. Historical Society which was plan­
This was followed by a question
ned for January 25 has been can­
and answer period.
In addition to Miss Sargent and celled because of the death of
Carlos, Cliff Norwood of Cliff’s Mrs. Wm. Wood, wife of the presi­
Market and Frank Serafin in whose dent of the Society.
home Carlos resides, were guests
The next meeting will be Wed­
of the club.
nesday, February 15 at the Colum­
The next meeting will be held bia county fairgrounds.
February 6 at the Timbernook.
Lions Present
Essay Plaque
CCHS Meet Cancelled
Oernonia Eagle
VOLUME 45, NUMBER 3
Council Hears
Proposal for
Building Code
The Vernonia city council met
Monday evening with Mayor Sher­
man S. Fisher; Councilmen L. E.
Atkins, D. Lawrence Bair, Deri
G. Roberts and C. E. Miller and
Attorney Robert Vagt all present.
David G. Banta, chairman of the
Vernonia city planning commis­
sion, was present to ask of the
council their opinion of advisability
of a building code and a zoning or­
dinance for Vernonia and which
should come first. He was of the
opinion that the commission favor­
ed a building code as being of first
importance and asked if the coun­
cil agreed or felt zoning to be of
first importance. Much discussion
ensued, with visitors to the meet­
ing taking part. On the motion of
Miller, seconded by Bair, the coun­
cil voted to advise the planning
commission that they felt the build­
ing code to be of greater impor­
tance.
Members of the Vernonia Plan­
ning Commission had attended a
county meeting on zoning Thursday
of last week and from this, a ser
ies of sessions is to be held in
which a course in community plan­
ning is to be outlined. Banta was
informed by the council that they
approved use of funds budgeted
for commission use for expenses
of a representative to these meet­
ings.
L. E. Violette visited the council
to ask about possibility of locating
a trailer house on one of his lots
and was informed that the trailer
house ordinance prohibits it. This
lead to considerable discussion of
the recently passed ordinance and
several needs for revision that
have come to light.
Marvin Meyer discussed with
the council the planting of trees
donated by him to the city and stat­
ed that he would do the small
plantings but would require the
assistance of city employees and
equipment for the larger ones.
Richard Harvey asked to have
the alley by his home in Riverview
kept open for public use. The coun­
cil voted to defer action until fur­
ther investigation can be made by
the police committee.
The council approved the re-
election by the fire department of
Don Webb as fire chief. Webb was
present to ask for two additional
paid drills per month for members
for a period of four months, pre­
sumably to train new members of
the department, and the council
• Continued on page 7)
Benefit Dance Sat.
ANN SARGENT received plaque from Lions Club President Horace
Hertel Monday evening at the weekly dinner meeting of the club, for her
peace essay. Her essay was judged winner of the four entries in the local
contest sponsored by the club.
Saturday evening at 8 p.m., the
Julius Hytrek benefit dance will
be held at the American Legion
hall and the Jaycees who are spon­
soring the event remind ticket
holders to be on hand. Tickets will
also be sold at the door.
VERNONIA, OREGON
O. T. Bateman. Retiring
Postmaster, Honored Sat.
TOM BATEMAN, retiring postmaster, was presented
gift Saturday night by Tommy Tomlin at retirement
dinner for his years of service in office. Tomlin is act­
O. T. Bateman, who retired at
the end of December as Vernonia
postmaster, was honored last Sat­
urday evening at a dinner at the
Timbemook at which between 90
and 100 friends gathered to pay
tribute to his more than 41 years
of service in the community.
Glen Hawkins of Tillamoak, a
long time friend of Bateman, att-
ed as master of ceremonies and
spoke concerning his association
with him. He in turn called on oth­
ers who recalled incidents through
the years.
T. F. Tomlin, who has been as­
sociated with Bateman for a num­
ber of years in the local post offi e
and succeeded him as acting po t-
master, made presentation of g If
equipment and a check as gif s
from friends and business asso­
ciates, Joey Acaiturri of Cresw 11
made presentation of some fun
gifts to be added to the others, in­
cluding a giant tee to enhance his
golf game. Arrangements for the
dinner were made by Edwin Ade
who had been associated with Bate­
man many years in the post office.
In looking back over the years,
Bateman recalls that he came to
Vernonia in January of 1925. That
was just six months after the
start of the Oregon American mill
here in July of 1924. Prior to that
he had lived in Oklahoma where
his mother still resides.
Circumstances of his coming to
Vernonia were that his brother
Demonstration at PTA Shows Wireless Teaching Device
A very informative program coming discouraged to a point
was presented at the PTA meeting where they might drop out of the
Monday evening. Bert Kronmiller, class and keeps the fast students
head of the business education de­ from becoming bored by having
partment at the high school, and to slow down for the others. The
Vic Miller, representative for the teacher may have more time to
Dictaphone Voice Master company give individual attention to each
in Portland, explained and demon­ student. Another advantage to such
strated the new wireless listening a system is that distracting out­
station sold by this company.
side noises are shut out.
Miller explained that while dic­
The earphones are attached to
tation labs are not new, the wire­ a small receiving station, much
less labs are new and have the ad­
vantage of being portable. The old like a transistor radio, that sits on
style require trip molding to be the student's desk. Each station
placed on the floor with boxes to may have two sets of phones plug­
wire each desk for sound. This is ged in at the same time. The trans­
unhandy as it makes cleaning very mitter can be used without any
difficult. With the wireless system further equipment for a distance
a small protable transmitter is of fifteen feet. However, in a lar­
used which can broadcast three ger room, a “loop" which serves
different channels at the same as an antenna, must be installed
around the perimeter of the room
time.
Also, equipment already existing If more than one room is to be
in the school may be used with the used for this quipmnt, a loop
transm itter by plugging in a tape may be placed around another
recorder, record player, dicta­ room and the equipment taken to
phone, or microphone. This ena­ it. In the case of a large school
bles students in the classroom to where two transmitters may be
take dictation at three different used at the same time, they would
speeds according to their abilities. need to be on different frequencies
This bas the advantage of keep­ to avoid overlapping
Miller told the shorthand class,
ing the slower students from be
which was on hand for the dem­
onstration, that while machines are
gradually lessening the need for
shorthand, there are still many
times it is needed and business
colleges still require some method
of shorthand, speedwriting or equi­
valent.
Tapes and records that have
been programmed by professionals
may be purchased for the class­
room. Not only shorthand may be
learned this way but soon there
will be tapes programmed for typ­
ing, bookkeeping and math as well.
Miller was asked if this system
could be used to teach foreign lan­
guage or music and he said that
the one he was demonstrating at
the meeting did not reproduce well
enough for these purposes but that
there were others manufactured
that did. Kronmiller expressed a
hope that his business education
department would some day have
one of these systems as he is very
enthusiastic about its possibili­
ties.
Miller stated that this is one of
the fastest growing businesses in
the country today and because the
government also feels that such
programs are worthwhile in the
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1967
schools it is easy to obtain loans
for this purpose. When asked the
cost of such a system, Miller said
that the transmitter sells for $435
and each desk station with two
plug-ins fbr $92. If a classroom
needed 10 stations for 20 students
the cost would be $920 for the sta­
tions plus the cost of the transmit­
ter.
During the business portion of
the meeting, the president, Mrs.
David Banta, asked for opinions
from the membership on whether
or not "block mothers” were need­
ed in Vernonia. After discussion,
it was decided that while this pro­
gram is very much needed in the
large cities, Vernonia does not
need it. It was felt that if any
child should be in need of help
while away from home, other par­
ents would be interested enough to
assist the child.
Mrs. Banta also told of the PTA's
hope to initiate a school service
project this year as soon as a pro­
gram of such service can be plan
ned.
After the meeting, refreshments
were served by the sixth grade
room mothers
ing postmaster filling vacancy in Vernonia office due
to retirement. Dinner was held at Timbernook.
Cecil was here and had just be­
come a partner in the old Brazing
Works with Ed Salomonsen when
Postmaster Emil Messing a p ­
proached him with the offer of em­
ployment in the post office. Cecil
wasn’t interested because of his
association in the garage but sug­
gested his younger brother.
When Tom received the word
from his brother of a possible job
opening, he lost no time in start­
ing for Oregon. He came to St.
Helens, or rather to the Houlton
depot, and was met there by Cecil
who brought him to Vernonia over
the curvy old St. Helens mountain
road through the wealth of virgin
timber that old timers remember
on that road. To Tom, it seemed
they were going through a tunnel
through the timber and like others
who came from areas unaccustom­
ed to timber of suvli size and
height, he was somewhat over­
awed by the sight.
He arrived here on Saturday,
met Messing on Sunday, for in
those days mail came into Verno­
nia on Sundav and the office open
ed for its distribution, and he went
to work in the post office on Mon­
day.
He recalls that the office then
was a very inadequate building on
what was then Third street back
of the present Kate’s Cafe. Be­
cause of the sudden influx of peo­
ple here with the start of the mill,
there were not nearly enough box­
es to accommodate all who want­
ed them so much of the mail was
handed out of the general delivery
windows. There was no delivery
service so everyone went to the
post office for mail and sometimes
the line extended clear down the
block.
Much of the equipment in the
office was makeshift, with boards
placed for sorting tables and racks
serve the suddenly increased needs
until other equioment could be ar­
ranged.
He recalls that when he went in­
to the office, others employed there
were Don DePuis, Leo Davis, Rob­
ert Hoffman and Gene Shipman.
Vernonia was a third class office.
Mail came to Vernonia by train
seven days a week.
In 1930 the post office was moved
from that location to a building
constructed for it and leased to
the post office department by Ray
Early. It was the building now us­
ed as a garage next to the drug
store on Bridge street. The office
had advanced to second class and
house to house delivery was start­
ed with Clarence Watts and Bert
Tisdale as carriers.
About 1941 the post office made
its next move to a section of the
building owned by the Oregon Gas
and Electric company in the loca­
tion now occupied by the Vernonia
Clinic. The light company occupied
the section at the east corner next
to the fcridg? where the art center
is now. the post office was in the
central part of the building and the
Pal Shop was in the remaining sec­
tion next to the alley.
In 194? Bateman enlisted in the
navy and was assigned to the sec­
ond battalion of the Seabees as a
mail clerk. He served in New Gui
nea, and Subic Bay, Phillipine Is­
lands where he was when the war
ended He was discharged Novem­
ber 9, 1945 and returned home and
was on leave until January 1, 1946
when he returned to the Vernonia
post office from which he was on
leave for military duty.
In February 1954, Tom once
more assisted in the moving of the
post office to a new location, the
building on Jefferson avenue which
it now occupies. The following
(Continued on page 8>
Loggers Vidors Twice in Week
It was a lucky Friday the 13 for
Vernonia’s
Logger
basketball
teams in league play when they
skunked Neah-Kah-Nie in both the
Varsity and JV games. This was
the Loggers’ second league game
and their second league win.
Bill Hanson and Steve Ellis scor­
ed 12 points each, and played out­
standing games. Ellis collected 15
rebounds, and Hanson rounded up
10.
Pete Brunsman played an ex­
cellent floor game and constantly
intercepted Nech-Kah-Nie’g pass­
es, and harassed the Pirates.
During the second quarter Bud
Robertson held Vernonia in the
ball game by collecting 6 points
and 4 rebounds
Coach Kronmiller commented.
“We must have victories over Sea­
side next Friday and Warrenton
the following Friday to be a con
tender for a berth in the playoff.
Again we had a fine team effort.”
Score by quarters. V — 12, 20,
28, 49; N. — 5, 21, 23, 37.
The JV team also pulled in ano­
ther victory for the Loggers when
they came out on top against Neah-
Kah-Nie’s JV Pirate team Friday,
January 13. Chris Smith netted 22
points for the Loggers. Dave Mill­
er piled up 15 points for the Pirat­
es. The final score was Vernonia
65, and Neah Kah-Nie 64
Score by quarters: V .— 2, 11,
33, 65; N. — 15, 14. 52, 64
In a non-league encounter, after
a three-minute drouth at the start
of play and then running neck-to-
neck with Scappoose until the third
quarter, the Loggers caught fire
and romped home with another
•Continued on page 6)