25 YEARS AGO

Dec. 1, 1998

Hermiston teachers got a lesson of their own during a workshop aimed at improving the school’s curriculum. When Hermiston students’ math scores began trending downward, the board of education decided to call in teaching consultant Gale Elkins.

Elkins had developed a respectable reputation, having been a director of staff development for Tigard schools before serving as a counselor for American and Canadian schools during the past 20 years.

Along with her various workshops, Elkins used the Advancement of Student Assessment Performance test to remind teachers that curriculum, instruction and assessment were intertwined. By the end of the year, each teacher would have received five days of training.

Sessions held the prior week focused on clearly aligning the curriculum to standards and benchmarks. During one exercise, teachers took writing tests prepared for various grade levels to determine what they needed to teach. They also took note of vocabulary words and collaborated to arrive at a single definition.

Elkins placed heavy emphasis on the last point, explaining that confusion would arise if definitions varied among ages. She pointed out how this applied to other subjects too, such as different methods for math processes.

By applying such insight, the board hoped to see growth in student assessments.

50 YEARS AGO

Nov. 29, 1973

Hermiston High School was looking forward to establishing an exchange program with Nicoya, Costa Rica.

Located in the northwestern part of the country, Nicoya was an agriculture-based city with approximately 10,000 residents.

Through the efforts of Mayor Lawrence Gray and Council President Barbra Lynch, an application was proposed for a Nicoya student to spend the month of January attending Hermiston High School. With endorsement from the student council and sponsorship from the Hermiston Kiwanis Club, the application proceeded.

The Martin family, which included four children — Aleca, 18; Ramona, 16; Paul, 15; and Scott, 14 — would act as host.

Dr. Forrest Rieke of Portland, a leader in the Partners of the Americas Program, explained this was part of a statewide program. About 35 Costa Rican students, with a median age of 17, would be visiting Oregon in December and January.

Rieke hoped that several sister city relationships would develop and provide a foundation for future exchange programs and partnerships.

75 YEARS AGO

Dec. 2, 1948

During Oregon’s annual March of Dimes event, concern regarding polio took centerstage with state health officials predicting a sharp increase in polio cases.

“There is every indication that we will have twice as many cases as we did last year,” Dr. G.D. Carlyle Thompson, state director of preventative medicine, said.

Already, 185 cases had been recorded. At the same time the previous year, there were only 90 cases.

Thompson explained the significance of these figures, saying that 1948 was already “Oregon’s fourth highest year, both in number of cases and ratio in respect to population.”

Thompson estimated the total to exceed 200 cases by the end of the year. He said there was even a possibility of reaching epidemic status if the count exceeded 250 cases.

While colder weather typically correlates to a decrease in polio cases in most areas, the opposite was true in northwestern Oregon. This unusual situation, Thompson said, “merits a great deal of study” in the endeavor to understand and combat the disease.

90 YEARS AGO

Nov. 30, 1933

All across the nation, emergency projects had been designed to provide employment relief during the winter months. With the help of state funds, 21 unemployed men found work in Hermiston.

These projects were funded in part by the Civil Works Administration, which planned to provide 21,000 jobs in Oregon within the next month.

The state granted Hermiston $15,000 for these projects, which included renovating city water works, installing a new septic tank and sewage disposal system, and leveling and resurfacing a road.

Judge Cheshire was appointed chairman for the Umatilla County CWA, while H.A. Pankow would be the supervisor. Pankow said all projects within city limits were to be completed by Jan. 5, as crews would rotate through portions of each project.

Those interested were advised to contact the re-employment agency at the Elks Temple in Pendleton to fully utilize this opportunity.