Inside: B2, New columnist Craig Danner I B3, Happenings I B4, Medical Directory I B5, Yesteryears I B6,

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

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A New VisiAt Mt. Hood Town Hall, New Vision School builds young lives one mean ingful moment at a timeStory by JANET COOK, photos by ADAM LAPIERREThere are nine students and two teachers at New Vision School, but there was a lot more life than that in the schools main classroom last Tuesday . There was a tub full of wriggling tadpoles. There was Sally the dog lounging in the sunlight streaming through huge divided light windows. And there were Benji and Gavy, a screech owl and kestrel respectively, brought to the school for a special presentation by Lee Christie from the Rowena Wildlife Clinic. Benji can hear all of your individual heartbeats, Christie told the students, ranging from 3 to 7 years old, as the owl perched on her hand. The students were wide-eyed, but none more so than their teacher, Heather Laurance. Wow! she said, looking around at her students. Laurance is the founder and primary teacher at New Vision School, located in the Mount Hood Town Hall, and her curiosity and wonder are as infectious as her smile, which makes teaching a dream job for her. Laurance is a fourth-generation Hood River Valley native, who grew up in the Upper Valley After working for the Parks . and Recreation District teaching swimming and windsurfing, among other things she decided to pursue a teaching degree. I realized I loved teaching, she said. And I knew I wanted to work in an alternative teaching environment. She worked for a year at Mosier Community School before launching New Vision School four years ago. The school has changed with demand, serving preschoolers, kindergarteners and first-graders. But now that the school has a home in the Town Hall, Laurance plans to expand. This year, students are a mix of preschoolers and kindergarteners. But she has pre-K through second-graders enrolled for next year. Laurance is certified to teach through eighth grade, and she envisions the school eventually serving a wider age range. This group of students I think is going to go all the way through, she said. One of her main goals is to continue to provide another educational option in the community especially in grades 1 through 8. Her sister-in-law, Tylee Laurance, is also a teacher at the school, and next year she is adding staff. Still, shell keep class sizes to a maximum of 12. Laurance, who operates on a four-day school week Monday through Thursday purposely doesnt follow a specific curriculum, although she focuses heavily on art, music and science. I try to draw from many different curricula to meet the needs of every kid, she said. Currently, the students are all together for certain activities, but the older students break away for lesson blocks in the morning and afternoon. I love guiding, uncovering and helping children discover what brings them joy and helping them strengthen and be successful in areas that need improvement, Laurance said. Teaching in this environment is so awesome because I get to be creative and spontaneous with them. The Town Hall, which was built in 1914 as a school for the Mount Hood community, provides ideal space for New Vision. There are two main classrooms, plus anPlease see VISION, Page B5

Mt. Hood Town Hall: A history in brief (For this information and more visitwww.mthoodtownhall.org.)

1914 1961

I love guiding, uncovering and helping children discover what brings them joy ... Teaching in this environment is so awesome because I get to be creative and spontaneous with them.

A DAY IN SCHOOL for New Vision students includes (clockwise from top left) science/biology-based botany and gardening in the Mt. Hood Town Hall flower beds; art-based pottery and painting of bird baths (with mascot Sally taking a moment to stretch); recess, with Ella McGee resting on the front steps of the building; more biology with worm collector Meg Donnelly; more art (at right) with friends Zan Lapp and Olivia Nickson and (above) music sing-along with teacher Heather Laurance.

The Mt. Hood School was designed and built by Lou Baldwin; completed in 1914 at a cost of $4,850. The school originally had only two rooms but was expanded in two additions until it reached its current size. The building served as an elementary school from 1915 until it was closed due to district consolidation in 1961. The building was privately owned by the Doughertys and served as a church until it was bought by the Hood River County Board of Commissioners in 1973. The purchase of the Mt. Hood School was meant to provide a social gathering place and community center for upper Hood River Valley residents. 1962 Present

Since 1962, the Mt. Hood Town Hall has served as a community center for the Upper Valley and has been- main tained by a volunteer board of directors In 2004 the building entered a phase of extensive renovation, thanks to the help of dedicated volunteers and the support of the local community and area grantors. Improvements in the building have made it possible to host many- new ac tivities and classes, as well- as a class room for New Vision School. The Town Hall is growing, and the goal of the present board of directors i to become self-sustaining, with support of fundraising, by the 100th anniversary

www.hoodrivernews.com

Hood River News, Wednesday, May 25, 2011

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YESTERYEARS

Janes, Stenberg are marble champs in 1961100 YEARS AGO 1911J.T. Neff, (Wasco) County Superintendent has completed marking the eighth grade examination papers, says the Oregonian, and reports that out of 48 pupils who took the examinations only 18 passed. These were in the town and country schools outside of The Dalles. The studies in which most of the pupils failed were grammar and civil government. Those failing in one or two branches will be given a chance to try again in June. An innovation in the retail meat business was placed in use Monday by P.C. Young, in the way of a new scale. The scale, to which there are no springs or weights, is operated by electricity. It will weigh anything from a sheet of paper up, and also computes the amount of the purchase. The weight can be seen by both the customer and the clerk. The new contrivance is said to be the most accurate in use. It is manufactured by the Toledo Electric Scale Company. widths and sizes. Real service. New Fresh Tennis Shoes For Outdoor Sports. Frank A. Cram. Dont Pass the Buck. Pass the Bonus Bill.

80 YEARS AGO 1931(Advertisement) Boat for Hire Plan your next party on the river. Something different on a real boat. Reasonable rates by the hour or evening. Six to eight couples make a nice party. Hals Tire Service, Phone 6161, Hood River. When a double-decked truck skidded into the ditch east of Hood River on Saturday evening of last week, the top was so badly damaged that about 30 sheep, destined for Portland stockyards, were able to make their escape and headed for the hills and freedom. The truck belonged to a farmer of Eastern Oregon, who was unable to state how the accident occurred. To date, the sheep have not been recaptured.

applicant must be an American citizen between 18 and 23 years of age. He must be able to pass a rigid physical examination, produce proof of citizenship, and if under 21 years, have the written consent of his parents.

60 YEARS AGO 1951(Advertisement) Thanks We have traded our caf, Pops Place, to Mr. and Mrs. Sam Cox who are experienced restaurant people. We wish to thank our many friends for their kind patronage, especially the high school students. We are moving to Taft, Oregon, and will be happy to see any of our friends. We hope you will continue to patronize Pops Place. Mr. and Mrs. A.R. McWilliams Three Hood River Crag Rats escaped with minor bruises when a cornice at the Bergschrund on Mt. Hood gave away while they were making an ascent of the mountain. The Crag Rats were on the years first group climb of the mountain from the north side this past Sunday. Jim Hukari, Rob Hukari and John Edmundson were at the Bergschrund when an estimated 50 to 100 tons of ice carried away. Fortunately, the life line held and none of the party was caught under the ice.

eran coach now at the Grand Junction, Colo., high school and Roy Nellermoe, teacher and coach at Parkdale Upper Elementary school. The pair will fill the coaching vacancies created with departure from the Wyeast staff of head baseball coach Gene Flippin, head track coach Jess Edwards and head wrestling coach Wilbur Bauer.

The students not only prepared and served breakfast to invited guests, they introduced their guests to Mrs. Betty Shalhope, teacher. Some of the participants here are Juan Garcia, Clinton Curtis and Eric Kochis.

20 YEARS AGO 1991(Photo caption) The Hood River Valley girls track team takes time to enjoy an impromptu photo session at Mt. Hood Community College after finishing third at the Class 3A state meet on Saturday. Representing HRV on the awards stand were Heather Laurance, Annie Bugge, Elaine Hess, Carey Nelson, Shelly Walton and Janne Mackin. All set to learn a new sport this summer but dont know what to try? Hood River community Education has an idea: rollerblades. Community Education is offering inline, or rollerblade, skating lessons in three age groups, 3-12, 13-17 and 18 and older. The lessons include skate rental, pads and helmet. Cost is $6.

40 YEARS AGO 1971(Photo caption) Summer school with an emphasis on arts and crafts is being planned by the Hood River Valley Arts and Crafts Society, directed by Hood River Junior High art teacher Charlene Rivers, one of HRVACS directors. Jewelry decoupa g e, making, macram, pottery, papier mache and calligraphy are among short courses to be offered in the summer school. (Photo caption) Graduation time for the group above wasnt exactly a cap and gown sort of thing. Standing at left, scuba instructor John Oakes gives his latest class instructions before a dive. Others, from left, are Ross Brown, Brad Hupy, Chris Brown, Bernie Mortensen, Chris Oakes, Mel Gard and Hubert Henry.

70 YEARS AGO 1941Thirty-six years ago, on May 19, 1905, Oregon started registering motor vehicles when the secretary of state issued registration certificate number one to Helmus Thompson, of Eugene. At the end of that year, a total of 218 vehicles was registered in this state. On the 36th anniversary of that date, May 19 of this year, there were 381,150 motor vehicles registered in Oregon and by the end of this year, registration is expected to exceed 425,000, according to Earl Snell, secretary of state. To meet the pressing and increasing need for trained seamen in the American Merchant Marine, the Maritime Service is expanding its training program and offers to young men of good character, who are eligible, a special course of training with pay to fit them for a career at sea. To be eligible an

90 YEARS AGO 1921This week marks the completion, as far as interior decoration and equipment is concerned, of the Columbia Gorge Hotel, and the building will be open to guests within a few days, under the mana g ement of Henri Thiele, formerly manager of the Hotel Benson of Portland. This new resort, construction of which has made rapid progress, is designed to serve as a model for others to come throughout scenic Oregon, and is located on the Columbia River Highway one mile west of the limits of this city. (Advertisement) White Shoes Insure Cool Feet A complete line of reliable white footwear ready, Sport Oxfords, Pumps, Walking Shoes and Sandals. Correct fitting, complete run of

10 YEARS AGO 2001Tony Dirks, the new Hood River City police chief, will take his oath of office at the 6 p.m. Tuesday meeting of the city council. Dirks, 36, who left the Gilliam County Sheriff job to take the position, will be welcomed by Mayor Paul Cummings and the six councilors at a reception one hour prior to the swearingin. A group of nearly two dozen volunteers rallied together last weekend to clean up debris in Post Canyon. The group hauled to the dump 10 truckloads of trash and household items that had been illegally dumped along the popular mountain biking road on the West Side. Compiled by Esther K. Smith, news staff writer

30 YEARS AGO 1981A six percent hotel/motel tax that the City of Hood River has been considering for several weeks was officially adopted by the city council Tuesday night. The user tax, which is expected to bring in more than $30,000 in revenues for the city, was proposed by City Administrator Bruce Erickson as a tool to help the city keep up with rising inflation in its budget. (Photo caption) Students in Wyeast Junior High Schools seventh grade home economics class share some of their own cooking during a recent event at the school.

50 YEARS AGO 1961Greg Janes and Oscar Stenberg won Hood River city marble championships in the two age brackets last week, during a contest sponsored by the local VFW post and the Lions club. The pair will now compete in the state tournament scheduled to be held at Jantzen beach park in Portland. Runnerups were Steve Robertson to Janes and Randy Frazier to Stenberg. Two new coaches will join the Wyeast faculty next year announces school principal, Wayne C. Flynn. They are Dan Roberts, 35 year old vet-

VISIONContinued from Page B1 other room that Laurance uses to do yoga with the students as well as other projects. Theres a gym, and a fully functioning kitchen in the basement. When this building be-

SUNLIGHT shines into the New Vision classroom at Mt. Hood Town Hall.Photo by Adam Lapierre

Genealogy help offeredA free f amily history workshop will be offered June 4 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Family History Center at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Hood River. The event promises lots of free classes to help you find your ancestors, including a kids genealogy class from 910 a.m. Participants are invited to attend just one or stay for the whole day. Bring a sack lunch or purchase one at the workshop. For more information call Linda Colton at 541-490-0344. The church is located on the cor ner of 18th and May streets.

came available, I just thought, what an opportunity, Laurance said. She loves incorporating other activities that go on at the Town Hall into her students days. Laurance often takes her students to the basement dining room during the weekly senior meal so the children and elderly can mingle. Last Tuesday after Lee Christie left with Benji and

Gavy, the students sat down to color pictures of owls and kestrels. The tadpoles wriggled away on their journey toward froghood. And Sally lay down for a nap. It had, after all, been an eventful morning at New Vision School. To learn more about New Vision School, and for information about enrollment for next year, go to www.newvisionschoolhr.com.

Museum Collection Action Team training in JuneThe History Museum of Hood River County is starting the process of packing and moving artifacts and items currently being stored at the museum in preparation for the beginning of the building renovation project in September of this year. The museum is looking for community members who are willing to assist with this process. Volunteers will be assigned to a Collection Action Team that will work on either Tuesday or Thursday mornings during the months of June and July from 8 a.m. to noon. Team members will be moving, handling, inventorying, photographing and packing museum artifacts and items in preparation for moving and storing during museum renovation. Ability to lift is helpful. Computer knowledge is also helpful for some of the processing stations. For further details contact Casey Housen, museum volunteer and education coordinator, at 541-386-6772 or thmvolunteer@hrecn.net.