100 Years Ago

March 12, 1925 — Gold deposits near Redmond

It is reported here that Martin Hearst, who has been in the Redmond district with a crew of seven men since January, has taken leases on 7,000 acres of land that will include valuable potash deposits, the quality of which is the highest in purity that has been found anywhere and on gold bearing sand that will run to an average of 08.50 per ton.

Some of the panning showed as high as $16.

This is the third time that the matter of taking gold from the sands around here has bee taken up by people who are interested.

75 Years Ago

March 9, 1950 — Union Opposes Low-Rent Housing

Russell Metts, president of the carpenter’s union here, released the following statement from his organization in opposition to federal low-rent housing:

“Carpenters’ local 291 of Redmond has gone on record as opposing federally subsidized low-rent housing, and never has been in favor of such housing. The district council representative never had the authority to represent the carpenters of Redmond as being in favor of such housing.”

Higher Telephone Rates Approved

Telephone rate increases have been approved for the Northwest Telephone company, effective on April 1.

The approval was announced Monday by George H. Flagg, Oregon public utilities commisioner. Typical rate increases are $4.00 to $6.00 for business phones, and $3.25 to $4.00 for residence phones in the Redmond area.

The company serves Redmond, Sisters and Culver in central Oregon, and Sheridan, Willamina and Grand Ronde.

50 Years Ago

March 12, 1975 — Petitions circulating for toll-free phoning

Petitions asking toll-free telephone service in Central Oregon are being circulated in the tri-county area by the Powell Butte Farmers Club.

The petitions ask that telephone calls within the boundaries of the Central Oregon Community College district be transmitted toll-free. This encompasses all of Deschutes, Crook Jefferson counties and segments of Wasco, Lake and Klamath counties.

Currently long-distance charges are levied between each of the major communities in Central Oregon and in some cases between outlying rural communities and nearby trade centers.

In some rural areas telephone users are required to call long distance to reach their neighbors across the road. Such is the case in Powell Butte, where the petition drive was initiated.

Farmers club members began circulating the 500 petitions with space for 16,500 signatures on Wednesday. By Friday they had been placed in Powell Butte, Terrebonne, Metolius, Culver, Madras and Bend.

If public response is sufficient, the petitions will be presented to the Oregon Public Utility Commissioner and possibly to legislators as well. Target date for completing the drive is April 15.

The drive for toll-free service is patterned after a successful drive of several years ago in the greater Medford area.

A major obstacle to success of the drive is the service of the involved area by two utility companies — United Telephone of the Northwest and Pacific Northwest Bell.

Paul P. “Bud” Spillman is president of the sponsoring farmers club.

25 Years Ago

March 9, 2000 — Board expands language program

The Redmond school board gave administrators the go-ahead to an expanded foreign language program during its regular meeting last week.

The program, which is expected to cost just under $500,000, will phase in Spanish classes in elementary and middle schools over the next four years.

School administrators requested funding for the additional classes during a previous meeting after concerns arose over new state requirements expected in the next few years.

New state rules will require students to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language to earn a Certificate of Initial Mastery in the 2002-03 school year.

Redmond students will also be required to take two years of a foreign language to graduate from high school. The graduation requirement will not go into effect until the 2004-05 school year.

Currently high school students are not required to have any foreign language instruction to graduate, but most four-year colleges and universities require at least two years of a second language.

Language classes are offered throughout high school, but the only other foreign language class offered in the district is a one-half credit Spanish class offered to second grade students.

The additional classes approved last Wednesday would allow a student to complete one full year of a foreign language by the end of middle school, said Keith Hanson, director of curriculum and instruction.

Fielding board members’ concerns about offering other languages, Hanson said Spanish was the logical choice to offer Redmond students.

“Well, it’s the most common language in our hemisphere, and it’s the one most teachers are certified in,” he said.

Board co-chair Marilyn Warner expressed concern that adding an additional required class in middle school will reduce electives students enjoy.

“I had a real hard time with this one. I’m afraid we’re going to lose classes, especially at middle schools,” she said. “But if we have to do it — and we do — this is the best way to do it.”

To offer the additional classes, the district will have to hire roughly 11 new teachers, according to the proposal.