Letters to the Editor 02/16/2011

To the Editor:

In December I attended the get-acquainted meeting here in town with staff and students from Gutenberg College which, of course, is exploring a possible move from Eugene to Sisters. They impressed me with their winsomeness, with their strong sense of academic integrity, and especially with their emphasis on intellectual freedom and self-discovery.

As I heard more about the school's commitment to community, its strong appreciation of fine arts, and its preference for "small" not "big," I came away thinking that this is a stunningly strong fit for Sisters. What a great opportunity for us not only to add "college town" to our civic profile, but to have an accredited higher-education institution that's uniquely suited to who we are as a community.

As The Nugget has reported and as was elucidated in that December meeting at the Sisters Library, the college's B.A. in liberal arts (the only degree they offer) is built around the study of what's called the "Great Books" - consensus classics arising over the centuries in western civilization.

Perhaps many of The Nugget's readers are like me and cherish their own set of the "Great Books" published by the University of Chicago and Encyclopedia Britannica, and so they already have great respect for this particular intellectual heritage and its centuries-long "conversation" that Gutenberg College works so hard to engage their students in.

I understand that an important step forward in Gutenberg's potential move to Sisters will take place Wednesday, February 23 at our city hall. Our planning commission will hold a public hearing regarding an update to the city's development code that would allow for a "college or university or place of higher education" to be located in our light industrial district. I urge interested citizens to be there to show and voice their support, and I urge our elected officials and other civic leaders to present a united front in doing all we possibly can to make Gutenberg's move to Sisters a reality.

Thomas Womack

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To the Editor,

This is in response to Michael Coopers' letter about the Obama health care.

The issue is not between Democrat or Republican ideology but rather constitutionality. In fact, two courts have already ruled Obama's health care plan as unconstitutional and have asked the federal government to honor an injunction.

Can the people or the government afford it? This will increase our taxes, and will adversely affect those with limited incomes. Thomas Jefferson said, "...what more is necessary to make us a happy and prosperous people? Still one thing more, fellow citizens - a wise and frugal government... which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned." The government's national debt continues to increase. Will the passing of this bill help us to struggle out of debt?

Health care for everyone sounds great, but this will increase the power of the government in our lives. Liberty is a wonderful thing, and in America, we are blessed to have it. Benjamin Franklin once said, "Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by man, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature." Thomas Jefferson also said, "God who gave us life gave us liberty." To maintain that freedom the government should have limited power. Are we willing to risk so much for health care?

In conclusion, this is an important issue. It is only right that the citizens of America should consider the decisions that will influence the generations after them. Perhaps if we remained true to our American convictions, a more viable solution could be found.

Junnelle Hogen

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To the Edtor:

It is our firm belief that many of the teachers, staff, administrators and board members of the Sisters School District are performing quite admirably.

We moved here from Connecticut in 2007. The schools in southeast Connecticut, where we lived, are very good schools. However, based on our experience, we think the schools in Sisters are far better.

Our oldest son has autism. It is oftentimes very hard and frustrating to get people to understand how to properly deal with a child who has autism. The staff at the schools here in Sisters has worked with us to develop a successful program for our son, and they have been attentive and responsive to our needs. We feel they are doing a wonderful job with him, and he now enjoys going to school every day.

His teacher, Mr. Josh Nordell, is a wonderful mentor and a terrific person. We are grateful to have him as an educator in our district.

The schools in Sisters are built upon a strong foundation. But as good as we think the schools here may be, they are not perfect. Perfection should always be the goal, despite the impossibility of success. There is always room for improvement in any endeavor. The Sisters community should never stop trying to improve its schools through local efforts and activities.

Always remember that the schools are here to serve the people who fund them through taxes. The folks who work within the Sisters School District in actuality work for the taxpayers of the district. If you have thoughts and ideas about how to make the schools even better, it's your right to bring them to the attention of the teachers, staff, administrators and board members of the district. Some would say it's your responsibility.

We ask that others join with us as we sincerely thank the many excellent and hardworking people that are the true and proud face of the Sisters School District.

Matthew D. and Susan K. Wessel