Front Street Weekly

Oregon public broadcasting presents Front Street Weekly, a television magazine featuring news and arts coverage from an Oregon perspective. With Gwyneth Gamble and Jim Swenson. [theme song playing] [Gamble] Good evening, I'm Gwyneth Gamble. Welcome to Front Street Weekly. [Swenson] I'm Jim Swenson and here's a preview of some of tonight's stories. Oregon ranks sixth in the nation in total bank robberies and third nationally per capita. Tonight we'll investigate why that rate is so high and what's being done to change it. [Forester] I couldn't, uh, do anything else that I could think of to get any money to survive on.

I had some friends who were also fugitives so I teamed up with them and robbed banks. [Gamble] One of the most progressive Indian reservations in the country is located in Warm Springs. Many dramatic changes have taken place there in the past 50 years, changes that have vaulted these Indians from poverty to prosperity. [Swenson] We'll visit two of the Oregonian's nationally known editorial cartoonists, past and present. [Man] A lot of their work is drenched in acid. They draw blood, they scrape your skin, they make you angry. [Gamble] And if you're feeling under the weather in Yoncalla, chances are you'll go see Lydia Emory, one of Oregon's more unusual doctors. [Swenson] "Song of the Earth," a unique publication created by Oregonians, is receiving praise nationwide. Meet an innovative group of people who set out to prove that high quality printing is an art form. [Gamble] And finally we'll find out what keeps kids coming to an old time kiddie show. [Swenson] Oregon's bank robbery rate is now running among the highest in the nation, in spite of both traditional

and innovative solutions to solve the problem. Tonight we take a look at the reasons behind the unenviable statistics. [Forester] I couldn't do anything else that I could think of to get any money to survive on. I had some friends who were also fugitives so I teamed up with them and robbed banks. [Swenson] Most of us don't resort to such extreme measures to get money, but there seem to be many who do and their numbers are growing in Oregon. [Dispatcher] Attention all units, we have a 91 new, Far West Federal, Hollywood branch. We have a description of a white male, 5' 11" - 6 foot, slender build, 145, was wearing a red stocking mask, plaid shirt, blue jeans, white tennis shoes. He was armed with a small silver revolver and last seen eastbound on foot. [Swenson] Bank robberies in the state are now at an all time high. Some call it an epidemic. Oregon ranks sixth in the nation in the number of bank robberies and third per capita.

[Man] Obviously something has happened, uh, over the years because in 1950 to 1955 there were no bank robberies in the state of Oregon. We've gone from that period of time of 5 years with no robberies up to 243 in the year 1983. [Forester] Well let's put it this way, I don't like to rob people. And most of the people I know don't like to rob people, like mug- muggers and people that own little stores and stuff because they- you're taking their money from them. And banks, it's the government's money. And the government is the people that have been tormenting me all my life, you know. So I don't feel any qualms about taking their money. [Swenson] But why are people like Forester robbing banks in Oregon in record numbers? There are different theories. [Man] Just generally, and this may be true of other areas as well, uh, there are many many branch banks that probably don't have real good security and this may-, uh, uh, offenders also know that there will- they won't meet with any resistance in the event they attempt to

rob a bank. [Another man] There are probably a number of factors. One being that the criminal justice system in Oregon does not seem to be that, um, restrictive, that difficult, and I think that word gets around. I think the criminals know that our courts are not punishing them severely. [Forester] The problem is not that the money is there and is being given away, the problem is that the people are out there that come and take it and we have to address that problem I think as much as we can. [Man] The people we deal with have past prior, either federal or state, convictions and I- I think that pretty well speaks for itself as to the effectiveness of the justice system. It's just not getting the job done. [Swenson] And why are people with past criminal records back out of prison and robbing banks? FBI agent Dorwin Schrader has his own theory. [Schrader] Some of the contributing factors may be that the penal system

in Oregon, in recent years, has not had the room nor the facilities to retain convicted felons, uh, that have been involved in robberies in the past. And then they seem to graduate to bank robberies and we see them over and over again. [Swenson] Like most other bank robbers, this isn't Forester's first time in prison. He's had a long history of crimes in the state of Oregon, including two charges of first degree robbery, and a charge of possession of heroin. [Forester] Well, first time I, I went to OSCI for a few dollars worth of checks. And uh, I came here the first time for uh, burglary, a restaurant. And I uh, and I came back here for robbing a Safeway store. And uh, then again in, uh, Lane County, and a possession of heroin term. [Swenson] Also, like most other bank robbers, Forester was a fugitive

when he robbed this U.S. National Bank on April 30th, 1980. He was a member of the notorious Steven Michael Kessler gang, a group of professional bank robbers. [Man] All of the robbers were armed. They had uh, three handguns and a submachine gun, a smoke bomb. They had gloves, uh, masks, and they were heavily disguised. They carried bags. They robbed all of the tellers, uh, the drive-in window, and they tried to get into the tellers- into the vault. [Swenson] Forrester is currently serving time in Oregon State Prison for his state robbery conviction and then will be moved to a federal facility for the rest of his sentence. But Turner admits that if Forrester is typical, he'll be out on the streets and likely committing the same crime again within 2 to 6 years, despite a sentence of over 13 years. [Turner] So I'm not so concerned about the amount of time that's imposed as I am about the amount of time that's served, and both in the federal system and the state system, that's something that the prosecutor can't control. The parole board determines the release of- of the-

of those who've been convicted. And as I indicated before, we continue to see those people, uh, in our system over and over again, both on state and federal sides. [Man] Well I don't know what their alternative is, I, I think the, uh, taxpayer has to decide which way they want it. They want people locked up for a longer period of time, but they've thus far been unwilling to pass bond measures to build additional prisons. Uh, so if- if they want these see folks to be locked up longer there's going to have to be some financial resources to accomplish that. [Swenson] But the courts are doing the best they can, Gilbert says, handing out sentences last year averaging 16 years to 38 bank robbers. Although repeat offenders like Forrester are the most frustrating type of case for officials like Gilbert and Turner, they're not the only ones committing these crimes. [Man] Recently we've had a different kind of bank robber, we've had a rash of very young people, in their late teens and early 20s, who have had no appreciable prior criminal record. The sentences in those cases is not going to be as severe as it would be in

any case of the parolee who had a significant prior criminal record. [Swenson] Bank robbers are after one thing of course: money. But law enforcement officers say their motivation has little to do with the need to pay rent or put food on the table. [Man] And 90 percent of the robberies, in my opinion, are narcotic related in that the motive for committing the bank robberies is to uh, sustain a narcotic habit. And in particular we're finding a great deal of the people who are committing the robberies, uh, seem to be doing it to support a cocaine habit. [Swenson] The legal merry-go-round has law enforcement officers frustrated. [Man] It seems like, you know, the FBI and police departments arrest one, two bank robbers. Somebody else is taking their place. So, you know, it's like a dog chasing his tail. It just keeps going and going. So it becomes discouraging. [Swenson] David Forester's case is one of thousands of bank robbery cases that have been solved over the years, and now among these in the FBI's

closed file room. In the last few years, however, with the jump in the robbery numbers in the state, the FBI's solution rate has dropped. As little as 5 years ago, the FBI says, they were running up to a 90% solution rate on bank robberies, but that's not the case today. [Man] The last uh, 2, 3 years we're running 55 to 60 percent and I don't see any changes in it. As our robberies increase our solution is- is going to go down. I just see that as, as being a fact that we're going to have to deal with. [Swenson] But officials say crime still doesn't pay. The odds are against the bank robber with an average take of less than a thousand dollars, which they rarely get to spend. Nevertheless they do keep trying. The number of robberies at First Interstate Bank of Oregon, for example, went up 70 percent from 1982 to 1983. George Balcombe, director of security, says banks need to make robbery unattractive. [Balcombe] We have to make bank robbery unprofitable. And I think the first step in doing that is to make sure you don't give them a lot of

money. [Swenson] Banks now have strict cash control and typically a teller won't have more than a $1,000 in the cash drawer. Extra security measures, like alarms and surveillance cameras, are frequently used and work well. Security guards, although effective, are rarely used because of their extra cost. Although First Interstate does have guards in several of their branches, they're only at those branches which have some specific problems. Balcombe says the banks are doing everything they can to minimize losses, and most hope that stronger measures, that might alarm the customers, won't have to be taken. [Man] I know that there are additional measures that they could go to but they might include what they call "bandit barriers" in, in some cities back east. Detroit for one. Tellers were placed behind plexiglass barriers. Uh, we haven't in the west gone to making fortresses out of banks yet and I hope that's not necessary.

[Swenson] There is one good piece of news in all of this. Victim injuries during bank robberies are way down. Much of the credit for that, officials say, goes to these kinds of instructional films, part of the new educational process for bank tellers. They're taught about cash control, what to do if confronted with a bank robber and how to identify a suspect. They're also taught not to resist a bank robber. [Man] Our statistics show that we're not losing that much money. You know, we lose a lot more money through other criminal methods than we do bank robbery. The problem with a bank robber or a bank robbery is that it's a very frightening situation. [Swenson] That fright is being turned into action in many communities where local law enforcement is starting "Cash in a Crook" reward programs. Sponsored by the financial institutions security task force, it offers up to $1000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of bank robbers. But the new get-tough attitude has come face to face with parole boards and overcrowded prisons. Still there are many who say that nothing should stand in the way of stiffer penalties. [Man] Once that person has been prosecuted

and convicted I would like to see him, see him serve a longer period of time. We need to concentrate on the career criminal and we know, uh, from the matter- it's a matter of empirical evidence, that a small number of people are either causing or committing a large proportion of the crimes in this jurisdiction. [Swenson] While law enforcement officials say that Oregon has become a popular place for bank robberies, they're also quick to point out that the robbers almost always get caught. [Man] Someone, uh, should be aware here in Oregon that your chances of being caught are very good and the chances you're going to prison are even greater. Yet these people continue to rob banks. They're either not very bright or they're not very rational. [Forester] But like I say, I'm not a- by nature a robber, you know. I would rather do anything, just about anything else, than crime to survive, you know. And I resort to crime as a desperation move. [Swenson] So far, this year, officials say there doesn't seem to be any significant decrease in the robbery statistics.

[Gamble] The latest economic report for Jefferson County explains that businesses run by the Confederated Indian Tribes are a key factor in the continued growth of that region. That represents quite a change from what life was like just 50 years ago on the Warm Springs reservation. [Man] We are not just a resort, we are another culture. Kah-Nee-Ta has a culture to sell and that of course is the American Indian, the Native American. [Gamble] The confederated tribes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation have taken the plunge into the white man's business world and life on the reservation will never be quite the same again. [Man] The gross revenues at the resort, overall, are going to probably exceed 4 million this year. Um, Which is a substantial sum, that's a large operation. [Gamble] That's only part of the picture. The confederated tribes operate several businesses on the reservation, making it the largest employer in Jefferson County. Kah-Nee-Ta Hot Springs Resort, and its moneymaking companion Warm Springs Forest Products Industries,

are 2 of the reasons. And these operations are not just hobbies to occupy the Wasco, Warm Springs, and Paiute Indians who live here in north central Oregon. They are sophisticated million dollar enterprises. [mill sounds] This mill and plywood plant offers over 300 jobs to both Indians and non-Indians, and the Kah-Nee-Tah Hot Springs Resort provides more than 200 jobs in the summer months. It grew from a small village and secluded hot springs to a multimillion dollar tourist attraction complete with lodge and convention center. And there's more to the success story. [Man] During the past months, and especially after seeing the project today, I have to tell you that I'm not really surprised that the Confederate Tribes of the Warm Springs are the first tribes anywhere in this nation to build a hydro- generation project of this type. [Gamble] 2 years ago officials from across the state came here to honor another achievement by the

Confederated Tribes. [applause] When this dam was dedicated in June of 1982 it became the first hydroelectric project ever built by Indians and marked the first time a license had ever been granted to Indians by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. [water sounds] Harnessing the rushing waters of the Deschutes and Metolius rivers has proven to be a wise business decision for the confederated tribes. The electricity generated here is being sold to Pacific Power and Light for its customers throughout the Northwest. And the tribes say the project will be paid for completely, and turning a profit, within 20 years. All these business ventures have brought some much needed improvements to the reservation itself. There's a new community center now and several housing projects have been developed. And all were envisioned by the tribal council in the 60s, well before the State of Oregon had a

comprehensive land use plan of its own. [Man] In terms of the governing body, the tribal council is the representation of the people. They are voted in, uh, we have 11 members on our tribal council. 8 are elected and 3 that serve lifetime that are chiefs of our 3 different tribes. The Tribal Council was created after Congress recognized the Indian's right to self-government in 1934. The new council established its own constitution and by-laws, and in a farsighted move that is now paying off, the council applied for a corporate charter, allowing it to direct business enterprises on the reservation. [Man] The corporate, uh, charter is a, is a document that guides us in the business world. It allows us to get into business ventures, obtain loans from banks, states, or whomever. And, uh, in that sense then turns around and is eventually an income to our people. So, Provides jobs. [Gamble] To understand just how far the confederated tribes have

come, you have to look at how these Indians lived just 50 years ago. [Native American music and singing] [Walulutum] They pretty much lived off of Mother Nature, you know, digging roots and going to the mountains, gathering berries, and then their annual retreat to the Columbia River to gather fish. So they live pretty much off of just what nature provided. [Gamble] Chief Walulutum remembers when life was harder for the tribes, after they were forced to leave the Columbia River land they had called home, and moved to the reservation. Early Indian families depended on Columbia River salmon for food and for their religious ceremonies, but they were forced to leave the Columbia and move south after the Treaty of 1855 was signed. [Man] And when we did our calendars in those days, from what I understand, the calendar was worked out with the fish in mind and then the other foods surround that. So when you peel a part of the calendar out in that sense, uh, it changes the life and people have to adjust. [flute]

[Gamble] This is the land to which the Indians had to adjust. It's the Oregon high desert and it's an area no white man wanted to settle. Cut off from the Columbia River and their main source of food, the Indians struggled to live off reservation land. [Native American music] [Walulutum] Of course there was a, a lot of mortality in the, uh, infants and the elders because, uh, not being- having the best medical facilities. We didn't have, uh, the best housing and all that, but they got along the best they could. [Gamble] Today these Indians are no longer "just getting by". The confederated tribes have taken the straw they were handed and weaved it into gold, making the jump from poverty

to prosperity in a single generation. But this rapid change to the white man's way of life has brought on a whole new set of problems and frustrations in areas like education. [Man] There is a high dropout rate. If we were take, uh, 1 freshman class and follow them through high school we found that, uh, probably 20 to 30 percent of them will finish. The others will have veered off to some other direction during that time. [rock guitar music] [Gamble] This is Madras senior high, 15 miles from Warm Springs. The confederated tribes send their children here because they can't afford to build their own high school for the relatively small number of students on the reservation. [Doctor] Ok, I'd like to get Karen in here and get her blood pressure checked. [Gamble] Medical treatment on the reservation is another major concern. Studies have shown that the health clinic here is too small to handle the growing Indian population. [Man] I think probably health is one of the areas that- that we really need to work on. Time

studies show that we need- we need a, a newer facility. [Gamble] And a recent baby boom on the reservation is straining the services that can be provided. Since the late 70s the number of babies being born here has jumped from 60 a year to over 100. [baby crying] [Man] You run a lot more demands on your system with young children. There's a lot more colds, a lot more routine illnesses. But in the young population, that ties up a lot of your time and energy. [Gamble] But health and education problems aren't the only thing worrying the tribal council these days. The new prosperity has brought with it an unexpected threat. As the confederated tribes embrace the outside world to survive, they are slowly losing the very traditions and heritage that set them apart. [children playing] Indian children aren't being taught the traditional languages, and the religious practices too are in danger of being forgotten. In fact, Nelson Walulutum admits having a

hard time finding a young Indian interested in replacing him as Chief. [Walulutum] I see the ways are changing because of the necessity of, you know, being on a job to earn a living, I guess is 1 thing, and then them going away from knowing how to live off the land. People are more job oriented now, you know, and they don't have time to stop a lot of times to consider traditional ways. [Native American music and singing] [Gamble] Even with all their progress, the confederated tribe's fight for survival isn't over yet. Two-thirds of the people who work in tribal-y run businesses come from off the reservation. For that reason the continued prosperity of Indian enterprises at Warm Springs is important to Jefferson County and other neighboring municipalities. [music playing]

A vital component of any daily newspaper is its editorial section, and an important expression of this section lies with the editorial cartoon. The Oregonian believes strongly that its readers deserve a local perspective in editorial cartoons. Thus it has ensured this commitment by hiring one of the nation's top editorial cartoonists to replace another. The news we read about is seldom funny, but at least one person in the news profession believes in the art of serious humor. His function is to provoke, clarify, entice, and elate. He's the editorial cartoonist for The Oregonian. Art Bimrose held that job for 34 years until his retirement in September of '83. He is succeeded by one of the most talented and youngest cartoonists in the United States today.

23 year-old Jack Ohman. Both share a rare talent for turning complex issues or events into black and white images that make us think. [Man] Most American cartoonists are biting. They seem at least skeptical, often cynical. A lot of their work is drenched in acid. They draw blood, they scrape your skin, they make you angry. But they are, underneath it all, extreme optimists, because with their craft they're saying "If I get people angry enough, if I spur debate, I can affect change." [Bimrose] Orginally was hired to do photo retouching, and as time went on I learned to do the layouts and picked up a little cartooning as I went along. And it all kind of evolved into editorial cartooning after about 10 years.

[Gamble] One of Art's favorite cartoons is a character he calls John Q. Public, who symbolizes the common man's reaction to issues and events. [Bimrose] When I depict him in a cartoon I'm probably expressing a lot of people's feelings and attitudes and if I can get in a little humor into it maybe they can laugh at themselves too. [Gamble] With three and a half decades and 8,500 cartoons, Art has captured some of history through his craft. [Bimrose] That morning, at the paper, we heard the news that Kennedy had been shot. But we didn't know whether he had died or not and kept waiting and waiting and I didn't know what kind of cartoon to draw, whether he died or not, I knew I'd have to draw something on it if he did die. So finally about 30 minutes before my deadline we heard he died. So I threw this together in just half an hour to make it into the paper.

And uh, Walt Disney died. I drew a little tribute to him. I think the whole world missed him. When uh, we finally pulled out of Vietnam, that's President Ford, took down the flag, leaving the country. [Gamble] As Art approached retirement the paper began looking for a replacement. Although the Oregonian is one of the few newspapers in the nation which employs its own staff cartoonist, there was never a question of closing the position and relying solely on syndicated cartoons. [Man] Fred Stickles believes very strongly that we should have a local presence in editorial cartooning. That uh, it's one of the items that distinguishes The Oregonian from the common herd of newspapers in this country. [Gamble] After a lengthy search Jack was hired by The Oregonian last October from the Detroit Free Press. He first began working as a cartoonist at the University of Minnesota

to help pay for his education. [Ohman] I had done some high school- cartooning in high school uh, and I was, you know, fairly knowledgeable about politics so I got the job on the Minnesota Daily. Uh, but never- the first year I was working as a cartoonist I don't think I ever really seriously had the intention of becoming a cartoonist. It was more a way to put myself through school than anything else. Uh, and then some friends of mine suggested that maybe I would want to "Hey, you know, your stuff's is pretty good. Maybe you should start sending it around," and, and uh, so I decided, well, maybe I can make some more money this way, so I sent the cartoons around. I sent one to Newsweek and, and Newsweek printed the first one that I had ever drawn. First- the first one that I had ever sent to them and I was 19 at the time. [Gamble] A few months later Jack became the youngest syndicated cartoonist in the country. Soon after this accomplishment he left school to concentrate on cartooning full time.

2 years later Jack became nationally syndicated, and in addition to Newsweek, his work began appearing regularly in Time, U.S. News and World Report, and most major newspapers. Jack's age hasn't hindered his career, but even his editor admits to some initial hesitation. [Editor] Very candidly, one of my concerns, uh early on, was if we have a cartoonist who's 22 or 23 years old, will we have periodic plunges into sophomorism. Well, I went back through three years of his work and uh, Jack does not do that. I think his age is an irrelevancy. He is uh,really bright, that's the key item. He is uh, very mature and I don't say that in term- I don't deal with that as a function of age.

Uh, he has time and miles of experience. [Gamble] And that's coupled, Landauer says, with a willingness to be controversial. [Ohman] If you don't hear from people, you're not doing your job. If you're not making people mad, you're not doing your job right. My job is to provoke. And, and if people are responding in that way then I'm being provocative. I get a lot of complaints about the way I draw Reagan, you know. Make him look too old or, you know, that I'm not patriotic or things like that. Why am I always criticizing the president? You know, why can't you say anything nice. Why don't you ever say anything positive, you know. It's not- I don't really see my, you know, role as a political cartoonist as a, you know, an advocate- as a, as a force to make somebody look good. My job isn't to uh, to just reaffirm what another politician has already said, my job is to uh, clarify it or

criticize it. [Gamble] While Jack has established a name for himself as a promising young cartoonist, he does not want to limit his options. [Ohman] I just want to become a better cartoonist, at this point. I would think that I would be cartooning for a long time to come, but I don't- I'm not going to box myself into it at age 23. I mean 20 years from now maybe I want to do something else. I think I'd be pretty pathetic if I were 23 years old and had no further goals, I mean there's a long, long ways to go for me I would think. [Gamble] Despite the different styles both Jack and Art have towards their trade, they do agree on a fundamental point. [Bimrose] I think people always will look at a picture first so I always keep that in mind and I try to keep the cartoon simplified. Simple as possible. Put a little humor in it. And at the same time convey a message of some sort. [Ohman] You can make a statement a lot more quickly with a political cartoon than you can with an editorial because people like humor, people like to

look at cartoons, people like pictures. [Gamble] Although Art has retired, he's not going to stay away from cartooning. In addition to working on a book, which includes his collections, he will, from time to time, continue to submit cartoons to The Oregonian. And as for Jack, we'll be able to see his cartoons daily in the paper. You can also watch for his work in national magazines, especially interesting with 1984 being a presidential election year. [Swenson] And they are great cartoons. Well, do you remember when medical care didn't cost a small fortune? I'm not sure I do, but apparently that's still the case in Yoncalla, about 30 miles north of Roseburg. Rhonda Barton and cameraman Matt Hartman prepared this report. [Barton] A visit to Yoncalla, Oregon is like a trip back in time to the kind of place Norman Rockwell painted on the covers of the Saturday Evening Post. It's a place where Main Street only stretches for a few blocks, where the Post Office is the busiest spot in town, and where the feed store is the biggest business. It's a town of a little more than 800

people, with whitewashed churches and birds that make more noise the traffic. [birds chirping] It's also where you can find a small town institution that's almost disappeared. The old fashioned family doctor. Meet Lydia Emory. Everyone affectionately calls her Doctor Lydia. [Emory] Now hold your head up and can you breathe through your mouth? Just like this. [breathing sounds] [Barton] For 35 years she's been practicing here, dispensing medical advice and motherly care from a sunny corner of her front parlor, often under the watchful eye of the family pet. [Emory] You close your mouth and I look in your ears next. [Barton] Besides her unconventional examining room there are other things that make Dr. Lydia unusual. She's one of the few women in Oregon who's over 70 and practicing medicine today. [doctor talking to patient] And she may be the only doctor anywhere who still charges the same rates as when she first set

up shop in 1949. That's $1 for office visits, $2 for house calls. [Emory] We were all poor together, you know, we were all struggling at the start. And I thought, well when I set up a real office, why then I could charge like office calls. But as long as I'm doing it here at home I'll just charge them a dollar, and a dollar in those days with a lot more than it is now. And then I saw that I was going to be busy and that I was probably- would be unnecessary to set up an office and I liked the kind of practice I was doing. I liked having people think that they, that they can come in and they can talk a while and it isn't going to upset my office routine, or it's not that formal or something. [Barton] Dr. Lydia's informal style and her interest in medicine were influenced in part by her grandmother, the kind of woman who kept a horse and buggy hitched up for sick calls.

[Emory] They would call her in to help with the sick or there was a new baby or where there was going to be a baby. She was not really a midwife, but she was just somebody that could help. I mean she hadn't had training. [Barton] The fact that relatively few women did get medical training in those days didn't worry young Lydia, who grew up on a farm in Iowa. She saw her 2 older brothers get Ph.D.'s, and 2 younger brothers become medical doctors. She set her sights on the same goal, even though she was a little afraid of what her father, a strict Mennonite, would say. [Emory] I hadn't told him I was taking pre-med. And when he learned of it he said, "Are you take- are you planning to go into medicine?" I said um, "Well, I'm taking pre-med, but they don't take everybody in medical schools and everyone isn't accepted, and especially if you're a girl you might not be. And he thought about it a little bit and he said, "Well I guess you're as good as anyone," and that was it. [Barton] Graduating from University of Iowa Medical School in 1941, Dr. Lydia found professional opportunities opened up

by the war. She completed a residency in Pediatrics, and then joined the service herself. [Emory] In 1943 the Navy put out a call for, I think, 600 women doctors. Somebody told me they got about 50, but I don't know. But I was- I was, I felt that I wasn't leaving a civilian practice, and I had finished a residency, and that I would be- it would be a good uh, time for me. [Barton] At Camp Lejune the doctor met Clifford Emory, a Marine whose friends nicknamed him Jeep. After the war the 2 got married and Jeep brought Lydia to Yoncalla, where his brothers and sister had settled. Jeep found work at the sawmill and Lydia, the only doctor in town, found herself with a busy practice. [Emory] And you saw lots of measles and complications of measles and other kinds of um, of communicable

diseases. Uh, in the summertime Polio was a big threat. And now with the immunizations, why you don't see that at all. [Barton] Nowadays patients come to Dr. Lydia mostly for routine things. More complicated cases are referred to better equipped clinics in Roseburg and Cottage Grove. [Emory talking to patient] [Emory talking to patient] Some people simply come for free advice, and to ask if they need to see a doctor in the big city. [Emory] Some people think that I should maybe resent it if someone comes here and asks me whether I think they should go to a doctor. But I- that doesn't bother me at least because then I know that they trust you. [Barton] Trust is the word Pam Adams uses to describe how she feels about the woman who treated her as a little girl and now treats her daughter. [Adams] There's been times, like one Sunday morning my daughter was real, real sick, and I would have had to take her to the emergency. And I knew all she needed was a prescription and I brought her over here, and she checked her out

and gave me a prescription and, you know, that's all it was. Saved me lots of mileage and lots of money. You know, but that's not why we love her. I remember, one time, at church they had a mother-daughter banquet and they honored her as being the favorite mother and grandmother and great grandmother even though she had no children because that's what she was to us. [Barton] The good works of both Dr. Lydia and Jeep have been recognized by the community. A playground shelter at the grade school bears testimony to the 10 years Jeep put in on the school board and budget committee, and the free medical care he has given to the town's youngsters. Other testimonials come from the many people whose lives they've touched. [Woman] Dr. Lydia conducts the choir. We wouldn't have the choir without her. Jeep works with the little kids in Sunday school. Anything from just toddlers to about 5 or 6 year olds. He works with them and he's really good with kids. [Another woman] They're kind of a focal point, and I think everyone likes them and everyone values their opinions, and everyone

admires them for all of the community work and church work they do. [Barton] They're people who truly live by the words "It's a gift to be simple" [church singing] [Swenson] Dr. Emory, who is 74, says she has no immediate plans to retire, and as long as her health holds up, she'll continue seeing patients at her home and volunteer 2 days a week at a Roseburg mental health clinic. [Gamble] In the publication business, every printer dreams of someday doing a very high quality piece of work. Well our next story shows the process that one company went through in order to create a free publication, one which exports the idea that fine printing and publishing is

available in Oregon. Song of the Earth, a free publication printed by a group of local craftsman, has created quite a stir in Oregon's artistic and business community. The idea started with nature photographer Ron Cronin. For a long time Cronin has been having a love affair with nature. His style of work is not affected by gimmicks or trendy techniques. He is a meticulous craftsman. [Cronin] Basically, I want nature to be able to speak to the people through the agency of my camera so I tend, in a place like this, simply to wander around and allow whichever compositions or species of plant or animal to simply grab my attention. And then I want to record its beauty with as much possible accuracy as I can so that the people who see those pictures then experience the scene, or the plant or animal, as if they are actually there. I would prefer them to feel that they've had a nature experience

more than they have seen some kind of interesting photograph. So, really I simply want to be nature's middleman. [Gamble] Ron's work is also influenced by a love of music, shared by his wife Maria. A concert singer, Maria is keenly aware of both sounds in nature and music based on natural harmonies. When Ron was considering doing a brochure to market his skills, he had the idea of doing a series of photographs based on music. A romantic German composer was the inspiration for what became a book: "Song of the Earth". [Maria] Well the title um, was literally meant to mean the sounds in the song of the earth itself. Gustav Mahler, toward the end of his life, wrote a piece called "Das Lied von der Erde" which is based upon uh, some Chinese poems. And I guess that, in passing, Ron had seen the title of the work and it appealed to him, and it struck a harmonious note with the type of work that he does.

And so consequently the book began to evolve out of this notion. [Gamble] The basic idea of the book was to convey Cronin's personal message. But he began to think that maybe it could also show the finest printing and design available in Oregon, exporting the idea that Oregon has fine craftsman in all areas. Graphic designer and publisher Gary Albertson, Cronin's longtime friend, collaborated with him on the project, the creation of a book not for sale, but rather for promotion. He shared Cronin's vision and believed that a high quality publication would find an appreciative audience in both the arts and industry. His task was to ensure that the piece would come together. He says the job of artistic director is hard to define. [Albertson] There's so many elements that you have to consume, it's hard to really put it into a, a perspective for anybody to see other than just juggling a lot of balls, different colored balls at the same time. And you can't really drop any one of them.

[Gamble] The first challenge was to find a group of people who could meet his standards of perfection, whether a printer or supplier of paper stock. He spent hours on the phone asking specialists in production to donate their time and talent. We tried to do it on a- and did accomplish a very masterful role, I feel, of doing it on a one to one basis with everybody rather than a large publishing company where everything is justified by, by committee, this was more or less the best piece we could get from every particular person. [Gamble] Albertson says the design and layout of "Song of the Earth" was a demanding job. Even the smallest detail such as a serif on a letter, the direction of paper grain, or the width of a border had to be carefully considered, but the detail makes the difference. He spent time that most others couldn't afford in day-to-day publishing. Another contributing group spending lots of time on the project was Wy East color. Their specialty: color separation, the first step in printing color photographs. Wy East donated their computerized system and the labor to convert Cronin's slides and the text of

"Song of the Earth" into color transparencies. Dwight Cummings of Wy East explains the process. [Cummings] The system requires some kind of an original, and, in the case that we're talking about, one of Gary's or Ron's marvelous photographs. And then it's up to us to keep that uh, super clean, put it on the scanner and allow the computer to take a good look at it. The training of the operator requires him to understand where the knobs have to be set, what computer programs have to be used to get the most out of that original image. Uh, you can see, looking at the machines themselves uh, how they work. There's a keyboard, computer keyboard, there are uh, places to enter the numbers that we need and the decisions are made about how that will best reproduce. And also what size it has to be, what screen ruling, how many dots per inch the printer requires, what kind of paper it's going to go on, all these things affect the computer program that we select to make the reproduction of the picture. [Gamble] After four color transparencies are made for each page a proofing process is done.

Proofing shows how each of the final printed pages will look when the 4 colors are combined. The utmost care and time were taken by Cummings throughout the process. He says he was delighted with the results. [Cummings] There's been a lot of response to this. We've had- we have a hard time keeping samples here. Everybody wants them. Our reaction the final product was uh, very grateful that we were able to take part in such a project. Usually we're in the midst of something that has to be done very rapidly, is done commercially uh, in which cost is the object and the paper is not the best, the presses may not be up to standard, but here we are able to work on a project where we didn't have to count the cost, we were asked to do the best we could do, the printer did the, the absolute best that he could do, and it was printed to a very high standard on superb paper. So we're able to hand this out and say, you know, this is what we're really capable of. [Gamble] Printing was the final, and critical, phase, of the production of "Song of the Earth." Dynagraphics printing enthusiastically endorsed the project and charged nothing for their services. They

put Gary Albertson in touch with Saunders paper company in Germany, which donated paper. Bauers inks were also obtained without charge. Byron Liske of Dynagraphics says that when paper costs a dollar a sheet there's not much margin for error. [Liske] I've always said, if you can do it right the second time, by crikey, you'd better do it right the first time. [Gamble] The printing of "Song of the Earth" was a challenge, but the job was done with a great deal of attention to the smallest detail. The color separations from Wy East were taken first to the plate making room at Dynagraphics. The fine dots for each color were etched into aluminum plates to be mounted on the offset press. The 4 color high speed press then laid down each color, 1 over another, starting with the black and ending with yellow. Liske enjoyed working with high quality ink and the excellent paper and was very proud of the results. He says he did the project for the love of it. Dynagraphics hosted a gathering to introduce "Song of the Earth" to local and regional companies and it was well received. The market for quality

work that developed nationwide was a surprising bonus. [Man] Just our, our name getting from coast-to-coast through this piece. This is in New York, it's in Florida, it's in San Francisco, it's in Los Angeles, and we are getting calls from all across the country on different projects like this. And there again people say, well, what does it cost? Well, I'll tell you something, if you have to worry about what it costs you shouldn't be looking at this. It's same as if I walk into the Mercedes place. You shouldn't really look at- at how much gas mileage you're going to get on that car. You better just be prepared to pay $45,000 for a quality piece. And so it's the same way with this piece. They want ballpark figures, but it is expensive. [Gamble] Putting together a work like "Song of the Earth" is expensive, but its creators are finding

that it sells the concept of quality. This, they say, will certainly increase the export of Oregon craftsmanship. But it is important to remember that what many are calling an extremely promising marketing device succeeds only because of its personal message. A message which conveys one couple's joy in sharing the beauty of the environment and the sensual pleasure of music. [classical music playing] [classical music playing] Jim, I'm having a hard time tearing you away from that book. It really is beautiful it's. [Swenson] It's excellent, that's just the only word for it. The registration is perfect, the design is perfect, the paper is wonderful. [Gamble] A dollar a page, as the man said. Absolutely incredible thing and a real labor of love for Ron Cronin and team. [Swenson] And the nice thing about it is it was done locally, a piece of quality work done locally. Very nice. And now tonight for the first time, joining us with her report, is Mary Alexander. Welcome, Mary.

[Alexander] Thank you, Jim. You know, like so many things that have gone the way of progress, the good old fashion kiddie show just seems to be a thing of the past. Well, almost. [sounds of children] For as long as people have been growing old there's been a fascination with youth. It was almost another world when names like Heck Harper, Red Dunning, and Mr. Moon were essential elements in a child's daily life. It was a time when television was in its youth and children's programming figured large in the scheme of things, but faces that were once so familiar in local circles, Mr. Duffy, Paul Bunyan Jr., Rusty Nails, and all of the rest eventually faded from the scene. [music playing] Today the mention of those names to young television watchers is like speaking a foreign language. Children's tastes are more discriminating these days. It's only the most sophisticated programming that appeals to their sensitive palates.

The modern child isn't talking kid stuff when it comes to the finer art of television viewing. [Cartoon] Hey, it's all over, mister. That's Mr. T. [Alexander] Not to be faked out by anything that isn't completely high tech, viewers ages 3 to 11 have high standards when it comes to what is acceptable on the tube. [Jaws theme song] Distressing to the more nostalgic of us, there's just no way kids shows of yesteryear could stand up on today's market. Except for one. [TV sounds] And now it's time for the Ramblin' Rod Show! It's going on 20 years now since Ramblin' Rod hit the airwaves. Not a day has gone by that the phone hasn't rung off the hook for reservations. And every day, without fail, the man himself appears and does just what it is that has made him a legend. [TV sounds]

[Rod] Yeah, thank you for that pin. Cornelius, they got a road that they named after that- the guy that played football, he called it, he made, had a special pass he used to use, remember? Now they call it road to Cornelius pass. What is your name? [Allen] Oh, I think he's great and I think he has more patience than I ever had. [Alexander] Jim Allen is a children's entertainer, better known as Rusty Nails. [Allen] I wonder what he looks like, the chicken? Here's what he looks like. Oh boy, look at that- After 16 years of my work I was ready for a rest. 20 years, he's been doing that show for 20 years. [David] Hard to believe, I don't know uh, I don't know how he does it, to tell you the truth. 20 years a long time in 1 show. I'd get very antsy. [Alexander] David Alexander started to work 1 month before Channel 2 went on the air. His show: Paul Bunyan. [David] Rod was just uh, was a D.J. and a heck of a good guy and sings fairly nicely, and he came on my show and guested a couple times before he ever decided to become a kid's entertainer at all. [Alexander] Not only did Rod become a

children's entertainer, but he launched a show that would outlive them all. [Man] Rod to me, he, he, he amazes me. To me he hasn't aged a bit. He looks like the little Rod I knew, little Rod. We were all a little younger in those days. But to me he hasn't changed. It's amazing. [Alexander] Ed Leahy, perhaps more recognizable as Mr. Moon, a veteran of Portland broadcasting, has his own theory about 20 years in children's programming. [Leahy] Does he still talk English and he's not muttering to himself or talking to the wall? He's ok is he? [TV sounds] [Alexander] OK, so the man mutters every once in a while, but age really wasn't taken its toll on Rod. Not in his face and not in his attitude. He's enthusiastic as ever. And in a business where most ran out of steam long ago, you'd think the man would be ready for a rest.

[Anders] I don't understand it either, you know, if- if the opportunity is here and I- I don't- you know, I just as soon be doing this at uh, 75. I doubt if that'll happen, but uh, I can't see any reason why a person would burn out. [silly music] It's time for us to check our smiles out right now and uh, Aunty Lois is going to pick our smiles. And Uncle Tim over here in camera number 2, you see that? Kids like to see themselves on television. And they like to identify with an old friend and I say that word, old, very cautiously, but I've been their friend for a lot of years now. [Woman] How about you, who did you come to see? [Little girl] Ramblin Rod. [Woman] Why did you come to see him? [Little girl] Because I like him. [Woman] Why do you like him? [Little girl] Because he's so special and neat. [Woman] Oh that's neat. He's a special athlete, did you say? A special athlete. Good answer.

[Anders] There are many incidents uh, actually where you get caught off guard a little bit. [Woman] And why did you come to see Ramblin' Rod? [Child] I don't know why. [Anders] Children are very um, uninhibited, very precocious. And as a result they're are a lot of fun because they're, you know, you're talking with someone that is just, you know, says it like it is. [Multiple exchanges with children] This is? [Andy] Andy. [Rod] Where do you live, Andy? [Andy]At- at somewhere! It's over there. In, um- He lives in Portland. [Rod] Alright, let's find out who our birthday guests are. What is your name, honey? [Casey] Casey. [Rod] Casey Newell, how old are you? [Casey] Casey Marie Newell. [Rod] Oh excuse me, Casey Marie Newell. Do you go to Fir Grove School? [Casey] No. [Rod] Where do you go to school? [Casey] Riverside. [Rod] Is that in Milwaukee or Beaverton? [Casey] I don't know. [Rod] This is- What's your name? This is- This is-

[Katie] Katie. [Rod] Katie Dulich? [Kaite] Katie Teresa (?). [Rod] How old are you? [Katie] Fine. Three. [Rod] Three. Three is right. What is your name? [Nathan] Nathan. [Rod] Who is that, whoops, who is this Nathan? [Nathan] This right here? I don't know. She's not uh, mine. Not- mine. [Rod] She's not yours. So you don't really know who she is! [Alexander] On camera Rod is the picture of calm. But what you see on TV doesn't really tell the whole story. [TV producing sounds] 3 minutes, Rod on the set please. They apparently didn't show. And take 5. Where is Rod going? [set noises] Open Rod's mic and cue him. I'd like you meet the one and only-

[ Mandy] Mandy. [Rod] Howdy, Mandy. How are you? [Alexander] How long do you think you'll last? [Anders] Well if this old ticker of mine keeps going here I might make it another few years. I, I haven't any idea. [Alexander] You know I have to say in closing that the Ramblin' Rod show is no longer live. They tape every night at 5 o'clock and the program airs at 7:30 in the morning. [Gamble] Well, you know, Mary, you can't blame them for pre-recording it if it's airing at 7:30. [Alexander] No, you really, you can't. Incidentally, some of those guys are still at it. Like Heck Harper is still playin' and a-singin' at the Sunnyside Inn in Clackamas. By the way, did you know his real name is Hector Flateau? [Swenson and Gamble together] Hector Flateau? No. [Alexander] Yes it is. [Gamble] Well, speaking of real names, and names otherwise, that's all the time that we have for Front Street Weekly tonight. Join us next week won't you? Good night. [Swenson] Good night. [Alexander] Good night.