[Grovenet] politically correct, culturally diverse

[John Welch]

 - - And, the FGHS FFA program is major league too!  (Tongue firmly in 
cheek).

John
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steele, Mike" <steelem at pacificu.edu>
To: <dale.wiley at netzero.com>; "Forest Grove local interests list" 
<grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2006 8:37 AM
Subject: RE: [Grovenet] politically correct, culturally diverse


> Dale...good thoughts here.  Thanks!  I'd add that FGHS has a vibrant,
> nationally-recognized 4-H program...and the Viking House project is
> another sure winner...I think that last Viking House just sold for more
> than $300,000...so, even with the changing demographics, we do have
> programs that continue past tradition and prepare well for the future.
>
> --Mike
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
> Behalf Of Dale Wiley
> Sent: Monday, July 03, 2006 6:13 PM
> To: robert at vannattabros.com; 'Forest Grove local interests list'
> Subject: RE: [Grovenet] politically correct, culturally diverse
>
> Fairs are more of a tradition in Mexico because they are still in an
> agrarian economy and the rural lifestyles outside the larger cities.
>
> Morphing the fair into a Mexcian type process is guaranteed to attract
> enough attendees to make it more finaincially viable, since they are
> that
> many in the area that will attend. You only have to look around you to
> see
> that the marketing is going to move towards that 38% plus portion of our
> population. Read any of the billboards on Hwy 8 as you enter Cornelius
> from
> the east ??
>
> Having grown up in that fair atmosphere, I truly hate to see it go. But
> population demographics will dictate more what happens to these types of
> events than the emotional response of a vocal few. With the loss of
> livestock agriculture production,and the resulting movement of youth
> towards
> other non agrarian activities, as well as the fact it is just impossible
> to
> make money in livestock, this transition should come as no surprise. And
> like a lot of business have to do, you need to reinvent your process's
> to
> stay abreast with trends in the economy and society.
>
> The loss of these types of events underscores a need in our secondary
> education system to address vocational education in agriculture,
> mechanics,
> and other trade oriented crafts. Not every student is going to a 4 year
> school, or the military and we need to present these kids with some
> reasonable alternatives at critical times in their lives. Even though we
> may
> be moving away from truly farm oriented education, we still need to look
> at
> programs that will expose youth to carpentery, landscaping,
> horticulture,
> agricultural processing, and finance.
>
> Original Message-----
> From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com]On
> Behalf Of Robert VanNatta
> Sent: Monday, July 03, 2006 4:33 PM
> To: Forest Grove local interests list
> Subject: RE: [Grovenet] politically correct, culturally diverse
>
>
> The fair board has a difficult dilemma.   Fairs are out of fashion and
> increasingly of little interest to non-hispanics.   On the other hand
> fairs
> as still very much a tradition in Mexico.
>
>  What to do?  Morph the fair into a Mexican Fiesta, and maybe draw
> enough
> attendence to keep it functioning financially, or keep the traditional
> format and watch attendence drop year by year until it goes broke.
>
>  In years past, the half the kids in the county had an animal in the
> fair,
> and half the women in the county had some knitting there, and  the horse
> track provided the revenue base to support it all, but alas,  another
> ethnic
> group has the gambling revenue,  little Johnny and Susie don't have
> calves
> or pigs or sheep, and their mother doesn't knit, and no one remembers
> what
> FFA or 4-H stands for.
>
>  Likewise if you want a Ginzu knife, you don't have to go to the fair
> to
> see it demostranted, you can turn on your TV.
>
>  What is the fair system to do?   With attendence going down,
> facilities
> getting older, and financial support fading, no choices are pleasant.
>
>  On top of it all is the state fair.   The grounds are pathetic and
> decaying with
>  not desire to reverse the decline.     We can bemoan the loss of our
> cultural past, but alas it is gone.
>
> Steven <NoSpam03 at comcast.net> wrote:
>  We need to celebrate unity. From both government and the media, we are
> divided in to small groups. Demographics.
> Remember, the fair board wants to close the fairgrounds. Probably so
> they
> can make some bucks from the private groups wanting the land.
>
>
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