OPINION Islands’ Sounder
Write to us: The Islands’ Sounder welcomes letters from its readers. Letters should be
typewritten and not exceed 350 words. Preference is given to local writers and topics. They must be signed and include a daytime phone. Send to editor@islandssounder.com or PO Box 758, Eastsound, WA 98245. Letters may be edited.
Page 4
www.ISLANDSSOUNDER.com
Editorial
To the Editor:
Power of music at our fingertips
Editor’s note: Last week’s editorial about closure of the school library gave the numbers it takes to run the library: $26,991 for a librarian and $12,903 for a technician. That figure included benefits as well as the salary of those positions. Also, the library first cut its hours in 2008 not 2011, as we incorrectly stated.
T
he notes ring out, brilliant, beautiful and resounding against the cathedral ceilings. Some sway in rhythm with the music, others sit perfectly still, their eyes closed with emotion. The language is foreign to our ears, but the sentiment is clear: longing, love and peacefulness. Sharon Abreu and Grace McCune stand side by side, their voices mingling in rich and fluid sounds in the “Flower Duet,” a famous piece written for two sopranos. The duet from Léo Delibes’ opera Lakmé was first performed in 1883 and continues to be featured in movies, commercials and in Emmanuel Episcopal Parish last week as part of the Brown Bag Concerts. Despite the song’s commercialization, something sacred was happening in the parish hall. We are given such a gift The final Brown Bag concert every time a musician at Emmanuel is with Susan stands before us, baring their souls and sharing their Osborn, noon, Aug. 29. talents. There is something nourishing about being part of a group of people who are gathering to revel in something so positive. One only needs to check the front pages of any major newspaper to see the horrors of the world: “Norway Killer sentenced to 21 years;” “Refugee numbers swell as fighting in Syria intensifies,” “At least 18 killed in U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan.” The list go on, endless evidence of mankind’s mayhem. Making music may not solve any of the world’s conflicts, but it brings a little more light to fight against the darkness. We would like to give thanks to the many islanders who make music accessible to our community. This summer, the Brown Bag concerts, Music in the Park and the Chamber Music Festival’s outdoor concert not only educated and inspired us with the power of song, they did so at no charge. But we noticed at Abreu’s recent Brown Bag Concert that the donation basket was overfilling with green that will help fund a scholarship for a young Orcas music student each summer. And those donated dollars are evidence of a community that understands the importance of music.
Almanac TEMPERATURES, RAINFALL ORCAS High Low Precip Aug. 20 74 56 — Aug. 21 65 53 — Aug. 22 67 54 — Aug. 23 67 54 — Aug. 24 69 50 — Aug. 25 74 47 — Aug. 26 68 50 — Precip in August: ..07” Precip in 2012: 17.60” Reported by John Willis, Olga
Aug. 29 Aug. 30 Aug. 31 Sept. 1 Sept. 2 Sept. 3 Sept. 4
Sunrise, sunset Sunrise Sunset 6:26 a.m. 7:59 p.m. 6:27 a.m. 7:57 p.m. 6:28 a.m. 7:55 p.m. 6:30 a.m. 7:53 p.m. 6:31 a.m. 7:51 p.m. 6:33 a.m. 7:49 p.m. 6:34 a.m. 7:47 p.m.
Correction
Last week’s photo of a San Juan County Fair participant had the incorrect last name. It should have read Sierra Morrison.
Sounder The Islands’
Scan the code with your phone and look us up online! Keep the app and look us up anytime!
Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012 • The Islands’ Sounder
Keep the Orcas school library open There have been several articles and discussion of the cuts to our public school budget, but virtually nothing has been mentioned about the cut of the entire school library program for the year 2012-13. The school library serves the teachers, staff, K-12 students, and often community members. If our goal is to serve 600 students, then we need to consider their technological and literary necessities. Classrooms have teachers’ book collections, the school has reading teachers, and we have technology in other areas, yet all these resources are brought together and furthered by the open school library. We have worked hard the past four years to make the library as effective as possible with a half-time librarian and one quarter-time tech assistant. We have made progress in bringing in more students to the library, as well as thoroughly serving the staff to further their instructional goals. We have worked with the OASIS programs to provide resources for those students. We have been the home for the reading testing program that most of our students participate in, as well as administrating that program so it may be used to accommodate the desire to quantify our students’ reading development. There is always change happening in the library; to accommodate the needs of the school, as well as the ever-growing needs of our students’ skills in information literacy. Please consider this hole in the school budget and support the reinstatement of the library to our school. Without the library, informational resources are depleted. Students are given little opportunity to choose from a wide and varied collection of fiction and nonfiction, much of which has been purchased with community money. The technology that has been donated to
Publisher/Editor Colleen Smith Armstrong editor@islandssounder.com Staff Reporter Cali Bagby cbagby@islandssounder.com County Reporter Scott Rasmussen srasmussen@sanjuanjournal.com Advertising Sales Colleen Armstrong carmstrong@soundpublishing.com
Circulation/ Gail Anderson-Toombs administrative gandersontoombs coordinator @islandssounder.com Marketing Artist Scott Herning sherning@soundpublishing.com Kathryn Sherman ksherman@sanjuanjournal.com Legals/Office Staff admin@islandssounder.com
the library will go unused if the building is not open. In this time of fast change in our culture, in terms of technology and literary genres, the lack of a school library impedes progress in our students’ learning lives. If it is a goal to make our students life-long learners then library skills are crucial. Without a library in the school, this guidance is lost. Finally, the library provides a safe and secure place for our students to spend time. Without this building open, there is no place for the many students, who find solace in the library, to go. It is the hub of the school, in many ways, and its complete closure will be a loss to students, staff, families and mainly teachers who rely on the resources the library has to provide. If you’d like to make a donation to continue our vital school library, you can make it online at OIEF.org or mail it to: OIEF, PO Box 728, Eastsound, WA 98245. Maria Doss School Librarian
Looking at solutions for library closure A strong Orcas Island School District library operated by professional staff is an important and cost-effective resource for students on the campus. Also, it is clear that OISD is struggling with addressing all of its priorities. The Orcas Island Library is paying close attention to the current crisis at the public school library. For example, our library board is planning discussions among the trustees and with others about how best to contribute to meeting the challenges, including at the upcoming Sept. 11 library board meeting. We recognize that this crisis is part of a larger and longer-term issue
Mailing/Street Address P.O. Box 758, 217 Main Street, Eastsound, WA 98245 Office (360) 376-4500 Classifieds (800) 388-2527 Fax (360) 376-4501
The Islands’ Sounder (USPS #764-230) is published weekly for $35 a year to San Juan County addresses; $58 per year to Washington state addresses; and $58 per year to out-of-state addresses by the Islands’ Sounder at 217 Main
about how best to support education on Orcas Island. It also happens that the library is in the midst of evaluating the outcomes of a community needs assessment process, in which support for learning figures prominently. We hope to strengthen our services to all students on the island. We’ll soon be sharing more information about that, including at our Sept.11 meeting. As always, we invite your input, whether about these particular issues or any other. Phil Heikkinen Orcas Island Library Director
Free concert was a gift to community We would like to thank Aloysia and Jackie for the wonderful gift to the Orcas community – the fantastic concert on the Village Green! When we were able to move full time to this island 14.5 years ago (we had been part-time many years before that), we were able to fulfill a long-time dream of retiring (in my case, semi-retiring) to Orcas Island! Little did we know that we would also be able enjoy one of our great passions: classical and chamber music! We have been faithful attendees of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival every year but the first, and every year we wonder how it can get any better. Well, this year’s festival tops the list! Thank you to Aloysia and Jackie for great programming; procuring superior, world renown talent to our island; and for keeping it affordable for retired educators like us! Thank you Valerie and the board for helping to fulfill Aloysia’s vision, and thank you Victoria and Joyce
See LETTERS, Page 5 Street, Eastsound, WA. Copyright © 2010 by Sound Publishing, Inc. Periodicals postage paid at Eastsound, Wash., and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send address changes to The Islands’ Sounder, P.O. Box 758, Eastsound, WA 98245-0758.
Independently Audited