Meat Cutting School Demolished

I wrote this article for the Sentinel also, and it was published June 27th:

     The once world-renown Oregon Meat Cutting School was demolished on Saturday. The Community Development Corporation supervised the destruction of the building, which had been built in downtown Cottage Grove in the early-to-mid 1900s. Frank and Joann Shirk started the school in 1965, and it became an international success.

 

      Frank and Joann moved to Oregon from California and bought the building in 1962. They were already experienced meat cutters, and their establishment thrived. Soon after, the parents of a young one-eyed boy asked the Shirks to train their son. They agreed and six months later, the young man was ready to be professionally hired, and immediately received a job. This success fueled the business, which officially became a Meat Cutting School in 1965.

      In the following years, the establishment took off, training 25-30 students every six months. The school grew so quickly, that it could not contain the amount of participants. Not only did the school give its students incredible skills, but it also rehabilitated hundreds of smokers, veterans, alcoholics, druggies, and more. These apprentices had a 99 percent employment ratio, and many started their own schools. The Oregon Meat Cutting School became internationally known, and students were sent from all over to come to the school.

      Joann once asked a German pupil why he had come to America to be trained when meat cutters in Germany were more successful. He answered that the meat cutters in Germany were trained for years starting at age 13, and he could be trained in America for six months and know far more than his countrymen.

      The country of Korea asked in 1977 if the Shirks would open a school in Korea, since they were sending so many students to America to be trained. Though this did not happen, the possibility alone demonstrated the success of the Oregon Meat Cutting School.

      However in the mid 80s, the trade began to change. The business began to decline as customers bought their meats from grocery stores instead of meat shops, and meat cutters began to be replaced by machines. In 1988 with great grief, Frank and Joann closed the school and moved away. Since then, the building has sat on the corner off Main Street, and slowly deteriorated.

      Now, nearly a quarter of a century later, the location is finally being put back into use. The Community Development Corporation (CDC), whose goal is to “expedite improvement” in Cottage Grove, bankrolled the demolition of the old building. They believe dilapidated buildings destroy creativity, while an empty lot generates new ideas. Thus they leveled the old, to make way for the new. Though they don't have specific plans yet, they are pleased to be able to give a “helping hand” to Cottage Grove, and will continue to improve the community.

      Joann Shirk, and her son who grew up in the school, attended the destruction of their old home. She said she was glad they were taking down the old building, because it was more heart-breaking to watch it fall apart than to see it leveled in preparation for new venture.

      Though many people did not understand the significance of the old Oregon Meat Cutting School building, their attention is now drawn to it, as it becomes a place of development. The CDC mentioned that a “memory mural” may be placed on the inside of whatever building replaces the school, so that the school will never be completely forgotten. Thus, though the building died, its memory will continue to live.

The Academy for Character Education

I wrote this article for the Sentinel in May.

      The Academy for Character Education (ACE) is a public home-school-support-school right here in Cottage Grove. The students attend the school only once a week, receive their home-linked-assignments, and are kept accountable to complete the work by the following school day. ACE is celebrating the completion of its fifth year, and is excited that its numbers increase yearly.
      The ACE curriculum is based on classical literature and the studies cover history from the oldest archaeological finds to modern day. Excellence in all parts of the students’ schoolwork is encouraged. They are proud of their relatively small classes, which allow close relationships between kids & teachers with an average ratio of 1 teacher per 10 students. Laziness is not an option, and those who fall behind are sent to a homework-club, where kind teachers will eagerly help them wherever they need it.
      Community School Days are busy, as students from Pre-readers (Kindergarten) through high school attend a full day of classes. These classes include Character, where a charismatic teacher educates her pupils on how to be persons of integrity. The Academy works diligently to help the students realize the importance of character traits, such as punctuality, attentiveness, and obedience, and applauds those who show their growth in those areas.
     Science goes through a four year cycle before repeating topics. This year was the study of Biology, and the following years will include, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Science respectively. This allows all the students (from every grade) to be studying the same subject age-appropriately, thus aiding – by simplification – the parents’ lives.
      At ACE, the Language Arts program sharpens the minds of its students with college preparatory focus. It instructs the importance of phonics and grammar at early ages. Students learn even in elementary school how to write paragraphs and essays, so by the time they are in high school, they can carry on logical debates and compose college-level papers. The Rhetoric (high school) students take AP classes for Language Arts, such as AP Literature and AP Composition.
     The Humanities, which include world history, geography, economics, etc, are a wonderful look into the incredible events and works of past ages. This thoroughly combines a number of classes into one, without losing the quality of its work. This class, like Science, is split into four years. The first concentrates on Ancient History, from early archeology through the rise and fall of the Greek and Roman empires. The following years include the Renaissance, the Reformation, and other major events around the world, with the fourth year dedicated to American History and Modern events. Here, ACE will be integrating more AP classes, such as AP Geography and AP Music Theory, in the future.
      In both the Language Arts and the Humanities, inspiring literature, focused on the mastery of the classics and the understanding of world history and other cultures, is provided. Famous books such as Homer's Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, and Ben-Hur have been read this year, along with a number of Shakespearean plays.
      The classical language of Latin is the only foreign language offered at ACE. Though a dead language, it has many advantages, since all the Romance languages (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian, etc) evolved directly from it. It has been proven to improve spelling and the understanding of the English language. It also makes learning other languages easier, since it was the basis for many of them. There is even an AP Latin class available for those who are ready to take it on.
      Personal tutors are fabulous and unique opportunities at ACE. They are sent weekly to the students' homes to aid them one-on-one with their math. Math classes are not available on school community days, due to the shortage of time. Tutors may also be available to help in other subjects, if the students need their aid.
      Another great advantage to this school is the incredible field trips. The most recent trip was a luncheon cruise on the Willamette River in Portland followed by an afternoon at the Portland Zoo. Other trips have included white water rafting on the McKenzie River, and visits to Newport for the Hatfield Marine Science Center and the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
      The Academy for Character Education is a fabulous opportunity for any family who wants to blend college-prep classes with a home-schooling flare.
      All this information and more is available at “aceclassicaled.org”.