[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 122 (Tuesday, August 23, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
        CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PEOPLE AND CITY OF PHILOMATH, OR

  Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, every now and then we are fortunate 
enough to hear a story of perseverance and passion that is a source of 
inspiration for all. Today, I would like to take a moment of the 
Senate's time to share such a story and to congratulate those 
responsible, the city and the people of Philomath, OR.
  Philomath is a small timber dependent town of approximately 3,000 
people which has been devastated by the current timber crisis. As a 
consequence, they have been struggling to conquer the resulting 
unemployment. Mr. President, it is not uncommon to see the communities, 
that when faced with similar circumstances, lose all hope. However, the 
citizens of this western Oregon town were not about to let their hope 
die. Despite the overwhelming circumstances that they faced, the people 
of Philomath maintained the aspiration, foresight, and courage to meet 
their challenges head-on. They came to the conclusion that to begin the 
long road to recovery, they needed a project which the community could 
rally around. Their answer was to build a new library.
  Surprisingly, Mr. President, the word philomath originates from the 
Greek language and its meaning is ``a lover of learning.'' I cannot 
think of a more appropriate local project other than the construction 
of a library for a town with such a noble name to undertake.
  However, there was one simple problem facing the city. Building a new 
library would have been too costly if they used private contractors and 
used store bought materials. Asking the citizens of the ailing timber 
dependent town to raise taxes to finance the construction of the 
library was simply not a feasible option. But the city fathers knew 
they had to breathe new life into their town and show the community 
that they were willing to invest in themselves and their children's 
future.
  After a number of fundraisers and through the generous donations of 
innumerable individuals and businesses, they were still faced with 
financial constraints. Ultimately, they decided to offset the remaining 
costs by doing an old fashioned barn-raising with volunteers. 
Regrettably, because they had received a grant from the Federal 
Government, they were required to pay all volunteers a wage. Once 
again, the people of Philomath were presented with what seemed to be an 
insurmountable obstacle to their goal.
  However, these stalwart individuals initiated a campaign against the 
Federal ruling by appealing to Members of Congress and making direct 
inquiries to the U.S. Department of Labor. After a long and difficult 
struggle, and through the shear determination of its citizens, the 
Federal Government ultimately ruled that the city could use the 
volunteers to build the library.
  Mr. President, the citizens of Philomath have realized their dream of 
a new library. It is due for completion at the end of this summer and I 
believe that this small Oregon town, through its ability to rally 
around a common goal and willingness to participate in public service 
should be an example and source of encouragement to us all. With 
persistence and dedication, this community has gallantly hurdled 
innumerable barriers to complete a library that is the envy of many 
across the State and which will continue to be a source of pride and 
accomplishment for future generations. I salute the people of Philomath 
and thank them for providing an outstanding lesson of the indomitable 
human spirit.

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