Oregon's Willamette Valley

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But Oregonians, native-born or not, tend to face problems with positive action. For example, with the decline in the fishing industry because of overharvesting, the Oregon coastal communities are pushing tourism, and many of those travelers spill over into the Willamette, creating numerous service jobs. Entrepreneurs also abound, and electronics has become the state's fourth largest industry. High-tech industries, currently concentrated near Portland, are moving to the valley. Corvallis, for example, has a robotics plant, while Teledyne Wah Chang in Albany produces rare metals like titanium and zirconia along with other aerospace materials (though the firm has been accused of some serious toxic-waste pollution). Such companies are attracted here because of the Willamette's other big industry: education.

Mind and Spirit

Where the Oregon Trail branched at the Snake River, the California Trail was marked by a cairn of gold quartz, while the route north had a sign that read: "To Oregon"; Oregonians, it's said, didn't want anyone coming there who couldn't read.

In 1843, missionary leader John Lee and his associates—in addition to forming a government—founded the Oregon Institute. It was the first house of higher learning west of the Rockies and later became Salem's Willamette University. Today, the valley can also boast of the University of Oregon (Eugene), Oregon State University (Corvallis), Western Oregon State College (Monmouth), Lane Community College (Eugene), Linn-Benton Community College (Corvallis), Clackamas Community College (Oregon City), Chemeketa Community College (Salem), Mt. Hood Community College (Gresham), and Umpqua Community College (Roseberg).

Over 12% of the students are enrolled in the combined OSU-Western Oregon State College School of Education, which has the largest teacher-preparation program in the Northwest. It accredits elementary and secondary programs in a seven-state area and is a consulting center for the deaf in a fourstate area. Graduates earn between $11,000 and $15,000 in their first year of teaching, and their performance is literally "warranted." First- and second-year teachers can call on the School of Education for help with problems, and an employer can request an audit of a new teacher's classes, as well as a weekend training program on classroom management and discipline. If this doesn't improve the situation, the School of Education will provide and pay for a substitute teacher.

In Eugene, 1,832 people, including 900 full-time faculty members (six of whom are members of the National Academy of Sciences), are now employed by the University of Oregon. Another 4,444 work for the Eugene public schools. Corvallis' university and public schools employ 8,731.

Since 1945, the University of Oregon has produced 17 Rhodes scholars, two Nobel Prize winners, and six governors . . . while its students have received 39 Guggenheim awards and 17 Sloan awards. At OSU, one out of every six students is enrolled in a graduate program. UO's Journalism School is among the top six in the country; its Division of Special Education has become a model for research in mental retardation. Oregon doesn't lose this brainpower when students get their degrees, either; 50% of OSU's graduates, and 60% of UO's, stay in the state.

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