Oroville Mercury Register
April 13, 1955
Veda Nelson To Be Delegate To Girls’ State
Veda Nelson, 16, Oroville Union High School junior, has been
selected as Oroville’s representative to the 12th annual
California Girls’ State June 22-29 in Sacramento. She will be sponsored
by the Oroville Unit No. 95, American Legion Auxiliary, Mrs. Leo
Wenner, local Girls’ State chairman, announced today. Miss Nelson,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Nelson, was selected by her classmates
and teachers as the girl most likely to be a class leader. Her selection
was approved by the auxiliary and by James C. Nisbet, high school
principal. Girls named to attend Girl’s State are selected on physical
fitness, citizenship, scholarship, leadership, interest in government,
and moral character. Only one girl is selected from each school.
Girls’ State is designed to give the delegates practical experience
in government. The girls are assigned to city areas and then divided
into political parties. They develop their own party platform and
present their own issues. The delegates set up a city government
and elect city officials, and enact ordinances and enforce them.
A similar program is carried on through county and state levels.
Mercury Register
August 4, 1943
Training For This War Really Is Tough, Says Man Who Knows
Boot Camp Different From Anything In 1917, Says Man
Who Enlisted Then At Age Of 16
The man in uniform in this war learns more than the men of 1917-18,
and he learns much of it under conditions of discipline at boot
camp more strict than anything experienced then. On the other hand,
much of the information comes in interesting doses. That is the
conclusion of Pvt. Ray Palmer of Oroville, U. S. Marine who enlisted
in the army of World War I, at the age of 16, and who recently completed
his boot camp training at San Diego for the present conflict. “If
I had known how tough boot camp would be, said Palmer, “I probably
would not have undertaken it. But now that it is over and I have
survived it satisfactorily, I’m glad I did it. Training for this
war and the last one are not at all alike.” Boot camp, he said,
is where they “break the wild ones.” The older fellows, like him,
don’t have much discipline trouble, for they have too much sense
to go up against the rules. The whole platoon suffers for every
infraction of the rules, and the unruly boys become very unpopular,
he said. “Everything is more technical in this war”, he said. “The
method of instruction is different, too. Much of the training comes
from movies and lectures. It’s all put to the men in an interesting
way.” Palmer even had a good word for the no-coms. They’re not so
hardboiled, after all if you behave yourself and follow instructions,
he concluded. “Down underneath they’re swell fellows.” He observed.
Palmer
was in the artillery for more than a year last time. “I found the
fellows at San Diego took orders willingly and that most of them
were eager to get all they could from the training.” He said. “None
were on a vacation – all seemed to realize they were in for a purpose.
Palmer signed with the group from 38 to 45 years of age, but the
men didn’t get any kid-glove handling, he said. “Boot camp was really
tough,” he said. “We were told that for men of our ages training
would be modified somewhat. We must have looked pretty young, because
whatever modification was ordered was not noticeable. With the exception
that we weren’t given bayonet drill we got everything the other
recruits did.” The older men learned how to set up barbed wire entanglements
and how to approach and destroy them, had hand grenade practice
and went through gas drill. They spent three weeks on the rifle
range, working up to the point where they fired 200 rounds a day
with an automatic rifle. In shooting for record Palmer qualified
as sharpshooter. Palmer, who enlisted as a specialist in the chemical
supply department, is now at the marine supply depot in San Francisco
following a ten-day furlough after completion of boot camp. He visited
here with his wife before reporting for active duty.
Stu’s Notes: I talked to Sherry Morehouse of Oroville Unit No.95
American Legion Auxiliary, she informs me that this above event
goes on as always and they will pick a girl from each High School
as they have in the past. It will probably be in June. What a patriotic
American, enlisting for war at 42 years of age and for the second
time. Maybe someone out there will buy him a tile in our Wall of
Honor. That’s the least this town can do for Hero of Oroville Pvt.
Ray Palmer. I do know of some of our Oroville Veterans Memorial
Park members who have been in 2 or 3 wars. They are my Heroes. Oroville
Veterans Memorial Park Committee is already working hard on Oroville’s
up coming Memorial Day, it will as usual be a day filled with Patriotism.
So please plan to take one day out of your weekend of fun to Honor
the Men and Women who made your Freedom and Fun possible.