Tom McCall: A Better Oregon

The Tom McCall Curriculum has been printed out, saved on a flash drive, stuffed in an envelope, and will be mailed tomorrow to the Oregon Historical Society.  There were points along the way when I thought I would never complete it. In spite of that, this truly has been a labor of love.

A few of my favorite Tom McCall quotes:

• “If the salmon and steelhead are running, then as far as I am concerned, God knows that all is well in His world…the health of the environment is good if the salmon and steelhead are around.  It is that simple.”

• “…Oregon is demure and lovely, and it ought to play a little hard to get.  And I think you’ll be just as sick as I am if you find it is nothing but a hungry hussy , throwing herself at every stinking smokestack that’s offered.” (1982)

• “We want you to visit our State of Excitement often.  Come again and again.  But for heaven’s sake, don’t move here to live.  Or if you do have to move in to live, don’t tell any of your neighbors where you are going.” (1971)