Sometimes good news comes in the form of numbers — and the latest figures for Philomath High School are worth celebrating.
The school has earned its place among the nation’s top performers by landing in the upper 40% of nearly 18,000 public high schools across the country in the U.S. News & World Report’s latest rankings.
Here’s what makes this recognition particularly meaningful. It’s not based on feel-good metrics or promotional materials. The evaluation draws from hard data — graduation rates, state test scores, Advanced Placement performance and other measurable outcomes that actually matter for students’ futures.
Philomath High’s 12th-place showing in Oregon and its national ranking of 1,546 might not sound flashy but consider the competition. We’re talking about a small-town school holding its own against thousands of institutions across the country and many of those with significantly larger budgets and resources.
What’s especially impressive is the school’s performance in key areas that directly impact students. Landing in Oregon’s top 25 for state assessment proficiency and college readiness isn’t just about bragging rights — it signals that Philomath students are genuinely prepared for what comes next, whether that’s higher education or entering the workforce.
In an era when public education often finds itself under scrutiny, it’s refreshing to see a local school demonstrating that excellence doesn’t require zip codes with sky-high property values or massive endowments. Sometimes it just takes dedicated educators, engaged students and a community that values learning.
2. Song about Philomath
Philomath native Joel Chadd recently stopped by KGNU Community Radio in Boulder, Colorado, during a tour that’s taking him across the state. The singer-songwriter, who grew up in our logging town, was featured on the station’s “Studio Session” program where he performed original songs and talked about his musical journey.
In an interview with the station’s Dave McIntyre, Chadd talked about how he didn’t pick up music until age 23 when his mother gave him a Bob Dylan songbook and her nylon-string guitar. He comes from a musical family — his grandmother was a professional singer in the Bay Area during the 1940s and ’50s, performing with big bands in San Francisco ballrooms, while his father was a singer-songwriter in Northern California during the late ’60s and early ’70s.
During the radio session, Chadd performed two original compositions: “It’ll All Come Back,” which he described as being about his Philomath hometown, and “Live It Out.” The first song recently earned him a spot as a finalist in the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriting Showcase, which he called “an incredible experience.”
The musician, who also builds guitars and was playing an instrument he crafted himself during the session, released his debut album in 2022. He’s currently working on a new set of live recordings with plans to begin releasing singles in late fall.
3. Wine and music pairing
A piece by Gail Oberst that was published this month in Oregon Wine Press explores how music can actually change the taste of wine.
Oberst’s lead-in to the feature:
“We’re sitting under a gigantic oak, which spreads welcome shade across the field below Lumos Wine Company in Philomath. To the west, Wren Vineyard and the Coast Range create an idyllic backdrop to the winery building, a gigantic barn built in the late 1930s. In front of us, a tie-dye-clad band aptly named Summer of Love plays the Grateful Dead’s “Sugar Magnolia.” In my hand, a glass of Aligoté; my friend is sipping a summer special sangria on ice, a fitting match with music from 1967.”
The article highlights research by Susan Boe, founder of “What Does Music Taste Like,” whose studies show that specific musical vibrations can alter wine flavor perception — not just through mood, but through actual sensory impact.
Boe’s company has worked with Oregon wineries conducting extensive testing that revealed how certain songs can completely change tasters’ opinions about wines. The research is backed by a 2011 Oxford University study showing participants associated wine aromas with corresponding musical instruments.
Many Oregon wineries are embracing this concept, though most admit their musical choices stem from personal preference rather than scientific pairing. This feature suggests this approach could make wine more accessible to new and younger drinkers by bypassing traditional wine jargon.
(Brad Fuqua is publisher/editor of the Philomath News. He can be reached at News@PhilomathNews.com).