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8 - Hinton News Tues. July 8, 2003
Why CommentaryZ.
By Brian D. Boyle
This holiday weekend I was
approached by a young woman who
made a criticism about me not
having anything positive to say
about Hinton. I can't quote exactly
but I think the statement was "You
and Fred Long need to say
something positive about the town
instead of all the negative things you
say." I won't speak for Fred on this
but I think in his case that the paper
is often filled with Headlines and
Articles about the positive
happenings as well as news that is
happening that isn't so positive. But
now I may be a horse of a different
color on this one. That criticism is
leveled at commentators all the
time.
It is not the nature of someone
who is a commentator to be a
cheerleader. We as a community can
not deny that we have problems. It
falls on the commentators to point
out the problems and throw them up
on the table so that a problem can
be fixed.
The role is often described as the
devil's advocate. I think this title is
a little unfair since everyone equates
devil with bad and the term may
have come from someone wanting to
silence opposition on some issue.
Opposition or dissent is a basic part
of Democracy. Commentary is still
necessary so we can learn.
I have seen preacher's point out
how the devil will trap you in a
service for instance. There is
nothing wrong with this because this
is how we learn not to make
mistakes. So what you have to do
as a reader is separate this notion
that dissent or criticisms is bad and
evaluate the purpose of the
criticism. Ask yourself why is he
saying that. Look at the reasons
behind the criticism and then judge
the issue.
There is even a reason why we
need to have commentary even if
every thing was fine and tlere
weren't any problems, which is not
the case here in Hinten or almost
anywhere folks. Leon Pivont says it
well in this quote taken from a June
3, 1946 Rotary Club letter that
appeared in the Hinton Daily News.
Leon said =Being on the right
track is fins--but if you just stop
there, you'll get run over." Leon
understood that progress happens
from movement. Movement starts
from picking a direction to go in.
Picking a direction to go in comes
from having some choices about
what is in front of you in the
direction you pick. Equally
important is looking behind yourself
and seeing what mistakes you have
made so you don't make them again.
So this is why someone like
myself makes commentary on
issues. The thankless part of the job
is that for the most part I don't think
that people listen because they
become to defensive, they take it too
personally and they close the door
in their minds to the problem
presented.
For instance we know Hinton has
been losing population and we know
that the Rail industry changes have
been a major contributor to the
decline of Hinten's infrastructure.
When the raft industry cut jobs and
changed the way it operated many
Hinton folks found themselves
without a job. The town declined.
Young people lel because of no work,
etc.
This problem of providing jobs
and attracting business is on the
front burner in many small
governments like Hinton. We
certainly are recognizing that
problem now. But it's 2003 folks and
consider some more Hinton Daily
News quotes that show that we have
a history of not listening. The first
is prophetic in my opinion.
=It's not good for a town to depend
as completely upon one industry as
Hinton depends on the railroad.
Heaven forbid that the C & 0
Railroad should ever reduce its
operations here. If it did under
present conditions Hinton would
have to fold its tent. And we've got
to face the po•sibility that as the
New World transportationn of
boxcar airliners, of glider trains, of
faster railroad trains-- comes into
being, there will be many changes
in the rail transportation picture."
Henry Kinney said this ina May 21
edition of the Hinton Daily News in
1946. He went on to propose that
Hinton needed to look for a new
industry to back the railroad up and
expand labor to keep our boys at
home."
He •aw all the service men who
returned from World War II that
were willing to give Hinton another
c'hance." Unfortunately Hinton
remained a one horse, railroad town
and the horse broke 3 legs.
Henry wa• surely aware that
when he said things he might not
be listened to. Or that he may even
come under attack for bringing
things up. He made a.quote I wil!
share a little later about a battle
between the Women's Club and the
Rotary and Kiwanis clubs.
The latter two had pas'sed
resolutions supporting the
construction of a New Railroad
Station. The Women's Club was in
favor of a New Bus Station. What
troubled Henry Kinney was that the
Women's Club had included in their
resolution that they were opposed to
the new Train Depot. Henry went
on to point out that there was no
need for the Women's Club
Resolution to be opposed to the Train
Station in order to get a new Bus
station because the money for each
was to come from the different
companies anyway. He went into
considerably more detail about this
issue.
The reason he pointed this Out is
because he said there was a history
of people thinking that if two
projects went on at the same time
that both organizations would be
squabbling over who gets the money.
Boy! do we still do that in 2003.
Henry went on to point out that
the women did great work. Still
Henry said, knowing in advance that
he was going to catch it, that "I
tremble to think what the reaction
will be when the good ladies read
this but I am nevertheless moved to
say that we are never going to get
things done if we work at cross
purposes with each other."
Well folks its 57 years later we
still haven't learned that one about
"cross purposes." It is still alive and
well; and, in fact, it's flourishing here
Ritz Theatre
in Hinton. Why? I'll tell you why!
(Even though I know I am going to
catch it for this .one.) Because too
many of the folks put their own
interests in front of the interest of
the goal for a project or the goals of
the community.
They would rather undermine
someone else's project to cause a
collapse then work together. One
reason I see is often they want to
grab hold of some of that outside
money that comes along with
projects and divvy it up with their
cronies, even if they do this legally,
which sometimes they don't.
Another reason is because the
lks want to make themselves look
, they got jeaious of others. This
self-gratification and social climbing
replaces the goal of a project with
many folks. I have seen this in
community serv!ce groups I have
worked with. It is a cross-purpose
thing. Folks who volunteer need to
examine their motives because this
is not the purpose ofvolunteerism.
I wonder if these sorts of actions
are Human Nature. That we
humans can't learn from seeing
problems pointed out and not
addressing them. Progress happens
so this isn't so. I am an optimist and
I will continue to point out the
problems hoping that someone will
listen even if I am perceived to be
negative. It gets pretty discouraging
sometimes and it sure troubles me
that Henry Kinney and others were
pointing out our problems here in
Hinton 5 to 8 decades ago and folks
didn't listen then.
Let me put it a little different then
Loon Pivont did in the quote above.
Hinton stayed in the same spot on
the railroad track and the train
came along and ran us over. As luck
would have it Hinton did not get
killed then. But fools walk out and
stand on the same track, put there
backs to the next train that is
coming and wait again to be run over
another time. We are not nine life
cats. My question is, are there too
many fools in charge? Could this
ekplain why we take decades doing
the same stupid thing over and over
even though they have been pointed
out to us before. Hindsight has let
us see for us the results of not
listening?
SUMMERS COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT JULY CLINIC
SCHEDULE
July 9th. - Cholesterol, Blood
Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12
Noon. Immunizations and TB skin
tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M.
July 10th. Womens Clinic with
Nancy Lynch NP (appt. only) 10
A.M. - 4 P.M.
July 14th. - Cholesterol, Blood
Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12
Neon. Immunizations and TB skin
tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M.
July 15th. - Prenatal Clinic with
the Assoc. in OB/GYN 9 A.M. - 12
Noon.
July 16th. - Cholesterol, Blood
Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12
Noon. Immunizations and TB skin
tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M.
July 21st. - Cholesterol, Blood
Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12
Noon. Immunizations and TB skin
tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M.
July 23rd. - Cholesterol, Blood
Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12
Noon. Immunizations and TB skin
tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M.
July 25th. - Food Hanlders
Classes 9 A.M. & 1 P.M.
July 28th. - Cholesterol, Blood
Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12
Noon. Immunizations and TB skin
tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M.
July 29th. - Prenatal Clinic with
the Assoc. in OB/GYN 9 A.M. - 12
Noon.
July 30th. - Cholesterol, Blood
Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12
Noon. Immunizations and TB skin
tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M.
Attends
Boys State
• Summers County High School ha• announced
its selections for the 2003 session of The American
Legion Mountaineer Boys State which was held
June 10-16 at Jacksonk Mill in Weston, West
Virginia. Participants at Mountaineer Boys State
received training in the ideals and objectives of
American Government. Representatives from
, Summers County High School were Cass Dobbins,
ANNUAL IRISH MOUNTAIN
REUNION
The Annual Irish Mountain
Reunion will be held Sunday, July
20, 2003, at the old Jimmie
Rookstoors Farm on Irish Mountain.
The gates will open at 10:00AM and
the cover dish dinner will commen&
at 2:00 PM. Come enjoy in the
gathering.
PREPARED CHILD BIRTH
CLASSES
The REACHH-MIHOW Program
is offering child birth classes for
women who are at least 28 weeks
pregnant. Classes will begin
Tuesday, July i and be held one time
weekly for six weeks. The time will
be 6:00 PM. Them i• no charge for
the classes a the instructor will
be Jennifer Pack, PAC.
Classes will be held at the Family
Resource Center, 411 Temple Street,
Hinton. Participants must be pre-
registered. For more information
call 466-2226.
WV WATER FESTIVAL QUILT
SHOW
The WV Water Festival Quilt
Show registration wi}l be
Wednesday, July 31st. 10:00 a.m. to
1:00 p.m. The quilts will be judged
and hung Wednesday aiternoon. The
fee will be $2.00 per quilt.
Registration forms may be picked up
at the WVU Extension Office, Court
House Addn., 466-7113.
For more information call Erma
Meadows, 466-3907. Please share
your quilts with friends and guests
and be eligible to win a prize.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDI
The West Virginia Water Festival
Board of Directors is seeking
Reenactment Volunteers (period
1750-1870) to man a frontier
encampment and bateau boat
during the 2003 WV State Water
Festival in Hinton, WV.
Dates for the encampment will be
August 1-3. Interested parties
should contact: Bill Eillis at 304-466-
1514.
SOLID WASTE AtrrlORITY
Summers County Solid Waste
Authority meets on the 3rd. Monday
of each month at 4:30 pm at the
Memorial Bldg., Hinton. 466-0695.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
JOHN HENRY DAYS QUILT
SHOW
The John Henry Days quilt show
will be July 12th. and 13th. at
Dillon's Superette upstairs. The
hours will be Saturday 1:00 PM until
4:00 PM. Sunday hours will be 1:00
PM until 3:00 PM. Registration will
be Friday from IO:OOAM until 12:00
noon If you would like to display a
quilt, bring it to Dillon's Superette
at Talcott at this time.
Judging will be by people's choice.
Prizes will be awarded..There will
be quilting demonstrations during
the day. For more information call
466-1367.
BIG BEND PSD
Big Bend Public Service District
Wilt Ii0td their monthly meetings on
the second Tuesday of each month
at the water plant at 3:45 pro.
Big Bend PSD serves the areas of
Talcott, Hilldale, Pence Springs, and
Willowwood Road. The public is
invited to attend these meetings.
Council on Aging
This is a weekly publication of the
Summers County Council on Aging,
Inc., 120 Second Ave., Hinton.
Funded in part by the WV Bureau
of Senior Services, Appalachian Area
Agency on Aging, other grant and
local resources and donations. Any
older persons is encouraged to
participate in the program
regardless of race, creed, handicap,
or national origin. The Summers
County Council on Aging is an equal
opportunity employer.
Wednesday, July 9th. Menu:
Sloppy Joe on whole wheat bun, raw
vegetable salad with oil & vinegar
dressing, peach, milk. Activities:
Summers County Senior Center
Quilters will quit today 10:30 A.M.
Thursday, July 10th. Menu:
Chunky Vegetable soup, tomato
stuffed with tuna salad, apple, whole
wheat rolls, margarine, milk.
Activities: Sarah Redes Physician's
Assistant for C.A.P. Clinic will hold
• a workshop on. Medications. Bingo
for prizes after lunch.
FOOD HANDLERS CLASSES
Food Handler Classes will be
held at the Summers County Health
Department on July 25th. beginning
at 9 A.M. and 1 P.M. All food
handlers are required to attend a
food handler class every two years.
A TB Skin test is also required and
will be given at the time of the class
if needed. If you have had a TB Skin
test within the past year,
documentation of the result is
required.
Food handlers under the age of 18
years must provide written parental
permission before receiving the TB
Skin test. The Cost of the TB Skin
test is $4.00. The charge for the food
handler class is $5.00. For further
information please call the
• Summers County Health
Department at 466-3388.
For Sale 1995
Green Dodge Neon
New tires, runs well.
136,ooo miles.
High Book $3,ooo
Only $1,5oo
Call 466-ooo5 after 4 pm
Friday, July llth. Menu:
Breaded pork chops, oven browned
potatoes, broccoli, angel food cake
with strawberries and whipped
topping, whole wheat bread,
margarine, milk. Activities: Special
singing by: Mary Fluharty 11:00
A.M.
Monday, July 14th. Menu:
Chicken Italiano, •paghetti with
marinara sauce, fre•h yellow
squash, pear, margarine, milk.
Activities: Bible Study 11:00 A.M.
Tuesday. July 15th. Menu: Savory
black beans, deviled eggs, tossed
green salad, strawberries,
cornbread, margarine, milk.
, Activities: Robert Riffle, Collector of
Pop Tabs for Ronald McDonald
House will speak 11:00 A.M. Bingo
for prizes aider lunch.
Menu changes may occur due to
availability of food or due to
circumstances beyond our control.
Nell Farley, Dennis Gore, Fred Honaker, and -
Jordan Keaton. Fox Photograhics, First Century -
Bank and the family of the late S.D. McLean, S -
are sponsoring the participants by donating tlie
enrollment fees. Cass is the son of David and Mona
Dobbins. Nell is the son of Norman and Jennifer "
Farley. Dennis is the son of Ricky Gore. Jordan is
the son of Mike and Janie Keaton.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MEETING
The Summers County Council on
Aging, Inc. Board of Directo/s-
meeting will be held on July 8, 20(]
at 10:00 AM. This is an opeh:
meeting.
HULK I
Fri: 6 & 8:30, Sat: 5 & 7:30, Sun: 6
Adm: $5.oo each Ph:466-67oo
FREEIdovEI: hO6pn10o@wt1ted4j PG-13
BI I
HULK
PLUS
Wrong Turn
Eric S. Hopkins, M.D.
General Surgery
is pleased to announce the opening of his
surgical practice in association with Dr, David
A. Mullins.
Specializing in:
• General and Vascular Surgery
• Gastrointestinal F, ndoseopy
• Management of Breast Disease
• Endocrine Surgery
Accepting new patients
201 Twelfth Street * Princeton, WV * Phone: 304-425-1852
• r00PRINCET )N
Community Hospital ,
• I
IM§vJlolltlro]tllllirgolige
_1 . I, II IIII II III I
China Garden
Restaurant
606 Stokes Drive, Hinton