4A The Mountain Messenger, Thursday, September 27,1990
It was Wednesday afternoon, September 19, 2:38 p.m. A
medium build, middle-aged man, dressed in a non-descript
gray suit, entered the Greenbrier County Circuit Court
Room. He had a large cardboard box under one arm.
"De you swear, or affirm, to tell the whole truth...?"
"Ido.
"State your name, please"
"John R. Warner."
Doctor John R. Warner is the Chairman of the Depart-
ment of Sociology at West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buck-
hannon. As he modestly told of his educational and profes-
sional background, the courtroom palpably quietened. At-
tention was riveted on this unassuming professorial man
who was soon to say a lot about the proposed consolidation
of Greenbrier County junior high schools --- and none of
what he said could be construed as comforting to the ma-
jority of parents who's children might attend a consolidated
mega-school.
Doctor John R. Warner stated unequivocally that most of
the students destined for a large consolidated school would
be "...academically and socially injured."
In his testimony, Doctor Warner said only a very small
ercentage of the highest socio-economic class might
ave a "slight advantage" in a large school. He trotted out
case study after case study to support his contention. He
cited authority upon authority in order to emphas e his
The Mountain Messenger
STAFF
Chus, A. Goddard, Editor
Dolty Brdckcru-lch, Office Manager
Troy Forrcn, Advertising
Tcrri lioonc. Advertising
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A few months ago I spoke by
telephone to an official of the
West Virginia Department of
Highways (DOH). I was inquiring
I perfectly understand the
principle behind his response•
However, it bothers me to realize
that a state that claims to be
Editor's Note: Mary Ash Casto Lawhom ol White Sulphur
bers what it was like to grow up in the 1930s. She shares-h~r
vignette, wilh us. Mrs Lawhorn's "A Child o! the 1930s'* will
installments in the Mountain Messenger.
A Child of the 1930's...
• • • remembers a snowy day -- when Christmas was
-- and there wasn't any school that day -- a pot
vegetable soup bubbled on the woodburnlng
bread pudding was baked in the oven --
• . . remembers a rainy Saturday- the cold rain
shed -- the cumbersome whetstone cradled in a stand
by a handle -- as water was poured on the stone --
blades (sickle, scythe, kitchen knives, the straight
were sharpened -- remembers the sound -- as the
stone --
• . . watched from the kitchen window -- when a circle
cleared -- and grain was put out to feed the birds --
many different birds flocked in -- blue jays --
nals -- woodpeckers -- snowbirds -- after the
• . . Remembers when the hanovers (called rutabagas)
from the mound -- when different ones came in
eat with us ---
• . . was cheered on -- by the sight of sparks flying from
-- as we made our way home up the lane -- in the
after a church service at the nearby Episcopal Church
there -- and a warm front room was waiting for his
• . . remembers when snow cream was made -- on a
after a fresh snowfall -- made with the snow -- some
statements• about the signs the DOH has in- doing as much as It can for tour- sugar and vanilla -- and was eaten before it melted --
Now, I am aware you can cite authority to lend credibilitystalled on Interstate 64 directing ism can be as inflexible as this .... went down to see Mr Willy -- with my brother and
to Just about anything you want to push forward. What was motorists to the Midland Trail Directing travelers onto U.S.a winter night -- when snow was on the ground
so impressive about Doctor Warner's testimony was the (U. S. 60). Since the highway60 could only benefit local opened the heat stove door-- to pop homegrown pop
complete sincerity, honesty, and integrity he seemed to is now commonly known as a economies• What's wrong with a handled basket -- over red-hot coals in the stove
bring with him (one of his degrees, I think, is in theology.) "scenic highway," I'm glad the state that takes such a hard . . . remembers a Sunday evening (in 1933) -- large
He has studied both in this country and abroad. He was a signs were installed. It's vital stance as this? Look at otherhad fallen and covered the ground -- Mamma
visiting lecturer at Darwin College, Cambridge University,that travelers be made aware of states--you'll see plenty of hard- across the hallway to the front room -- Daddy had
where he spoke about social ethics. He has published his roadways exhibiting extraordi- sell tourism in their highwayon his lap -- "Get your lessons (at a table by the
studies in scores of major professional journals -- and the
man is dead set against consolidation. He says he knows
the damages which can be inflicted upon those students
who come from less affluent homes in such a situation.
Doctor Warner offered this telling bit of information --
his wife teaches in the public schools in, I believe, Uphsur
County. Anyway, she is employed in a newly consolidated
school• Doctor Warner said he began his studies of the
effects of consolidation when his wife told him she was
unable to teach, she had to spend all of her time disciplin-
ing the students. This had not been the case in her previ-
ous employment at a smaller school in the sam county.
This quiet man's testimony made me stop and think. We
nary beauty not as readily seen
from the heavily traveled "super-
slabs."
Something is badly lacking on
those signs, however a simple
two-word designation which
would likely provide a simple
answer to countless puzzled mo-
torists who see those signs at
White Sulphur Springs, Sam
Black Church, and Charleston:
scenic highway•
When I asked the official
slgn policies• South Carolina, for
instance, places impossible-to-
miss signs (official interstate
signs) along Interstate 81 with
the words "Cherokee Foothills
Scenic Highway." There. for all
the world to see, are those words
which tell beyond doubt what
this road is all about--scenic
beauty.
Those who see "Midland
Trail," particularly those from
out-of-state, doubtless wonder,
dark," we had been told -- little sister. Lindy, came in
and down the hall to the front room -- she had been
burd" (for tracking a bird) -- as she could not yet speal
all enjoyed a good laugh -- and this story was
pany came in -- they would say. "And what did
before we had the blg laugh all over again -- some
the 1930's} -- "Yes, sir, that's my baby -- No, sir, don't
-- Yes, sir, that's my baby now" --
Epilog -- . . . remembers the spring of 1939 --
moved to town -- "Mexlcall Rose" goodbye -- to so
my childhood.
By Mary Ash (Casto) Lawhorn
must stop equating "education" with "economics"! If we areabout it, his explanation was"Is it an historic site? A hiking
talking about the best education for our children --- let's that the state has to be verytrail? An outdoor play?" Those
talk education• If we are talking, about how cheap or how careful about the federal funds it two strategic words could make
expensive that education is- lets talk economics. Let's not receives for highway signs, all the difference• ~~~
confuse the two issues. Regulations prohibit any subjec- It's frustrating trying to
Somewhere, someone in West Virginia has started using tivelabelingofwhataslgnad- understand our state's unneces-~ ~,~ ~~
the words "efficiency" and "consolidation synonymously. I vertises. The words "scenic high- sarlly hard-line approach to
doubt ff you could now trace this phenomena back to its way," he said, would make a highway signs. If we're going to dT~')
source --- the bureaucratic maze is too tangled. The School Judgement about Route 60"s ap- continue singing the praises of
Building Authority, a powerful agency which lords it over all peal, and that is not the state's tourism and its potential gold
school building activity in the state, was created last year. responsibility--and indeed, the mine of profits for West Virginia,
In their first bond issue for new school construction they state must not play favorites in we'd better start putting our
sold those high-interest-bearing certificates in five minutes! such issues. It is up to promo- money where our mouths are--
Education in the Mountain State has become big business tional groups such as the Mid- particularly adopting a more
folks, and yet we're told that nearly 50 per cent of the land Trail Scenic Highway Asso- flexible policy on signs that
population of West Virginia is functionally flllterate! ciatlon, he said. to promote their promote tourism in the first
-- Chas. A. Goddard own projects, place•
Dear Bdltor:
I was amused to read Senator
Jay Rockefeller's letter concern-
ing the burning and desecration
of our flag[
He indicates he will work to-
ward passage of an amendment
to prevent this. I believe the U.
S. Supreme Court has already
established or ~ruled, as the case
may be. that ~such an amend-
ment is unconsUtutionaH It vio-
lages the first amendment, con-
cerning freedom ¥ speech etc.
I believe any ]~uch act. such
as burning the flag, would be
well taken care of by the local
populace. I would go so far as to
say that person or persons
would and have in the past re-
quired police protection; not to
mention that he, she, or they
would very quickly become "Per-
sonna Non Grata'l Don't take me
wrong[ I am not for an instant
saying that I in any way approve
of flag burning. I served this
country and what that flag
stands for for 24 years. I remem-
ber, too well. the hippie types
during the 60s and early 70s
burning and demonstrating
against the war.
No matter how hard It is to
take, an amendment preventing
this type of non-patriotic behav-
ior ls the first step toward a po-
lice state. I personally feel revul-
sion at the sight of the Ku Klux
Klan marching but I advocate
nothing that would prevent them
from doing so.
Senator Rockefeller. nor
Senator Byrd, were concerned
about Second Amendment rights
back in May of this year when
they co-sponsored The Blden
Crime Bill, S1970. which denies
a part of our rights under the
Second Amendment =to keep and
bear arms"t This bill empowers
'q'he Secretary of Treasury to
ban any semi-automallc firearm
with "Like or ~ Actions"
such as those the S.
1970.
I can't over emphasize the
hnportanc¢: to all ~ml cr, thu,.';t
asis, hunters, target shoolers ~r
collectors• Join forces wilh some
pro-gun organizationl The anti-
gun forces are organized and
gaining strength daffy. There are
many influential people in high
places, who are sympathetic to-
ward their cau.,~..
The anti-gun factions take
any incident involving a firearm
and twist it around to suit their
purposes. The John Hinckley
Case resonates the propaganda
peddled by Sarah Brady and
Handgun Control, Inc., but facts
In the case show that on October
13. 1980. Hincldey bought two
.22 cal. revolvers from a Dallas,
Texas pawn shop. One of these
guns was used more than five
months later (March I0, 1981)
in Hinkley's attack on President
Regan. At the time of purchase
Hinckley was not a convicted
felon, nor was he an adjudicated
mental incompetent! These pur-
chases were absolutely legal. He
used a valid Texas drivers li-
cense to properly identify him-
self, and was listed In the Lub-
bock phone directory. Any police
background check would have
uncovered nothing and a 10 day
waiting period, as in California,
would have deterred nothing,
This is but one of the many
cases the antl-gun people distort
too frequently to satisfy their
goals.
There is a long list of crimi-
nals who perpetrated such tragic
acts which is so incessantly
cited by "Waiting Period Propo-
nents" All have one thing In
common. A waiting period of 7-
10 days would have prevented
nothing. Even the Miami Herald,
after repeatedly calling for voters
to approve a three-day waitini{
period, concluded "Gun control
will never be a substitute for a
judicial and penal system that
takes violence seriously elimi-
nates brutal people in our soci-
ety."
The people in this country is
really not the number or type of
guns people own. Actually l
would say that a fair estimate in
this state alone would be at least
[ ;'~ ~ltll,% |11 ~ Olll of [t~tlt house-
holds. When vou consider the
numbers, our violent crimes In-
volving firearms Is minimal.
The number of firearms does
not anywhere near approach the
number of automobiles on the
highways of this state or any
other. How many people though
are killed annually by drunk or
reckless drivers? Yet have you
ever heard of an organization
whose purpose is to ban cars?
The very mention would cause
tempers to flair and a general
indignity far and wide. The first
remarks probably would be "it
ain't constitutional!" Can you
imagine it. or hear the argu-
ments?
I picked up a program on TV
not too long ago. The attorney
general of the United States,
based on figures given him by
the FBI, stated that only about
one out of five firearms used in
crimes was purchased from a
gun or sporting arms store. The
others were stolen or purchased
on the black market• I believe
this! Have you ever wandered
through some of our local flea
markets? There is most generally
a variety of guns for sale. There
is a better than fifty-fifty chance
that some or all are stolen. There
is no better way to move stolen
gthOOds, i.e.: guns, cameras, any-
ing.
An FFL dealer has to account,
or is held accountable, for every
gun he sells, not only to whom,
but as to where he bought it.
That Included an invoice or bill
of sale. he is subject to an audit
by the Bureau of Alcohol, To-
bacco and Firearms at any time.
Each person purchasing a
gun is required to fill out a form
(ATF 4473). The dealer is then
required to retain this form, and
record the sale in his "Firearms
Acquisition and Disposition Rec-
ord Book." This becomes a per-
manent record which may be-
come evidence at a later date;
should a firearm he sold be used
In a crime. Believe me when I tell
you this. I have had prospective
buyers look over this form, and
back out of a purchase. At the
lime I dtd not ask why, but as-
sumed they were unable to sign
because in doing so they would
be committing a felony. I laugh
at some of the questions each
time I read them. The one that I
oft time ponder on is question C.
of eight: (Are you a fugitive from
justice?) If"yes" you're not per-
mitted to purchase/or possess a
firearm.
In closing I'd like to remind all
serious gun owners that the cut-
off date for voters registration in
this state is October 6, if you
plan to vote in November. Let
your judgement be your guide,
but if you're a gun enthusiast,
check out your candidate about
his feelings on gun control, and
vote accordingly. One of the
most powerful weapons we have
against gun control is our vote.
Your support or lack of it, hires
or fires a politician!
Robert C. Rosser
Ronceverte
Dear Editor:
The little lady in room 214 sat
silently as her daughter made
her ready to be taken down to
the waiting car for the trip home.
Her physical needs had been
taken care of. But the heart-
break of a hurt mind (of one who
is out of touch with realty) is an
indescribable sadness for this
gentle, caring daughter to cope
with. Her heart cries out for her
mother in her private world.
The daughter patiently and
painstakingly managed to get
her mother into the car and
seated-in her silence. The
mother was apparently unaware
of this pathetic little drama of
which she was tile leading lady. I
went over to bid her goodbye.
She held out a limp little hand. I
held it for a brief moment. She
very softly squeezed my hand
and held it as if reluctant to let
go. She looked at me with a thin
trace of a little smile. These
things I'll always remember as a
mute *thank you" from a dear
little lady who seemed almost to
emerge from her deep depression
ior a very brief lll¢.)lIICIlt tO ex-
press her thanks to someone
who showed her human kind-
ness.
It is the simple, though unfor-
gettable, bonuses that cause vol-
unteers to express their work as
"the best job we ever had, and
the pay is the very best.~
I'll always remember the
gentle little lady in Room 214 at
Humana-Greenbrier Hospital --
she made my day.
Sincerely,
Henry Dunn
Lewisburg
Dear Editor:
Upon not receiving a copy of
your paper in the mail today. I
was informed by our Post Master
that It would no longer be deliv-
ered to the Gap Mills area with-
out subscription.
Thus, I am enclosing my
check in the amount of $13.78
(Senior Citizen's rate) for a year's
subscription beginning with the
next issue September 27,1990.
I have read the Mountain
Messenger every week from its
beginning and am most anxtous
to continue reading it.
Thank You,
Ruth L McMann
Gap Mills
Dear Editor:
I have recently become inter-
ested In rock and mineral col-
lecting, l am looking for others in
the area who either already have
experience with this hobby or for
those who might enjoy learning
about it along with me. Anyone
interested can call me at home
after 6 p.m. (645-2303) or at
work (647-5577).
Sincerely,
DeWitt Shank
Lewisburg
Dear Editor:
There Is an adage that states
a problem is no longer a problem
once it has been acknowledged
as a problem. That is probably
true ff done In a timely fashion.
What was the federal govern-
mcnt doing in the early 1980s
when the current S&L (Savings
and Loan) and
faced? If it would
knowledged as a
it could have been
a problem then,
been controlled for
billion. Instead
ers) are facing a
plus clean-up
watch Republics
Democrats and
blame RepublicanS.
tent Danny Wall
in regulating th
turned his back
Washington as
nessmen went
A story that rail
cial section of
Times, March 26,
follows: "Although
community Is
a rigid revision
laws, there is one
bankers were still
pose -- any plat
hag bank de
guarantee bank
bankers say,
disastrously.
ments of the
bank deposit
that it
discredits
conservatisms,
and not avert
the public must
Another item
that banks and
pay a higher
insurance. This
strain on the Ind
nalize the
for the reckless
of the "bad" oneS.
ones should
mium although
hard to quantify.
Do you think
surance Indus,try.
lty to measure
their clients.
such a disaster?
More
To The
