One of the characteristics that concerns me the most about Rush County is the dichotomy between the better angels of our nature and our tendency to sometimes focus on self-interest. What on earth does that mean, you ask? Well, on the one hand, if Ike and Mary Sue’s house burns down, there is no more generous county in the state than ours when it comes to helping a family rebuild their lives. All sorts of fund-raising drives are undertaken to help the couple start anew. Of if we perceive a need to help raise money for a good, worthwhile local cause, we’re right there to pledge our hard-earned money to aid that cause! We’re right there even if the cause isn’t local. For how many years has this community opened its heart and its pocketbook to help the kids at the Grundy Mountain Mission School? It’s an extremely good cause and hundreds of Rush Countians participate to help those less fortunate than we are.

Another glittering example that comes to mind has been the success of the Rush County Community Foundation. Since its founding 16 years ago, millions of dollars have been given to establish all sorts of permanent funds that are making this community a better place in which to live. More importantly, a significant part of the money that’s been raised has been for academic scholarships for deserving students. Every year there’s an Awards Day Ceremony at the high school during which hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships are awarded to graduating seniors to help them further their educations, a significant portion of which comes from local sources.

Why, then, do we seem to balk when there clearly is a need for improved school facilities? While it’s true that buildings don’t educate our children, it’s still true, nevertheless, that at least adequate structures are needed to facilitate the education of our children.

With a petition drive currently underway, why do we hesitate to open our hearts to the educational needs of our own elementary school children when we obviously don’t give a second thought to helping those less fortunate not only in Rush County, but at a school in the mountains of West Virginia? The dichotomy is perplexing! What’s even more perplexing is that both camps in the current petition drive apparently recognize the need for more modern educational facilities, but the argument is about where those educational facilities ought to be!

We’re apparently not opposed to providing better facilities, we’re fighting about where they should be located – in the communities in the country where they’ve always been – or moving all of those children to one large school in Rushville! But that’s not even the core issue at the moment – all that’s on the table is building and/or renovating the county elementary schools – or not. How strange. On the one hand, we can help a distressed family whose home has burned, contribute millions to help local students go on to college, help a school for poor and underprivileged kids in West Virginia, send church groups to help poor communities, give unstintingly to build and remodel educational buildings attached to local churches – but on the other hand, hide our wallets and our consciences when our own public elementary schools are in need. How does that make any sense at all?

It may have something to do with the difference between philanthropy and taxation. In one instance, the money’s being given on a voluntary basis – because the need is there and clear to see. In the other instance, the notion of an imposed tax, regardless of how worthy the cause, makes us lock our wallets shut. Do you suppose that’s it? Is it nothing more than how we propose to raise the money? Does “donation” seem like something different than “taxation” when we’re talking about a need that nearly everybody recognizes as serious and should be fixed? If that’s all it is, then we’ve got real perception problems in this county. If new schools are needed, what difference does it make what we call the method by which the money is given?

No realistic person expects everyone to contribute to every cause, no matter how worthwhile. There are some, and there always will be, who contribute nothing. There are others who are happy to help, even in small ways, to good causes like education.

But isn’t it all really the same thing in the long run? Regardless of the words we use or what we call it, isn’t giving money to help improve the county elementary schools a worthwhile thing to do? Isn’t it at least as worthwhile as sending money to help children in other states or around the world? Isn’t it as worthwhile as the money we gladly donate to a hundred other causes that plead for our help?

Our own children need our help! Sign the yellow petition that will provide the help they need to improve their schools right here at home!

That’s —30— for this week.    



Watch for Paul Barada Mondays in the Rushville Republican. Add a comment at www.rushvillerepublican.com.