Concerning “Do we really care about educating our youth?”
Back in the early 90s, I worked as a stringer for the Ledger Newspapers, covering public meetings in Colerain and Little Britain townships.Having recently moved to the area from NJ, I was unaccustomed to the local brand of rural conservatism. Attending those meetings–often opened in prayer led by a local pastor–was a full-immersion baptism in Southern End ways.
At one meeting, a township supervisor read aloud from a Lancaster Library request for funds–an annual letter that was (apparently) mailed to all townships and boroughs, seeking financial support. The letter suggested a modest contribution, based on township population and assumed usage.
The ensuing conversation went something like this:Supervisor 1: “Why should we give money to the library when we’re already paying taxes for schoolbooks?”
Supervisor 2: “I borrowed a book from the library once. Brought it back, they told me it was late. Made me pay a fine.”
Supervisor 3: [Drops letter into waste can.] “Next order of business?”
