LETTER
Eastern Shore Library System Strengthens Cape Charles
November 30, 2012
DEAR EDITOR:
What a wonderful article Sarah Barban has written about the new libraries!
It is always such a pleasure to see people who enthusiastically support us and realize how essential a good library is for the community surrounding it.
I especially appreciated the way you emphasized that the Cape Charles Memorial Library is part of the Eastern Shore Public Library System. The new library in Onley should help the new location of the Cape Charles library become an even stronger magnet for its community. [Read more…]
LETTER: Put Aside Bitterness at the Grand Illumination
November 28, 2012
DEAR EDITOR:
It has been a troubling year for Cape Charles filled with strong emotions, hurt feelings, bitterness, and angry words.
It is heartbreaking to hear of broken friendships, community members no longer supporting the town or town businesses because of political differences, and citizens looking to find fault and place blame.
The old school building is a valuable part of our community, but it is just a building. It has no heart, no soul, and no feelings. However, people do and these people are our friends and neighbors.
These people are the ones who used to celebrate our joys, show concern when we became ill, and comfort us in times of loss. People, relationships, and community are so much more important than a building or a political position.
It is now the beginning of the season when we give thanks for our gracious plenty and cherish our family and friends. It is time to put our community before opinion, before politics, and before material objects.
I fear, if we keep on the path we are currently traveling, we will destroy all that we hold most dear.
I encourage you all to come to Central Park on Saturday evening at 6:15 p.m. for the Grand Illumination. [Read more…]
LETTER: Take Piece of Eden on the Road!
November 20, 2012
Dear Carolyn Copeland, Paul Kist, Virginia Savage, and Cape Charles Wave
I met each of you at the play, Piece of Eden, Sunday afternoon. My friend and I were thrilled with the performance.
We have become interested in the history of this area that merits more regional and national attention. We are now aware of two plays that are an avenue for sharing this important history.
Piece of Eden remarkably shows our move toward and achievement of independence. It begins with the Eastern Shore’s Native Americans’ amazing culture, spirituality, and peaceful acceptance of the European settlers.
This beginning and subsequent events throughout the play show us the path to development of the values that are basic to our nation’s founding of a democratic and representative form of government.
The play concludes that these values are an ongoing requirement for our present and future, if we are to survive as a democratic nation.
I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to see this remarkable play. It was educational, entertaining, and with the added attraction of original music!
The Play in August is a play about the Bare and the Cubbe, enhancing awareness of the significance of one of the segments in Piece of Eden. [Read more…]
LETTER
Like Early Settlers, School Supporters Are ‘Moved to Protest’
CLICK TO ENLARGE — Reprinted by permission from the November 5, 2012, official Cape Charles Gazette
November 14, 2012
DEAR EDITOR:
Tomorrow, Piece of Eden opens at the Palace Theatre. We have a rich, talented cast, Clelia Shepherd’s direction has been first rate, and the musical score will be performed wonderfully by William Neil.
This show is also a wonderful way to learn about the history of the Eastern Shore, and the early settlers who made this land between the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay their home.
The play is written by Cape Charles’ own Jean Collins, and it highlights just how the Eastern Shore changed the world, from having the earliest court records, staging the first play in the new world (Ye Bear and Ye Cub), being the first settlers to challenge corrupt practices of government, to being the first county to declare an act of British Parliament, the Stamp Act, unconstitutional.
Jean Collins had a unique perspective on the entire history of the Eastern Shore, yet she also still has ties to us today.
In 1921, the students of Cape Charles, especially the basketball team, petitioned the Town to build a gymnasium. At that time, the team had nowhere to play.
That call went unanswered for almost 35 years, until the principal at the time, Jean Collins (the only female principle of the school) finally stepped up and secured funding to convert the auditorium into a “gymtorium” (because it was still used as an auditorium as well).
It seems fitting that some of Jean Collins’ former students are now part of and are working with Old School Cape Charles to keep the school and the gymtorium public, and part of the Town. [Read more…]
LETTER: Appointed School Board NOT Better Than Elected
DEAR EDITOR:
Arguments have been presented as to the reasons why an appointed school board is superior to an elected one. We wish to rebut those arguments and to ask the voters to consider these facts:
Over 250 years ago the king of England and his advisers determined that they could better “vet” and determine which candidates would best govern the colonies in America. That process worked about as well then as the present system works today in Northampton County.
The argument is made that the same politicians who are responsible for the $38 million county debt for new courthouses, offices for the bureaucrats, and everything else as well the closing of our middle school are better able to “vet” and choose the most “qualified” candidates.
To advocate the selection of the school board by five members of our community as opposed to an open election decided by 1,700 voters demonstrates the same arrogance shown by the king of England.
If that logic is applied to the Board of Supervisors, then perhaps the “most qualified candidates” should be vetted by the General Assembly and the Supervisors should also be appointed. [Read more…]
LETTER: Let Voters Choose Northampton School Board
October 18, 2012
DEAR EDITOR,
Many years ago our founding fathers were faced with the choice of acceding to the demands of those persons who insisted that they knew better who should govern them and therefore be appointed to positions of power as opposed to making those decisions themselves through elections.
I’m certain they were somewhat fearful themselves of their decision to make a revolution against those powers and create the first nation on Earth in which the people would be given the opportunity to choose for themselves their representatives.
This year the people of Northampton County will be faced with a similar decision as to whether we will have some control of those persons who will represent us, the citizens, as well as our children on the Northampton County School Board.
Will we leave the appointment of those persons to our Board of Supervisors or will we decide for ourselves through elections, who will represent us?
People have asked why this change should be made, which is indeed a legitimate question. For a myriad of reasons I believe this change will create a better situation for our county, but two in particular stand out.
First — although mistakes by voters can indeed elect someone to the school board who simply should not be entrusted to this important position, there is a remedy: Four years later, that person can be defeated in the next election.
In other words, unlike the present situation, a bad choice can be removed through the election of a better candidate.
In today’s world, members of the school board have little reason or inclination to maintain a close connection to the people, as they simply are not our representatives, but rather the representatives of those people who appointed them.
Second — people who are appointed in today’s world may or may not have an agenda in which the children are their primary concern and focus as opposed to the desires of those to whom they owe the debt of their appointment.
Does anyone truly believe that today’s members will push a policy which is better for our children and community but is not in line with the desires of the members of the Board of Supervisors? [Read more…]
LETTER: Tree Removal Belies ‘You’ll Love Our Nature’
September 12, 2012
DEAR EDITOR,
“You’ll love our nature.”
That’s the mantra for both the Eastern Shore and the Town of Cape Charles.
Recently on my daily walk I observed the transformation of the old sewage plant on Bayshore Road. In the past, the perimeter was planted with a canopy of pine trees, and the understory was dotted with 15- to 20-foot weeping yaupon hollies that were loaded with berries.
The berries fed wildlife and numerous species of migratory birds using the area to rest and re-energize before moving on.
The Shore has always been a magnet for bird watchers young and old — in fact we have a festival coming up in October, which is very important to the economy. Hotels and restaurants benefit from our love for nature.
That love for nature was altered two weeks ago when yaupon hollies were pulled out of the ground and destroyed for no apparent reason. [Read more…]
LETTER: Bring Back the Harbor Parties — Everyone Benefits
September 3, 2012
DEAR EDITOR,
I must agree with George’s opinion column (although I heard it is more fun to disagree with him): the Harbor is the only logical spot for a Cape Charles sunset party — unless Bay Creek is willing to offer one of its lovely waterfront sites. Whining that George is not nice to our generous Northampton Chamber of Commerce by raising this issue is circumventing the reality: the alternatives suck in many ways.
Cape Charles is resonating with justifications for moving the Harbor Party to the streets of Cape Charles:
— Food vendors unhappy with the competition from the Shanty;
— The Shanty perceiving the police line as an impediment to restaurant access; and
— Music in one venue interfering with music in the other.
And yet, the reality is that both food vendors and the Shanty would benefit from the synergy created by positioning the event in the proximity of the restaurant.
Research has repeatedly determined that a physical concentration of competing vendors results in higher foot traffic and greater sales for all, compared to alternative positioning. [Read more…]
