Thursday, April 30, 1964
From the desk of Mrs. Jane Price Sharp
W. B. Cassell, on Back Mountain, was driving fence posts last week and was having a time getting them even. Finally he decided the can of Copenhagen in his shirt pocket was the right height and from then on that was the measuring rod.
Saturday was a beautiful day for the trout fishermen but a little chilly early. A large number were out, with hardly any parking room at some places.
James Dunn reported seeing two sea gulls on the Greenbrier above the bridge Monday.
WRECK
Bob Hively, about 18, son of Mrs. Frances Hively, was seriously injured shortly after midnight Sunday when he wrecked at Mill Point, ramming the car in under an old building on the Hefner place. He was rushed to the Medical Center at Morgantown where he was in surgery for eight hours. He suffered skull fractures in two places and severe lacerations all over his face. David Dilley was also in the car, but escaped any serious injury.
FIRE
The home of Frank Deputy in the Hill Country was destroyed by fire last Wednesday night. It was beyond saving before the Marlinton Volunteer Fire Department could get there.
F.H.A.
To signify National FHA Week, the Hillsboro Chapter of Future Homemakers of America did many interesting things.
We elected a girl for each day of the week and a girl of the week. This election was based on those members who had contributed most to the Chapter during the year. The girls of the week were as follows: “Miss Monday” – Mary Lee; “Miss Tuesday” – Clara Kellison; “Miss Wednesday” – Elizabeth McNeel; “Miss Thursday” – Pat Pritt; “Miss Friday” – Drema Pritt; and “Miss Girl of the Week” – Carolyn Callison.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Austin Sharp, of Marlinton, a daughter.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. James Edward Nottingham, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, a daughter, named Christel Lynne
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Shafer, of Queenstown, Maryland, their third child and second daughter, named Jacquline Kay.
DEATHS
Mrs. Alberta Austin Kelley, 87, of Cass; a daughter of the late John and Emily Alderman, of Green Bank. Burial in the Dunmore Cemetery.
Fred Cleveland Yeager, 79, of Bartow; a retired school teacher; burial in the Yeager Cemetery at Bartow.
Mrs. Mazie Eva Huffman, 80, of Frankford; burial in the Frankford Cemetery.
Mrs. Georgia Lightner Wade, 78, of Lewisburg; born in Highland County, a daughter of the late Robert W. and Augusta Bird Lightner. Burial in the Clifton Cemetery at Maxwelton.
Letter to the Editor
Answer
continued
One more distortion in the “Patriot’s” letter: Organizations were called upon to … “stop this unnecessary looting of our area…”
Surely all will recognize that this is wild, perhaps libelous, use of the word “looting,” considering that the work referred to is a legal and worthy function of a legal and authorized state agency and it is 75 percent financially supported by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. No wonder the author of the letter lacked the guts to put his name to it!…
Finally I would like to take this opportunity to say something about my personal motives and about game biologists in general. I sought the job I have because of my infatuation with the wild turkey and my passion for hunting it. I have devoted the better part of my life to its study in order to develop management measures that will enable it to increase throughout the state and forever be a part of our natural resources. Since I live and hunt in Pocahontas County it would be most illogical of anyone to assume that I would be a part of any program that would imperil or reduce the bird in this county. I am as selfish in this respect as are most turkey hunters.
A game biologist finds himself in a rather peculiar position in today’s community, especially if it be a rural one. His training is often as extensive and intensive as that of a doctor or lawyer, yet, since his profession is relatively new, he has not won the same acceptance as the doctor or lawyer. He has knowledge that does not permit him to accept such old-fashioned, erroneous , though still popular, management concepts as predator control, bounties, varmint killing, artificial stocking, etc. Consequently, he finds himself continuously in opposition to and misunderstood by, the man on the street. Since he is true to his conscience and convictions, he is frequently “agin” so many proposals and projects, that many tire of him and suspect his motives A little over a century ago doctors found themselves in the same position with respect to the importance of vaccination and sanitation in the control of disease.
Thus, it appears that the solution to most of our conservation problems lies in the field of conservation education. This is a huge task, and it is only a small part of our total educational problems. It is well known that West Virginia, particularly in the poorer mountainous areas, is not in the front line in the matter tackling these problems. I, for one, do not doubt that progress will be made, though slow it may be.
Wayne Bailey, Research Biologist,
West Virginia Department of Natural Resources