A Small Town's Slide Toward Demise

Our Town Needs Growth And Fast
Do you still live here?  Did you move away?  And if you did, why did you move?  Was it because the town had no place to shop?  Was it because there were no jobs in the town itself?  Was it because it was too far to drive to work in the city? Was it because the town didn't offer you the opportunities for you or your children?  All of these factors figure in when a person decides to move from the small town.

The town is quaint.  But the town is old and it's squeaky with its ball bearings in need of a good lubrication as well as in need of growth in all aspects.

Each time the town loses a business, I worry and I'm sure the city fathers worry too.  Because tax revenue just went out the window.

Let's look at the school  In 2008 the enrollment in the elementary grades was 130.  Now it's listed as 113. (The total school enrollment is 227.)  The elementary school is ranked 1,827 out of 2,453 elementary schools in Illinois.  The  2010 math test score for grades 3, 4 and 6 exceed the state percentage.....the 5th grade is far behind.  The 2010 reading scores for grades 3 and 6th exceed the state percentage but the 4th and 5th grade are sadly behind the state level.  To me this shows that a teacher along the way didn't appropriately do their job for some classes of children.

The high school enrollment for 2010 was 114.  The PSAE given to Juniors in 2010 wasn't much better.  Math scores were at 47.7%compared to the state level of 52.7%.  Reading was the best at 57.1 while the state level was 54.0%.  Science again was lower with 47.6% compared to 52.4%. (data source for both grade and high school: localschooldirectory.com)

When my children went to school the test scores in all grades were significantly higher.  I used to follow these scores because I moved back to Greenview in 1981 because of the good school/scores.

Is it only a matter of time before our school will be forced to consolidate?  My feelings are "YES".  Economics point towards that as well as declining enrollment.  I personally can't think of another small town in central Illinois that is a similar size to
Greenview which is still on their own and not consolidated into a larger school district.  What the heck would this do to our town?  Our taxes will most likely go up and every time the new consolidated school needs a referendum our town will be out voted.  I can barely afford my taxes now (from $1300 in 1995 to $3200 in 2010 and I have a tax exemption due to my disability)

I also wonder if the decline and sliding of the town itself has anything to do with children not growing mentally.  If there is nothing in the town to expose children and adults alike to current events, social contact, public recreation, and opportunity itself, how can our youth and other citizens grow and likewise how can the town grow??  Do the city fathers not care and don't do anything to encourage growth?  I think the answer may be leaning to the "yes" side because they don't know what to do......because perhaps they don't venture out to see what can be done.  Perhaps they feel there are limits placed on creativity ..... but this prevents the town to grow and evolve.

There are people who advocate and voice their accolades for the "quiet life" of the small town.  Especially those who have moved here from the big city to get out of the bustle and hustle.  But those of us who remember the small town with more pizzaz and the small town bustle, want more....we don't want our town to die completely.  It's important to us.

I remember a song by Simon and Garfunckle many years ago describing the small town they've left.  A couple of phases were:  "after it rains, there is a rainbow, but the colors are black"....."imagination they lack, for everything's the same". 

Perhaps we need imagination and creativity and more community allegiance.  We need something in our town.  Just sayin......


Old Tyme Greenview

Many of your and my ancestors are at rest in the area cemeteries.  Some were transported to Petersburg before Greenview proper had a cemetery, but many of our ancestors lived in the out lying area, such as Irish Grove and Sugar Grove.  There is a web site on which you can search for your relatives.  And you can also enter death information about your loved ones to bring the site up to date.  I thought some people who live out of the area might like to have access to this site since visiting the cemeteries might not be viable.


http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GScid=106323  Irish Grove

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GScid=108448  Sugar Grove

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GScid=105563  Greenview Elmwood


Recipe
I have begun to get out my holiday recipes.  I needed to decide which candy to make for Thanksgiving.  I decided on Cream Cheese Cherry Balls.


Cream Cheese Brandy Cherry Balls.

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, quartered
2 Tablespoons Brandy
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups flaked coconut
Marinate cherries at least 4 hours or overnight in brandy.   Melt Chocolate chips and butterscotch chips over a double boiler and add cream cheese. Stir in cherries, balls. Roll in coconut. Refrigerate - the longer the better. The flavors will intensify.

Thought For The Day

The deepest craving of human nature

is the need to be appreciated.

--William James

Another deer accident for us.  Hubby dearest now has 5 deer accidents over the long run.  I have zero, knock on wood.  Luckily he buys older cars with lower mileage to drive to work......but this is the second time for this car hitting a deer.  Just about a year ago, a deer jumped out south of Cantrall.  This time it was on Interstate 55 just north of the Sangamon Exit.

This deer knew how to hurt a car....the whole front end is messed up.  Oh well.....he will find the used parts, bolt on a new fender, hood and bumper and call it a day.  Luckily he can do the work himself.

I say let's thin out the deer in this area.  But I also say, be careful when driving.....the deer are running wild about now!!!

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