Reader: BOE must keep winter roads in mind
My take on the possible consolidation of the two schools, Harman and Pickens. But first, a story.
My father, Carroll Martin, was on the Randolph County Board of Education in the late 60s into the early 70s. The Superintendent of Schools at the time was Jason Meadows. Both men were local folks so they knew the territory.
Mr. Meadows called my father to ask him if he could spend the day riding on a school bus in the Harman area. He told my father that the folks in the Harman area were complaining that their kids were getting home late and sometimes getting to the school late.
My father spent the snowy day with a local school bus driver name Herman Tingler. At the end of the bus run, my father returned to the Board office and told Meadows that they needed a least one extra bus. He went on to say, with the hills and hollows that these bus drivers have to go through, especially on this snowy day, it’s taking them a little longer to get those kids to and from school. Meadows went on to grant the Harman community another bus.
The issue is safety, especially during the winter months. The drive, one way, to Elkins from Harman is 25 miles. Approximately 30 minutes, and that’s just from Harman. That doesn’t count the time to come out of Gandy, Pennington Road, Bonner Mountain Road. Don’t forget Whitmer, Job, Camden and the back roads that come out of those areas. With those locations, you’ve just added a couple miles or more, and a longer trip.
With Pickens you have a very similar situation, 25 miles to Mill Creek. Approximately 40 minutes long. You have the Pickens Road, which comes off the Adolph Road. Add to that other communities like Blue Rock and Czar. To get to and from both, where Pickens and Harman have to go, is challenging. Especially during the winter months. And chains don’t always guarantee a safe trip.
Early hours for the parents, and the kids will rarely get home in a timely fashion. This disrupts the family unit. Kids will be to tired and may not have the energy to help Mom and Dad, with little study time and little time with friends.
Don’t laugh this off. I realize that some of these kids travel to and from Vo-Tech, but we are picking them up at their schools (Harman and Pickens). They are not being picked up at Gandy or Blue Rock, which means it’s a tad easier.
As for the education, isn’t the best type of education the kind where the ration of kids to teachers is smaller? This is about getting kids a better education, isn’t it?
To the Board of Education, I am not trying to run you over, but this is about their education and safety. One suggestion: Approach your local delegate or state senator. Back in the early 70s, a well-known lady by the name of Eleanor Mailloux of Pickens fought the consolidation of Pickens School and was able to get a special law passed to stop or hold off on the consolidation. Could a special law be passed to assist both Harman and Pickens without consolidation?
We are the largest county in the state and things come a little harder here then in other counties.
Has the Board ever traveled these routes during the winter? Have you traveled the winding Adolph Road and hills to and from Pickens during the winter? To get to Harman, you must cross over four mountains: Cheat, Shaver’s, Middle, Rich.
Imagine winter time and what it’s like for both routes.
Clark Martin
Elkins