Whispering Out Loud
It's always a little dangerous to sit beside a sister or sister-in-law or a close friend at a meeting like last night's. It's too tempting to whisper one's comments to my neighbor, and we all know that's juvenile behavior. Poor Judy was the recipient of some of my whispered offerings last night.
Here I don't have to whisper, and that's a relief. I don't even have to camouflage my biases. I only have to watch my attitudes and my words.
--I favor building a school on the Mast property. I do not favor locating a community building there or anywhere right now--perhaps later at the Pleasantview property. I would like for the discussion of a community building to be taken off the table and considered at a later time, separately. What is needed right now is a grade school, and what is likely desired for the future is a grade and high school combined in one facility. Trying to provide for all the needs in one grand facility seems to me to complicate all of them and make them less functional than they could be otherwise. If neither church housed a school, those facilities would be adequate for most of the needs that arise--funerals, for example, without a community building. If a gym is needed right now, I would like to see it be a greenhouse-type structure. (See earlier post.)
--I think the prevailing wind direction does not matter in the location of a lagoon. When Lowell had one installed at their place, it was located straight south of the house. When I questioned the wisdom of that, Lowell or Judy told me that there is no odor associated with a lagoon except during a day or two at a certain time of year when the bacteria digesting cycle is at a certain stage. They have found this to be true during several years of use.
--I see Partridge people as friends and am not worried about school decisions at this stage making much difference to them at all. If we are as interested in being gracious as we are in preserving good relationships (as I heard expressed last night), I think we'll all be in good shape. Four households in Partridge consist of members of my immediate family. They feel like they're among friends.
--What we saw on the scale map with the placement of the various structures, etc. included a very large building and space for parking 126 vehicles. If we did not include a community gathering place (gym) in the structure, the building could be much smaller, and the parking lot could also be much smaller. On any given school day, the total number of cars is never more than 25 at the high school, by my estimate--usually far fewer. Grade schoolers don't drive themselves to school or need parking space.
--The model structure was for a facility that combined the high school and grade school. Yet there was a good bit of talk about the distance between each of the prospective locations and the present high school. That becomes a moot point if the schools are combined.
--Also, there was talk of the disadvantage of crossing two railroads and a highway in traveling between the Mast property and the current high school. That is, in fact, exactly what has been happening ever since the grade school started at Center. Going to the high school from the grade school means crossing two railroads and a four-lane highway.
--Furthermore, David was exactly right in pointing out that none of that (dangerous crossings) would be necessary if people used the US50 route instead of the Trail West route between the Mast property and the present high school. I do something very similar almost every school morning. I arrive at the Partridge Road/US 50 intersection and make a decision about whether to turn left or go straight ahead. The Mast property is about a half mile beyond this intersection. By my calculations, there is very little difference in how long the trip takes, but I can make the US50 trip with less stopping and starting, and sometimes I just like being able to avoid that. On the way home, I take the TW route more frequently--when I feel the need to unwind en route, and don't mind the stopping and starting.
--I don't think a walk to the ball field constitutes a hardship. Fresh air and exercise are what break times are for, and that can happen on a walk as well as during an organized game.
--I don't think the Amish church people care where we have our school. They have their own school and would not likely use ours. They have their own community building too, and would be unlikely to use ours in any case.
Here I don't have to whisper, and that's a relief. I don't even have to camouflage my biases. I only have to watch my attitudes and my words.
--I favor building a school on the Mast property. I do not favor locating a community building there or anywhere right now--perhaps later at the Pleasantview property. I would like for the discussion of a community building to be taken off the table and considered at a later time, separately. What is needed right now is a grade school, and what is likely desired for the future is a grade and high school combined in one facility. Trying to provide for all the needs in one grand facility seems to me to complicate all of them and make them less functional than they could be otherwise. If neither church housed a school, those facilities would be adequate for most of the needs that arise--funerals, for example, without a community building. If a gym is needed right now, I would like to see it be a greenhouse-type structure. (See earlier post.)
--I think the prevailing wind direction does not matter in the location of a lagoon. When Lowell had one installed at their place, it was located straight south of the house. When I questioned the wisdom of that, Lowell or Judy told me that there is no odor associated with a lagoon except during a day or two at a certain time of year when the bacteria digesting cycle is at a certain stage. They have found this to be true during several years of use.
--I see Partridge people as friends and am not worried about school decisions at this stage making much difference to them at all. If we are as interested in being gracious as we are in preserving good relationships (as I heard expressed last night), I think we'll all be in good shape. Four households in Partridge consist of members of my immediate family. They feel like they're among friends.
--What we saw on the scale map with the placement of the various structures, etc. included a very large building and space for parking 126 vehicles. If we did not include a community gathering place (gym) in the structure, the building could be much smaller, and the parking lot could also be much smaller. On any given school day, the total number of cars is never more than 25 at the high school, by my estimate--usually far fewer. Grade schoolers don't drive themselves to school or need parking space.
--The model structure was for a facility that combined the high school and grade school. Yet there was a good bit of talk about the distance between each of the prospective locations and the present high school. That becomes a moot point if the schools are combined.
--Also, there was talk of the disadvantage of crossing two railroads and a highway in traveling between the Mast property and the current high school. That is, in fact, exactly what has been happening ever since the grade school started at Center. Going to the high school from the grade school means crossing two railroads and a four-lane highway.
--Furthermore, David was exactly right in pointing out that none of that (dangerous crossings) would be necessary if people used the US50 route instead of the Trail West route between the Mast property and the present high school. I do something very similar almost every school morning. I arrive at the Partridge Road/US 50 intersection and make a decision about whether to turn left or go straight ahead. The Mast property is about a half mile beyond this intersection. By my calculations, there is very little difference in how long the trip takes, but I can make the US50 trip with less stopping and starting, and sometimes I just like being able to avoid that. On the way home, I take the TW route more frequently--when I feel the need to unwind en route, and don't mind the stopping and starting.
--I don't think a walk to the ball field constitutes a hardship. Fresh air and exercise are what break times are for, and that can happen on a walk as well as during an organized game.
--I don't think the Amish church people care where we have our school. They have their own school and would not likely use ours. They have their own community building too, and would be unlikely to use ours in any case.
posted by Mrs. I (Miriam Iwashige) at
9:25 PM
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