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Over half no longer think Gordon is top asset

Posted by
Walter Geiger
in Opinion
Thursday, March 29. 2012
Comments (13)
In a totally unscientific poll conducted here on barnesville.com, over half the respondents said Gordon College is no longer the community's top asset.

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#1 Yeu Kno Hu on 03/29/12 at 10:11 AM
Well, at least it is keeping our law enforcement and the law enforcement in surrounding jurisdictions busy.

But, no, it is is not an asset to us otherwise...unless you consider it beneficial to have loud music thumping from cars at all hours, speeding cars through neighborhoods, garbage thrown out car windows (including used condoms), attracting gang activity, smoking and cigarette butts on the property of private citizens because Gordon is a "smoke free" campus, lights shining so bright at night from the parking lots you can read by them across the street, etc. Don't know...as wonderful as all those things are, I just can't bring myself to appreciate them.
#2 Cats on 03/29/12 at 11:54 AM
My problem, well one of my problems with the school, is the disconnect it has with Barnesville. Thanks to that student meal plan, the kids aren't coming out eating in our restaurants. The school doesn't seem to want us to come see plays they put on, if they have art events, I don't know about them because I don't hear anything about them.
As I walked by yesterday, I got to enjoy the brightest pair of red drawers I've ever seen, as the young fellow had his britches belted just above his knees.
However, attention was quickly diverted by the young fellow with his ear buds in his ears who was bellowing along with his iPod at the very top of his lungs.
I haven't always been this old. But seriously, I don't have any memories of trying to offend others around me when I was young. If anything, I tried to remain quietly in the background, on the off chance that I wasn't behaving.
#3 M. C. on 03/29/12 at 02:51 PM
whats wrong folks?you dont like the new hip hop culture thats invaded your community?get used to the crime,drugs,thiefs,thugs an hoods,they are here to stay.soon Barnesville will go the way of the other cities an towns the plague has overtaken.look at eastpoint,jonesboro,riverdale,hapeville,atlanta,macon ECt..it wont be long before the downtown will be a nasty,cruddy,rotten wasteland full of wanna be hoodie punks.
its on your front door steps as we speek,knocking at your door.you see it on the streets everyday,you stand behind it in the checkout line at the grocery store,you see it when you pay for your gas.you cant turn a blind eye for ever,sooner or later you have to decide.do i risk it and stay around these savages or do i just do like other normal people and move far anway.
#4 Denise Therriault on 03/29/12 at 06:59 PM
So what do people think is the top asset? that's a dumb poll unless you have some point to make or a new asset to speak about.
#4.1 Yeu Kno Hu on 03/29/12 at 09:25 PM
Well, personally, I think the land fill, the wood processing and General Tire are bigger assets than Gordon, thank you very much. For that matter, I think Fred's and Ace Hardware are better assets. None of them come with all the negatives I mentioned before. When I think of assets I consider all of the negatives along with any positive benefit. Wouldn't you agree that is prudent?

By the way, anyone here, like you, is free to present an opinion. The question was do we feel Gordon is our top asset, not what we think if a better asset or what our suggestion for a new asset are. Sort of like voting for the President. I don't have to know who I want in order to know who I don't want.
#4.2 Cats on 03/30/12 at 06:00 AM
Why do we have to have a new top asset? Is that in a rule book somewhere?
At one time. Gordon was part of this community. Now there's a sense that it's walled itself off from the town and wishes to keep us at arm's length.
I'm going out on a limb here, to say that if the administration will continue to tighten the reins on it's admission standards, step up into sought after degree programs, and reach out into the community a bit more, the perception can turn around.
Remember the Vendor Day Gordon had a few year's ago? That was a chance for us to mix in with the students a bit.
Gordon keeps up a nice appearance. The flowers and foliage are changed and the grounds look great. Now take it to the next level. Clean up the thug element. Let the students out among us. Let us give them coupons and incentives to come out into the community. But remind them to behave and not toss their cigarette butts on our lawns. That's common decency.
#4.2.1 Yeu Kno Hu on 03/30/12 at 11:10 AM
Very much in agreement with you on this.
#5 Benny Horne on 03/31/12 at 03:27 PM
I have stopped traveling on College Drive due to the nuisance red light the students use to cross the street. At times there is only one vehicle in site in both directions and they will punch the button without even looking.They might as well block off College Dive from Gordon Road to Spencer Steet.By not traveling College Drive it helps keep my blood pressure down.
#6 Steve Raynie on 04/01/12 at 04:33 AM
I really have to wonder at Walter's motive for conducting an "unscientific" poll about this issue especially since he is on the Board of the Gordon Foundation. Frankly, Gordon College brings millions of dollars to the community. Even if the students do not spend much here, many faculty and staff live in the community and proudly support local businesses.
#6.1 Cats on 04/01/12 at 02:04 PM
Perhaps there are some issues with Gordon that need to be aired out.
Perhaps it's to bring some traffic to barnesville.com.
Perhaps Walter likes to cause a ruckus.
Perhaps he was thinking of a topic and this one popped into his head.
#6.2 Yeu Kno Hu on 04/02/12 at 10:53 AM
"Frankly, Gordon College brings millions of dollars to the community. Even if the students do not spend much here..."

First, where is your reference for how much money Gordon brings here? Is that over a month, a year, the entire life of the college? What "millions" are you referring to? Taxes? Local industry or businesses?

Second, since the students well outnumber the staff and faculty, the fact that the some of the employees live here doesn't impress me that they spend money here...of course they do. By the way, there is a significant portion of the college employees that DO NOT live in Barnesville and DO NOT, therefore, spend their money here.

I really have to wonder at your motive for posting this comment. I don't think there was ever a claim that this was scientific or anything more than just asking the question. Seems to me you are providing no reference and only vague supporting statements. So, why would you just in to question his motives? What about your own?
#7 Katharine Whitelock on 04/02/12 at 10:59 AM
I'm glad to have been a part of the Barnesville community for going on 14 years now, and I'm proud to be sering as the current Chair of the Division of Humanities for Gordon College.

I can assure readers that everyone is welcome to cultural events held on our campus and that we do our best to publicise them with posters around town, press releases, etc.

I'd like to invite readers to some exciting arts events this month. Our annual Student Art Exhibit runs April 3 through April 27 from 1 to 5pm in the Foundation Room of the Student Center. Admissin is free to all.

Our final theater production of the year, Psycho Beach Party runs April 18 through the 22nd with shows at 7pm each evening and a 2pm Sunday matinee. This production is a lively satire of the popular beach movies of the 1950s and is intended for a mature audience.

I'm particularly excited to note that the internationally-known Morehouse College Glee Club performs in our Fine Arts Auditorium at 7pm on April 25.

Admission to these events is just $7. Please come join us.
#7.1 Katharine Whitelock on 04/02/12 at 11:24 AM
The above was composed by Edward Whitelock (our newspaper account is in Katharine's name).
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