A cynic's view
of Park Rapids
I no longer live in Park Rapids, own property there or have any close relatives who still go to school there, so I really have little opinion on the upcoming levy referendum.
I do want to express my concern for the community of Park Rapids though. Based upon many of the "letters to the editor" calling for people to support the referendum, it seems to me that it's not really the school that is in trouble but the community.
From the letters I have read it would seem that the churches in town no longer have choirs since, if the referendum fails, the children won't have the ability to learn music. I guess the private piano and guitar teachers have all gotten other jobs as well. It also appears that no one in the Park Rapids school district has any large property anymore since, if the referendum fails, kids won't be able to play sports. I can only assume that means that all the open land in town is too small to play a game of backyard football or baseball.
ADVERTISEMENT
It would seem that the hospital and the nursing home aren't taking volunteers anymore, businesses aren't hiring, and the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and 4-H groups are no longer in existence since, if the referendum doesn't pass, the kids won't have any place to learn the value of hard work, perseverance and team work.
Of course, it's good to see that one thing is still the same in Park Rapids... It's still all those non-athlete, non-acting, non-Honor Society type kids who are cruising Main, getting into trouble and doing all the underage drinking. After all, we all know that it was never a star athlete or a member of the student council or one of the actors in the one-act play who were going out and doing things they shouldn't have on Saturday nights.
Rick Hensel
Red Lake Falls
