Perhaps it doesn't follow
Writers are advised to avoid non sequiturs, the joining of that which is unjoinable. It's the propensity for weaving information which does not follow. Example: "A resident of Aulne, he was noted for ability as a skier." One element has no relation to the other, in effect it "does not follow."
That's what non sequitur means.
During the past week we participated in the second media tour hosted by Chancellor Bob Hemenway at KU. About 20 journalists gathered to study information provided by various deans of the university and speakers brought to campus to share their knowledge.
Reams could be written about the experience, and opportunity. Only a couple of stories will be related here.
Experts from KU and K-State guided the group through careful study of the Kansas economy. Consensus had it that the bulk of our state is in trouble. Except for the hot spots around Kansas City and Wichita, and especially the Lawrence to Overland Park corridor, the rest of the state is suffering. It's more than lack of moisture. It's a contagious case of catastrophic failure. Northwest Kansas, the counties statewide along the Nebraska border, and the southeastern corner of our state are in doldrums.
Marion County is one of the few counties in neither a boom nor bust mode.
A great deal of the problem comes from competition exerted by huge discount centers. The retail trade centers of rural Kansas are dwindling. Partly, it's due to public attitude. Folks aren't patronizing home town businesses. Super centers are killing traditional retailing. Without a retail trade center, a town becomes a bedroom.
One of the experts said retail trade not only suffers from the big boys, but also from the guys who peddle by truck, people who buy over the Internet, and folks who order by mail.
He wondered if community newspapers have done a proper job of keeping the public informed about the eventual outcome of the direction most of Kansas is traveling.
Marion was given as an example of a town which used little logic in allowing a multimillion dollar asset escape to another community. Harper will prosper, instead of Marion which turned down the opportunity for huge cash flow, jobs, tax revenues, and no problems — only assumed ones. Perhaps the newspaper failed to cause the public to be logical.
Another of several topics included schools and school finance. Dale Dennis of the Kansas Department of Education (he's been the top authority on that topic for decades) attempted to explain school finance to the editors. It's highly complex. The obvious conclusion is that small rural districts will take it on the chin, down the road. More consolidation of districts for lower administrative costs were given as possible solutions. Another obvious conclusion was that many board of education members believe football and basketball victories are the big challenges facing their schools
A fellow publisher asked, "are we to blame?" He had a good point. Newspapers should shoulder the responsibility of getting qualified people to run for those unpaid important positions and also encourage the public to vote for the best candidates.
Maybe we of the press are not doing our job.
There's an old saying, "Show me a good town and I'll show you a good newspaper." Perhaps that's a non sequitur. Maybe it doesn't follow.
— BILL MEYER
