Changing Minds

  Instead of blogging on today's activities only I have decided to blog on the whole  week.  This week has been incredible.  From day one to today there has been a tremendous amount of learning taking place.  At the same time there have been a sense of comradery between teachers from different disciplines teaching different levels, I wish I could bottle this and use it on all teachers.  As the week has progressed the connections that exist between the Coal Industry and the Cabell County have crystallized for me.  I realize that even if we don't produce Coal we are greatly effected by it. Today we say what can be done.  It is important that we not forget that there are tremendous environmental issues with coal.  Although I was impressed with all of the operations we saw today I harken back to the understanding that everyone puts their best foot forward when they're showing outsiders what they have.  I will stick to a theme we need to seek balance, we can't dismiss the environmentalist at the same time we must not buy what they're selling sight unseen.  I pride myself in seeing both sides of an issue I now believe I have crucial information which will allow me to do this.

The Modern Dinosaur

Three stories tall with the ability to chew up a mountain in no time the high wall miner we saw today was quite impressive.  However the fact that one of these monstrosities cost 8 million dollars and with all the support equipment represent a 20 million dollar investment they are more than impressive.  Manufacturing of this nature is what I hope West Virginia's economy can become.  This also gives WV access to the the rest of the world. Today we went from the past to the future in the matter of minutes.  Everything we have done gives me a greater understanding of not just the coal industry but  also the very fabric of WV.  I believe the real lessons to be learned is that not all coal operators were satin incorporated, and not all of the individuals on the other side were saints.

The spike

Of all the things we saw today perhaps the least likely for a blog would be a Railroad Spike.  However as I stood at the bottom of the New River Gorge and saw a pile of old Railroad spikes I began to think about the incredible amount of effort required to lay the first railroad lines down that narrow valley.  The intercontinental of every thing we've seen so far is incredible.  One of the nicknames for the railroad was the iron horse, the increased use of rail required a tremendous amount of iron and steel.  This need increased the demand for coke to make the iron to drive the engines which need the coal for energy to hall the coke to make the iron to make the engines.... You get my point.  The fact of the matter is that little old WV played a huge role in the industrialization of the Untied States, and without this industrialization the U.S. wouldn't be what it is today.  This brings me to the spike.  These simple little device is crucial to the railroad.  It's inventions allowed for rails to be secured quickly and economically and are credited with the rapid increase in the construction of railroads in the 19th century.

Unnatural Beauty

     Although both the landscapes that we explored today were deeply altered by the mining process I couldn't keep from appreciating their beauty.  The truth is we can regret what took place in the past, but there is nothing we can do to alter it.  What we need to figure out is how to move forward and make the best of what we have.  As we sat in the shade and discussed the fear that condominiums might be built on the privately held lands in the area my thoughts were not about how to prevent this but instead I feel that this development could be done in a balanced manner that would both benefit the residents of this region but actually enhance the environment.  If development is done in a responsible environmentally sound manner then the increased tax base would only increase the ability to reclaim and remediate the land.  We preach sustainable development in third world countries.  We need to practice in WV.

     A hard lesson to learn is that residents of a region will do what they have to do to live a reasonable life style.  If we are serious about environmental issues we must find a way to do it in a way that individuals that live in this area can make a living wage.  Tourism is not the answer.  Service wages are not good enough.  As a state we must transition to an economy which is both environment and people friendly.   

The Past The Present The Future

     As we traveled the roads of WV it struck me how much both things had changed and how much they had stayed the same.  The magnificent windmills were in stark contrast to the houses that I saw along the road.  Are these the future of energy, are they the answer, is this our future?  The only thing certain is that something will have to take the place of fossil fuels in the not too distant future.

     As we left the windmills and traveled down the hill we entered WV past.  A former booming coal town that has seen much of its glory days leave as the Coal dried up.  This is a common sight not just in WV, but in all areas where extraction has played a major role in the local economy.  The population dwindled as the jobs went elsewhere.  As the money dried up the political clout was gone, as happens so often the lack of clout allowed government to ignore the plight of the people who remain.  That is in reality of our present.  The wind mills were impressive but the small town of Davis was too me more interesting.  The re-purposed small shops spoke to me of a spirit to make something work.  The mine is gone we've got to move on.  Will this area ever be as prosperous as it once was.  History says no, the things that made WV for the most part a wilderness for many years are still in place, the mountains the narrow valleys and the lack of acceptability doesn't bode well for the economy of this area but there is still the beauty.  Tourism can never replace mining in terms of the wages offered, but at least its something.  Although this is a project about coal to me it is also a project about people.  The truth of the matter is (don't shot me Rick Sharpe) is that people are what really matter.  We need to project the environment for the sake of the people but at the same time we must provide the people with the opportunity to live a quality life style, that means economic opportunity over and above the wage level of what service industries provide.

Getting Ready

This has been a busy summer for me.  Today is only the second day since school has been out that I haven't had something to do either for remodeling my sons house, Huntington Outdoor Theatre or Cabell County Schools.  I've been going from around 7:00 AM to Midnight most nights.  I am looking forward to next week.  The chance to explore WV and hopefully meet a lot of WV is exciting to me.  I've been reflecting a lot about this project, and although the science and technology is interesting, I believe the true importance for this me of this project is the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the social impact of Coal.

As a student of history, political science and history, I have a deep appreciation for how these areas of study affect the scientific research that takes place.  Science may point out problems and pose solutions but if politicians and the people aren't on board nothing will happen.  West Virginia is on the verge of another fossil fuel boom.  Will we learn from our past in dealing with Marcellus Shale, or will go down the same rabbit hole.

Coal DBQ

I have been working on a Coal DBQ over the course of the last few days.  I plan on using this as part of my  coal lesson plan.  Remember this is a work in process, however if some of you would take a look at it and make suggestions and comments it would be appreciated.  I am in the process of  creating scaffolding material and other items.  I also want to add some pictures that I take this summer to the DBQ..  Please feel free to send me comments.  It can be found at the following link.  Click Here