Dodging Eva

An Associated Press article this morning reminded me of one of the games I used to play in my hometown. Like small towns across America, we had a local reporter who reported time “local news” for the three nearby papers, The Stayton Mail, the Mill City Enterprise and the Scio Tribune. At one time her weekly column might have been carried in the Salem paper.

Eva was an institution. The close proximity to the post office may have helped her in her gathering of the news. Being the sister of the local telephone operation must have also helped. Her weekly columns recorded the coming and goings in the small town I call home. Some call it the “quilting-bee” kind of news, the kind of news picked up during conversations.

Each visit home for my oldest brother, my sister and myself (all three Navy) was reported by Eva. It soon became a game to see if we could visit home and get away before Eva discovered us.

With the old phone system Eva’s sister Alta knew the movements of my brother and sister. When my parents weren’t home when they called she would track them down. That personal touch was lost with the arrival of the new dial system.

I remember when I was still in high school. We had to ride a bus 10 miles back and forth to Stayton. One afternoon we pulled up behind Eva’s car at the elementary school in Lyons. Eva came out and walked between her car and the bus, got into her car, started it and backed into the bus. Soon after that Eva had to give up driving.

Small town newspapers have changed. I dropped by subscription to the Stayton paper when state and national news became more prominent than the local news. People read their local paper to see their names. Now the obituaries are the most prominent local news and by the time your name gets there it is too late.

I’m glad to here that some small town papers cling to the local columns, reporting about the lives of everyday people, their out of town guests, family reunions and Sunday dinners.

I'm Back

Wow, what a year I have had. At the end of March last year I accepted a position as Activities Director for a retirement and assisted living community. It has been a very busy 11 months of learning.

I discovered 94 great people. We have had residents die. Some have moved. New residents have joined the community. They are a great group of people to work with.

One of the things I have missed is working on this Blog. I have missed writing. I'm back now. The posts may not come as frequently as they did at the beginning.

Thank you everyone who has taken the time to send comments.

Tom