ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, April 12, 1994                   TAG: 9404130087
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short


POLISHING A JEWEL

TO ENHANCE the quality of life in our area it is imperative that we encourage "diamond polishers" rather than "diamond merchants" or "diamond miners." We must reward personal industry rather than shrewd manipulation of the system to live effort-free. We must glorify academic achievement and Merit Scholars in our schools rather than athletics - there are more scholarships and jobs available for the academically qualified than for the athletically accomplished. Our state university in Blacksburg should strive to be the "MIT of the South" rather than the "Notre Dame of Blacksburg" - sorry, I'm a Hokie, but it just will not happen!!

The work ethic must be taught, demonstrated and demanded of those in this area. Then, and only then, will life in Western Virginia be enhanced. Growth, whatever that means, is not the answer.

|EUGENE M. BAIRD |MARTINSVILLE



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