THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 9, 1995 TAG: 9503090610
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 12 EDITION: SUN
TYPE: COVER STORY
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Long : 307 lines
WHEN JAMES SAMUEL Glasscock was chosen last week as First Citizen 1994, his reaction was as predictable as his demeanor always is.
He was ``surprised and humble,'' he said, but ``I didn't jump up and down and get excited.''
If he had, it probably would have amazed the Cosmopolitan Club members who went to his home at night for the surprise announcement, along with anyone else who knows him. Composure is characteristic of the 63-year-old lawyer and former legislator.
Glasscock, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for 21 years, often championed unpopular causes. Yet he was so well-liked that he had no opposition in nine of his 13 elections.
Opposing him was considered a waste of time and money - until the political mood about incumbency began changing. ``Redistricting also hurt,'' said Glasscock, who was defeated by Robert Nelms in 1990, to represent the 76th House District.
Glasscock, the 39th First Citizen, will be honored at a banquet March 25, in the Suffolk Shrine Club.
That's a Saturday, two days before his favorite: Monday. ``I get back to work and the folks in the office,'' Glasscock, Gardy & Savage, in the old National Bank Building on West Washington Street.
Seven months ago, Glasscock had bypass surgery. ``I was back in the office two weeks after surgery,'' he said. ``I shouldn't have been, but I like what I do.''
He has practiced law since 1956, first with Joshua Pretlow for a year. Then he went into the Army. Capt. Glasscock was stationed at U.S. Army Headquarters in Heidelberg.
He returned to civilian practice in 1959, working with James C. Godwin, who became a judge.
Glasscock later became a legislator, thanks to ``a consistent interest in politics - anything to do with government. . . . I was hopeful I could make a difference.''
Among his targets: AIDS, automobile safety, assuring divorcees a fair share of the marital estate and getting deadbeat dads to help provide for their children.
``It was tough to get support to make it easier to get dads to help their kids,'' Glasscock said. ``Now, better testing eliminates arguments about parenthood, so it's easier to get those deadbeat dads to support their children.''
Another piece of legislation involving divided families also took Glasscock's interest and time.
``I did some work on the Marital Distribution Law,'' he said. ``At the time of divorce a judge can determine division (of property, etc.) between husband and wife.
``Before, a wife had no claim to anything not in her name. It is an effort at fair play,'' Glasscock said. ``It wasn't my idea. Some ladies in the legislature worked on that. I got interested in helping and chaired the study commission. The legislation came from that.''
The legislation never affected Glasscock personally. He and his wife, Betty, have been married 40 years, have three children and two grandchildren.
He is from Springton, W.Va., where his father, A.L., was a coal miner who worked his way up to mine superintendent.
Glasscock's mother, the former Ellen Jordan, was raised in the Benns Church area. The family bought a farm in Chuckatuck - the Glasscocks have been there since 1944.
Folks there call him Sam, a nickname that came about because, he said, ``there were so many kids in the neighborhood named Jimmy.''
In the Chuckatuck neighborhood, the family is active with Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church where, over the years, Glasscock has served as chairman of the board, and lay leader.
He was a leader in dealing with the AIDS problem, serving as chairman of a commission studying the situation.
Members included health professionals, Commonwealth's attorneys, physicians - ``liberals and conservatives,'' he said. ``We came up with a good idea and worked together to do what we felt was right. It's working well.''
Several locations have been set up ``where well-trained people can train others to help handle the problem.
``It's treated as a public health, not a criminal problem,'' Glasscock said. ``We get people the right kind of help to eliminate transmission of the disease.''
Glasscock had a reputation for honesty, sincerity and as a fighter. If he believed in something he fought for it, whether it was popular or not.
One of the most unpopular was his fight against the death penalty.
``It was not popular when I took a stand against it,'' he said. ``It's less popular now.
``What makes society better? Not the death penalty. Studies show that,'' Glasscock said. ``One time, during a discussion on the floor, somebody said that innocent people might be electrocuted.
``One lady, an arch-conservative, said, `I don't think that will happen very often.' ''
The legislation with which he is most closely associated is the safety belt law.
``I prefer safety belt to seat belt,'' Glasscock said. ``It has a better ring to it.''
He recalled opponents saying, ``It's a wonderful idea but it's trampling on personal choice. So does the speed limit,'' he said. ``They're all safety measures.
``You get clobbered, you run up a medical bill, others pay for it - it raises the cost of health care. It also affects the family,'' said Glasscock, who describes his political career as ``a marvelous experience.''
``I represented the people. I feel I did a good job,'' he said, ``but it's time to move on.''
He moved on in 1990 when 76th District voters retired him in favor of Robert Nelms.
``I'm a lousy politician,'' Glasscock said. ``You need a lot of show business. You have to tell folks you've done something even if you haven't.''
The folks, in retrospect, will find that he has done many things that benefit them.
Sometimes he got the credit, sometimes he stayed in the background; sometimes there were no problems, sometimes legislation was a five-year battle.
``I'm out of politics with mixed feelings,'' Glasscock said. ``I enjoyed it, but the change in the General Assembly - it's more partisan. I don't like partisan activities.
``Gov. Allen versus the General Assembly. That's sad, totally offbase,'' he said. ``Some things are popular but they'll cause tremendous problems.
``Doing away with parole is tremendously popular because there's so much concern for our safety,'' Glasscock said. ``It's crazy, though. Parole rules need changing, but they don't need to be thrown out.''
The legislator-lawyer, these days with accent on the latter and memories of the former, smiles often as he talks about his Richmond days.
He takes a ``que sera sera'' attitude, happy with what he has accomplished, but just as happy to be concentrating on his law practice, to be with his family and his church.
SUFFOLK
W HEN JAMES SAMUEL Glasscock was chosen last week as First Citizen 1994, his reaction was as predictable as his demeanor always is.
He was ``surprised and humble,'' he said, but ``I didn't jump up and down and get excited.''
If he had, it probably would have amazed the Cosmopolitan Club members who went to his home at night for the surprise announcement, along with anyone else who knows him. Composure is characteristic of the 63-year-old lawyer and former legislator.
Glasscock, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for 21 years, often championed unpopular causes. Yet he was so well-liked that he had no opposition in nine of his 13 elections.
Opposing him was considered a waste of time and money - until the political mood about incumbency began changing. ``Redistricting also hurt,'' said Glasscock, who was defeated by Robert Nelms in 1990, to represent the 76th House District.
Glasscock, the 39th First Citizen, will be honored at a banquet March 25, in the Suffolk Shrine Club.
That's a Saturday, two days before his favorite: Monday. ``I get back to work and the folks in the office,'' Glasscock, Gardy & Savage, in the old National Bank Building on West Washington Street.
Seven months ago, Glasscock had bypass surgery. ``I was back in the office two weeks after surgery,'' he said. ``I shouldn't have been, but I like what I do.''
He has practiced law since 1956, first with Joshua Pretlow for a year. Then he went into the Army. Capt. Glasscock was stationed at U.S. Army Headquarters in Heidelberg.
He returned to civilian practice in 1959, working with James C. Godwin, who became a judge.
Glasscock later became a legislator, thanks to ``a consistent interest in politics - anything to do with government. . . . I was hopeful I could make a difference.''
Among his targets: AIDS, automobile safety, assuring divorcees a fair share of the marital estate and getting deadbeat dads to help provide for their children.
``It was tough to get support to make it easier to get dads to help their kids,'' Glasscock said. ``Now, better testing eliminates arguments about parenthood, so it's easier to get those deadbeat dads to support their children.''
Another piece of legislation involving divided families also took Glasscock's interest and time.
``I did some work on the Marital Distribution Law,'' he said. ``At the time of divorce a judge can determine division (of property, etc.) between husband and wife.
``Before, a wife had no claim to anything not in her name. It is an effort at fair play,'' Glasscock said. ``It wasn't my idea. Some ladies in the legislature worked on that. I got interested in helping and chaired the study commission. The legislation came from that.''
The legislation never affected Glasscock personally. He and his wife, Betty, have been married 40 years, have three children and two grandchildren.
He is from Springton, W.Va., where his father, A.L., was a coal miner who worked his way up to mine superintendent.
Glasscock's mother, the former Ellen Jordan, was raised in the Benns Church area. The family bought a farm in Chuckatuck - the Glasscocks have been there since 1944.
Folks there call him Sam, a nickname that came about because, he said, ``there were so many kids in the neighborhood named Jimmy.''
In the Chuckatuck neighborhood, the family is active with Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church where, over the years, Glasscock has served as chairman of the board, and lay leader.
He was a leader in dealing with the AIDS problem, serving as chairman of a commission studying the situation.
Members included health professionals, Commonwealth's attorneys, physicians - ``liberals and conservatives,'' he said. ``We came up with a good idea and worked together to do what we felt was right. It's working well.''
Several locations have been set up ``where well-trained people can train others to help handle the problem.
``It's treated as a public health, not a criminal problem,'' Glasscock said. ``We get people the right kind of help to eliminate transmission of the disease.''
Glasscock had a reputation for honesty, sincerity and as a fighter. If he believed in something he fought for it, whether it was popular or not.
One of the most unpopular was his fight against the death penalty.
``It was not popular when I took a stand against it,'' he said. ``It's less popular now.
``What makes society better? Not the death penalty. Studies show that,'' Glasscock said. ``One time, during a discussion on the floor, somebody said that innocent people might be electrocuted.
``One lady, an arch-conservative, said, `I don't think that will happen very often.' ''
The legislation with which he is most closely associated is the safety belt law.
``I prefer safety belt to seat belt,'' Glasscock said. ``It has a better ring to it.''
He recalled opponents saying, ``It's a wonderful idea but it's trampling on personal choice. So does the speed limit,'' he said. ``They're all safety measures.
``You get clobbered, you run up a medical bill, others pay for it - it raises the cost of health care. It also affects the family,'' said Glasscock, who describes his political career as ``a marvelous experience.''
``I represented the people. I feel I did a good job,'' he said, ``but it's time to move on.''
He moved on in 1990 when 76th District voters retired him in favor of Robert Nelms.
``I'm a lousy politician,'' Glasscock said. ``You need a lot of show business. You have to tell folks you've done something even if you haven't.''
The folks, in retrospect, will find that he has done many things that benefit them.
Sometimes he got the credit, sometimes he stayed in the background; sometimes there were no problems, sometimes legislation was a five-year battle.
``I'm out of politics with mixed feelings,'' Glasscock said. ``I enjoyed it, but the change in the General Assembly - it's more partisan. I don't like partisan activities.
``Gov. Allen versus the General Assembly. That's sad, totally offbase,'' he said. ``Some things are popular but they'll cause tremendous problems.
``Doing away with parole is tremendously popular because there's so much concern for our safety,'' Glasscock said. ``It's crazy, though. Parole rules need changing, but they don't need to be thrown out.''
The legislator-lawyer, these days with accent on the latter and memories of the former, smiles often as he talks about his Richmond days.
He takes a ``que sera sera'' attitude, happy with what he has accomplished, but just as happy to be concentrating on his law practice, to be with his family and his church. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
File photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
J. Samuel Glasscock finds it difficult to stay away from his law
office, with the firm of Glasscock, Gardy & Savage. Even after
bypass surgery last year, he was back in two weeks.
Graphic
SOME QUOTABLE QUOTES BY AND ABOUT GLASSCOCK. . .
J. Samuel Glasscock, who witnessed the Aug. 10 execution of a
former Portsmouth policeman, Frank Coppola, who was put to death for
murder, said polls show that 75 percent of the American people favor
capital punishment, ``but if everybody could see one, there would be
a significant drop. It is not a pretty sight at all.''
Glasscock said that capital punishment allowed a ``reversal of
roles'' to take place in the criminal justice system. The death
penalty, he said, glamorizes the criminal and the crime.
``We ought not allow that person to become a hero,'' Glasscock
said.
- The Virginian-Pilot, Sept. 24, 1982
Money is always the big issue. You set policy with money.''
- Glasscock, The Sun, Nov. 10, 1985
Glasscock said he did not approve of abortion on moral grounds
but accepted the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on the issue.
``I think it may be legally right but not morally right. Is this
liberal or conservative? I'm not sure it fits in either category.
``I don't think wearing a seat belt infringes on my freedom. It
can make our highways much safer.''
- The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, July 14, 1985
When Virginia's legislative turmoil gets the worst, Sam Glasscock
shows his best. When the 100-member House clashes over a
particularly emotional and divisive issue, often it is Delegate
Glasscock who arises on the floor as the cool-headed voice of
reason. Glasscock's House colleagues listen and pay attention -
even when they may disagree.
- The Sun, Oct. 27, 1985
When things get too frustrating, Glasscock said, he thinks of
``Sales Tax Sam,'' former Del. Samuel E. Pope of Southampton, who
pushed a state sales tax for 14 years before it was passed in 1966.
- The Virginian-Pilot & The Ledger-Star, Feb. 16, 1986
We are going to have to look at the AIDS problem. There is no
immediate solution but we are going to have to deal with it down the
road.''
- The Sun, Nov. 1, 1987
My view is that my door is open to anyone who wants to come in
whether I agree with them or not,'' Glasscock said. ``I am always
anxious to hear what they say. You don't have to pay money to get
access.''
- The Sun, March 12, 1989
As I see it . . . this idea of being tough on crime is so hot
politically that people are trying to out-tough each other,'' said
J. Samuel Glasscock, a former Democratic delegate from Suffolk.
``They're trying ever more Draconian measures just so long as
they don't have to cough up the funds right now. The cost of this is
going to be horrendous.''
- The Virginian-Pilot, Sept. 18, 1994
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