THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 19, 1995 TAG: 9508180007
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
The city of Hampton has started a school to teach residents the skills needed to work with each other and City Hall to improve their neighborhoods.
Called the Hampton Neighborhood College, it covers in 10 sessions such subjects as community organizing, public speaking, partnership building with businesses and the inner workings of City Hall.
Those are good things for residents seeking to improve their neighborhoods to know. Essentially, the Hampton Neighborhood College, is training citizens to be better citizens.
The first class at the Hampton school had 15 students: five municipal workers and 10 residents. They toured the city's neighborhoods, rich and poor.
``When I looked at their neighborhoods (before), I saw them as day-to-day maintenance,'' said Lynn Swanson, a 14-year city employee, now a senior park manager, who was in the first class. ``They saw the neighborhoods for what they could be. Now I see what they want, what they're going for. It's helped me connect with what they want to do and helped me work out a long-range plan.''
Another student was Kimberly Morris, a 28-year-old mother who used to consider herself too shy to change things in her neighborhood, Hampton's Park Place.
``I used to say to myself,'' she said, `` `How do those other people find the time? How do they have the courage?' ''
Now she is helping lead a neighborhood cleanup effort through partnerships with several city agencies and businesses, and she is preparing to compile information about Park Place as the first step toward determining the neighborhood's needs and potentials.
For many residents, City Hall is a mysterious place with countless offices and titles.
Bringing residents and city employees together at the Neighborhood College is a terrific idea. Other Hampton Roads cities have said they are considering starting their own neighborhood colleges. They should.
It could be argued that the Hampton is training residents to fight City Hall. It is hoped the Hampton is training residents to work with City Hall.
The city of Hampton has started a school to teach residents the skills needed to work with each other and City Hall to improve their neighborhoods.
Called the Hampton Neighborhood College, it covers in 10 sessions such subjects as community organizing, public speaking, partnership building with businesses and the inner workings of City Hall.
Those are good things for residents seeking to improve their neighborhoods to know. Essentially, the Hampton Neighborhood College is training citizens to be better citizens.
The first class at the Hampton school had 15 students: five municipal workers and 10 residents. They toured the city's neighborhoods, rich and poor.
``When I looked at their neighborhoods (before), I saw them as day-to-day maintenance,'' said Lynn Swanson, a 14-year city employee, now a senior park manager, who was in the first class. ``They saw the neighborhoods for what they could be. Now I see what they want, what they're going for. It's helped me connect with what they want to do and helped me work out a long-range plan.''
Another student was Kimberly Morris, a 28-year-old mother who used to consider herself too shy to change things in her neighborhood, Hampton's Park Place.
``I used to say to myself,'' she said, `` `How do those other people find the time? How do they have the courage?' ''
Now she is helping lead a neighborhood-cleanup effort through partnerships with several city agencies and businesses, and she is preparing to compile information about Park Place as the first step toward determining the neighborhood's needs and potentials.
For many residents, City Hall is a mysterious place with countless offices and titles.
Bringing residents and city employees together at the Neighborhood College is a terrific idea. Other Hampton Roads cities have said they are considering starting their own neighborhood colleges. They should.
It could be argued that Hampton is training residents to fight City Hall. It is hoped Hampton is training residents to work with City Hall. by CNB