To the Editor, As a resident of Warwick since 1958, it is shocking to me what has happened to out once fine city. In the 1950s and 1960s, Warwick was the fastest-growing city on the east coast. Three high schools and one junior high were built between
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To the Editor,
As a resident of Warwick since 1958, it is shocking to me what has happened to out once fine city. In the 1950s and 1960s, Warwick was the fastest-growing city on the east coast. Three high schools and one junior high were built between 1955 and 1972, Warwick Vets in 1955, Pilgrim in 1961, and Toll Gate and Winman in 1972. As a former educator aNd coach in Warwick, I and my colleagues were so proud Warwick and Newton, MA, were considered to be the two best educational communities in New England. Our curriculum guides were sent throughout the country because of their forward thinking courses such as Economics, Black History, Youth and the Law, American Democracy, etc. Today, we have almost all of our schools in disrepair, mediocre test scores, and athletic fields that are shameful. Toll Gate still does not have its own fields. As a former coach and sports official, I can honestly say that our fields cannot compare with those in Cranston, West Warwick, Johnston, North Kingston and many others. The Mickey Stevens Complex is in poor shape to put it mildly.
Driving down Post Road by the airport, one sees empty lot after empty lot. Ditto for Airport Road. Buildings such as Aldrich Jr. High, the Warwick Administration Building and others sit empty. This is not the Warwick I once knew and of which many of us were so proud. Is there any person or groups who has the vision to make Warwick a city that we can be proud of once again. It is up to our elected representatives to make this happen. The status quo is not acceptable. Get on the ball and "do your job."
Bob Salerno
Warwick
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MDK229
Thank you Mr. Salerno.
Saturday, October 3, 2020 Report this
ThatGuyInRI
This ain't 1958, enough with the nostalgia, times change.
In 1958 the economies of Europe and Asia were still recovering from WWII, American industry had little competition and our economy boomed. We built the national highway system, put men in space, industry flourished, and the suburbs boomed. This was primarily because of the bonus of not only being on the winning side of WWII, but also not having our factories bombed to rubble. This advantage was all but gone by 1970. As Europe, Japan, and China got their factories up to the standards of the time, our economy faced competition for the first time in 20+ years. This had consequences.
Since then, there has been a reluctance to invest in infrastructure. The highways, bridges, and public buildings of much of America are in poor condition due to the changing economics of America and the desire of politicians to kick problems down the road and let someone else deal with it in the future. Well, this is 1970's future.
Despite the trope of people leaving Warwick "in droves," the numbers just don't support it. Check the census data, the city's population has been between 82,000 and 87,000 since 1970. What has happened is that people moved here in the 50's and 60's and never left. Their kids grew up and moved out and when the baby boomers stayed, there was precious little housing for young families with kids to move into.
The number of people under 18 living in Warwick has plummeted in recent decades. This is why we have empty schools, there are simply fewer students.
If people want to have better sports facilities and complexes all we have to do is pay for them. You know, with TAXES. The problem is, I don't recall any citizen ever saying "raise my takes," or any politicial with any sense of self-preservation stating that they planned to raise taxes.
WE all want to believe that "things were better when I was younger," but this is almost never accurate.
Tuesday, October 6, 2020 Report this