Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-07-13
PRIZES OFFERED TO
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
BY SENATOR SUTHERLAND


Undergraduates Of the State Of West
Virginia.
Ny dear friends:
West Virginia is good state in
which to live. West virginians APP
preciate tbs fact deeply and love
their home state with an abiding af-
lection which finds expression in en-
thusiastic and patriotic loyalty.
Do we ourselves fully appreciate
the present greatness Of West vir-
ginia, as well as its limitless possi-
bilities?
Have we each of us made study
of the reasons why West Virginia
occupies it's present unique position,
and why the growth, progress and
prosperity of West Virginia in the
future is SO definitely assured?
Do we study our own state as
deeply as we should, or is our know
ledge more or less confined to the
localities with whcih we are fami-
liar, the industries with which we
are associated, and the possibilities
which are more obvious in our vicin-
ity?
Let us broaden our view so that
II may take in and comprehend the
basic facts regarding West Virginia
as a whole By broadeAing our
knowledge Of the state, we will in
crease our love for it and with this
advance in knowledge and devotion
we will become better citizens. We
shall by our own growth aid the de-
velcpment of the state and build up
for ourselves, out Of our loyalty and
understanding, sound future.
| desire to bring about by the com
ing men and women a careful study
Of our state as commonwealth, its
products Of agriculture, Of the mines,
Of the forests, and of the great in
dustries which backed by limitless
natural resources are manufacturing
and sending to all the world COM
modities of value to civilization. Let
them learn and tell the story of the
undeveloped treasures of the
hills which await but the
awakening touch of the rail and the
locomotive to pour their (limitless
wealth into the hands Of the indus
trious and farsiighted citizens Of
West Virginia. Let US realize the
limitless energy Of our flowing
waters, which will soon be trans
formed into electro energy to light
our cities, to heat our homes and
turn the wheels Of industry. Let us
speak of the opportunities which the
state generously provides for the
fundamentals of education, on which
our intelligent and thoughtful civil
ization is based These facts should
be gathered by the young citizens
Of our state as a child gathers the
wild flowers from our every hill and
vale. In the aggregate they make
the bouquet of possibilities beauti-
full beyond measure, which, under
stood and appreciated, will raise in
the breast Of every citizen pride
and love for West Virginia above all
other states.
That the students in high schools
and the undergraduates in our col
leges may reslize the greatness
of the state by actual investigation
and as stimulus to such research as
may show the infinite possibilities
Of our great commonwealth, ! have
decided to offer series Of prizes
for essays on the subject of West
Virginia, a good state in which to
live. The details follow this letter.
In addition to the pies, l will
resent the prize-winning paper to the
Senate of the United States for per-
manent record. ! will also take op-
portunity to gather from the papers
presented by the young men and
young women of our state the ideas,
the thoughts, the statistics, and all
the facts that have been gathered,
and from the consensus OF opinion
thus secured, develop q document OF
such value that it may be sent to
0tter cities and to all parts Of the
world. This will give to West Vir-
ginia- that place in the understanding
OF men which will convince them
slso, that West Virginia is a good
place to live, and bring to us the
people, the capital, the industries,
which will populate our undeveloped
sections, give impetus to the bust
ness Of our present splendid commu-
mites, and bring to us such further
advancement as viii give West Vir-
ginia that, place in the galaxy OF the
the Union which she so richly de-
serves and which the future surely
holds in store for her.
Yours for West Virginia,
(Signed) HOWARD SUTHERLAND