Fate of Marsh-Ward House could affect sense of place

Salisbury is a small town with a long and rather interesting history, one of thousands of such places populating our country. What makes our history so tangible and provides Salisbury with its uniqueness is the cohesive nature of the downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods. Our buildings, streetscapes and neighborhoods create a wonderful sense of place that all of us enjoy and can be proud of.

Yet when we demolish or, for that matter, move houses like the Marsh-Ward House at 125 N. Fulton St., we jeopardize that sense of place. House by house the residential character of the neighborhood diminishes. Another parking lot gets built and we lose yet another central block of our community to parking. Our uniqueness fades and Salisbury becomes just another small town. It’s not about the individual house — the Marsh-Ward House — it’s about the larger principle of civic pride and a commitment to the betterment of Salisbury.

It is from this perspective that I encourage the congregation, pastor and council of St. John’s Lutheran Church as well as the larger community of Salisbury to leave the Marsh-Ward House standing at 125 N. Fulton St. This does not preclude other uses for the surrounding property, and it does fit nicely with Salisbury’s overall guidelines and comprehensive plans for the future.

— Karen Hobson

Salisbury

Teacher safety at risk?

As the son of a teacher, it sickens me knowing that students are willing to attack teachers, whether it is through verbal or physical abuse. Some recent events going on nationwide are really starting to bring this issue into the spotlight of the media and the public eye.

I don’t understand how a student can endorse a physical altercation between himself or herself and a teacher, and when teachers defend themselves they are the ones who take all the heat. Don’t get me wrong; yes, they are teachers, but they are also humans. Asking them to stand there and take abuse from someone without retaliating in any way is similar to asking them to ignore their natural response of self-defense.

What if the teacher feels threatened for their health or even their life? What if a student’s goal is to physically hurt a teacher as much as possible before being stopped? I don’t want to have to find out the hard way how far an abusive student is willing to go.

The education system as a whole needs to start making its way toward a solution. If we allow students to keep attacking teachers without hardly any consequences, what kind of message are we sending? The message that students would receive would be, “Do whatever you want to a teacher because the teachers cannot defend themselves, and when they do they will most likely be punished severely.”

Education is the best public service in the world today. Teachers are devoting their lives to educating students and watching them succeed in life. How can we stand around and let students disrespect the people who do so much for us? We need change, and we need it now.

— Mackie Gallagher

Salisbury

Firefighters’ selfless service

On Feb. 18, I along with other employees were working on the ground floor at the Okey Dokey General Store, which I own. We heard a loud pop and then the upper floor quickly filled with black, acrid smoke. The fire spread quickly from the old electrical wiring to the rafters and roof.

It was evident that, despite our best efforts, we could do little to slow the fire.

Fire Chief Bob Parnell and his men responded immediately to my call and arrived minutes later. They battled the blaze with skill and courage in a 100-year-old building. It took hours to contain the fire and eliminate all the hot spots.

Instead of packing up and leaving after the fire was out, they stayed and pumped out several feet of water from the basement. I owe them a debt of gratitude for their selfless service that I can’t repay.

One of the wonderful virtues of Salisbury is its sense of community: Paul Bernhardt’s wise and patient counsel and many acts of kindness in my early days; Heather and Scott (of Sweet Meadow fame) and their never-ending words of encouragement and support. Jason McManus and his knowledge of HVAC systems has been greatly appreciated. The many city employees who have helped us regain our footing and salvage what we can. My thanks to Heather Everson and Ford Williamson; your help has been invaluable. I can’t possibly express my gratitude to each of you for your many acts of kindness. You make me proud to be a businessman and citizen of Salisbury.

— Stan Williamson

Salisbury

Williamson is owner of the Okey Dokey General Store.

Thanks to all who helped

On April 9, my husband asked me to ride to Salisbury and we would go by the flower cross that was pictured in the Post. The only cross we saw was the crossroad of Stokes Ferry and Richfield roads, where we were in a horrific wreck. We ended upside-down in our SUV. We didn’t hear anything but the horn of the other vehicle.

We’ve been married 62 years and ended up face-to-face and talked to each other. People started stopping after about five minutes. My husband unfastened my seat belt and an angel nurse stooped and saw me inside. She brushed the glass away with her hands and I crawled out and stood up.

I walked over to see if the mother and four girls were all right and thanked the nurse for checking on us. My husband was pinned in and the men that stopped kept checking on him. They did all the calling for us for help. I stood outside the door where my husband was pinned in. The truck with the equipment soon arrived and cut him out. He knew I was there and handed me his wallet.

Two ambulances carried six to the hospital. An officer took me home so I could go on to the hospital. A lady fire department person kept the hose on the cars in case of a fire.

There are so many wrecks at this intersection. We live about a mile from there. I hope this will slow people down some.

We just want to thank all the men who stopped to help, the angel nurse, the men with the equipment truck, the Richfield Fire Department and the emergency medical people, the officer and anyone else that helped all of us. Most of all we want to thank our God who watched over all seven of us.

— Frances Barnes

Richfield

Christians want to help

When I read Mr. Howard Andrews’ letter on April 20 titled “Christians vs. atheists,” I have to respond.

First of all, about the title. “True” Christians only “vs.” Satan. We extend more love and prayer to atheists and agnostics than to our brothers and sisters of Christianity. You see the parables used by Jesus in Matthew 9:12: “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick,” and Matthew 9:13: “For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” These are referring to nonbelievers. We Christians aren’t trying to condemn you; we want to save you. Allowing your choice to remain as a nonbeliever will cause you to condemn yourself.

We are all about welcoming you, no matter what, where or why you are in life. We want to share the love of Jesus Christ that has allowed us to be fruitful in this life and alive in the next. You are the first in our prayers.

You quote several sentences from famous people in your letter. They don’t allow me enough space to quote the “pro’s” of Christianity, but if you open your Holy Bible, you’ll find about 2,000 pages of writings from the most famous prophets and the true judge (God) and His Son (Jesus Christ). God is not dead!

— Jeff Long

Salisbury