Hidden Ohio -- Part One

Over the weekend, a series of articles appeared in local papers throughout Ohio. The series, written by AP reporter Dan Sewell, was entitled “Hidden Ohio.” The articles outlined both the challenges that face the region dubbed Appalachia, as well the direction in which a solution can be found. The original articles can be found here: (crossroads,High-Tech, change). In two posts, I will summarize the essentials of the articles. The first post will outline the problem caused by the changing economy, and the second post will outline the solution.

It is really no surprise—the economy has changed drastically over the past two decades. The mills, factory jobs, the mines, and other blue-collar jobs are moving out of the area. The entire economy in Ohio has begun a shift towards high-tech, information-based jobs. The mills are gone and they’re not coming back, says one man. “I think the only future we have is something like this [high-tech].”

This is a troubling development for three reasons. First, the common wisdom of the region largely discounts the problem. One store owner quoted in the article claims that all that is needed is “hard work” and the discipline “to live within your income.” The region does not place a high priority on higher education (with only 30% of high school seniors going on to college and only 12% of adults in the region ever obtaining a four-year degree). Instead, the emphasis is placed on hard work and family name. However, as the economic climate continues to change, hard work alone will not guarantee success.

Second, there is a crisis in education in many areas of Appalachia. Local school systems struggle to meet the soaring costs of operation, while trying to provide adequate education with fewer dollars and fewer teachers. Add to this that colleges are few and far between in the region, making obtaining a college education an even bigger commitment of time and resources than it might be in other areas. In my own church, graduates are faced with the cost of living on campus, or driving to a local college. There are two local colleges within an hours drive, and two more just a little over an hour. (You realize you are in Appalachia when distance is more accurately measured in time than in miles.)

Finally, there is a lack of infrastructure. The primary piece missing is access to high-speed internet options in most areas. With a widely disbursed population, it remains too costly for companies to install DSL, wireless towers, etc. Add to this a lack of cell signal in many places, few media outlets (for advertising), and a general lack of conveniences found in a bigger town or city, and our rural communities have little to offer an upstart company in the area of high tech.

Check out the articles, and don’t despair. The second post should be up today or tomorrow, outlining the solution that Sewell suggests for the region.