NEWS ROUND-UP: Grandparents Crash Dorchester Elementary

(Photo: Sharon Axline)

Dozens of Grandparents Descend on DPS: Dozens of grandparents of Dorchester's kindergarten and first- through third-grade students took time to visit their favorite kiddos this week. According to school volunteer and town advocate Sharon Axline, the school celebrated Grandparents Day with cookie bars, juice and coffee prepared by DPS staff. Grandparents stopped by the classrooms and participated in reading books and taking part in word games. 

Flu/COVID Shots for Students, Oct. 19: Public Health Solutions, the public health office that services Saline County, will be at Dorchester Public School Oct. 19, offering flu shots to DPS students with consent forms signed by parents or guardians. Updated COVID-19 boosters will also be offered. For questions, call 402-826-3880.

Flu Shots for Adults, Oct. 12: The Dorchester United Methodist Church will be hosting a flu shot clinic Wednesday, Oct. 12, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The cost for non-Medicare patients will be $37. This clinic is open to the public.

Adopt-a-Door Program is in Effect: Dorchester Public School is re-instituting its Adopt-a-Door initiative in which local businesses (or organizations) greet students on their Monday morning arrival to school. This Monday, Oct. 3, the Dorchester American Legion organizations will be the first sponsor of this year-long tradition. Call the school at 402.946.2781 if your business or organization would like to participate.

Early November is School Lunch Weeks: Parents and grandparents are invited to each lunch with their Dorchester students at the school the first two weeks of November. More information will be forthcoming as that time approaches.

Online Institutions Offering Higher Savings Rates: Times are tough when it comes to making your dollars grow or last longer -- even as artificially low interest rates fade away. At our local bank, a 22-month CD, with a minimum $10,000 deposit, still only earns you 2.25%. Not enough to keep pace with Uncle Joe Biden's 8.5% inflation. We encourage readers to check out online institutions for more competitive savings rates -- as high as 4.25%. Just make sure they're FDIC insured, of course.

DHS Volleyball Team Faces Big Tests In Remaining Contests

Sitting at 12-7 on the season, with just a handful of matches remaining in the regular season, the Dorchester High School Lady Longhorns are about to find out how they stack up against some of southeast Nebraska's top talent.

After taking top prize at the Nebraska Lutheran Invite last Saturday, Sept. 24, DHS was upset by 5-6 Sterling a few days later. 

Then last night, Sept. 29, DHS fell to Class C-2 Shelby/Rising City and Class D-2 Diller-Odell

In order to get back on the winning track, the Orange and Black Attack will need to pass several critical road tests in the next three weeks.

On Oct. 6, DHS travels to Exeter to do battle with Class C-2 powerhouse Cross County (16-2) and Exeter-Milligan (9-6).

Then on Oct. 11, Dorchester will travel to Davenport to take on McCool Junction (4-12) and top-10 ranked BDS (14-3).

On Oct. 15-18, the Lady Longhorns will hit the road yet again for the Crossroads Conference Tournament in York.

Want Dorchester To Keep Its Young Talent? Deshler Shows Us How

Deshler, Nebraska has a population of 747. It has one grocery store and one gas station, and its local high school graduates approximately 18 seniors each spring. In many ways, it's a lot like Dorchester.

Deshler is also the headquarters of international irrigation firm Reinke Manufacturing, which employs a large number (about 600) are residents.

Over the past decade, Reinke has been on a mission to transform Deshler's housing market, since the lack of housing was hurting the company's efforts to attract and retain workforce.

Reinke has been building four-plex apartment units, as well as buying single-family units throughout Deshler -- renting them to employees, who are then given the opportunity to buy the home later on.

Last year, Reinke made its biggest investment in affordable employee housing yet. It purchased an entire motel in nearby Hebron and turned the complex into apartments. The building now houses 40 people, some of them families. 

In addition, the company recently broke ground in Deshler on a two-story, eight-unit housing complex of two-bedroom apartments that will be ready in spring 2023.

In addition to employee housing, Reinke is increasing its presence and education efforts at the local schools in a bid to recruit talent sooner. The company started an employee-taught welding program at Deshler High School, and Reinke offers a similar program to adults through a cooperative effort at a community college.

A Reinke-run middle school program helps students learn to use CNC machinery, with which the company manufactures parts. Through another program at the middle school, the company teaches a class on AutoCAD, software that allows users to create detailed two- and three-dimensional drawings, as well as courses on basic electrical and hydraulics skills.

All of this has earned Reinke national attention. And while capturing the national limelight, Deshler -- and Reinke -- has set an example for similar communities and employers to follow, if they want to retain their young talent.

NEWS ROUND-UP: Longhorn Volleyball, Football Teams Have Momentum

(Photo Credit: Salty and Lit Photography)

Longhorn Football Seeks to Improve to .500: The Dorchester High School football team defeated previously unbeaten Harvard last Friday, Sept. 16. The 24-20 Longhorns victory -- which was kept the Nerud Field crowd on the edge of their seats until the very end -- provided DHS with a happy homecoming and the team's first victory of the season. Now the 1-2 Longhorns hope to notch another win this Friday, facing Meridian (0-3) in a road contest.

DHS Volleyball Now 9-2: Halfway through the 2022 regular season, the Dorchester High School Volleyball team is flying high, having racked up nine wins already this season. Since their last loss on Sept. 8, the Lady 'Horns have breezed past Red Cloud, Nebraska Lutheran, Friend, Harvard, and Osceola. But it should be noted that the last four opponents only have four wins -- combined -- this season. So DHS has been preparing for a more difficult level of play. DHS hosts Class C-2 Shelby/Rising City (9-4) and High Plains Community (10-5) this Thursday, Sept. 22. Then on Saturday, Sept. 24, DHS travels to Nebraska Lutheran for a four-team round robin.

Perez, Duchek Voted Homecoming Royalty: The DHS student body elected Fernando Perez and Jayana Duchek as their 2022 homecoming king and queen last week. Congrats to both Longhorns!

Dorchester's Water Gets OK for Drinking: Dorchester's water is safe to drink. That's the message from village hall, which reports that the community's well No. 5 has been tested and the results came back with no contamination.  Well No. 4 remains turned off due to high levels of carbon tetrachloride -- a chemical that was once widely used as a cleaning fluid in home and industry. Until 1986, the chemical was used as a grain fumigant. 

Free Fall Festival at Saline County Museum Is Saturday: The members of the Saline County Historical Society are working overtime for this Saturday's (Sept. 24) "Living History Day at the Museum." The event will be held at the museum in south Dorchester from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free, family-oriented event will feature historical skills and demonstrations. Special performances by the Studio C Cloggers and the Junior Czech Dancers. The day will end with an old time tent revival sing along. Food will be available for purchase. Attendees are encouraged to bring their family members, friends, and lawn chair and stay for all four hours. Any donations will go towards new flooring in the main building, according to an email sent to the Times. This is sure to be an autumn highlight.

Mike Reiss, DHS Grad of '75, Passes: Michael Kent Reiss, age 65, passed away Sept. 18. Mike was born August 13, 1957 in Crete Nebraska to Delbert and Irene Reiss. He graduated from Dorchester Public School in 1975. He then started working at Farmland Foods until he joined the U.S. Army in 1978 and was stationed in Germany. In 1980, Mike helped on the farm after his father, Delbert, was in a serious combine accident, which released him from the Army. He then went back to work at Farmland and continued working until he recently retired, for a total of 45 years. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, Sept. 24 at 11 a.m. at Kuncl Funeral Home in Crete.

NEWS ROUND-UP: DHS Volleyball Now 6-2

(Photo: Sharon Axline)

DHS Volleyball Aims to Keep Winning Trend Going: One-third of the high school volleyball season has been completed -- and so far, the Lady Longhorns are doing quite well. The Orange and Black Attack have won five of their last six contests. After losing to Giltner on Sept. 8, DHS crushed its opponents, Red Cloud and Nebraska Lutheran, in six straight sets. At 6-2 on the season, Dorchester will now travel to rival Friend (1-7) on Thursday, Sept. 15, and then host Harvard (1-11) on homecoming, Friday, Sept. 16.

DHS Football Seeks Season's First Win: It's been a rough start for Dorchester High School's football team, which dropped its second contest last Friday, Sept. 9, to Red Cloud, 52-14. Now the Longhorns set their sights on 2-0 Harvard for DHS' homecoming contest this Friday. The following week, Dorchester travels to play Meridian (0-2).

Sign Up Now for Women's Volleyball League: The Dorchester women’s three-on-three volleyball league will be starting play soon. Registration for teams is due September 23. Mail or drop off your registration form at Village Hall. The league will run Oct. 2 through Dec. 11. Here is the sign-up form.

New Village Government Website Up and Running: The Village of Dorchester's new website is up and running. But village staff asks for patience as they continue to refine and update it. The site will offer many features, including updates from Village Hall. Residents can even sign up for email or text alerts. Check out the site by clicking here.

FLASHBACK: The 'D' Club -- 61 Years Ago

The "D" Club.  

When we were students at Dorchester High School, we all knew who belonged to that group of individuals -- the standouts who had lettered in their chosen sport or activities. 

For every generation that has roamed the hallways of Dorchester Public Schools, at least in the post-WWII era, the black and tan letter jacket (or D Club sweater) -- emblazoned with the big, bright letter D -- has always commanded respect and admiration.

The photo above is of the 1961-1962 D Club. Notice at that time, the D Club was all male.

That was quite a year for DHS athletics. 

Most memorable was the undefeated football team, which some local sports fan say was one of the best (or the best) teams ever to play at Dorchester. The team was led by a very nimble, quick senior Dan Tesar, who held several records at DHS for decades.

Pictured in this photo, from left to right, are: (Top Row) Bill August, Rex Johnson, Marty Kamper, John Howlett, F.C. Green, Gary August and Dale Weber.  (Bottom Row) Duaine Bullock, Larry Jonas, Jack Guggenmos, Mr. Semin, Dr. Drake, Dan Tesar, Doug Sysel and Harold Axline.

Nebraska May Play Big Role In Search For 'Rare Earths'

(AP Photo)

The U.S. faces numerous national security threats today. Among them is our dependence on foreign nations for what is known as "rare earth elements." 

Rare earths are minerals that are essential to the production of military weapons systems, consumer electronics, and countless other advanced technologies. 

Right now, China is the dominant global supplier of rare earths. The communist nation is even mining rare earth minerals in other continents, primarily Africa. 

To meet the security challenges posed by China's control of rare earths, the U.S. must produce these minerals domestically, when possible. 

Nebraska could play a major role in conquering this challenge.

As reported by News Channel Nebraska, NioCorp has begun testing of rare earths extracted from Johnson County. NioCorp says it is developing North America’s only niobium / scandium / titanium advanced materials manufacturing facility co-located with an underground mine. 

Niobium is critical for production of super alloys, which make steel and aluminum stronger for use in military equipment. Scandium has important uses in fuel cells, as well as in ultra-high-performance aluminum alloys. And both are considered among the 50 minerals critical to U.S. security.

Titanium, of course, has the highest strength-to-density ratio of any metallic element.

If NioCorp can extract and separate rare earth elements from ore that it mines from the Nebraska project site -- and do so in a way that is technically and economically feasible -- Nebraska will be on the rare earths map. For now, it’s not clear yet whether there’s enough to be commercially viable.

Because many investors anticipate strong returns from rare earth mining companies, many locals have or are considering investing in the company. Nearly half of NioCorp’s 6,400 shareholders live in Nebraska not far from the project. 

The proposal has received the key state and federal environmental permits it would need, according to the AP.

Stay tuned for this developing story from southeast Nebraska.

NEWS ROUND-UP: Drought, Digs, and DPS Faculty

Drought Worsens In Saline County: Over the last three to four weeks, drought conditions have worsened in areas west of the Mississippi, including Nebraska. Saline County is now in what is considered "moderate drought" and "abnormally dry" by climatologists at UNL, which publishes the National Drought Monitor. Conditions on the ground seem worse than that. While southeast and south central Nebraska have it better than the southwest and northeast corners of the state, rain can't come too soon. As of right now, Sept. 19 is the next better-than-50% chance of rain, according to AccuWeather.

Dorchester Volleyball Now 2-1 On Young Season: The next two weeks will tell us a lot about the DHS volleyball team. After splitting contests at the Palmyra triangular last week (beating Weeping Water but falling to Palmyra), DHS won't face another Class C opponent until Sept. 22. Between now and then, the Lady Longhorns will take on eight Class D opponents, beginning with College View Academy on Tuesday and next-door rival Friend on Sept. 15.

A Look at New DPS Staff: Corey Bird, Jessica Burry, Jill Choyeski, Dawn (Stich) Persing, Elizabeth Feeken, Spencer Kotas, Brandon Sullivan, Raymi Polk, Claire White, and Clint Zaptin. There are many new (and returning) faces among the Dorchester Public School faculty this school year. See them all on pages 8-12 of the latest DPS newsletter.

Nebraska Has Nation's No. 2 Early Childhood Education: According to a comparison by financial website WalletHub, Nebraska has the nation's second-best early childhood education. WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 12 key metrics, including share of school districts that offer a state pre-K program, number of pre-K quality benchmarks met, and total reported spending per child enrolled in pre-K. Call (402) 946-2781 to learn more about Dorchester's preschool offerings.

Looking Back: Thompson Pony Farm And Rodeo

Today we look back at one of the most intriguing pieces of Dorchester's past: the Thompson Rodeo and Elmwood Pony Farm. 

If we reversed the calendar 100 years, chances are you'd be making plans right now to attend the Thompson Rodeo in late September.

Owned and operated by Colonel W.J. Thompson, the Elmwood Pony Farm was located in the northeast section of Dorchester. The farm sat on present day 10th Street, between Lincoln and Fulton Avenues.

Dating back to the 1890s, the Elmwood Pony Farm was one of the largest pony farms west of the Mississippi River. By the 1920s, the pony farm was home to more than 300 ponies.  

Thompson's pony farm was a popular destination for children from miles around, according to accounts of longtime residents. Children who lived in the country were even permitted to take home a pony and ride it all summer, if they agreed to keep it fed well.

Each September, Colonel Thompson took as many as 35 Shetland ponies to the Nebraska State Fair for rides. He entered many more of the animals in the fair's show contests. 

All of the ponies were herded overland from Dorchester to Lincoln by Thompson farm employees.

In 1930, Colonel Thompson's son, Wallace, started the Thompson Rodeo. It was usually a three-day event held each fall, complete with fighting broncos, cowboys, clowns, trick riders, cowgirls, bull doggers, concessions, rides, dancing and "whoopee." 

Pictured at the top of this story is an original banner from the Thompson Rodeo. The banner is now hanging in the Saline County Museum.

The Dorchester rodeo attracted many top riders from around the country, as well as local talent. An Oklahoma rider even came within 0.7 seconds of the world's record in calf roping at the Dorchester Rodeo.

At one time, more than 7,000 spectators were reported in attendance at the Dorchester Rodeo. 

Many people had high hopes that Dorchester would become a permanent rodeo on the famous circuit that included Cheyenne Frontier Days, as well as the Burwell and Sidney rodeos. 

But by 1940, the rodeo hit a spell of heavy rain and events were cancelled.

By 1942, the country was fighting WWII and the Thompson Rodeo closed its doors permanently, becoming another relic of our community's history.

(This is a reprint of a Times article that was published originally in August 2007.)

NEWS ROUND-UP: Fall Festival/History Day At Saline Co. Museum, Sept. 24

County Museum Fall Festival: We now have it from official sources. There will be a "Living History Day at the Museum" festival at the Saline County Historical Museum in Dorchester on Saturday, Sept. 24. The no-cost, family-oriented event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Historical skills and demonstrations will take place throughout the day, we are told. Food will be available for purchase. Attendees are encouraged to bring their family members, friends, and lawn chair and stay the entire day. Any donations will go towards new flooring in the main building, according to an email sent to the Times. This is sure to be an autumn highlight.

DHS Volleyball Prepares for Next Challenge: After handling East Butler last Thursday in three straight sets (25-23, 25-20, 25-17), the Dorchester High School volleyball team (1-0) is setting its sights on tougher challenges. The Orange and Black Attack will travel to Palmyra this Thursday, Sept. 1, for a triangular that features two Class C-2 opponents, Palmyra (1-1) and Weeping Water (2-0). Insiders tell the Times that this triangular will tell us a lot about the Lady Longhorns and their abilities. 

DHS Football Stumbles in Season Opener: The Dorchester High School football team lost its 2022 season opener on Friday, Aug. 26. In a road contest, the Longhorns fell to St. Edward 16-27. DHS led after one full quarter of play, 16-6. But Longhorns failed to maintain their momentum, giving up 21 unanswered points. Now DHS has a week off to regather and prepare for Red Cloud, which visits Dorchester and Nerud Field on Sept. 9.

Support the Longhorns - Join the DHS Booster Club: Dorchester Longhorn fans all across the state and the nation are invited to join the DHS Booster Club. The Booster Club supports Dorchester's student-athletes by raising money for much-needed supplies, equipment, uniforms, and/or capital items beyond what the school budget can provide. If you are a DHS parent, alum, or a friend of Dorchester, you may send your contribution to: DHS Booster Club, 506 W 9th St., Box 7, Dorchester, NE 68343.

Dorchester's Kevin Olson Passes At Age 69

Kevin L Olson, 69, of Dorchester passed away August 19, 2022 in Lincoln. Kevin was born in Oakland, Neb. on June 30, 1953 to Vernon and Norma (Lueninghoener) Olson. 

He graduated from Exeter Public School in 1971 and went on to Southeast Community College in Milford earning a degree in diesel technology in 1973. He was employed by Horizontal Boring and Tunneling in Exeter until starting his employment for the Saline County Roads Department in 1994, where he worked as a maintainer operator for 25 years until he retired in 2019. 

Kevin married Carol Vnoucek at the United Methodist Church in Exeter on Oct. 27, 1984 and to this union a son, Cale Robert was born.

Kevin loved to be outdoors, farming, fishing and hunting, especially with his son Cale, nephew Jerod and cousin Ed Olson. He raced ProAm stock cars primarily at Beatrice Speedway in Beatrice but also ventured to Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Midwest Speedway in Lincoln, Butler County Fairgrounds in David City, and the State Fair stock car races. He raced for over 27 years (1973-2000), making many memories with close friends Roger Klein, Tony Schweitzer, Jerome Ekeler and many more. Kevin was inducted into the Beatrice Speedway Hall of Fame in 2012. He was a big NASCAR fan, not to miss a race on Sunday afternoons on television.  His son Cale was named after NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Cale Yarborough.

Kevin loved being around kids, especially at the track, and was so proud when Cale and Jennie became parents of Waylon Harold and made him a grandparent. Kevin always had a dog and loved each and every one of them but especially Barn, Comet and Scout.

Kevin is survived by his son Cale (Jen) and grandson Waylon of Dorchester, former spouse Carol Olson of Dorchester, mother Norma Olson of Crete, siblings Mike (Sharon) Olson of York, Cheryl (John) Bullard of Lincoln and Keith (Michelle) Olson of Friend.  One nephew Jerod Olson of Seward and three nieces, Amy Jappert of Lincoln, Sarah Menyweather of Lincoln and Abbey Schluter of Gretna.  He is preceded in death by his father Vernon, sister Diane, and grandparents Ed and Fern Olson and Arthur Lueninghoener and Emma Sohl. 

Kevin’s wishes were to be cremated with no visitation or funeral service. A Celebration of Kevin’s Life will be held at the Dorchester Legion at a later date. Memorials may be given to the family for future designation. Arrangements entrusted to Kuncl Funeral Home in Crete.

Bump, Set, Spike: DHS Volleyball Ready To Shine

The Dorchester High School volleyball team's 2022 campaign is about to begin. And inside sources tell us this season could be a special one for the Lady Longhorns. (Notice how the team paid tribute to Longhorn teams of the past in the throwback uniforms above.)

With strong player participation of nearly 20 Lady Longhorns, the Dorchester roster has a solid core with sophomores and juniors comprising the majority.  

The mighty DHS will field a very competitive volleyball team that could be one of the top 10 percent squads in Class D, according to our sources. 

The new season gets underway Thursday, Aug. 25 with a home contest against East Butler.

Then this weekend, DHS will travel to Palmyra for a triangular featuring the Lady Longhorns, the host Panthers, and Weeping Water.

Here's a look at this year's DHS volleyball schedule:

Get ready for the Orange and Black Attack. Go Lady 'Horns.

Longhorn Football Season Kicks Off Friday

Bring out your black and orange! Dorchester High School's 2022 football season kicks off this Friday night, Aug. 26, at St. Edward up in Boone County. 

The Longhorns will do battle with the Beavers beginning at 7 p.m.

This is the fifth year of six-man football at Dorchester in the modern era. Just a few season ago, DPS revamped Nerud Field with a new lighting system. 

Insiders say this year's DHS team is short on numbers but big on heart. Expect a more physical style of play from the Longhorns, according our sources.

Here is the 2022 schedule:

Dorchester's football program has shown signs of strength after splitting from Milford five years ago and going to six-man. In 2020, DHS finished the year at 6-3, making the state playoffs. But last year, the Longhorns stumbled, going 1-7 due to injuries and low participation numbers. (DHS was 4-4 in its 2019 campaign and 3-5 in 2018.)

The 2022 campaign will be a tough test as the Longhorns will again be contending with a younger and smaller roster. To be competitive, DHS will be counting on young talent to mature quickly to fill in the missing pieces.

Stand by for season five of Longhorn six-man ball.

August Is 'Support Dorchester Businesses Month'

August is "Support Dorchester Businesses Month."

Raise your right hand and repeat: "I pledge to support my fellow Dorchester residents by buying local. From gasoline and dining, mechanical repair to cars, antiques and crafts, to banking services and auction services, and haircuts to wellness services and baked goods, I’ll buy from Dorchester businesses whenever possible because I know it supports my friends, neighbors, and community."

Throughout the entire month, readers are especially encouraged to support our community businesses by doing all their business in Dorchester whenever possible. 

Whether its dining out, getting your hair done, filling up the tank, buying a new set of tires, getting a loan, purchasing a used vehicle, or repairing the lawn mower, many forms of commerce can be conducted right here in town.

And every dollar counts, especially in these economically challenging times. In addition to doing your business in town, remind friends and family that it is important to keep their dollars in Dorchester. Also consider referring those who reside in the country and nearby towns to give Dorchester a try.

Help your fellow Dorchester residents who choose to do business here and employ others in our community.  

Let the remainder of this month be a reminder that the most important step in investing in the community is supporting its existing businesses.

NEWS ROUND-UP: School Open House Is Aug. 15; Village Shuts Down Water Well

Countdown to First Day of School: Dorchester Public School begins its new school year at 8:05 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. Stay up-to-date on all school activities through the popular school newsletter, available here. Meanwhile, on Monday, Aug. 15, the school will hold an open house for all parents and students from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (A light meal of hotdogs and chips will be served; elementary students can drop off their supplies that evening.)

Fall Sports Preview, Aug. 18: Get ready for the DHS Fall Sports Preview. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18 -- in the school's rear parking lot -- Longhorn fans will get a firsthand look at the DHS volleyball and football teams. Both are expected to have big seasons! Wear your orange and black, and get in on the free-will hot dog dinner, too! Next Friday evening, Aug. 19, both the volleyball and football teams will hold scrimmages at the school. 

Contaminant Shuts Down Village Well: The Village of Dorchester recently shut off its No. 4 water well due to high levels of carbon tetrachloride -- a colorless liquid with a "sweet" smell that can be detected at low levels.  The state and federal drinking water standards for carbon tet are set at 5 parts per billion (ppb). The Dorchester well showed 23 ppb. Before 1970, the chemical was widely used as a cleaning fluid in home and industry. Until 1986, the chemical was used as a grain fumigant. Carbon tet is still used to manufacture propellants and other industrial chemicals. In homes, carbon tet may be found in containers of spot remover or in fire extinguishers made before 1970.

Village Zoning Permit Available Online: Is your Dorchester home undergoing construction? Repair? An addition? If so, you need to get a zoning permit from the village. Use this form to notify village officials.

20 Steps To Community Survival

Community survival is on the minds of many small town residents nowadays.

Several years ago in an editorial, we mentioned that Dorchester has been able to escape school consolidation and loss of population, both of which are crippling many small Plains' communities. But our community is not immune to the struggles facing small-town America.

We editorialized back in 2009 that Dorchester leaders (e.g., the community foundation, the planning committee, the town board) should establish a plan that establishes some goals for Dorchester, to improve the already-good quality of life we enjoy.

Whether a nation, or a community, or an individual, you cannot attain greatness without first establishing your goals. For Dorchester's list of goals, our residents should check out an old issue of VISIONS magazine, published some time ago by the non-profit Heartland Center for Leadership Development. 

The magazine lists 20 "clues to community survival" that were compiled following a case study of small towns in Missouri, Kansas and Texas that were thriving against all odds in the midst of the 1980s farm crisis.

The study of these successful small towns "offers positive examples and proof that the knowledge, skills and attitudes for community building are at work in many places," according to the VISIONS article.

The list isn't a recipe, nor does it represent the checklist for a perfect small town, say the authors of the study. However, we think the list serves as a useful tool for starting the conversation about community improvement and goal setting in Dorchester.

CLUES TO COMMUNITY SURVIVAL

1.) Evidence of Community Pride. ("Successful communities are often showplaces of care, attention, history and heritage," the study says.)

2.) Emphasis on Quality in Business & Community Life. 

3.) Willingness to Invest in the Future. ("In addition to the brick-and-mortar investments, all decisions are made with an outlook on the future.")

4.) Participatory Approach to Community Decision Making. ("Even the most powerful opinion leaders seem to work toward building consensus.")

5.) Cooperative Community Spirit.

6.) Realistic Appraisal of Future Opportunities. ("Successful communities have learned how to build on strengths and minimize weaknesses.")

7.) Awareness of Competitive Positioning. ("Local loyalty is emphasized in successful small towns, but thriving communities know who their local competitors are and position themselves accordingly.")

8.) Active Economic Development Program. ("There is an organized, public/private approach to economic development.")

9.) Knowledge of the Physical Environment. ("Relative location and available natural resources underscore decision-making.")

10.) Deliberate Transition of Power to a Younger Generation of Leaders. ("People under 40 regularly hold key positions in civic and business affairs in strong communities.")

11.) Celebration of Diversity in Leadership. ("Women, young people, and newcomers are elected officials, business leaders, and entrepreneurial developers.")

12.) Strong Belief in and Support for Education.

13.) Problem-Solving Approach to Providing Health Care and Housing Older Residents.

14.) Strong Multi-Generational Family Orientation. ("The definition of family is broad, and activities include younger as well as older generations.")

15.) Strong Presence of Traditional Institutions that are Integral to Community Life. ("Churches, schools and service clubs are strong influences on community development and the social network.")

16.) Sound and Well-Maintained Infrastructure. ("Leaders work to maintain streets, Main Street buildings, water systems and sewage facilities.")

17.) Careful Use of Fiscal Resources.

18.) Sophisticated Use of Technology Resources.

19.) Willingness to Seek Help from the Outside. ("People seek outside help for community needs, and many compete for government grants and contracts for projects and services.")

20.) Conviction That, in the Long Run, You Must Do It Yourself. ("Thriving rural communities believe their destiny is in their own hands. Making their communities good places is a pro-active assignment, and they are willing to accept it.")