Ohio University’s campus is gorgeous. The trees, flowers and friendly students make a great atmosphere for young people from around the world to learn. However, there is a common misconception that such an environment creates a bubble that shields students from the outside world, a misconception that paints Athens as a liberally-minded wonderland filled with new ideas and investments. What people commonly reference in this idealistic belief is the city of Athens, not Athens County.
The county was founded on Mar. 1, 1805, exactly two years after the state of Ohio was founded, meaning the county shares a significant history with its state. However, the Appalachian region is older than any organized government. Underground mining in the region occurred while Ohio was still a territory, which is one significant factor that drove inhabitants to the region.
Today, the city of Athens continues to grow. For example, OU recently welcomed the class of 2029, an all-time high of 4,550 freshmen on the Athens campus for the fall semester. Interestingly, less than a quarter of the class contains students who come from Ohio’s 32 Appalachian counties.
In the northeast quadrant of the county lies an extensive grid of underground mines, which many OU students do not know about, including mines in Nelsonville and Buchtel just off U.S. Route 33, the route that primarily leads to Columbus and more cities further north.
There are countless towns whose economies were once supported by booming coal and mining industries. Glouster, Trimble, Jacksonville and The Plains all have mine systems that once fed a large demand for coal in the state and country. Today, many do not know the names of those cities, even if they live in a house or dorm less than an hour away.
OU faces a unique dilemma: it preaches a commitment to serving the region while its students do not have a full grasp of what the “region” is. It’s like taking the test on the first day of class; few will get the right answers without studying first.
Despite recent economic struggles, the region continues to survive, and its people have deep roots in the region. A $2.8 million project is underway in the city of Glouster to address community development and revitalization. The project addresses four areas: improvements to downtown buildings and the Glouster Memorial Park, the construction of a daycare facility and a workforce development program for the town’s 1,620 residents.
According to the department, the project plans to “mitigate the socio-economic impact of the decline of the coal mining industry.” Another goal of community development lies in its name. People look to raise their children in areas where they feel safe and supported.
Other areas of the county, including Glouster, are still looking for the resources the city of Athens has at its disposal.
Athens County contains over 62,000 people, per the U.S. Census Bureau, with the city of Athens making up over a third of the population at over 23,000 people. When academics and students characterize the entire region as a socioeconomic haven, they must remember that the heart of economic power and resources is located in the city of Athens, and not distributed equally across the county.
Every college campus has history, except this one is steeped in an Appalachian pride not every student is inherently familiar with.
What the campus does with its history is what matters, including how it curates and takes care of it. Part of students’ time here is to be stewards of this campus and its neighbors. Because of this, the present is an incredible lesson for the state and country.
Households across Athens County and the temporary academics who grace its green for a short time will continue to stand divided if they call Athens a “liberal” campus and a “conservative” county, because it ignores the immense socioeconomic pressures many Athens County residents do not have the time or the resources to express.
Students must build bridges broken by physical distance and time. An education at OU does not solely rely on the classroom – there are lessons to be learned just over the hill. It takes a sense of radical curiosity and a willingness to redefine popular conceptions in the name of truly serving this county.
Aiden is a sophomore studying journalism. Please note that the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Aiden? Reach him on Instagram at @aiden_with_an_i_ or email him at ar260223@ohio.edu.
