Nearly every school has a web site which lists activities, events, and sports schedules. Here in Des Moines, all of the schools list sports schedules months ahead of time even down to the grade school level. That way, parents can simply download them and stick them on their refrigerator. Unfortunately, Jefferson does not even list their fall football schedule this way for us.
What's with Jefferson and their lack of interest in the electronic media? It's pretty bad when an old fart like myself regularly surpasses the school in technology information. Why won't anyone post the Jefferson sports schedules on line? Why doesn't the local newspaper even have a web site? And while we're at it, why doesn't Diamond Dave own a football??
Apparently the JIN staff may have overlooked the athletic schedule website.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.heartofiowaconference.org/g5-bin/client.cgi?G5genie=67&school_id=5
As far as the local newspaper not having a site, no surprise there. Change is not a word spoken at that office. Have you seen any photos in the paper that are "news"? Joe Bigshot donating $100 to Farlin Orphans Fund is not news. Thats called a donation. Can't recall the last time any sports team made the front page. Come to think of it, I can't recall any pictures other than donation photos or people getting hired here or there in years.
Thanks for the update on the sports schedules, lawman. I have to say, though, that they really should be easier to locate for out-of-towners. That site works good for those who know how to find it (parents, students, etc), so I stand corrected in regard to that.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the Jefferson-Scranton HS site doesn't list them so I would not have found them. Some one needs to put just a little more effort into their postings and realize that there may be folks outside their immediate orbit who are fans. The same holds true with Bell Tower info, for example. Oh well, it's somebody else's turn to correct me. Go ahead.
By the way, that site with Jefferson schedules is the Heart of Iowa Conference web site, and was not posted by anyone in Jefferson. It was posted by the IHSAA or somebody like that. If it had been left solely up to Jeffersonians, the info would not be available.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the lack of internet use here locally is based on the local paper's refusal to enter the electronic age. What you are doing here and on facebook could easily have been done by them.
ReplyDeleteThe younger generation of Jeffersonians needs to be willing to devote some of their time to this problem. The school or even the paper would undoubtedly accept offers of help or advice on this. Until the interest is there, the problem will remain. I don't think you will find the internet used as extensively here in Jefferson as you might where you live. I meet people who use it just for emails, facebook, or visiting a favorite site. Not much used for finding local information. People just pick up the phone.
I have no idea why Diamond Dave does not own a football. Maybe he is into soccer.
In small towns, the local paper should take the lead in promoting electronic media. If done correctly it will lead to increased exposure and advertising sales, even more so when linked to nearby communities' sites.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, after studying forgotten archives I have found that the Bee & Herald did not convert to dial telephones until the mid '60s. A quote from the press foreman at that time, " I don't know that it is a big improvement from these tin cans and string. You just have to keep it tight. "
Read into that what you will.
As an aside, D.Dave does not own a football because he cuts them up and goes to parties as Zippy the Pinhead. I have photos.
The internet (and other technology) is actually to blame here. When we went to games, there was nothing else to do, except hang out at home and watch Channel 8.
ReplyDeleteNow a potential fan has cable TV/dish, internet with porn, etc to keep him/her from venturing to Frank Linduska Field.
Diamond Dave doesn't have a football because he believes it is cheaper to wait for someone to give him one.
Forget the internet in Jefferson. If you want to make a boatload of money, lease Bordenaro's, have daily Bingo, free coffee and cheap donuts. Give away coupons from Fareway and Pamida. Sell unlimited Bingo cards at 50 cents a pop. Keep local ambulances on call for surprise winners. Actually, I'm surprised and disappointed that Larry hasn't thought of this. It would fit in perfectly with his blue hair eating establishment and would be a great way to move day old chicken.
ReplyDeleteI won't comment on the Diamond Dave/football thing as I believe Rich has nailed it like an ace.
The price of the information on the internet is negligible, which has fueled it's explosive growth. I agree that the paper, school, city government, etc. help advance technology by making available increasing info to the populace.
ReplyDeleteSupplying content for their internet site is considerably more expensive. They need to bite the bullet and embrace this expense. I'm sure the schools have someone with these capabilities. It further encourages Jeffersonians to increase their skills bcz there is more needed info available so readily.
I believe many stay ignorant bcz they hardly know what to ask and when helped the "teacher" seemingly goes 1,000,000 miles per hour when they needed a speed limit of 20 mph. That has been true for me before.
About no football
Iona, You are correct, I'd prefer to play soccer. Rich, Marty- funny, valid insight. Big Nasty- I have no photos of me as Zippy the Pinhead. I'd appreciate if you would forward to me thru JIN.
The school probably issues a calendar at the start of the school year, sponsored by the business community, to parents that contains information about various sporting activities throughout the year. No excuse to not use the internet as well, just no imagination. "We've always done it that way!" They have probably not even thought about the internet.
ReplyDeleteLikewise, the Jefferson Bee-Herald should at least print an e-mail address allowing readers to submit stories, letters or other information. Probably would be such an added burden for them to read it, that they wouldn't want to utilize the internet to improve their papers. The Grand Junction reporter died and I cannot see that they replaced her. No news is good news! The Bee-Herald had to start using dial when the phone company changed in 1957, but touch tone dialing wasn't considered until long after it was offered.
I think Diamond Dave has given up football and taken up Scrabble. Purely a mental rather than physical exercise. I likewise agree with Rich regarding Diamond Dave acquiring a football. I haven't been to a high school game since I graduated. Wasn't even interested much in sports while in high school.
The problem, as Braxton states, is that "the school probably issues a calendar at the start of the year ... to parents...".
ReplyDeleteOK. So you've informed a few hundred folks what is going on. Only in Jefferson would you figure that to be sufficient. In most places, communities embrace alumni and others as fans. Schools no larger than Jefferson have this information at your fingertips regardless of where you live.
Take the city of Osceola, for example. In 2000, Osceola and Jefferson had identical populations and served as county seats miles away from larger cities. Osceolanews.com is their online newspaper and is similar in quality to that of the Des Moines Register. Schedules, among many, many other things can be obtained just by visiting that site.
I didn't choose Osceola because it has a great web site. I selected them because they are the same size and demographics as Jefferson.
When Rick Morain retires, the city of Jefferson will be left without a newspaper. All because nobody in the ENTIRE TOWN has the ambition to at least put it online. This should lay to rest the debate over whether people in Jefferson are lazy or not.
I know Diamond Dave. Diamond Dave is a friend of mine. He has told me directly that he prefers soccer to football. By the way, he doesn't own a soccer ball, either. The reason he doesn't own a soccer ball is that he is too cheap.