April 20, 1978

How bad is the drug problem in Rappahannock County?

“No worse than New York City on a per capita basis,” according to Bob Trainer.

“The county does indeed have a drug problem,” Superintendent of Schools William Bloomer agreed. “Not to admit it would be like an ostrich sticking his head into the sand.”

Trainer, a representative from the Culpeper Mental Health Clinic Substance Abuse Office, and Virginia State Police Investigator Frank Lasley were the featured speakers at the Rappahannock Citizens for Better Education’s special meeting on drug awareness.

Parents tend to deny that any kind of drug problem exists with their child, according to Trainer, “I’ve seen every kind of reaction from ‘I’ll buy it for you, Johnny’ to ‘Get the hell out of here.’ Both are equally destructive,” he warned parents.

Rappahannock fire fighters have been busy battling an outbreak of fires here and in neighboring Madison County over the past week.

According to Fire Warden Tippy Jenkins, a report of a blaze on the mountain peak in Horseshoe Hollow was turned in at 1 p.m. on Monday. Five companies from Flint Hill, Washington and Castleton plus civilian volunteers had the fire under control by 5 p.m. Jenkins did mop up work and stayed at the site until midnight. He reported that approximately three acres burned before the fire was extinguished.

The cause of the fire was undetermined, although Jenkins expected it was started accidentally by a hiker or hunter.

Viewtown store is spotless with the kind of clean that marks a labor of love.

And when the Barrons’ talk about their memories from almost a half century of minding the store, both Theodore and Margaret beam with pleasure. If they have any complaints or regrets, they keep dissatisfaction well hidden.

Barrons have been Viewtown storekeepers since 1919, when Theodore’s father bought the business from H.W. Spilman. As a youngster he worked for his dad. “But I didn’t get any salary,” Theodore recalled. It wasn’t until after he married Margaret that his father paid him a salary — a monthly check of $35, according to Theodore.

Ledgers dating back half a century show the impact that the passing years have had on food prices. In 1939, a one pound bag of coffee sold at Barron’s for 13 and a quarter cents. Coffee in the can was more expensive, going for 18 and a quarter cents. A pound of cocoa was only 18 cents.

Two loaves of bread sold for ten cents in 1933 while gas then was 22 cents a gallon, according to Theodore’s ledgers.

Adoption of an in-school suspension program will “establish a jail house inside the schoolhouse,” maintained school board member Robert Eastham in opposing a grant application for federal funds to run such a program.

At a special meeting held Monday, March 24, the board voted unanimously to oppose a grant application by the RappahannockRapidan Criminal Justice Advisory Council on behalf of the county for in-school suspension. The money was to be channeled through the state from the federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration.

According to Eastham, three Rappahannock students were under suspension as of March 24, none by action of the board. In addition, he said, no students were suspended in the previous month by board action. With the lack of suspended students, there’s no need for an in-school suspension program.