As I have said many times before, my first ambition was to be ambassador to China. I spent three years in Japan, two years in Indonesia with the State Department and a year in the Philippines with the Peace Corps. I learned a lot, but there was a feeling in my gut that I wanted to do more. My friend Charlie Peters came to me one day in 1964 and told me that I knew plenty about Asia but did not know enough about my own country. He told me about the new VISTA program and that it would give me an opportunity to help out those in need in Appalachia. I decided to join the program and immediately came to West Virginia. I literally kind of wandered through the state. I went to Cabin Creek and Dry Branch before finally ending up in Emmons near the Boone and Kanawha county borders. I was shocked and surprised at the fact there were only 265 families in this small, rural area. For some reason, though, the town struck me perfectly. Unfortunately, I did not strike them the same way. It took me six months to finally be accepted by the community. I used to sit on the railroad tracks with the kids, throwing rocks and just talking with them. One day, one of the kids invited me into their home; then the others soon followed. I had found what I wanted, what my stomach was telling me, by working with this community. I found a few other things out as well. There was not any organization in the community or a general effort to better the living conditions of the area. Senator Jay Rockefeller served as a staff member in the Peace Corps under Founding Director Sargent Shriver.
Jay Rockefeller Reflects on Time as a Volunteer
Rockefeller Reflects on Time as VISTA Volunteer
Posted Thursday, November 19, 2009 ; 06:00 AM | View Comments | Post Comment
Updated Wednesday, November 18, 2009 ; 09:13 PM
U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller talks of his time with Volunteers in Service to America, an anti-poverty program, in Emmons, Kanawha County.
CHARLESTON -- Editor's Note: This is a personal account from U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller from a telephone interview with The State Journal staff reporter Michael Hupp about his time with VISTA, Volunteers in Service to America, an anti-poverty program, in Emmons, Kanawha County.
As I have said many times before, my first ambition was to be ambassador to China. I spent three years in Japan, two years in Indonesia with the State Department and a year in the Philippines with the Peace Corps.
I learned a lot, but there was a feeling in my gut that I wanted to do more.
My friend Charlie Peters came to me one day in 1964 and told me that I knew plenty about Asia but did not know enough about my own country. He told me about the new VISTA program and that it would give me an opportunity to help out those in need in Appalachia.
I decided to join the program and immediately came to West Virginia. I literally kind of wandered through the state. I went to Cabin Creek and Dry Branch before finally ending up in Emmons near the Boone and Kanawha county borders.
I was shocked and surprised at the fact there were only 265 families in this small, rural area. For some reason, though, the town struck me perfectly. Unfortunately, I did not strike them the same way.
It took me six months to finally be accepted by the community. I used to sit on the railroad tracks with the kids, throwing rocks and just talking with them. One day, one of the kids invited me into their home; then the others soon followed.
I had found what I wanted, what my stomach was telling me, by working with this community. I found a few other things out as well. There was not any organization in the community or a general effort to better the living conditions of the area.
There was only a single school for the kids living on the Boone County side. There was not a single school bus that ran to take the kids on the Kanawha County side to school. The rule at the time was if you did not live within two miles of the head of the hollow, the school would not pick you up. We worked with the Kanawha County school board and got the Kanawha County kids a bus.
It was exhilarating. I was reborn-like I had finally found my soul, like I found what I was meant to do. I had no political bone in my body. My parents were apathetic to the political process, but after seeing I could make positive change I knew politics was the direction I needed to take.
Other VISTAs and I did not do anything on Sundays because the church would not allow it, but we did so many things in that community.
We had basketball games in the elementary school gym in Nellis. I was on the team because I was still young enough then to play. We had baseball games. We never won a single game in two years. I think we played 24 games over those two years and lost them all, but it was a hopeful experience that changed my life. The kids were just happy to be a part of something, to have a bat, and a ball and a glove in their, playing organized sports.
We brought in a teacher for piano lessons. We opened a library.
We were not solving basic problems, but we were learning how to provide hope to those living an isolated life.
I think the Giles family is the only family left still living in Emmons. It is terribly sad to me to see the community has gone away. The people still living in the area do have running water now. They still do not have cell phone service.
There were really good kids in Emmons. Without them, I never would have made progress. They were the base of my community organizations. I have told this story many times in many different speeches, but there is one kid who will always stick out in my mind.
His name was Eddie. He was 18. He was an exceptional kid. He wanted me to help him find a job. I made some calls and got him a job interview at Union Carbide.
Eddie had never been to Charleston, which surprised me, just being 45 minutes away or 20 minutes as the crow flies from Emmons.
We parked at the Union Carbide building. He was amazed at the streetlights. He had never seen anything like them. The interview was on the third floor. He had never been in an elevator. All of this was totally unnerving for Eddie.
We went into the interview room. The interviewer was a nice man. I never will forget there was this huge window behind the interviewer. The sun was shining brightly onto our faces. The interviewer told Eddie he could shut the blinds if it would make him feel more comfortable.
There was only one problem. Eddie had never seen Venetian blinds before. It was transformational to see in the 60 seconds Eddie sat there, staring at those blinds as the interviewer also sat there trying not to say anything. He did not want to embarrass Eddie.
Eddie just kind of took the bottom six slats and tried to get them to hang.
When the interviewer started to ask questions, Eddie could not even get his name or address out of his mouth. It was humiliating to me to watch Eddie.
Eddie left shortly thereafter. I do not know where he went after that, nor do I know where he is today.
The emotion of that moment of his humiliation is something that I will carry with me forever.
I got into politics shortly thereafter. I knew I could not be a VISTA forever, so I ran for the House of Delegates, knowing that was the way I could continue to make change.
I knew there were a 1,000 Emmons all across Appalachia.
