Beginning just before the time I graduated in 1974, there was an often discussed topic at Natchez Board of Aldermen Meetings that can be paraphrased as “Natchez does not want, and Natchez does not need, smokestack industries.”

There were articles blaming the unions at the Natchez factories for all sorts of societal ills when professional organizations perform the same sorts of functions for their members; one local businessman claimed the pay of United Rubber Workers toiling in the Natchez plant was “obscene.” This was some months before this same businessman got into serious trouble over his own obscene way of dealing with the money of his customers.

What we see in Natchez today is the fruit of all those efforts to protect the tourism industry over all other industry. The fact is many graduates would love to never have to leave; it’s just that many do not see a very bright future in working for hotels or casinos or as antebellum or condominium groundskeepers.

Between the then and now of the two above paragraphs there was a period in Natchez where the local joke was “Will the last person out of town please turn out the lights!” Many of us had to leave, and many of us have come back. It’s hard to go away from home, especially when home is such a beautiful place. So in answer to your Sunday poll I say yes, the time is already here when graduates will want to return. They just have to go make some money first.

Marty Ellerbe

Vidalia resident