Dear Editor,

Living in a rural area, we understand that not everything we want will be available to us in our little community. One aspect of American life that every community should be entitled to, however, is the “professional” class. In the past few years, I have noticed the glaring need for more members of the professional class in Warren; more doctors, veterinarians, accountants, and nurses. Having these occupations nearby is crucial to the health and well-being of the community.

These jobs have left the area because of a declining population and a lack of county and state funding for crucial human services. The number of doctors in town is far less than when I was a child. Similarly, JCC and the public school district struggle to find qualified teachers. This past week, I struggled to find a nearby veterinarian who could treat my mother’s cat. Some of our own young people are trained in these careers, but they tend to find more lucrative opportunities outside of the community. Without the proper funding to keep these jobs in Warren, we will soon find ourselves in a situation where our entire population is served by a small, overworked group of survivors from Warren’s once-blossoming professional class.

Caleb Pennington

Warren