This is only my personal observation; but, I'm really sorry to see what a sad site this page has become. I remember when it was a fun and interesting website to visit...with lots of positive exchanges, information and updates. These days, there's little else here but bereavement notices, poor health reports and generally bad news. Just sayin' that I'm one who's more inclined to enjoy and miss what used to be here rather than what little remains here. Still, thanks DJ for keeping this website available to those of us who remain interested in stopping-by every now and then.

"Just saying"......Bobby, I, too, have fallen behind on posting goings-on with our dear WHS folks on our message board. However, it seems that Facebook now rules the world of so many of us. If you wanna know what's going on with WHS folks....I suggest you check your or their Facebook accounts.

Personally, I do not and will not ever have a Facebook account. It's a personal preference I've made solely based on my observations of recently seeing too many young friends of mine lose entries into good jobs they truly deserved simply because of what somebody in fun or just for the hell of it posted on Facebook about them.

Believe it or not, but employers PAY hiring personnel to explore Facebook (and other internet) entries about prospective employees. The seemingly most innocent pictures (even those from when we were mere babies) and quotes are often so easily misconstrued.....AND can be the deciding factor in whether a particular person should be considered as being confident/pure enough to work for "our"
company......and I'm talking about Executive Management positions!

I plan to delete most of our WHS Alumni Website pages when I can ever find the time to get around to it. BUT if there are particular pages any of you feel need to be deleted NOW, please let me know.

I am always hoping to see some good news about our dear county, but I only see what is posted in the newspapers, and it seems most of that is all negative.
I get back up there for the reunions every 3 years and always make it a point to drive back to McDowell. It still brings back good memories of growing up there in Capels.
I don't have Facebook either.

You're right, DJ, that so many of us are now remaining in touch via Facebook which does seem to have taken the place of this excellent website for our social networking "fix". Still, this WHS website with its photos, the links, etc. serves as a great depository of "On The Hill" memories, fun and even historical information for so many.

You've done such a wonderful job with this site, DJ. It would be a shame if any of the pages, photos, etc. had to be removed; yet, if the material is possibly being misused to the detriment of people's careers or in other negative ways, it's understandable that access to the photos, comments, etc. needs to be restricted. An unfortunate "sign of the times", I guess. By the way, Jerry deserves a special thanks for hangin' in there with the updates he posts that I, for one, always read.

I will continue to "check-in" for as long as this website remains available, hoping to remain connected in some way with a distant past, unforgotten friends and cherished memories of McDowell County and our little town of Welch.

I would be sad to see this site removed. I like reading the news and comments. It's been a long time since I lived as a child at the Tidewater section of Kimball and attended WHS in the 10th grade. I enjoyed Jean Battlo's recent book on Kimball and also Alex Schust's wonderful book on Billion Dollar Coalfield. Thanks Donnie for all you have done and also thanks to Jerry for the updates. Betty