Reply #20: Ding, ding, ding

[MountainLaurel]

We have a winner.

A couple years ago, the Charleston Gazette did a series on native Mounties who had moved out of the state because of the job market for people with training or college degrees.

I'm one of them. My undergrad degree is in journalism. At the time, average salary for a starting reporter was about $14-18K, and that was for a job in one of the more metro areas. Non-faculty staff in the library at WVU were making about $18K, with years of experience. I just couldn't see making a career there.

Of my friends and folks I graduated with, I can think of only a few who remained in the state, and almost all of them live in the Eastern Panhandle and commute to the DC area.

In addition to the lack of jobs beyond the chicken plants and Wal-Mart, I wonder if subtle and overt prejudices against those who have went to get "book-larnin'" also has something to do with it. Any thoughts?