Now that life-support has been removed from the former Sacred Heart Hospital, we will watch as her slow premature death takes place. Attached are the sentiments of one of her former employees.
Ah, Yes! You were quite the lady when you came to town back in the sixties. With your skin-tight pre-cast pink quartz slabs, you were the pride of our area, lording over Cumberland from your perch on Haystack Mountain.
Aided by media hype, you were much anticipated and embraced by the community with its generous support. You ushered in a new era of healthcare as big government became involved. And you symbolized the character of Cumberland- proud and hopeful.
Your “owners” had a long standing presence here. Their mission of serving, compassion and unselfish devotion permeated the entire organization of doctors, nurses, all personnel, volunteers and advisors.
Yes, you were a welcomed addition to the community. And you served us well.
Why did you suddenly become irrelevant-stripped of your glory and prestige? How did your bright star fade, then die out?
Was it the infamous merger with your crosstown rival? Or the current mania in this country for bigness, power, control, monopolization? Well, let’s not get into that. Suffice it to say, you became the unwitting, helpless victim of something.
You are still young, strong, adaptable, full of energy and, yes, good looking. Yet your halls and rooms are empty, silent, wasted.
Although your original architecture may have been marred by frequent ‘expansions’, your majestic beauty has endured. You do not deserve to be sentenced to the wrecking ball.
It has been said that any city is judged, not by the monuments it has built, but by those it has destroyed. Cumberland is famous for both.
If there is any consolation in being replaced by a building for the purpose of education, no less a noble undertaking than healthcare, then you have not lost your ground, but have built a bridge to the future. Yet one must wonder, if two hospitals are one too many, how many high schools are one too many?
Ah, Fair Lady, Although you may be spared the all-too- common heart-breaking fate of old age, we are confident you would have aged as gracefully as the Victorians of Cumberland’s downtown.
Harry McCunn
Cumberland
Letters
An ode to a fair lady whose days sadly are numbered
- Letters
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Why have the media been silent all this time?
When I read the Cumberland Times-News Editorial this morning, Friday, May 17, entitled, “Outrageous,” I laughed like a kid at a birthday party!
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What are chances this much money will be spent on road?
I was intrigued by cost data summarized in reporter Kathy Mellott’s recent article, “Completing southern link of U.S. Route 219 said to be best use of highway funds,” which appeared in the Cumberland Times-News on Tuesday May 14 (Page 1A).
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School board should be doing better job with less money
The Allegany County Teachers Association (ACTA) board of directors recently submitted a letter to the editor asking the Allegany County commissioners to fully fund the Board of Education’s budget request for the upcoming fiscal year (“Commissioners should fund school board request,” April 29 Times-News).
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Were they really good old days? You decide
When a fellow gets old, it’s not unusual for his mind to wander back to the days of his youth. He may forget where he laid his glasses five minutes ago, yet he can remember events that took place a half a century ago. This is one of the interesting things of old age.
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Wearing the poppy tells others people that you remember
On May 25, members of Farrady Unit 24 American Legion Auxiliary, Frostburg, will once again ask the citizens of the community to remember the sacrifices our veterans have made.
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Donating your old bike will help someone who really needs it
Once again Bikes for the World is collecting used bicycles at Canal Place, May 25 from 10 a.m. to noon,
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Hosting Fresh Air Children can be a memorable experience
I got a phone call, and a little voice said, “Hi Miss Linda, I’m calling to wish you a Happy Mother’s Day.”
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Stop buying licenses; let them find the money somewhere else
A few months ago, I received two cards from the National Rifle Association. These were dealing with a legislative alert.
They asked that I should contact Sen. George Edwards and Delegate Kevin Kelly concerning the anti-gun legislation. -
Strength of gun laws is not reflected in grisly statistics
According to the FBI’s uniform crime reports, California had the highest number of gun murders in 2011 with 1,220, which makes up 68 percent of all murders in the state that year and equates to 3.25 murders per 100,000 people.
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‘Forgotten warrior’ not forgotten
The Korean War is often called “The Forgotten War.” My generation remembers the Battle for LZ X-Ray at Ia Drang, The Tet Offensive, and Khe Sahn of the Vietnam War.
- More Letters Headlines
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Why have the media been silent all this time?
