I hope the youngsters on the board will find this story amusing. I think the old timers will like! So, my Dad was just a young man back in '62 when, on March 2nd, the WV Legislature voted University status to MARCO (MARshall COllege). The Parthenon had prepared 2 different Front page headlines pending the yes or no vote (They actually had to set physical "type" back then in order to "print" the paper).
And now, for the "rest" of the story!
My Dad at 32 in 1968 is elected to his 1st term as a House member from Cabell county. After he gets to Charleston, he is told how the vote in the affirmative came to be. As it was then, is now & always will be, there is a good deal of horse-trading in politics. A fella by the name of Ned Watson (Parkersburg) was leading the charge to allow liquor by the drink in the State. Proponents of granting University status to Marshall generally inhabited the southern part of the state. So, the north wanted liquor and the south wanted to make Marshall College a University. The north said they would vote for University status if the south would go for hard liquor sales becoming legal.
The resulting compromise was jokingly referred to as "Marshall by the drink". And 56 years later, I can unequivocally say I will drink to that!
WS
And now, for the "rest" of the story!
My Dad at 32 in 1968 is elected to his 1st term as a House member from Cabell county. After he gets to Charleston, he is told how the vote in the affirmative came to be. As it was then, is now & always will be, there is a good deal of horse-trading in politics. A fella by the name of Ned Watson (Parkersburg) was leading the charge to allow liquor by the drink in the State. Proponents of granting University status to Marshall generally inhabited the southern part of the state. So, the north wanted liquor and the south wanted to make Marshall College a University. The north said they would vote for University status if the south would go for hard liquor sales becoming legal.
The resulting compromise was jokingly referred to as "Marshall by the drink". And 56 years later, I can unequivocally say I will drink to that!
WS
