The DAR and The Riverfront Politics

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded on October 11, 1890, during a time that was marked by a revival in patriotism and intense interest in the beginnings of the United States of America. Women felt the desire to express their patriotic feelings and were frustrated by their exclusion from men's organizations formed to perpetuate the memory of ancestors who fought to make this country free and independent. As a result, a group of pioneering women in the nation's capital formed their own organization and the Daughters of the American Revolution has carried the torch of patriotism ever since.
The objectives laid forth in the first meeting of the DAR have remained the same in over 100 years of active service to the nation. Those objectives are: Historical - to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence; Educational - to carry out the injunction of Washington in his farewell address to the American people, "to promote, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge, thus developing an enlightened public opinion…"; and Patriotic - to cherish, maintain, and extend the institutions of American freedom, to foster true patriotism and love of country, and to aid in securing for mankind all the blessings of liberty.
Since its founding in 1890, DAR has admitted more than 800,000 members and over 25 of those members were in attendance this past week for one of their annual meetings. A guest speaker was also in attendance; Peter Hughes, a gentleman who portrayed the founding father of Hamburg, Henry Schultz. He dressed the part, he spoke the part, he was the part. Everyone seemed to enjoy him.
The members of the DAR are portrayed on some television shows as being moneyed, stuffy arrogant women but if our chapter is any indication, none of that is true. They were all gracious and kind.
There were mixed feelings as I read the front page of last week’s Star. I think it is wonderful that we are “teaming” with Augusta to improve their Riverfront and Downtown area. The first reaction was that if this actually came to pass, the crime rate over there would be greatly reduced therefore insuring that our citizens and our visitors would be relatively safe walking their river front and that maybe our Public Safety Department could relax a little. You may not believe it but if the crime rate in Augusta is not curbed it is only a matter of time before they come over here to wreak havoc on us. The second reaction was, wait, we are already in bed, so-to-speak, with the powers that be in Augusta so the only difference would be we are giving them overt money. Our own Rick Meyer of North Augusta Parks & Recreation and Randy Warrick of USC Aiken sit on the board of the Augusta Sports Council along with Mr. Morris of Morris Communications and the Marriott and Darrly Leech of the Marriott. This in itself seems a conflict of interest since any sports related event coming to our fair city would have the unwritten or written obligation to spend the majority of their money in Augusta not North Augusta so what to we get except a lot of people visiting that may or may not come back?
I am also amazed that we want to give money to a city that one week has to lay off or fire employees because they are near broke, yet a few months later they “find” millions they did not know they had and as in today’s Chronicle, the audit proves the city is solvent. This is all a little dubious to me. If they have so much money they do not need ours and if they are so worried about their riverfront, which coincidentally the Marriott just happens to sit on, then Augusta should improve its own riverfront.