The juxtaposition between “The joy of being jolly” printed this week as a historical piece from 1902 and the two guest columns written by rural Freeman resident Ashley Holzwarth dealing with mental health struggles that appeared in the past two issues of The Courier couldn’t be more striking. The former from 120 years ago urges everybody to “smile on, smile ever,” to “quarantine your feelings,” and that “people with ‘bad spells on them’ and the ‘dismals’ will cheer up, be chirk and get well.’”

It’s a real duty, and the violation of it ought to subject anyone to fine and imprisonment. What right has anyone to go about the community lachrymose, woebegone, with “tears in ‘s eye, distraction in ‘s aspect!” What right has he to distribute the bacilli of depression, gloom, dumpishness, and general “forlornity?” A fellow may have corns and porous plasters, and boils and styes and spasms, and freckles and moles, and eardrums and quinine pills, and an utter absence of joy in the stomach regions, but he needn’t hire the town-crier to go about with a bell proclaiming it.

“If Freeman didn’t have a team, I’d be playing somewhere else. I can’t imagine a summer without baseball.” That’s what Jake Weier, player/manager with the Freeman Blacksox, told me when I visited with him about his team’s run through the District 6 Amateur Baseball Tournament and upcoming trip to Mitchell for the Class B state tournament. It’s also all you need to know about Jake’s love for — and commitment to — America’s Game.

Big-time congratulations are in order for the organizers of this year’s South Dakota Chislic Festival, the outstanding event that once again unfolded on the grounds of the Freeman Prairie Arboretum on Saturday. An ability to safely and comfortably handle that many people converging on one spot in that amount of time is no small feat, and the fact that they pulled it off speaks to the kind of people who are in leadership.

Local youth baseball and softball teams are once again on the heels of what was another successful spring and summer season, with strong finishes at both the league and state level highlighting the effort. That includes a state championship for both the 12U boys and 12U girls earned last weekend. Congratulations are in order for all the players and coaches.

I was distressed to learn that Gannett has decided to scuttle the traditional editorial page in its papers. Gannett, the largest newspaper company in the United States as measured by total daily circulation, has more than 250 daily and weekly newspapers in 46 states. That includes the Aberdeen American News, Sioux Falls Argus Leader and Watertown Public Opinion.   Last month Gannett told its publishers to cut back opinion pages to a few days a week and to refocus on community dialogue. Time will tell what that will look like, but it’s a trend that troubles me.

Once work is completed on the major construction projects around town, it’s going to look great — there’s no doubt about that. But what are Freeman residents doing on their own to make this community a good place to visit and live? Here’s a good reminder to be the community you want to see.

TIM L. WALTNER - Publisher Emeritus I really like the Phoenix as the mascot selected by students for the Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy coop football team. I liked it immediately when I first heard it was in the running. It’s unique. I like the alliteration (despite the spelling – F-Ph). And I appreciate the symbolism (excellence/rebirth/transformation) and the thought that went into bringing Phoenix to the table.

The conversations that took place Monday night between concerned patrons of the Menno School District and Superintendent Tom Rice were a textbook example of what healthy dialogue looks like, and what positive public discourse can lead to. Meeting in regular session inside the old city/school auditorium March 14, Rice and the school board heard from a number of parents about two concerns: Moving baccalaureate from the main school gymnasium into the very space they were meeting on Monday, and fifth graders being added to the 6-8 middle school structure.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”