Dale L. Martin
City Manager
Fernandina Beach
November 18, 2016 1:00 a.m.
For the past year, I have been granted the opportunity to share my thoughts with you on a weekly basis. I would like to thank Ms. Peg Davis (News Leader), Ms. Mary Maguire (Nassau County FL Independent), and Ms. Susan Steger (Fernandina Observer) for their support, encouragement, and patience. I think that I’ve missed a couple of deadlines and had to beg off once or twice due to other pressing issues.
I greatly value the relationship that I have formed with all three of these “town criers.” All three offer to me complete freedom to write. Some editing advice is sometimes provided, but never editorial direction. I look forward to continuing to build these relationships.
Offering something every week can be challenging, not necessarily the actual writing, but deciding about what to write. I have similarly written in each of my previous two communities, which means that for nearly every week for almost a decade, I have had to write. Well, not really “had to,” because this is entirely voluntary and a quiet passion.
I love words and crafting sentences. Finding the “perfect” word is like solving a puzzle or discovering the hidden treasure. The thesaurus is one of my most well-worn books. The thesaurus is on my desk within easy reach of my other references: a dictionary and my grammar text books from high school and college.
I can trace my enjoyment of writing and grammar to my eighth grade teacher, Ms. Presnell. We spent the entire year studying language, diagramming sentences and weekly spelling bees. We learned to properly punctuate. In summary, she taught us the old school stuff that bores you to death as a student but pays unlimited dividends as a professional.
The acceptable norms of modern language, bastardized by modern communication tools, probably have Ms. Presnell’s strong disapproval. The most definitive advice that I can offer to youth (like my daughters) is learn to write. I can share many examples of poorly written professional correspondence, especially when sent by email (which has an unspoken casualness that is casually accepted). Social media and texting habits are hard to break.
A year of college Latin under the tutelage of Ms. Hansen provided a deeper appreciation of words. Understanding the origin or evolution of words has been invaluable. The study of any foreign language can have a similar benefit.
Have fun with language. What does a thesaurus eat for breakfast? A synonym bun!
Finally, have a joyful Thanksgiving and share your bounties with others less fortunate.
Dale-We are fortunate to have you, not only a competent and caring City Manager, but also someone who values both the tone and the words used to convey these weekly messages. I have no doubt that Ms. Presnell is very proud of your career, and the manner in which her lessons have taken such strong root in your use of the language. Somehow, you have managed to avoid the many prevalent forms of noun as verb usage which have overtaken our society. To my knowledge you have never “impacted” anyone! Moreover, I have never heard that detested form of verbal pause, “…like you know…”, or begun a sentence with ” Yes, so—” Without being a language snob, you have become a model for that elocution which is not only correct, but entirely effective in verbal interpersonal communication. Keep up the good work.