Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Rhode Island, The Rosetta Stone Of Comparisons, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Unique among the states because of being the smallest of the fifty, Rhode Island thus often serves as the measure of size when talking about other places. Most recently it was Lake Champlain."

Politics--Once Again--Threaten To Mar Census, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It may seem like a simple operation--count the number of people in the country so that the 435 members of the U.S. Congress may represent equal numbers of persons throughout the nation, but what should be a simple matter of number crunching has turned into a political quagmire."

Retaining The Charm Of Rhode Island, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The town of Exeter in Washington County is an unusual place--it is classified as one of the few remaining rural communities in the state. With 86 percent of Rhode Island considered urban by the Census Bureau, rural designation is something special in this second most densely settled state in the union."

Population Numbers Are Necessary To Predict The Future, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"'Demographics explain about two-thirds of everything.' So say David K. Foot and Daniel Stoffman in Canada's best selling nonfiction book for 1996, Boom, Bust and Echo."

Without Jobs, R.I.'S Place On Livability Lists Is Weak, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"All of us like to know and be part of the best places, whether this be restaurants, hospitals, colleges, golf courses, or whatever, so we rank them. These range from the international, where we rank levels of corruption by countries, to the local, where we rate the best clam shacks. And though we may not agree with some of the rankings, we find most of them useful in terms of making connections with places we know."

Cultural Contribution Of The Capital City, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"I like Providence, but it was not always so. As a youngster, growing up between Boston and Providence, my friends and I very seldom ventured south into that city of corruption, clutter and crime; after all this was where the Mob was centered. Rightly or wrongly, that was the image that was conveyed."

Banner Trail Map Helps Find The Way, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It's exciting to see all the changes taking place in central Providence. Whether one considers the relocation of the railroad, rivers or proposed interstate highway, the Capital Center development, the arts and entertainment activities or the refurbishing of historic buildings and construction of new buildings, "Downcity" is the place with all of the action."

Identifying Differences Is A Problem, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Her mother is black and Native American; her father is Mexican and Italian; so with what racial and ethnic group does she identify? On her college entrance application she wrote "African-American." This topnotch student, with demonstrated ability in scholarship, athletics, music, leadership and community involvement, is exactly the type of student Harvard wants, sos he has been invited to be in its entering class this fall. No small feat since nine of 10 applicants are rejected.

Ethnicity and race are two of the 10 criteria used at Harvard in making selections for admission, for diversity is the key word today, …

James Rouse--A Man For All Seasons, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services, said it best: he 'did more to revitalize American cities than anyone this century.' Recognition of this fact came last September when President Clinton awarded him our nation's highest civilian honor--the Presidential Medal of Freedom. James W. Rouse, died at the age of 81, just 17 short days before his 82nd birthday on April 26--a long life with long-lasting achievements by a humanist and an urbanist, a man often referred to as a 'real Christian' and an 'urban visionary.' Where does one begin?"

The Nemesis Of Population Decline, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The recent announcement by the U.S. Census Bureau that Rhode Island was one of only two states (New York being the other) to lose population between July 1, 1994 and July 1, 1995 should come as no surprise. After all, according to Census estimates, we have been losing population for each of the past five years and now have 15,000 fewer residents than we had on July 1, 1990."

Looking At The Future For The Elderly, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Why do we read so much about the elderly in this country? The answer, plainly stated by the Census Bureau, is that 'the growth and change of America's older population may rank among the most important demographic developments of the 20th century.'"

City Ratings Need Closer Scrutiny, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The September issue of Money magazine has just come out with its ninth annual ranking of the best "places" in the country in which to live. Somewhat of a surprise, five of the top ten are in Florida, with Gainsville garnering the number one position, and Jacksonville, Ocala, Fort Lauderdale and Naples in positions 3, 5, 6 and 10 respectively."

A Third World View Of Cities, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It may come as a surprise to many Americans that most cities of the world are the places to which people come flocking, hoping to find a better life. In this country where people still flee the city looking for the American dream out in the suburbs, this pattern of movement contrasts sharply with that experienced by most of the world's people. Growing urbanism is a force in the world that needs to be better understood, for here are opportunities as well as problems."

Hospitality And Tourism; The Hidden Industry, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"At the national level it generates $416 billion in sales and employs over 6 million people, and in Rhode Island it generates $1.4 billion in sales and employs 28,000 people. Now the second largest economic activity here and throughout the nation, this 'industry' is one that many do not recognize."

Urban Areas Offer Opportunities For Real Discoveries, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Many of us love, and long for, wide-open spaces, especially when coming from this crowded Northeastern part of the nation. And whenever time and money allow, we seek those quiet and serene spaces in order to get away from the rush and confusion of our own crowded landscape."

On Students, Standards, Employers And Jobs, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The recent an first national census survey on hiring, training and management practices in business in this country statistically reaffirmed the complaints of business leaders made a decade ago--young people coming out of our schools are not ready nor qualified for the workplace."

Visiting Worcester Makes One Appreciate Providence, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"A friend of mine works in the Worcester area, so I thought she would be the one to ask about things to do there. When I told her that we were going to New England's second largest city for the weekend, she asked 'Why?'"

Geographically, R.I. Teachers Are Among The Best, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Isn't it time that we recognize the good teachers and good work being done in the schools of this state rather than constantly harping on problems with education and how our students don't measure up to those in other countries?"

In R.I. Bad Driving Is A Way Of Life, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"A transplanted Rhode Islander, now living in Portland, Oregon tells an amusing story about Rhode Island drivers. Having lived in Oregon's major city for two years and driving there every day, she became accustomed to the good driving habits of the residents of that city and its suburbs, containing a population about 50 percent greater than that of the Providence metropolitan area. She claims that in those two years of driving she was never once frightened by someone cutting into the traffic lane in which she was driving, until recently. And then it happened, the car to her left cut …

Cincinnati: From Porkopolis To No. One City, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It was 152 years after the settlement at Providence n 1636 that this Midwestern present-day metropolis was established. Its location on what was to become the country's most industrialized river, the Ohio, provided its accessibility, starting with the first visit by a steamboat in 1811. In 1819, one of the largest city universities in the nation today, with 35,000 students, was founded And by 1850, with its location next to the rich farming areas of the country, it ranked as fifth largest city in te country and had earned the title of Porkopolis because of its status as the world's …

Erasing Misconceptions About Immigration, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Much has been written about our immigration policy because of the large numbers of Mexicans, Cubans and Haitians that have come, or attempted to come, to this country. Stemming the flow of immigrants is also one of the reasons for the actions of this country in Haiti."

Preservation Society Is A National Leader, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"In the summer of 1977, I was impressed to hear of the good works performed by the Providence Preservation Society at a meeting of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, which preserves and restores historic buildings and sites of that world city."

The Portland Of The Pacific Beguiles, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"When Amos Lovejoy of Boston and Francis Pettygrove of Portland sought to name the clearing in the Oregon forest called 'Stumptown' (because of the tree stumps remaining from frequent fires set by the Indians), each wanted to honor the New England city from which he came. By the toss of a coin, Pettygrove was the winner, and the Portland of the Northeast had its counterpart in the Portland of the Northwest."

Population Density Has Its Good Points, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Many of us love and long for the wide-open spaces, especially when coming from this crowded Northeastern part of the nation. Whenever time and money allow, we seek quiet and serene spaces to get away from the rush and confusion of our crowded landscape."

We All Benefit From A Clean Providence, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Walking along the newly relocated Woonasquatucket River and observing the new walks, roadways and bridges, one cannot help but be impressed by this continuing evidence of the revitalization of the capital city's downtown. Equally impressive is the general overall cleanliness of this area and the rest of the city center. It was not always so."

How A Small State Fits The Big Picture, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Every once in a while it is useful to make a self-examination of who we are in order to give us some perspective on ourselves and how we fit into the bigger picture. The following is such an examination."

In Economic Terms People Count!, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The economic picture for Rhode Island is looking brighter. Recent forecasts by Manpower, Inc. and the New England Economic Project (NEEP) paint a positive picture in the short-term future, reflecting on favorable signs evident in the slow recovery of the economy being experienced throughout the region."

Which Is 2nd Safest? City Or Area?, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Buried in a recent two-column story in the national Parade Magazine section of the Sunday newspapers and obscured by the advertisements that took up most of the two pages, John Tepper Marlin's headlined story, 'The Safest Places To Live,' was designed to grab one's attention. And that it did, especially if your city ranked second in the nation."

Growing Old: A Look At Rhode Island, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The series of lectures and discussions on 'Growing Old in America' recently held at Brown University brought together authorities from across the country to examine some of the issues confronting our aging society.

Ranging from health care to business opportunities to life after 60, the aged in America represent a growing number of citizens who must be considered from may different perspectives: this the speakers did on a national level. But what of Rhode Island?"

What Determines Our 'Best' Cities?, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"A friend of mine and I grew up in the same small town, and both of us still have fond memories of that typical small New England community. The military, then college, marriage and family took us away, although we still maintain contacts there. But now we have a different attitude toward the town."