Posted by DEAN SKIP RUTHERFORD – Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of spending the day in the Arkansas and Mississippi Delta. Since our school opened in 2005, Clinton School students have performed public service projects in this part of the country and this year are working on projects based in Marvell and Helena-West Helena in Phillips County, Ark. I visited with people in both communities but also made time for delicious barbecue in Helena-West Helena where our students are helping market “Delta Made” products.
The most educational part of the day was spent across the river in the Mississippi Delta. From stopping in the small town of Alligator, Miss., to feasting on some of the best vegetables I’ve ever tasted in my life at the Country Platter in Cleveland, Miss., it was one of the most enjoyable and educational days I have spent as Clinton School Dean. Cleveland is a wonderful town: home of Delta State University, a good public school system, a regional hospital, a diversified economic base and strong community volunteers. It is one of the Delta’s crown jewels.
I must say, however, the highlight of the trip was spending time at Poor Monkey’s, a juke joint in an old wooden building on a dirt road outside of Cleveland. Every Thursday at Poor Monkey’s is blues night with a $5 admittance cover charge. Poor Monkey is also the name of the person who runs the place. We missed blues night but spending an hour listening to Poor Monkey tell stories about the Delta and its music exceeded all expectations.
My mother grew up in the Delta town of Batesville, Miss.–not that far from Poor Monkey’s. I spent many summers in the Delta with my grandmother and other relatives so this trip back to the region was nostalgic to me. I’m also glad I made it because it again confirmed the importance of the Clinton School’s public service project work, which I hope in the future might expand to the Mississippi side of the river. It also was inspirational because I met many fine people who proudly call the Delta home. I can certainly understand why. A part of me wanted to stay.
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