The Few, The Proud

If you noticed in the papers last week, the test for U.S. citizenship has been reworked. A question about Patrick Henry is out and one about Susan B. Anthony is in.

This, as expected, released a torrent of jurisdictions around the country seeking to rule certain people in and certain people out of those chosen venues. Membership, as the slogan says, has its rewards. Not to be outdone, New Albany has joined in with a citizenship test of its own. The new version is, well, new, since there wasn't an old version and we can see what that lack of exclusivity has wrought. But the need to "qualify" is a little greater now than in the past. Poking around where I shouldn't have been poking around has turned up a partial advance look at the test. I offer it here for the benefit of all.

I was able to discern that the test is in three parts, and likely patterned after Scrooge's Ghosts, as it tests one's knowledge of New Albany's Past, Present and Future.

New Albany's past:

1. A famous New Albany men's store was John____Mitchell. Fill in the blank.

2. New Albany's bus line was known as _________________________?

3. What type of construction was proposed to take place on the current site of the Culbertson Mansion a.)____________ after the mansion was sold by whom?______________________________

4. New Albany held a big celebration in 1963. Why?___________________________

5. What used to happen, that does not happen now,at the intersection of Main and Vincennes streets when a train came?____________________________________________

6. What was the New Albany's telephone exchange prefix?______________________

7. Shortly after the Union National Bank on the corner of Pearl and Main Streets closed another business operated in that building. What was its name, and why was it called that?________________________________________________________

8. Two all night restaurants used to operate in the 200 block of Vincennes Street until the 1960s. What were the two restaurants called?_______________________________

New Albany's present:

1. What is New Albany's population?_______________________________

2. What are Doug England's mayoral campaign platform ideas? (use additional paper if necessary)____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

3. What are Randy Hubbard's mayoral campaign platform planks?___

4. What areas of New Albany's fringe are most likely to be the next ones annexed?______________________________

The following questions are TRUE or FALSE

5. Glorianna Frangipani is an Italian cardinal who visited New Albany before being named Pope Dalliance III.___________

6. The K & I Bridge still standing._____________

7. IUS is an important resource for New Albany._______________

8. Citizen participation in New Albany's governance is encouraged.____________

9. Most people in New Albany wish they lived somwhere else.____________

10. Many New Albany restaurants sell "Omelet Boxes" for picnics._________

New Albany's future:

This section is essay. Any answer is acceptable if supported by reasonable argument; use Blue Book.

1. Why is recollection of the past not a valid plan for the future?

2. Why is recollection of the past important?

3. List three elements of New Albany's current situation that thwart progress? What would you do to turn those elements around?

4. If a multi-million dollar project were proposed in New Albany's downtown and a competing project of similar scope were proposed for a suburban location, which location would you favor?
Address each location on the basis of a.) environmental appropriateness, b. ) economic impact, c.) its benefit for the entire city, d.) its effect on "regional" status.

Nobody said it would be easy.