Bedford, PA, is showcased
by its proud citizens on a cold winter day. Touring this quaint
area, viewers attend a Boy Scout troop event, as well as a literacy
council meeting. With visits to several farms, viewers encounter
a surprising range of animals, from buffalo to llama to wallaby
to elk.
Bedford community members
share an affection for their town’s history through monuments
and museums, while enjoying the present in a mixture of comradery
and tradition, set to a relaxed pace.
Feature Segment: The history of
the Bedford Gazette
The
Bedford Gazette has been recording the events of Bedord, PA, and its surrounding
areas since 1805. Viewers visit the newspaper’s unadorned red brick
building with community member,Bill Clark, a teacher at Bedford High School.
"I thought it was important to look at the local newspaper because
I think it says something about the community," says Clark. And indeed
it does; the relaxed and friendly atmosphere at the Gazette, along with
the pleasant demeanor of its publisher, reflect the town of Bedford and
its residents. Entering
the newsroom, viewers see a wood-paneled office, lined with desks and
decorated with framed pictures. The newspaper’s publisher, Ned Freer,
provides a bit of the newspaper’s history. "The Gazette was
started in 1805 by a fellow named Charlie McDowell who was heading west."
Delicately, Freer holds up
an aged sheet of paper, "This is a copy of the second edition of
the Gazette.
It was found under the floorboards of the original office uptown."
Leading viewers to the far wall of the newsroom, Freer motions to an 1861
map of the Bedford area. He points out the newspaper’s coverage area,
adding comments about the individual households marked. "The purpose
of the Gazette was to fill in the context of life for the people in Bedford
County," says Freer. Through the visit and brief history lesson,
viewers find an enhanced vantage point of the town, and in turn, their
own context for the people of Bedford.
The
Bedford Gazette has been recording the events of Bedord, PA, and its surrounding
areas since 1805. Viewers visit the newspaper’s unadorned red brick
building with community member,Bill Clark, a teacher at Bedford High School.
"I thought it was important to look at the local newspaper because
I think it says something about the community," says Clark. And indeed
it does; the relaxed and friendly atmosphere at the Gazette, along with
the pleasant demeanor of its publisher, reflect the town of Bedford and
its residents. Entering
the newsroom, viewers see a wood-paneled office, lined with desks and
decorated with framed pictures. The newspaper’s publisher, Ned Freer,
provides a bit of the newspaper’s history. "The Gazette was
started in 1805 by a fellow named Charlie McDowell who was heading west."
It was found under the floorboards of the original office uptown."
Leading viewers to the far wall of the newsroom, Freer motions to an 1861
map of the Bedford area. He points out the newspaper’s coverage area,
adding comments about the individual households marked. "The purpose
of the Gazette was to fill in the context of life for the people in Bedford
County," says Freer. Through the visit and brief history lesson,
viewers find an enhanced vantage point of the town, and in turn, their
own context for the people of Bedford.