The Strength Of Tradition

The Strength of Tradition

In the early 1950s, approximately one-third of the Indiana State Police force was engaged in a standoff with some normally harmless farmers in Onward, Indiana. In the name of progress, the state had ordered Onward’s high school to disband and be consolidated with nearby Walton.

But for a town like theirs, the high school, and particularly the traditional Friday night basketball game, was the lifeblood of the community. They were not going to give it up without a fight.

Through a series of negotiations, the police eventually backed down. Against the mighty forces of the new and improved, this little town defended what was theirs.

Traditions of community and belief go back to the very beginning of history. Their strength is in the connection between one generation and the next. Not every tradition is rooted in what matters, but many are.

If you find yourself confronted by forces of superficial progress, seek out and defend traditions worth keeping.

Progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. —C. S. Lewis