The Casper Journal :: Casper's Community Newspaper

As I watched my 12-year-old daughter holding our first grandbaby, I recognized the possibility that, given my age and the fact that people are having children later in life, I may not get to meet all of my grandchildren.

I thought about whom they might be and what they would know about us. I thought about the pearls of wisdom that I received from my parents and grandparents. Some of their quips and quotes have been helpful.

And today when a quote comes to mind, those people come to mind. So I decided to write some thoughts to our future generations so they would know we were thinking about them.

As the idea expanded, it became a project that you will see beginning in today’s Casper Journal. A cooperative project between the Casper Journal and the Casper Star-Tribune, “Words of Wisdom” will record personal insights and advice from a broad spectrum of some well-known and some not-so-well-known local and national people.

For a year, we will publish two “Words of Wisdom” each week: one on Wednesday in the Casper Journal and one on Thursday in the Casper Star-Tribune.

Every reporter from both newspapers has been asked to consider whose advice they would personally value and to conduct interviews focused on the advice these individuals would give to future generations.

We begin today on page A12 with Rita Galles Murphy of Casper, who raised 12 children. Many of our readers will know at least one of her kids.

Her outlook stems not only from her vast child-rearing skills, but also from helping her kids with human relationships in general. It is a worthy read.

Over the next year, as we publish 104 “Words of Wisdom,” you can find additional information at www.CasperJournal.com.

Each of the printed pieces will be available online, organized alphabetically by name. In some cases there will be links to additional information.

And we would welcome your participation. You may submit the advice you would offer to future generations online through the Web site, via e-mail to editor@casperjournal.com or through a written note, sent to 210 S. Wolcott, Casper 82601. We’ll publish in print or online as many submissions as possible.

If you are a teacher, you will find an online link to request copies of the newspapers to use “Words of Wisdom” in your classroom. You even may request copies for students whom you believe would benefit from the newspaper during their summer vacation.

And next spring, we will offer cash prizes in an essay contest for students’ words of wisdom.

Last, but not least, we will publish a compilation of the project next April that will be available to readers and classrooms alike.

Advice can be cheap. But good advice shared as food for thought cannot be beat. We hope you enjoy our project, “Words of Wisdom.”

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