Boy, here's a stunner: When our kids get out of school, they want to head for the bright lights of the big city. Everyone in Fort Wayne who has been talking about Hoosier "brain drain" should read this article, just in case they think they already know how complicated the issue is. Among the more perverse findings: Having an educated workforce doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how good your schools are. Washington, D.C., for example, has just about the worst public schools in the country, but is full of bright, educated people who wanted to be where the action is. If you have schools are among the best, all you may be doing is turning out smart, educated people who can't wait to go to Austin or Seattle to live the good life.
The article quotes Richard Florida, author of "The Rise of the Creative Class." Some of you may remember the talk he gave at IPFW in which he explained that cities such as Fort Wayne had to start making themselves more attractive to the elite group of mostly younger people who sort of run things and value diversity and interesting experiences. I remember thinking at the time that it sounded like we ought to have more groups of hard-working, immigrant enclaves to work for minimum wage so all those self-involved brats would have enough ethnic restaurants to suit them.
I've come to believe that any improvement to the community -- whether we're talking about brain drain or downtown development or quality-of-life-amenities -- should focus first and foremost on what WE need. Then the others will come. We have the expanded Grand Wayne Center, and we're apparently going to have a third hotel downtown, both aimed at drawing out-of-town visitors. Who will do what, exactly, when they get here? On Sunday, I watched a little bit of the Masters on TV, which takes place at what many consider to be the absolute best golf course in this country. Any of you seen Augusta, Ga.? I have. My cousin Frank, who lives withing spitting distance of Cedar Point, one of our premier amusement parks, visited recently. Any of you gone to downtown Sandusky, Ohio? I have.
But I digress.
