EMMONS, West Virginia — He was a gangly, strapping youth, fired with idealism and ambition, hampered by a last name that was a synonym both for great wealth and grand theft. His breeding showed; he noticed an antique table here or a crocheted bedspread there. But his instincts showed, too: He was drawn to poverty and the challenge of defeating it.
At the start, he lived with Betty and Ned Chilton, West Virginia royalty by virtue of their control of the Charleston Gazette newspaper, and in their four-poster king bed, just off their living room, he contemplated his future as a 27-year-old VISTA poverty worker in this alien land, where he played racquetball and tennis at the Edgewood Country Club but also ventured into mountain fastnesses where progress, and economic growth, were slow.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.