The Hibbing Daily Tribune, like many local papers, is running its “annual edition” this month. The edition spans four consecutive Sundays and includes large feature sections that, back in the day, were huge advertising revenue builders for the paper. They’re not as big as they used to be, but the paper still puts a lot of work into these sections. The topic for this year’s Tribune annual edition is “Iron Range Generations,” featuring stories of people of many different age groups and how they contribute to our local culture.
Mike Jennings, the Tribune editor, wrote an interesting piece about the how the Iron Range inspires artists and writers of all ages. This is something I’ve talked about for a long time and is part of the book I’m working on for next fall. It’s also a big part of why I have dedicated so much time to Dylan Days. I really think the Range, though a flawed region, is a great place for writers in particular. You don’t get much more human than this place.
Jennings’ headline says a lot in itself.
“Is Hibbing a town that breeds rare achievement, a town that spurns its talented young, or both?” March 9, 2008, Hibbing Daily Tribune
Excerpt:
Certainly there’s nothing remarkable about young people whose ambitions are out of the common run deciding that if they don’t escape their native small-town environment, their potential will wither and die.
What may be uncommon about Hibbing, though, is the number of its young who turned out to be correct about the rare nature of their talent. Bob Dylan (who, when he was still Bobby Zimmerman, had his microphone switched off by his principal during a high school talent show) may head the list. But it’s a lengthy list, and one that includes a healthy complement of literary and musical talent.
…
“I mean, there could be something about the landscape,’ [Hibbing High School drama director Chuck Viren] said. “There could be something about the makeup of the community, where you have these blue-collar roots, and yet now we have … a mixture of people from various backgrounds.”
…
“People always question how Bob Dylan could come out of a place so barren, as it were,” [retired Hibbing English teacher Dan Bergan] said. “Well, how did Shakespeare come out of Stratford?”
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