With child labor violations on the rise across the country, West Virginia lawmakers want to make it easier for kids to

[underpants]

2. Jesus. Education is always the best you can you do for yourself

Not necessarily college but at least have a high school degree. I don’t know the numbers but I’d guess nice someone starts working, getting used to the money, and the family gets accustomed to the money coming in a lot of people will quit going to school.

My family is from WV. Education was the route for my mom’s generation to go from abject poverty (Huntington not Appalachia) to real wealth for some of my aunts and uncles. At one point I think my brother and I were the only ones in our extended family including people marrying in who hadn’t gone to Marshall.

Sen. Byrd got money poured into WV for healthcare and education. It helped. Everyone is still on their own but there were opportunities other than one person working in or around the mines in some way and supported their extended family.