Demographic Woes and the Symphony

This week’s rant isn’t so much a rant as much as expression of concern. Last Saturday night, my wife and I attended the Symphony Ball, one of the lead benefit events for the Youngstown Symphony Society. Over the years, it has been one of the must-do charitable events in Mahoning County. Others on the list were the Charity Ball, for the benefit of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, and the Angels for Easter Seals Christmas event involving the auctioning off of fully decorated Christmas trees. These were the “see and be seen” events of the year, with guys in tuxedos and women in full regalia.

Unfortunately, the attendance at the Symphony Ball this year was light, not that it wasn’t a great event with an exquisite dinner and great music. It looked like there were about a 100 in attendance this year. Over the years, I have seen the event attended by 350 if not more. Perhaps the Roaring Twenties theme seemed out of place in this wretched economy in which we found ourselves. I heard a few complaints that the tab was a tad pricey this year compared to other years. But I suspect something more.

My wife and I have belonged to numerous organizations over the years, including service organizations, quilt clubs, and music organizations. There is one theme that is consistent in all of these types of activities…the membership is demographically getting older with scant “new blood” coming in to replace those who are leaving by choice or by more “mortal” reasons. Maybe it’s because young folks today, defined by me as people under the age of 35, have different interests. In a digital world, the get-gussied up affairs just don’t cut it anymore. And who wants to sing moldy oldie songs in choral societies? Or just maybe, and I think this is the case, this area is in demographic trouble.

One thing my son noticed living in Columbus this past year is just how young Franklin County is, and how old we look up here. I look around in my various organizations, and the gap seems to start at those under the age of 50. This has always been a trend in any organization's life. Folks are busy raising their families and putting their kids through school. But there have always been those who work for themselves, looking to drum up business, who find their way into various community groups…and I am not seeing it as much anymore.

This demographic trend is reaching down into the school systems. I remember when I graduated from high school in 1968, my class had about 400 graduates, and Cardinal Mooney High School was graduating over 500 with Ursuline High School not far behind. Not anymore. Graduation rates and school enrollments are way down across the board except in very specific areas, forcing consolidation much to the dismay of the alumni groups. Youngstown State University has actually increased its enrollment to about where it was when I went there from 1968-70, but it has taken a lot of effort on the part of the powers that be. Unfortunately, they leave when they graduate.

The Mahoning Valley is a great place to live or I wouldn’t be here. It offers many big city amenities without population overload. But it offers very little incentive to our young people to stay. The area leaders, to their credit, continually make note of the problem, but I have seen very little concrete activity to address the problem. Given the general economic climate of the country, the best bet for the area would be to encourage and assist in entrepreneurship type activities. The Youngstown Business Incubator is an example. That is the type of activity that needs a shot of steroids to give it a major boost.

Our population is aging and dying. Until this area takes demographic Armageddon seriously, I fear that attendance at the Symphony Ball in the year 2020 will be down to…well…20. And that will be a sad day. Let’s quit hoping for the best and get to work.