Courier Staff Photo by Bonnie Jacobs.

JUBILANT: Melissa Denning leads 'Jubilo' in its repetoire of Colonial American sacred music. Jubilo sang as part of Bethel's annual summer meeting last Sunday.

     Hugh C. Miller, the newly named Director of the Department of Historic Resources of the Commonwealth of Virginia, challenged listeners at Old Bethel Church on Sunday to use, "vision and choice" to make their dreams of historic preservation a reality.

      Miller addressed the appreciative group as part of the annual meeting of The Bethel Memorial, Inc., urging them to follow through with their preservation efforts, and to freely apply the preservation principal on county, state and national levels.

     The Bethel Memorial, Inc., is responsible for the preservation and restoration of the Bethel Chapel, built in 1760.

     "I hope Bethel will be a focal point for the Upper Shenandoah region," he said. "You have proven with this unique monument that it is always better to preserve than to restore. Hang onto this and develop it as an ideal."

     Miller stressed the importance of working with both the social and legislative systems when establishing preservation goals. He stressed continuous dialogue with elected officials as an invaluable tool in both bringing preservation to the forefront of the political scene, and receiving information on state and federal funding available to preservation work.

     "Use your legislative tools," he recommended. "Tell your official that preservation funding is an important constituent issue: name your project and keep it before him."

     Miller took a moderate stand on development issues. While admitting the inevitability of growth in rural areas, he recommended restraint against rampant, inappropriate land use.

     "You've got to know your geology," he asserted. "Some areas in Virginia just are unsuited for development by virtue of the geological formations on which they rest."

     Miller suggested the implementation of legislation which restricts growth to those locations capable of sustaining the water and sewer demands placed on them. He said, however, that maintaining such an ordinance would require a stiff resistance to the siren call of the dollar bill.

     "Greed should never be the motivating factor in development," said Miller.