Every day provides an opportunity to learn

Many may have the mentality that the learning ends once graduation occurs. Well, it may be true that upon commencement, whether it’s from high school, college, or another path, the requirements of sitting in a classroom or participating in an online class are over. However, that’s the equivalent of passing the bar and doing so by achieving only the bare minimum. Yes, it’s an amazing accomplishment to be sure. The suggestion here: don’t let graduation simply be the finish line, rather, have the mindset that achieving one’s educational goal is a worthwhile endeavor and part of the process of being a lifelong learner.
Not everyone has the patience for the many years of schooling required to be a doctor, attorney, engineer or biologist. That’s fine. Certainly not all jobs need the additional schooling. I’ve found that sitting through the classes provides a framework for a particular field, but the real experience often comes when the full-time job begins.
It is believed that Perry County has close to 700 known caves. Could it be possible that it in reality it may have double that amount? As crazy as that sounds, it could be closer to the truth than researchers as more and more is learned about what lies beneath the ground.
Sixty years ago, there were fewer than four dozen documented caves in Perry County. That tally has grown significantly in the past half century.
Sunday afternoon at the Perry County Underground one of the individuals was showing a series of maps that researchers use when mapping cave systems. One of the maps looks at topography and depicts aerial portions in black and white that somewhat appear like craters on the moon. The drastic change in elevation is often visible.
It is believed that Crevice Cave is the longest cave system in the state (now at 30 miles and getting longer each time it gets mapped further), there is still more that is learned about the cave system every year. In addition to Crevice Cave, Perry County also is home three of the next four longest caves in the state, including Berome Moore (21.3 miles, second), Mystery Cave (15.7 miles, fourth) and Rimstone River Cave (14.3 miles, fifth).

The area certainly has plenty of named caves in which research know a great deal about. That’s not always the case, though. Many caves are not very well documented. Researchers are constantly looking to find out more about the cave systems. The work can be difficult, as not every private property owner is ecstatic about the reality of an open hole on their property that may be intriguing the researchers but a potential hazard for those not taking the proper precautions of spelunking into consideration.
The karst topography is all around Perryville and the surrounding area. From the sinkholes at the soccer complex to the caves at Legion Lake Park, from the culvert adjacent to Viola Blechle Park that leads to the Streiler City Cave, to the entrance to Crevice Cave a short walk from the T.G. 5K Trail, it’s all part of the area’s unique topography. The karst signage at various places around Perryville provide an opportunity to learn more.
While I may have known much about caves and karst and its importance to this area, Sunday was a chance to find out even more. If you think you’re an expert, there probably is still more to learn.
Find a few interests that you may not know much about, and try to gather insight, or learn about it. Be curious and try to ask questions. It just may lead to finding out more about something that you didn’t know before.
-Thanks for reading
Daniel Winningham is the managing editor of the Republic-Monitor. He can be reached at 573-547-4567, ext. 227 or email editor@perryvillenews.com.