PINTO BEANS, PROPERLY PREPARED, are in the South an invitation to polite socialization. For some 35 years Cave Spring Elementary School has held an annual Pinto Bean Luncheon (pintos, ham, collards, mac and cheese, cornbread) for the purpose of bring the school and its community closer together.

Think about it: How many living in attendance proximity of a neighborhood school have actually been inside the place lately? Even if they have children/grandchildren there ... when was the last PTA gathering that could boast an attendance of 400?

Trina Self, the principal, observed that “We have so much community support, and we’ve needed it more now than ever due to the budget crunches, and so it’s just a fun day to give back.”

Perhaps every school in the Floyd County system should ask for a copy of Cave Spring’s reportedly special recipe for pintos and start doing something similar to build both parental and general public familiarity with the neighborhood school and its staff. Particularly now, when budgetary upheavals are hitting every school hard, the building of community support and interest gains in importance.

Special events like science fairs or even football games have severe limitations on how much polite socialization — and discussion of common interests — can occur. Breaking cornbread and pinto beans together is quite different and every school should considering doing something like this.

When difficulties and tough times arise, all schools need to have more than a “student body.” They need a “community body” as well.