The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1921-03-10
IRA c. HARRIS WRITES.
Former County Superintendent in
Los Angeles, Huhgers for
Old Friends.

Ira G. Harris, former county super
intendent Of Polk county schools, and
before that long popular instructor,
now located in Los Angeles, Calf,
writes The Star on a business matter,
and then turns loose and talks" to
the home folks. In main this letter
follows:
my heart is surely in dear old Polk
county, but my body is in California.
So fear I'll have to stay where my
body is. My health is vastly improved.
/ weigh 141i1, an increase of 1874
pounds since leaving home, so it looks
very much as if I'd better stay.
"But, OIL I'm wearying for the faith
full friends in Mena and Polk county.
Back home, if you only got a pune
ture, even the strangers passing would
stop and ask if there was anything
they could do. Out here if you break
down every fellow swerves out as far
as he can when he passes you, looks
stonily, straight ahead and steps
on'er' a little harder. They are
afraid you will ask them to help you.
'sThe other day driving out Pasa-
uGGtd avenue, 4 pdocCO a AtA4VH WIZ
was hauling home a little load Of lum-
ber saw his engine was pretty hot,
which showed as the cause of being UNI
able to make the hill. was, like
Kipling's hero, IF it's down to Ge-
henna or up to the throne, He travels
the fastest who travels Alone" and
pulled the hill with throttle wide open.
Ny conscience began to hurt me and,
before we reached the top, said to
my wife: 'I'm going back and help
that fellow" You see, | remembered
all of the good fellows who had helped
or offered to help me when STALLED"
"When | swung in front of him and
asked if he didn't want me to help
him he nearly dropped dead. | hitched
on with my skid chains and had no
trouble in getting to the top. 1t
seemed as if he could hardly get over
it, a stranger offering to do him a
service like that. Yes, people out
here are mighty cold blooded.
From present indications, we ex-
pect to spend the remainder of our
lives here, altho if we could be con-
suited, we'd surely live and die in Ar
kansas. Our friends in Polk county
are to be congratulated on their pro-
gress and sense Could they see this
country with the splendid roads
stretching for hundreds of miles and
realize that the country did not make
the roads, but that the good roads
made the country, they would know
that they are on the right track when
they make permanent improvements
like they are doing. We live eighty
miles from the business section and
go down to work every morning all the
way in high. The only time we ever
slow down is when we catch up with
a street car or get halted by traffic
Office Twenty-Five thousand autoes
go into Los Angeles each morning be-
sides the thousands and thousands
found in the city.
II am teaching in the Y. M. C. A.,
under the Federal Board of Vocational
Training. Ny work is with disabled
soldiers. have % to whom give in
struction in English, spelling and
arithmetic. | teach afternoons only
and make hundred month.
Wages are very low in everything,
but heavy labor or skilled work
Plumbers get $40, finish carpenters
and painters IS to $40 and other
skilled trades in proportion Teachers
get 81 500 to $4,000 Grade teachers
in the city schools start at $l,400 and
increase to $500 Schools like Hat
field pay $4,000, 49,
Il expect to teach in the public
school another year if | don't find
something like better
Give my very best regards TO all
the good friends and keep a liberal
amount of best wishes for The Star
the best and whitest county paper
in the country, anywhere.
Sincerely yours,
Ira G. Harris,
452 Kendall ave, Los Angeles, Calf
P. S.-Tell Fred Smith hello for me-
Good old scout. /. G. II.