The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-03-06
Another Name for the Henor List
{ry Roland T. Patten)

Tn MANY modern houses there Is an
entirely superfuous room sometimes
called the parlor. at other times re-
eeption room, or receiving room. It's
inst the place to take any guest whom
Won really don't want to see, but 9TH
erwise ii serves no useful purpose.
| sometimes think of our "Misterlng
people in a good deal the same way,
we keep up the formalities, even with
neople we know real we'll, by speak
ing of them as Mr.. Jones and Mr..
Smith, as the case may be. Per-
hans that's we'll enough but If I really
want to get enthusiastic about a man
Just long to speak of him by his
first name as Bill or Jack or JIM
Just now | am anxious to talk about
an awfully good citizen. The only
thing / have against him is that the
public can't get through or doesn't
get through his reserve enough to
call him by his first name. To have
many people drop the mister anu
and speak to us as Bill or John or
Ed is a distinct honor. Notwlth-
standing this mans multitude OF good
works, however, that recognition mas
always been withheld. l would not
dare to slap him on the back or call
him by his first name any more, than
would have the courage to walk in
to the White House and say How
are you, Calvin" or to call up his Roy
al Highness at Buckingham Palace by
telephone and say rs that you
George?"
Aside from that. this man is all
right; a model citizen, big-hearted,
generous of his time and his means.
Because of him many boy and girl
will grow to useful manhood and wo-
manhood and will get very much more
out of life than would otherwise have
been possible. This gentleman Il am
going to call him Ed anyway has a
boy of his own Gee! but that
youngster is lucky kid. His father
knows how to be a guide, counsellor,
friend and companion and yet not
spoil him. Intensely interested in
his own son, he soon commenced to
think of other boys and their needs.
Right away he found that there was
really no suitable place in the whole
town where these youngsters, espe-
cially in the winter months, could go
for recreation.
His son was attending the Bethany
Sunday school. The father COM
menced to attend there and to see
what could be done through the
church society and about the church
property to remedy matters.
Now Ed didn't make the mistake
which is so often made. He didn't
cause the needful things to be provid-
ed and then call around the boys and
tell them TO go to it. He called on
the boys first. He made it plain
that certain wonderful things could
be done If they would help. So these
youngsters, under Eds direction and
with his actual help and enthusiasm,
wheeled out tons of sand and other
material from the church basement so
as to get the proper depth, and then
shey all worked until a basketball
floor with ample audience room came
into being. Another furnace was
needed. Members of the society I'M
derwrote this need upon the assur-
ance from Mrs. Savage that she would
raise the funds. This she did and
paid them back with very little de-
lay.
There are other mistakes which Ed
didn't make. So often by the time an
objective has been reached. enthus-
iasm wanes and a sense of WEAKNESS
causes the originator to look for re-
lief and rest ed had done enough
when he had completed the convent
ence above mentioned. He realized,
though, that such things won't do
their work alone so he meets with the
boys night after night and supervis-
es their play. The youngsters, from
twelve to twenty years of age. rush
In there right away from school and
from then on, every evening except
Thursday, the place is alive with their
sports and activities. Ed is always
on hand to guide their play in prop
er channels and to act as mediator
where such services are necessary.
Every second Sunday, this worthy
gentleman collects his boys in a
group and they march in to morning
service together. There is no COM
pulsion about this; boy does not
have to go but they about all do and
probably feel that this is the smallest
token they can render for the sacrifice
of their grown up friend.
Several years ago, Skowhegan was
talking about an extension to its
high school building. The project
was worth the best thought and at
tention of every Skowhegan citizen.
Theoretically there should have been
a thousand people ready to study it.
AS matter of fact there may have
been twenty, and some of these took
only casual interest Ed was not
put on any committee and was not
specially invited, but this problem
concerned young people and he did
what so many citizens failed to do,
took a very deep interest in 1t. He
drew plans, then threw them away
and drew some more, then revised
and perfected over and over again I'M
til he had what seemed to him and
to many others a thoroughly practi-
cal, economical design for additional
school facilities. Into this work he
put talent which he had accumulated
through a good many years of patient
effort and practical experience with