Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1935-09-05
GETTING DOWN TO
brass
MY DAD

week lost the best pal he eyer
had and 1t seems but fitting that
we should Dedicate III little cor
ner OF the Herald-our visiting
corner-to the cherished men,
DRY Of the one TO whom we owe
more than one lifetime could ev-
er repay.
He has been through all the sor-
w
OF a lad at nine or ten;
He has seen the dawn Of morrows
When the sun shone bright again;
His own heart has been near break
ing,
Oh, moro tines than / can tell,
And has often known the aching
That a boys heart knows so we'll
OF all the impressions that are in
delibly stamped on my memory one
OF the clearest Is that Of how my dad
suffered with me-perhaps some
times more than I-wnea II became
necessary TO mete out some form of
punishment to an o~bstreperous
youth. OF this it is most certain. he
never chastised me when it was not
fully deserved But when he did, it
was most effective My dad had a
most convincing way OF talking to
anyone. AS a lad, he could hurt me
far more mentally by just talking
and reasoning with me than by cor
poral punishment. I recall, when in
my early teens, how after he had
given me a sound threshing for ov
ert disobedience, l went on to entire
ly exhaust his patience by not heed
ing his exhortations. Instead CT an
other lacing, which | fully expected
and prepared" for, he took me out
on the back porch and just talked to
me for a half-hour. That lecture"
reached so deep that 1t marked the
end Of physical punishment from my
dad. He had found a mortal spot
and continued to use 1t.
Ny dad recognized the difference
between right and wrong. There
were times when he could see that
his boy was on the right side of an
argument When he did, he was not
slow to lend his assistance, or en-
courage the old adage. stand up
for your own rights" | got in
to n OF the worst fights l ever had
ono when a couple of youngsters
poked a wOoley worn down my
back. An enraged wrath seemed
somehow to endow me with super
human strength. and / came out on
top In a furious combat against two
rufrians. both larger than myself, but
not without the traditional black eye,
a bloody nose, and a once neat
school suit ready Tor a rumsnage
sale OF when | get home-a
half-hour late for the MONDAY meal,
/ expected to get another good wal
Looping from dad. but to my utter sur
prise, he offered a hearty pat on the
back for my worthy accomplish
ment--("chip of the OF block, you
know),-took me downtown and
bought me a brand new outfit none
the like Of which have l ever been
more proud-then topped il of by
arranging for my for .ei ta,diness at
school and bidding me goodbye with
the happy f~eliCita.ion, IF anybody
ever plays a trick Ike that on you
agair son, and you Gait hani!e them
alone, call on me-"
My dad was a wonieiti II teacher.
He was never satisfied with doirg
things halfway. No matter what it
was he tackled, at work or at play,
1t had to be done right. And 1t was
with that same finessa and complete
ness that he would try to impart
knowledge to others especially his
Son. 1t might be learning how to
place a worm on a hook, hoe pota.
toes in the garden; or 1t might be
the solving OF an intricate mathema.
ical problem or the installation of a
complicated machine. 1t made nc
difference; all must he done with the
utmost are. That teaching-one that
sets up a barrier 70 habits of care
lessness, Is Invaluable In the life Of
any boy.
1t seems that the average Ameri
can boy must pass through an age
when he knows far more than bis
own parents. l was no exception
Long about my early teens, there
came owe me the impression that
my folks-and especially my dat
who unquestlonably wore the pants
In our ~famfly-were terribly exact
ing. Why, a boy had no freedom a
all! They just couldn't see what was
GOOD for a boy" of my age! JUS
penned up all the time-no freedom
no chance OF developing my owl
mental resources like "other boys.
Things were not like they wer,
when they were young; times hat
changed l resented being held dow
with "old fashioned IDEAS that m.
parents were brought up under. Etc
Etc. And, like just a lot Of othe
boys, II l couldn't do things the wa,
l knew was best, I'D JUS pack VI
and leave" Well. that usually work
ed with a tender-hearted mother
but dad! AS I look back now,
think he must have had about tn,
same experience, for he knew wha
would most likely happen. Conse
Quently, when the announcement
came Of his sons intended depaI
ture to "greener pastures it wa
never greeted with much alarm No
did he even try to persuade me t
stay at home. AS a result, an arc
CANT and ungmteful boy had hi
fling. Yes, at least two OF them tina
4 recall now. Neither lasted ar,