The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-01-14

WAS 10 GOOD Tor me 10 insist, az
had been taught at home. that
real Philadelphians never spoke OF
Independence Hall but always OF
the state House.
There was an opening eelebra-
ton. when the whole school and
parents assembled in the beauti-
ful auditorium and the board OF
education made speeches and the
high school band wore its new uni.
forms
A brilliant silk Stars and Stripes
with gold fringes was unfurled. we
recited the Salute 10 the Flag and
the band played Ny Country It's
OF Thee. My heart with rapture
thrilled, sure enough. think 1t
was my first real sense OF what
they call patriotism. You have to
get away from the big cities of
the east TO feel ii. Back east we
are SO concerned with being a
Philadelphia or New Yorker or
a Bostonian or whatnot that the
general idea Of being an American
doesn't occur
The big towns. Wyn used to say.
have outgrown being patriotic. AS
for Philly, 1t invented the United
States. then turned the idea over
TO other people to manage and
went back TO its own affairs by
which he really meant the assem-
bly, the symphony, cricket and
Fish House punch.
When l think back about 1t !
can't be grateful enough for the
chance l had of that middlewest
period. Those wide wide spaces
all around, full OF food by day and
of stars at night. They didn't
seem to be anything to worry
about; in fact l don't think people
were worrying much those days
what Wyn calls the Little Golden
Age. 1924 to 1929. If you didn'i
know what to do with yourself yol
could always turn on the radio.
That was another thing W,
didn't used TO have on Griscon
Street. Pop said he liked to reao
his paper in peace without people
talking at him out of the air.
1 used to wake up pretty earl,
in the morning. My room was OF
the south and east corner of tn,
house - anyhow so Uncle Elmei
said; the geography of the com
pass is something | never feel sur
about. Uptown and downtown ar,
the only directions most womei
figure on. After the dark littl,
house on Griscom Street l wa:
astonished by the flood of ligh
that pours on a prairie town. TIL,
first thing you hear mornings il
Manitou is the early Q train I,
Chicago. It's too early to get VI
and too late tc go to sleep again.
After you get used to it, it's fun
to be walked up every morning b.
train. II makes you think abou
going places. l could hear the OLE
thing rumble over the culvert oil
the north side OF town and set of
across the prairie. At Princeton
the news company butcher comes
through with box lunches. Whel
Aunt Hattie and I would go on ,
Saturday excursion to Chicago, on
OF those elastic sandwiches woul'
keep me champing all the way I,
the Cicero yard.
AS soon as he heard the {
whistles Pattyshells would have L
go out. pronto. To help m
through my first Inconsistencies h
was allowed to sleep in my room
which astonished him. l used I
|. recite the next days lessons I
him before going 10 bed. He wa
much better than Molly Scharf 1
study with, except that If yol
read him a certain kind of poetr'
he d get excited and start TO bark
That was one way OF finding on
IL 1t was really good poetry. Tn
Ancient Mariner and some o
Nachel Lindsay would send hin
into fits. but Walt Whitman an
Shakespeare never raised hair Of
| his spine.
look out the window, dow
Thanksgiving Avenue. where IN
big elm trees have rumpled up tn
brick pavement. In winter time
can just see the window of Molly
bedroom. q little way down IA
street on the other side. II he
shade is still down I know I bette
get back 10 bed q while.
II it's spring and the weather
warm. there are all sorts OF in
teresting noises from outside
Down BY the SAINTS Re tracks
can hear the rattle OF hoofs fror
the mule market where 3 ol
string of animals has come int
town for sale In the back var
maybe the slash OF the hose wher
Bernie Jansen Is washing the dus
off Uncle Elmers Studebsker.
Bernie was working ms wa
through college by doing odd Jobs
one of those slow persistent Sweo
ish boys He's worried about hi
lessons too. 7 can see him repeat
ing things 10 himself as ne wasne