Minneapolis spokesman., 1963-03-14
you CAN, IF you WILL

you CAN, IF you WILL
Today I will try to tell you about
three little boys who grew up in
a home full Of strife, who finally
made good on their own.
The parents, Al and Bertha
Jones, were the kind Of parents
who let their children grow.
Their father went his way and
their mother went another way.
Somehow the children grew up.
They were called those wild Jones
boys.
At first they resented the names
they were called because they had
done nothing wrong. The children
had heard from their parents that
the Jones boys were to be shunned.
Their only reason for saying it
was because Of the parents repu-
tationS.
AS is often the case, the young
est boy tried to 1--we up to the name
Of the bad Jones boys. He drove his
car as fast and as wild as he
could. The middle boy was always
a little shy and he wanted 50 bad
ly to be somebody, so he joined the
Air Force. That left the youngest
boy at home.
Within the year their mother
died suddenly. The Red Cross
brought the middle boy home for
her funeral. After her death the
middle boy, Roy went back in the
service and the youngest boy really
got out of hand. He was arrested
for stealing, found guilty and sent.
enced to a prison term of several
years. This was not his first of.
fense.
The oldest boy, Jerry a 17-year.
old, was killed accidentally in g
two car crash. Roy came home fol
the funeral and to do what he
could for their father. Mr.. Jones
did not want his help he said, sc
Roy left, feeling very lonely anc
alone.
He finished his stint" in the
service, and after he came back HI
was really at loss as to what HI
should do with his life. He hac
two more years before he grad
uated from high school. His father
offered no comfort or advice tt
him in any way.
Roy happened to see one of theil
neighbors out in the yard and tolc
him his problem. This neighbor
Mr.. Jackson, told Roy they needed
teachers badly and asked why HI
didn't finish high school and go t
college and become a teacher.
At first Roy was surprised al
the idea, but for weeks after thi!
conversation, he again saw Mr.
Jackson out in his yard and tolc
him he had thought about his sug
gestion, and had made arrange
ments to enter school in the fall
For the first time he seemed to b
happy.
Within a month his brother wal
being released from prison. He be.
gan to wonder how he was going
to behave, but his fears were
groundless. His brother, Al, was
released because of good behavior
He told his father and Roy he
was never going to break his
parole or go back there.
He really was a very serious
young man and in the three years
Al has been home he has taken
over the house work. OF course he
is working at a very good job
downtown but he spends most OF
his spare time at home. He keeps
the house clean and cooks the
meals, for the three of them. He
does all Of the marketing, too, as
their father has been confined to a
wheelchair for the past year.
Out Of all Of the trouble this
family has gone through they are
closer together, as a family, than
they have ever been. They are all
happy in their home, for the first
time. It is too bad some people
cannot appreciate their family ties
until trouble draws them close to-
gether, but it is better late than
never.