The "A Quest For Honor?" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Just finished reading an article written by Lancaster Newspaper's "The Scribbler" who writes a weekly Sunday newspaper column about items related to Lancaster County and it's history or current goings-on.  The title of his article today was "Buchanan spent his early years in a place that remains far out." If you have been reading my blog for any length of time you probably realize that James Buchanan, former 15th President of the United States, lived in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  But, he didn't live in Lancaster his entire life.  James was born on April 23, 1791 in the remote location known as Cove Gap, Pennsylvania which is on the western edge of civilization.  The small town was surrounded by the Allegheny Mountains which provided a formidable barrier to those trying to find their way westward.  Cove Gap ran through two of the mountains which made the trip westward quite a bit easier.  In the town of Cove Gap was one of the last mercantile stores for miles.  The store, known as Tom's Trading Place, was owned by James Buchanan's father during its heyday in 1789.  The town, if it could be called that, had a store, an orchard, a few stables, a few barns, a few cabins and a few storehouses.  James' father renamed the store Stony Batter after the Buchanan home in Northern Ireland where they lived before finding their way to America.  Eventually the business was moved to nearby Mercersburg when James turned six.  James never forgot the many happy memories he had of Stony Batter.  In 1865, the owner of the site invited the former President to visit his birthplace.  After the visit, James wrote, "It is a rugged but romantic spot, and the mountain and mountain stream under the scenery, captivating.  I have a warm attachment for it...."  Perhaps by now you know that James Buchanan has often been chosen as the worse President in our country's history.  In the meantime we have a recent President who tried his best to outdo our late, great President Buchanan and the verdict is still out as to whether he overtook President Buchanan or not.  Buchanan graduated from Dickinson College in nearby Carlisle and became a lawyer in the state capital of Lancaster at the young age of 21.  While in Lancaster he became active in the Federalist Party which is the predecessor of the Democratic Party.  One really neat fact about James Buchanan is that once nominated, he never lost an election during his entire political career.  He served two terms as a Pennsylvania Assemblyman, 10 years as a U.S. Congressman, two years as the Foreign Minister to Russia, 10 years as a U.S. Senator, 4 years as U.S. Secretary of State, 4 years as Foreign Minister to Great Britain, and four years as our 15th President of the United States.   After Abraham Lincoln's inauguration, James retired to his home, Wheatland in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  On May 30, 1868 he gave his last public statement from his bed the day before he died.  He said...“My dear friend, I have no fear for the future. Posterity will do me justice. I have always felt, and still feel that I discharged every public duty imposed upon me conscientiously. I have no regret for any public act of my life and history will vindicate my memory from every unjust aspersion.”  While in the White House, James' sister Jane's youngest child, Harriet Lane, served as his First Lady, being that James was never married.  James eventually became a guardian of Harriet in 1842.  He arranged for her education and refinement.  While serving as First Lady, she pursued humanitarian causes such as hospital and prison reform and better treatment of the American Indians.  The Chippewa Indians named her "The Great Mother of the Indians."  Harriet's quest to honor her uncle through the creation of a monument began in the early 1880s.  She made a few attempts to purchase James' birthplace, Stony Batter, but was never successful.  Her will stated that upon her death $100,000 would be used to set up the James Buchanan Monument Fund.  The will also stipulated that the board had 15 years to build a monument at Stony Batter and/or receive permission from Congress to erect a statue in Washington D.C.  But, the time passed with no monument.  Two men, a Washington D.C. banker and a Baltimore lawyer took over to make Harriet's dream a reality.  They acquired Stony Batter in 1865 and had an architectural firm in Baltimore, Maryland design the monument in pyramid form which was to be 38 feet square and 331 feet high.  It was constructed of 50 tons of hammered American gray granite.  The pyramid contained 600 tons of native rubble and mortar.  Work began in October of 1907 with a work force of 20 men which eventually was increased to 35 men.  On November 15, 1907 the monument was complete.  The final instructions of the will for Stony Batter requested that the monument be enclosed in an iron railing for protection.  The remaining grounds were for the enjoyment of the people of Pennsylvania.  Well, "The Scribbler" recently made a visit to the monument.   In his column he writes of the 31-foot-tall, 650 ton rock pyramid built in 1907.  

President of the United States James Buchanan's Monument!

A wrought-iron fence keeps vandals from defacing the monument.  Today shrubs and weeds sprout from dirt accumulated on the pyramid's surface.  While making his visit to see the monument, The Scribbler said that the primary noisemakers were cicadas, bullfrogs in Buck Run and the occasional vehicle driving into the park and turning around upon finding the way in is the only way out.  Was this the best that our country could have come up with for it's 15th President of the United States?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "So Where Is The Oldest Tombstone In Lancaster County?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Mid-April of 2020 and I was standing in the Tschantz Cemetery which is located between the villages of Strasburg and Lampeter.  At the time I thought it was the oldest cemetery in Lancaster County and thought it would be interesting to take  a few photographs of some of the oldest tombstones in Lancaster County.  Posted a story in April, 2020 showing photographs of the cemetery and a few of the readable tombstones.  Well, it turns out that Tschantz Cemetery isn't the oldest in Lancaster County.  I have recently discovered two other cemeteries in Lancaster County that are perhaps older.  They are Chestnut Level Cemetery near Quarryville and the cemetery I visited today which is known as Carpenter's Cemetery.  I found directions to the cemetery and before long my wife and I were headed east on Route 30E toward the town of Paradise.  

The wall of Carpenter Cemetery near the town of Paradise.

The cemetery is located in the middle of 2,200 acres of verdant farmland planted with wheat, corn, tobacco, tomatoes and just about any cash crop for whom the farmers, both Amish and English can find buyers.  I drove south on  Black Horse Road about a half-mile and drove across the train tracks of the Stasburg Railroad.  I knew that I must have missed the cemetery since the directions I had found online told me the cemetery was directly next to the railroad tracks.  Turned around and re-crossed the tracks, but still didn't see a graveyard.  

The gate to the cemetery.  The plaque on the gate reads
 "Historical Preservation Trust Site, Lancaster County

Then I saw a metal fence sitting atop an incline in a grove of trees.  That must be it I told my wife.  I pulled into a stone area along the road, grabbed my camera and headed up the embankment.  The cemetery was bounded by a rock wall about three feet high with an iron gate that faced the road, but hidden from view by the overgrowth of greens. 

This tombstone carries an American flag
telling of his service during the Revolutionary War.

 I stepped over the wall and began my search for the tombstone of Marie Warenbuer Ferree who was born in Picardie, France in 1653.  She came to America by way of Nutten Island between June 13 and August 2, 1710.  Eventually she ended up in Lancaster County.  At the time, the area she called home was part of Conestoga Township in Chester County, since Lancaster County hadn't been formed until 1729.

A few of the weathered tombstones in the cemetery.

  After Lancaster County was formed, the area were the cemetery was located became part of Strasburg Township.  Then in 1943 it became Paradise Township.  When Marie died on January 1, 1716 she was interred at Ferree Cemetery, now known as Carpenter Cemetery.  The cemetery is in the center of the farm owned by Marie's son, Peter as well as son-in-law Isaac Lefever.  Legend has it that when she first arrived at the location where she would call home, she exclaimed, "This is paradise!"  Perhaps that's why the nearby town is now known as Paradise, Pennsylvania.  The site for the graveyard, which is 108 ft. in length and 96 feet in breadth, was selected by Madame Ferree soon after her arrival in Paradise, for use as a private family burial ground. 

The oldest tombstone in Lancaster, Pennsylvania??
Notice the first name is Mary on this tombstone.

 The site was walled and she was the first one buried there when she died in 1716.  Her tombstone, which is badly weathered due to acid rain, sits in the south-east corner of the cemetery.  Another memorial tombstone with two American flags sits close to it with a plaque telling of its 300th Anniversary.  Took me all but 5 minutes to find it, since the cemetery is fairly small.  

A new memorial plaque telling of Mary/Marie Warenbuer Fierre

.
About 50 yards away from the southern wall of the cemetery is the single track of the Historic Strasburg Railroad.  The grass in the graveyard is in need of trimming, but the grass doesn't cover any of the tombstones.  A few of the tombstones have new American flags next to them and a few have Lancaster County Preservation Trust plates on them.  A few carry metal plates telling  that they fought in the Revolutionary War.  I finished my walk through the cemetery, exited the gate and found my way back to the car.  Interesting visit to what is perhaps the oldest cemetery in Lancaster County.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

From the wall of the cemetery can be
seen the track of the Strasburg Railroad.

 

The "Architectural Award Given To Franklin & Marshall College" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Standing in front of the Winter Visual Arts Center on the campus of Franklin & Marshall College in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I had recently made a visit to the campus to take a photo of the Abraham de Peyster statue that sits along the edge of the campus for another story I was writing.  It was during that visit that I noticed the Winter Center

Artist's rendition of the Arts Center.

for the first time.  A very impressive building that looks very much out of place on a campus that was founded in 1787, at the birth of a new republic.  But, it seems to have greatly impressed someone, since the building has just won the ENR MidAtlantic's best project for Higher Education/Research and was recently one of three finalists out of about 100 submitted projects for the organization's project of the year.  

Metal sculpture stands in front of the Center.

ENR MidAtlantic is the regional publication of Engineeering News-Record, which covers engineering and construction news across the mid-Atlantic states. Franklin & Marshall College recently received the award in a virtual program on October 19, 2020.  The Visual Arts Center opened in August and features geothermal heating and cooling which transfers heat to or from the ground.  The building is designed to mimic and fit within the many 100 year-old nearby trees that outline the F&M campus.  The foundation walls are designed to look like tree roots and trunks, and the upper floors are suspended, reaching outward like the branches of the nearby trees.  

Daylight view of the new center.

There are four levels to the building, with about 70% or it being glass.  The 7,800 square feet teaching building has studios as well as galleries.  The Phillips Museum of Art manages the gallery and an 84-seat cinema within the building.  Total cost for the project was about $23.1 million and was constructed by Harrisburg based Poole Anderson.  

The Center's main contributor's are displayed.

In order to make room for the building, the previous art building, The Herman Arts building, was demolished.  I enjoyed walking around the new Center, snapping photographs to share while a nearby church was holding an outdoor church service nearby.  The organ music seemed to bounce off of the many concrete corners of the building, echoing the hymns as the congregants sang along.  Neat way to enjoy taking photographs.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Drive Through The USA" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Early July and it's time to celebrate our Nation's history.  That will be done nicely by a young man named Nick Sieber who has plans to drive his 1930 Model A Ford from the Atlantic coast to the shores of California.  He plans to do this 5,000 mile trip in 35 days.  He will begin his journey on July 10 with a send-off party.   He reports that he plans to drive through 15 states in 35 days by using mostly back roads with his Model A.  The old Ford coupe has 40 horsepower and can reach speeds of close to 65 mph, tops!  The Model T Ford is much slower with only 20 horsepower and a top speed of 35 mph.  The Model A is also bigger with a full back seat and plenty of room for storage.

Nick and his automobiles.

He hopes to average about 40-45 mph on his journey which is a doable speed for his Model A.  The trip had been mapped out for some time with stops along the way in vintage-style motels and towns that make up America's roadside history.  Perhaps your town will be one of them on his journey.  So...what happens if the car breaks down along the route?  He already had the engine rebuilt by a man in Ohio and then rebuilt the transmission himself.  The remainder of the drivetrain had already been rebuilt by the previous owner. He does have plans to take plenty of spare parts along such as spark plugs, points, condensers, coils, headlight bulbs, fan belt, radiator hoses, intake and exhaust gaskets and fuses.  Nick also will carry with him a Model A Ford Club member roster in case he does need help along the way.  Nick already has spent many hours working on both this Model A and Model T, so he is well versed in repairs of the car.  His Model A Ford used to be Burgundy, but he has repainted it a deep bottle green with grass green wheels.  The smaller Model T is a classic black two-seater.  I can remember working on my old 1953 Henry J with my neighborhood friend Jere Herr.  We, mostly "he", rebuilt the engine in his parent's backyard garage and my Uncle Bob and I, mostly "he", prepared the car and painted it what I thought was to be a Burgundy color, but ended up a bright orange.  Not only did he paint the car, but most of the inside of his garage in nearby Strasburg due to "overspray".  As for Nick, his interest in older cars began when his grandmother Gepfer used to tell him stories about the antique cars from her youth in the 1920s.  He became enamored by the stories as well as cars and fell in love with that time period.  At the age of 14 he saw a 1928 Ford Model A for sale, but didn't have the funds to purchase it.  Three years later, with the help of his parents, he bought the 1925 Model T for $8,000.  The car had belonged to an elderly man who had taken good care of it for many years.  It even had wooden spokes.  He often would take his Model T for rides on the  country roads between Elizabethtown and Manheim in the state of Pennsylvania.  It was during one of those rides that a woman flagged him down and asked he wanted to buy her husband's 1930 Model A Ford.  He ended up buying it for $8,500.  He joined the Model T Ford Club of America and by now knows both cars inside and out.  The Model A is a four-cylinder Deluxe Town Sedan with 73,000 miles on it.  Production on this car began in 1928 and ran until 1931.  More than 5 million of them were sold during that time.  The car has a top speed of about 65 mph and averages 15-20 miles per gallon.  The Model A has more upgrades with a fuel gauge, speedometer, odometer and heater manifold.  He did have to replace the water pump, rebuild the carburetor, clean the points and flush the gas tank after buying it.  As for the Model T, that has been in Pennsylvania since it was new.  Henry Ford introduced the Model T in the fall of 1908 and stopped production in 1927.  Over the lifetime production of the Model T, about 5 million were produced with over half of the cars in the world at one time being Model Ts.  While in High School, Nick wrote a research paper on the Model T telling of the danger involved in starting it.  "If the levers aren't adjusted properly while starting it, the car could backfire and if your hand is on the crank when that happens, it could easily break your arm or snap tendons."  Can't imagine what his teacher must have thought while riding his paper.  He also wrote... “To make the car move, the hand-lever needs to be put into first gear, the throttle needs to be increased to raise the rpm of the engine, and the clutch needs to be completely pressed in. With the car moving in first, the clutch must be held in the entire time until the hand-lever is dropped, and the transmission is put into second gear. With all of these maneuvers that must be completed, it is obvious why the old-timers called it the Model T Dance.”  It will be interesting to see how Nick and his car fare during his upcoming trip across the country. He recently said, "I figure it's not too often that a 91-year-old car gets driven across the country.  Best of luck to you Mr. Sieber on your cross-county journey.  You may need it!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Shot In The Arm At One Time Was A Badge Of Courage" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story written by an editor of a magazine I enjoy reading from time to time.  She wrote about one of her earliest memories she can recall about a weird mark on both of her parents' upper arms.  It was a small circular scar about the size of a dime.  Didn't state if it was on the left arm or right arm, but perhaps that didn't matter.  She went on to say that she also noticed it on the arms of some of her aunts and uncles.  Perhaps if she had looked at a few others, she might have also found the same mark.  It turns out that the mark was the scar that was made from having the smallpox vaccination years ago.  I can remember my mother taking me to my family doctor when I was young to be vaccinated and discovering a few days later that the vaccination spot on my arm had totally healed.  Next time I went back to the doctor he examined my arm and also couldn't find the weird mark that most everyone else had on their arm.  He finally told my mother that I must have a natural immunity to smallpox.  For many who do have the small round scar, it was a badge of honor that was conferred by the smallpox vaccine.  A badge that I never had.  I can still remember feeling left out that after having to go to the doctor and getting a shot that I had nothing to show for it.  Many friends didn't believe I ever had the shot!  Almost the same as a few weeks ago when I had my first and second inoculations for COVID-19 and neither time did I have any reaction to the injections.  I told my wife I thought they gave me fake shots just to see what would happen to me.  Then I thought back to those days when I was a child and never had the scar on my arm to share with everyone.  Well, those that had the smallpox injection were saved from having the disease that today is cited as the only infectious disease humans have managed to eradicate.  The World Health Organization certified the achievement in 1980.  It was possible thanks to a global vaccination campaign that the World Health Organization started in 1967.  And, the story I was reading said that no matter how the vaccine was administered, the smallpox vaccine left a crater-like scar in the skin because it involved delivering a live version of a related pox virus into the body.  The skin around the the injection site could then get damaged and scab over, leaving the scar.  The vaccination was the big story for years since it was responsible for the eradication of smallpox.  My wife and I, as well as our friends who are about the same age as us, are part of the incredibly fortunate generations that are now spared the threat of smallpox.  But, over the years, a combination of complacency and misinformation has been driving down vaccination rates for a variety of other preventable diseases.  Three years ago Brazil lost its WHO certification for eradicating measles due to lack of vaccinations.  Seems that is now the same for most countries, the USA included, since many do not believe it is necessary to get the COVID-19 vaccination.  If they only had been born during the time that I was and can see the results of having the vaccination.  I may not have that smallpox scar on my arm, but I did my part and had the vaccination just as everyone else did for the good of mankind.  We can only hope that parents who don't believe in vaccinations for COVID-19 for themselves, don't keep their children from having the vaccination needed for the other childhood diseases that have been shown to be preventable with a vaccination.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "The 200th Anniversary Of 'The Saturday Evening Post' Magazine" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just put down my latest copy of "The Saturday Evening Post."  I read just about every page of the 106 page magazine; one of my favorites for years.  I have been a subscriber for years and find every section of the magazine to be entertaining and informative.  The latest edition happens to be the first in their 200th year of publication.  

It is labeled COLLECTOR'S EDITION on the cover with a big gold flag running across the top of the cover with "Celebrating 200 Years!" in black ink.  The editor, Steven Slon, talked about revisiting events from some of the past issues such as the Alamo, Lincoln's assassination and the Gold Rush.  It was on August 4, 1821 that "The Saturday Evening Post," then scheduled for delivery in the evening mail on Saturdays, as the title suggested, published its very first edition.  

My most recent edition of The Saturday Evening Post

The first edition was only a four-page broadsheet, more like a newspaper than a magazine, with all the different articles running into each other in five narrow columns.  Wasn't long before it went from a few hundred patrons to thousands and now to millions.  For this particular issue they are featuring American icons who have appeared as writers or subjects over the years of publication.  This issue also featured a story about a woman named Judy Fein who describes in detail a brain anomaly she has called prosopagnosia, known as face blindness, a condition that affects about 2% of the population.  She doesn't know you even if you have just spent an hour with her talking about life in general.  An hour later she won't know who you may be.  Wow!  How awful must that be.  The more I turned the pages in this issue, the more it brought back memories of just about every copy I have received over the years.  I have loved every issue from the amazing covers to the cartoons, limericks, puzzles and even finding Ben Franklin's hidden key in every issue.  Even a few of the advertisements are entertaining from time to time.  This particular issue featured a special section titled "200th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION" American Icons.  Over the past 200 years the Saturday Evening Post has chronicled a who's who of exceptional Americans.  Many have been featured one more time which was an awe-inspiring showcase of talent, ingenuity, creativity and vision.  Those featured once again were Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., Thomas Edison, Duke Ellington, Bobby Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, Marilyn Monroe, Orville Wright, Elvis Presley, R.E. Olds, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Humphrey Bogart, Grace Kelly, Marlon Brando, Judy Garland, Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Muhammad Ali, Jesse Owens, Babe Didrikson, Althea Gibson, Duke Ellington, Mahalia Jackson, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Dylan, Dolly. Parton and my favorite...Babe Ruth.  The full-page 1931 profile of the great slugger described growing up in an orphanage and his lucky early break.  He was quoted as saying "When I got my first job it seemed funny to me that anybody would pay me money to play ball."  The two page repeat of a story from years ago was interesting and entertaining.  I guess I enjoyed it so much, since it was first published as a four-part series November 28-December 19, 1931 and I had never read it before.  Many of the stories were much the same to me, but a few I had remembered from the first time they were published.  Close to the end of the magazine was an old Norman Rockwell painting taken from "The Rockwell Files."  Called Hurry up and nap!  He titled it "A Well-Earned Rest."  One of many, many paintings he did for the "Saturday Evening Post."  If you aren't a subscriber to the magazine, you may want to buy an issue at your local corner store and after reading it you may want to subscribe, just as I did years ago.  I never was disappointed!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Is It Time To Travel Once Again?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just received my latest HOP NEWS which is sent out monthly by my teacher's health options program.  Across the headline read "Are You Ready to Travel?  You bet!  If you are a traveler, how long ago did you take your last trip?  18 months ago? A year ago?  As for Carol and I, we missed our past three vacations and can hardly wait to enjoy the sun on the island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten (SXM) in the near future.  As we age, we realize that there will eventually come a time when one of us will not physically be able to board a plane, fly a few thousand miles, de-plane, go through immigrations and customs and finally have a chance to relax on a beautiful beach in the Caribbean.  So, missing almost two years of our travel life due to COVID-19 was tough to swallow.  Sure, we could relax last summer on our rear deck in the sun, but that's not the same as listening to the waves lapping a few feet from our lounge chairs and looking out over the beautiful blue waters of the ocean.  Not even close!  So, we are hoping to be able to travel some time soon.  The article in HOP News reported that after more than a year of staying home, most people are ready to get back too the activities they enjoyed before the pandemic.  And, travel was one of those activities.  Vacations seem to be more readily available and more people are fully vaccinated, as are Carol and I.  Is it possible we will be able to vacation soon?  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19.  The CDC considers a person to be fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose in a two-dose series or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine; as if we haven't heard this before.  But, there are certain guidelines and precautions that are still recommended being: wear a mask; keep a six-foot distance; avoid crowds; wash your hands frequently; use hand sanitizer; monitor yourself for COVID-19 symptoms after you travel.  Yeah, yeah, yeah...we know all that already.  Who doesn't?  The article goes on to tell me that if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine, you do not need to get tested before or after domestic travel.  Ah...I immediately saw that word...domestic.  Going to the island of SXM isn't domestic travel!  The article goes on to say that you should understand the cancellation policy just in case the virus returns a few days before you are to travel and you can't make the trip.  They do suggest that you use a travel agent or purchasing travel insurance.  Having to stay at home would be tough, but not getting your money back would be even tougher.  I did some more checking on travel by pulling up another favorite website called TTOL (Travel Talk Online) which deals with travel to many world  destinations.  One section of the site deals with the island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten so I opened the site and at the top of the link read: Covid travel requirements.  There are many requirements needed for both the French side of the two-country island as well as the Dutch side of the island.   But, knowing the dates of your travel, you have plenty of time to obtain the tests or at least plan a time for tests that have to be done 72 or less hours before boarding the plane to your destination.  Takes time, but at least you have the time and knowing you will be on vacation soon is a real incentive.  As for returning to the United States, that's a different story.  The following was a small part of what I found that is necessary to return to the United States.   

Information on testing on island for return to the US:
In case you have problems with getting a EHAS approval, try this number in SXM. 721-542-1570

We had stopped there to inquire about the test. They recommended us to use Sun Pharmacie or Pharmacie Soualiga in Marigot. We used Pharmacie Soualiga in Marigot…free, no questions about where you’re staying…did take a little over 2 hours, I was the 50th person tested that day…testing starts at 9, we got in line at 9:30, with like 40+ people in front of us . According to sign on door, antigen testing is done Tue & Thur, 9-10:30, Sat 9-11:30.  Not the most efficient process since just one lady does both the testing and processing of the results…she hands you a form with “negative “ checked, which you then take around the corner into the front entrance of the pharmacy (testing is done at back entrance) where after a few minutes you are then given the official test results documentInformation on testing on island for return to the US.

Now, how much time would it take to prepare to return to the United States?  Could be an entire day of your vacation...or perhaps two or three days. Are we ready to go through all this to end our vacation or would it be easier going someplace in the United States to start with in the first place!  Now, if you have ever visited a Caribbean island you know the answer immediately.  So, what you have to do is plan for at least a two week vacation or even longer.  We learned that years ago so we may have some problems getting tested before we return, but it is worth the bother.  And, what if we miss the plane ride home?  We do know a few people on the island who perhaps would enjoy visitors for a few more days if necessary.  Might be a good idea to contact them before we travel...just in case!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.    

The "A Town Once Known As Lidice!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  June 10, 1942 and the small village of Lidice was under siege!  Lidice was located in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia during WWII.  It was on this date in history that Adolf Hitler ordered the assassination of all men over the age of 16 in the town of Lidice in reprisal for the assassination of a Nazi official, Reinhard Heydrich, in the Spring of 1942.  The women and children were taken to concentration camps or gassed and the village of Lidice was destroyed.  One man had luckily escaped alive and urged the United Nations to destroy several German villages by air bombardment as a retaliation for the Lidice massacre.  Mr. Reinhard Heydrich had been appointed Deputy Reich Protector of the area and was one of the principal architects of the Holocaust.  He was a brutal man known for killing anyone who stepped in the way of the Nazi resistance.  It was on May 27 of 1942 that he was being driven to his headquarters at Prague Castle when his car was attacked by two Czechoslovak resistance operatives.  Heydrich was wounded and died less than a week later.  German officials declared a state of emergency and established a curfew in Prague.  They tried to find the attackers promising anyone involved, and their families, would be killed.  The attackers were never found so Hitler decided to destroy the village of Lidice in reprisal. That town was chosen since they were said to harbor members of the local resistance.  On June 10, German police and SS officials surrounded the town to block off any escapes.  They rounded up 192 boys and men and lined them up at the edge of town and shot them in groups.   The women and children were loaded onto rail cars and transported to concentration camps.  Most were taken to Ravensbrück where 60 died.  A few of the children were considered racially pure and were handed over to SS families.  The rest were killed in late June when Nazi official Adolph Eichman ordered the children to be gassed to death at Chelmno extermination camp.  Close to 340 people from Lidice died and the town was destroyed by shelling it and setting it on fire.  What remained was plowed over and the name of the town was removed from all local municipal records.  People from around the world were angered which in turn gained support for Allied troops in support of the war on Hitler.  I, for one, was not a very good history student when I was in high school...or even in college, so reading about this awful event in history was very disturbing.  I pulled up story after story about the event on Lancaster Online and was amazed at what someone could do to people who had a disagreement with them.  One such story from July 5, 1942 was titled Lititz Candles Relight Smashed Czech Towns told of 6,000 hand-made Lititz, Pennsylvania candles - lights in the July 4th celebration - which threw an encouraging flame across the world to Bohemia-Moravia.  Now that every man in the Czech town of Lidice has been shot, all the women thrown into internment camps, all children taken to educational centers and the Czech town completely destroyed by the Nazi, the name of the village wiped off their records - the flames on those candles in the Lititz celebration take on a realistic significance.  The connection between the Lititz candles and the European holocaust is no mere flight of fancy.  The Lititz candles were a pledge to a principle that never did die out, as the Lititz candles demonstrate.  On the basis of the foregoing facts in my story, they are the very essence of it.  Story after story that I read in my local newspaper from 1942 told of the terror handed out to the town of Lidice.  Stories with titles such as "Exiled Czechs Vow Revenge On Nazis For Executions",  "CZECHS VOW TO AVENGE DEATHS", "HIMMLER'S TOLL MAY BE 10,000,000", and "Million Red Poppies Hide Scar Left by Nazis at Lidice," covered the pages of my Lancaster Newspaper for months on end.  It was actually hard to read even the headlines about the town of Lidice.  I did find an inspirational poem written by H.I. Phillips that was printed in the Monday, June 15, 1942 Lancaster New Era which I will end my story with today.  It reads...

("Every man in the Czech town of Lidice has been shot, all women thrown

into interment camps, all children taken away from the town completely destroyed by the

Nazi on a charge that the slayer of Heydrich was hidden there.")

This was a town

A country town that men and women loved -

A village such as you and I have known

And treasured in nostalgic memories. . .

Now is it but a twisted rubble pile

From which the smoke in thin formations curls

To write a ghastly tale of nazi ways.

The Village has its woods and templed hills -

Its rocks and rills, and knew the lowing herd -

Here people lived their sweetly simple lives

And listened to the song of brook and bird . . .

Now not a house invites the morning sun

To warm and cheer the happy folks inside;

One Nazi leader met a sudden death

And for it all things living here have died!

Here children roped and full their laughter rang - 

Here mothers deemed and fathers worked and planned

The dreams and plans so common to us all.

Of any peoples and of any land . . .

Now every father, every adult son

is dead, a bullet through his brain or breast;

Like cattle are the women driven off - To show us Nazi justice at its best!

Here music once was heard, and people danced

The "breezy call of incense-breathing morn"

Was known, and women tended flowerbeds,

And now and then another child was born . . .

Naught but a deathly silence marks it now - 

Gone every creature, every living thing

An Elite guardsman's killer passed this way -

And so a strange New Order has its fling!

These embers mark the playthings of a child. . .

A church once rose above those ashes there . . .

Here did the florist live and here a nurse . . .

And here the cobbler, carpenter and mayor . . .

Not one single human voice is heard . . .

"All male grown-ups within the town were shot";

"All women thrown into Nazi camp" . . .

And all because the Nazis charge a plot!

That hillside there was once a picnic ground . . .

The valley knew parades and springtime joy . . .

Here once were streets alive and green and day

And in those ashes - look! - a baby's toy!

Now death and desolation stalk the town

The savage way of beasts casts its spell

One German hangman near here met his death - 

And this is Nazi justice . . . mark it well!

It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "You Made My Day!" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Once again I noticed a very familiar name typeset under a photo in my local newspaper.  Headline for the story read in bold type: Queen Elizabeth II honors Manheim Township High School graduate.  Naturally had to read the story to see if perhaps I might have had the person in question as a student years ago.  Story was about a young woman by the name of Wendy Mendenhall who graduated from Manheim Township in 1984.  

Wendy Mendenhall, 1984 Manheim Township High School graduate.

Seems her longtime contributions to United Kingdom-United States business relations have recently been honored with her appointment to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.  Wow!  Pretty neat!  Wendy served with BritishAmerican Business which is a nonprofit organization that promotes commerce between the United States and the United Kingdom.  During Wendy's time at BritishAmerican Business she rose through the ranks to become a global executive-in-charge as well as managing director.  A few years ago she stepped down from her duties with the business group.  Recently, Antony Phillipson, the British consul general in New York and Her Majesty's Trade Commissioner for North America, spoke with Wendy at a June 1 ceremony for U.K.-U.S. relations and told her that "It was your contribution to the U.K.-U.S. business relations that brought us together today.  It was at this point that Wendy was honored with her appointment to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.  Membership in the order is granted to honor contributions to arts, science and public service.  Other recipients into the order in the past have been the Beatles as well as musicians Adele and Ed Sheeran.   Wendy accepted the order's badge and citation and said, "It's a real honor to be recognized by Her Majesty."  Wendy received a sterling silver badge of the order.  The badge had pink and gray ribbons on it as well as an inscription that read: "For God and the Empire."  

Wendy receiving her award.  She looks the same as she did at MTHS.

Wendy was a graduate of Emerson College in Boston and then worked for a U.K.-based investment banking firm and a British events management company before moving to BritishAmericanBusiness.  Wendy now runs Grandview Advisors Inc. which advises non-profits, foundations and small businesses.  I found her email address and sent her a note to congratulate her on her recent impressive awards.  I was hoping she might remember me from Manheim Township High School.  A few hours later I received a return email from Wendy telling me it was nice to hear from me.  She also gave me a nice compliment by telling me I was one of her favorite teachers at MTHS.  Ended with a wish for a wonderful 4th of July.  Wow!  I often wonder if any of my former students would ever remember being in any of my classes and her email made my day!  Thanks, Wendy for taking your time to make an old teacher feel like a million bucks.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Songs Of America...With A Splash Of My Daughter"

 It was an ordinary day.  A day to celebrate "The United States of America."  A special day to celebrate America in music.  There is no one piece of music that can define our great land, but certain themes and emotions keep coming up such as individuality, freedom, loyalty and awe.  But wait, there are also a few great songs that express a healthy sense of dissent.  The diversity of music that follows will give you a bit of what the United States of America is all about.  Follow along as I list some of my favorite songs which have special meaning on July 4, our Independence Day in the United States of America.  (I must also add that my daughter was born on this day of celebration.  Any one of the following songs would work great to celebrate her birth.)

Simon & Garfunkel

"AMERICA" by Simon & Garfunkel.  This song was written in 1968 about a real-life road trip that Paul Simon took with his girlfriend that inspired one of the nation's greatest songs of searching.  The song follows two young lovers on a bus trip that served as a metaphor for their journey to find both themselves as well as the character of their country.  The lyrics that Paul wrote didn't include a single rhyme.  The beauty of the song is found in the song's poetic cinematic detail.  Paul and singing partner Art Garfunkel sing lines in unison to try and capture the synchronicity of its character.  Art says that "We come from the identical place."

"AMERICAN GIRL" by Tom Petty and the Hearbreakers.  This piece was written in 1976 and captures the heart of the country's restless spirit of a woman "raised on promises" that driveler to constantly seek something "more to life."  The 12 string guitar of musician Roger McGuinn creates the chiming sounds.  To give the song more importance, Petty recorded it on July 4 to capture the theme of our nation's birthday.  It was one of the first songs recorded with the Heartbreakers.  It was just over a week after they ended a 2017 show with "American Girl" that Petty died from an accidental overdose.

Neil Diamond

"AMERICA" by Neil Diamond which was recorded in 1980.  It was one of Neil's most personal songs which resonated across our nation.  His lyrics honor the bravery and contributions of immigrants everywhere which pay tribute to Neil's own family.  It's the story of his grandparents coming to America.  His grandmother Bubbe Molly was escaping Jewish oppression in Russia while his other grandparents arrived from Italy and Poland.  Perhaps that's why the song is "a musical expression of being free."

"AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL" by Ray Charles which was recorded in 1972, but written by Samuel A. Ward to a poem by Katharine Lee Bates.  Just about everyone in America has shun some version of this ode to the beauty of the nation's land.  The soulfulness of Ray's version is what gave it an enduring significance.  Ken Burns used Ray's version to highlight the emotional moment in his documentary on the Vietnam War when American POWs returned home.  Charles performed the song weeks after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 on a piano at home plate in Phoenix's Bank One Stadium when the Diamondbacks were playing the Yankees in game two of the World Series.  Soldiers and first responders unrolled a flag that covered the entire outfield.  You had to see to see it to feel the emotion in the song that day.  

James Brown

"LIVING IN AMERICA" by James Brown from 1985.  Featured on the soundtrack to the 1985 film Rocky IV.  The song's lyrics honor the coast-to-coast superhighways that represent the nation's breadth and openness. The song mentions nine U.S. cities declaring that "somewhere on the way your might find out who you are."  

"THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND" by Woody Guthrie recorded in 1951.  This is one of America's most famous folk songs.  The lyrics stressed that this land was made, and owned, by everyday citizens.  It did protest income inequality and the vast sufferings brought by the Great Depression.  His granddaughter said that the piece became his most famous since "it wasn't just something nice to listen to.  There's enough to keep you thinking."

The Mamas & the Papas

"CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'" by The Mamas & the Papas from 1965.  It is said that few songs evoke the warmth and freedom of America's expansionist dream with more beauty and charm than this hit.  A band member, John Phillips wrote the song.  It captured the nation's dream of endless summer.  

There are probably a dozen or more songs that celebrate July 4th, but I have picked out my favorites to share with you.  Pull them up on your phone or laptop and give them a listen if you want to get into the mood for Independence Day.  As for my family...a cake with a bunch of candles on it usually works.  Happy Birthday, Brynn.  We all love you.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

My beautiful little girl back in 19??
Photo from the Lancaster Newspaper.

The "Casey Carries Lancaster On Her Shoulders" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Walked out the drive and picked up the morning paper.  Checked the front page as I returned to my home and saw the large photograph of a 17 years old girl named Casey Kaufhold staring at me while holding a huge compound bow.  Story told of Casey beginning her summer with a bang when she became a member of the 2021 United States Tokyo Olympics Team as an archer.  She happens to be one of only two archers who will be shooting her Easton X10 arrows into the center spot on the target when she represents the entire country at the Olympics.  How neat is that!  Did I say that she is 17 and only one of two archers?  Now, that is really neat!  The story in the newspaper told that she set a new world record while trying for the sole women's spot on the team.  Not only did she beat her female competitors, she beat all the male competitors as well.  And, she's from LANCASTER!  LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA!  Wow!  The story said that no other archer younger than 21 has ever scored higher than 682 out of a total of 720 points, as she did in her Olympics qualifier.  Casey has been shooting arrows at targets for most of her life it seems.  She beat her dad for the first time when she was 12.  Her mom and dad, Carole and Robert have been archers for many years and own a world-class archery facility on the Old Philadelphia Pike in Lancaster.  Years ago my wife and I had a vegetable garden at the same location where the Lancaster Archery Supply is now located.  My Uncle Bob was part owner of BRW Fuel Company that had a business on that site and had plenty of vacant ground which they gave to relatives to farm if they wanted to do so.  They eventually closed the business and the Lancaster Archery Supply took over the location and founded their company in 1988.  Casey's dad competes on the world team for field archery and her mom is an avid bowhunter, thus Casey was born into a bow and arrow family and got support all along the way.  Shortly after she beat her dad at the age of 12, she earned four gold medals at the Easton Junior Olympic Archery Development Nationals in Decatur, Alabama.  During the past few years she has been in competitions all around the world.  Then in 2016 she met Dick Tone who is a legendary archery coach who has been responsible for taking close to a dozen archers to the Olympic Games over the past few decades.  One such archer was 1990 Gold Medalist Jay Barrs.  Casey had taken the advice quite a few times from Coach Tone and has become a world class archer.  She began her training for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but was delayed by COVID-19.  That year's difference meant not being able to take her AP classes at nearby Conestoga Valley High School where she is a student.  She tried to stay physically fit even thought most everything was shut down for a year.  She says that her scores she is shooting now as compared to two years ago are like night and day.  She credits the extra year of preparation for her record-shattering qualifier scores.  During training for the Olympics she shot with the Lancaster Archery Junior Olympic Archery Development Club.  

Casey Kaufhold - bowhunting.com

Casey will be going to Tokyo with 32-year-old Brady Ellison, who won the bronze medal in the 2016 games and is currently ranked No. 1 in the world in recurve archery.  Ellison has been an inspiration to Kaufhold since they met when she was 8 years old.  The two competed together in the 2019 Pan-Am games in Peru where they earned two gold medals in the mixed team recurve finals.  Even though she is only 17 years old, she knows that she will have to be mentally and physically prepared for Tokyo.  She knows she has to focus on every single arrow from practice to competition.  She says the biggest part of archery is the mental side.  Her training includes using an archery phone app that allows her to compete virtually with teams around the globe.   Perhaps they may be some of the same archers whom she will compete against in the Olympics.  Will being only 17 be an advantage or a disadvantage on the big stage in Tokyo?  It will be so neat when she does well and people all over the world will talk about this young girl from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  You read that right...LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA!  Go, Casey!  We in Lancaster County are cheering for you!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "She'll Always Be A Winner!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in my lounge chair with my friend Snickerdoodle next to me on the windowsill watching the squirrels and chipmunks playing outside the window.  The morning newspaper had just arrived and I had made myself comfortable as I began to read the headlines.  As I turned to the sports section of the paper the first thing that struck me was the headline that read "Manheim Township alum, High Point freshman, Sydney Horn places sixth in pole vault at NCAA championships."  

College freshman pole-vaulter Sydney Horn

Wasn't long before I had read the entire article and was pulling up the stories I had written about Sydney and her sister Mackenzie a few years ago on my blog, telling the world that these two young women will someday have their names in the paper telling of their accomplishments at the next level.  Well, today is the day that the story continues for the youngest Horn polevaulter, Sydney.  It was back on Sunday, May 6, 2018 that I wrote a story about Sydney who was becoming an accomplished pole vaulter having already cleared 11'8".  At the time her sister, Mackenzie, had cleared 13'3" which was the best high school pole vault in the state of Pennsylvania as well as the fourth-best in the United States.  Then, on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 I wrote another story telling about Sydney's career as an high school pole-vaulter.  Seems that this remarkable athlete, who was one of the best high school pole-vaulters in the state of Pennsylvania by now, was not going to able to showcase her skills since the high school track-and-field season had been canceled due to the COVID-19 virus.  All those hours and hours of practice and participation in track and field meets over the past few years may all be for naught.  Sydney had won the Class AAA pole-vault title at the state track and field meet the previous spring and was declared an All-American and the third-ranked female in the country.  She would not be able to top her sister's record at Manheim Township.  Seems that she did end up going to college at High Point University which is located in North Carolina and is known for their track and field teams.  Well, the story in the newspaper today told of her latest accomplishments at the nation's highest collegiate level.  The previous week she had placed sixth in the pole vault at the NCAA Division 1 women's outdoor track and field championships.  It was the highest finish in High Point history at the outdoor championships.  But, Sydney wants more!  She claimed that having to go first for each jump level was a disadvantage.  "No one wants to be first in the order," she said.  "It always happens because it's random, plus I was tired going into that because of travel and the time change...and running into a headwind was a little challenging."  Of the 24 female pole vaulters, five were freshmen.  Her height of 14 feet, 6 inches was the top mark among the rookies during the 2021 season before entering the national championships.  Still, she was among the top six college pole vaulters in the country.  And....she is only a Freshman!  She told the newspaper that she was introduced to pole vaulting when she was in eighth grade by Manheim Township Middle School teacher Jason Lyons.  Jason was a student of mine at the High School as well as coming back to teach next to me after his college years.  Sydney had competed in gymnastics for about 10 years prior to that time and at first struggled with pole-vaulting.  

Sydney pole-vaulting at Manheim Township H.S.

While in high school she was a three-time state champion and a two-time All-American in pole-vault.  Sydney finished third at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships with a school-record mark of 4.41 meters which is 14 feet, 5 1/2 inches.  With the height came All-American honors.  She is the first High Point student-athlete to be named a two-time All-American in the same season.  She now aims to win an NCAA championship and perhaps some day be able to participate in the Olympics.  Hard work does pay off and no one is a harder worker than Sydney.  Look for her name some time in the near future with USA next to it!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Starting A New Life In Lancaster, Pennsylvania" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Staring at one of the most unusual photographs that has been on page 1 of the local newspaper.  Features a young man by the name of Gary Bad Warrior standing next to his aunt and uncle with a basketball in his hands.  The background is dark and the photograph seems to be lit with a light that shows the somber faces of Gary and his aunt and uncle.  Story tells of Gary's arrival in Lancaster this past Thanksgiving after arriving from his home on a Native American reservation in South Dakota.  Gary is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation which is the 4th largest reservation in the United States.  His name comes from a sacred peace pipe that was given by a medicine man to one of his grandmothers and was passed down through generations.  The peace pipe is referred to as Zuya Sica with Zuya meaning warrior and Sica meaning bad.  His aunt made the same journey to Lancaster more than 30 years ago.  His aunt is Carolyn Rittenhouse, who met her husband Thad while a student in the 1980s at BYU-Idaho.  Her Native American name is Hwo Was'te Winyan or "Good Voice Woman."  She received the name in 1991, three years after marrying Thad who was a graduate of Lancaster McCaskey High School.  Mrs. Rittenhouse works for Millersville University and founded the nonprofit Advocates for Native Nations which is a Lakota immersion program for local high schools and colleges.  The foundation takes trips to her home reservation in South Dakota.  Carolyn has a niece, LeAnna whom she adopted in 2006 and whom graduated from Lampeter-Strasburg High School in 2017.  Gary now lives with LeAnna.  I guess I should tell you that Carolyn and Thad have three children and two of them were standout basketball players for Lampeter-Straasburg H.S.  Gary had lived for years in the reservation in an alcoholic environment and needed a change, thus he came to Lancaster to live with relatives.  At the beginning of this past school year he was a student at the Eagle Butte High School on the reservation in South Dakota, but was struggling with his classes.  Gary shares the same love of basketball as his relatives have in the past, so he decided to come to Lancaster.  Native Americans have been playing basketball for more than 100 years and have developed a style of play known as "Rezball."  It is a game of speed, full of aggression and stamina with full-court presses and man-to-man defenses.

Gary Bad Warrior photograph by Lancaster Newspaper

Bad Warrior began playing when he was 5, so he was no stranger to the game when he arrived in Lancaster.  He ended up at Pequea Valley High School which has an Indian mascot and was averaging about 46 points a game this past season.  He had to change his game...but the best part of it was that Thad Rittenhouse was the boy's basketball coach.  The first move for Thad was eliminating the Native American mascot that was at all games.  It didn't take long for Gary to adjust to his classes and returning to in-person learning after arriving.  He played some JV and some Varsity and helped the team earn a postseason bid for the first time in 11 years.  When he made his first shot this year the announcer said into his mic..."The Warrior with a 3-pointer."  Everyone in the gym was cheering for him.  What a great way to start another chapter of your life.  Gary Bad Warrior now fits into the mold of Lancaster County student and basketball player.  I hope he will continue next year to be a successful part of the school district and gain an understanding of life in Lancaster County where he is appreciated.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "So Which Is Correct And Witch is Not? Story

It was another ordinary day.  Halfway through another story for my blog when I found it necessary to decide if I should use the word "who" or the word "whom."  Have spent many hours over the years struggling to decide about the correct grammar which should be used in my stories.  Should I use "Who" or "Whom"?  How about "Lay" or "Lie"?  And then there is "Badly" or just "Bad".  And, also have to make sure I don't end a sentence with a preposition or use the word "None" as singular when it should be plural...or is it the other way around?  If only Mrs. Eisenhart was still around today I could give her a call for help.  Mrs. Eisenhart was my 11th grade English teacher who seemed to pick on me all the time.  At least it seemed that way to me.  She is the one teacher who helped me the most in High School.  If it hadn't been for her you probably wouldn't be able to read too many of my stories without trying to figure out what I meant due to my poor grammar skills.   I'll list a few of the grammar rules that she taught me in my junior...or is it Junior...year in high school so you can see what I mean about using proper grammar while writing.

1. "Who" or "Whom":  This rule is fairly simple, even for me.  "Who" refers to the subject of a sentence or clause, while "Whom" refers to the object of the sentence or clause.  Examples of this would be:  "Who went to the game with you?"  rather than "Whom went to the game with you?"  A good way for me to determine the correct word is to substitute the word He (Who)/Him(Whom).  Would you say "He went to the game with me" or "Him went to the game with me"?  Got it? 

2.  "Me or "I":  This rule I believe I learned way before I ever had Mrs. Eisenhart as a teacher.  What would you say..."Jim and I went to the store", or would you say..."Jim and me went to the store?"  I realize it is is easy for me to say it is "Jim and I", but if you're still not sure...take out the other person's name an see how it sounds, such as..."I went to the store" or "Me went to the store."  You can see that "I" has to be the answer.

3.  Then there is the rule of ending a sentence with a preposition.  Would you say, "It's not something I want to argue?" or "It's not something I want to argue about" with 'about' being a preposition?  In this case adding the 'about' is not necessary.  But, I have read that this may just be one rule you may have to argue with someone about.

4.  How about "Good" and "Well."  Now this is a tough one and I don't think anyone will argue with you no matter which you choose.  Would you say "I'm doing "good" or  " I'm doing "well'?  "Good" is being used as an adverb in this instance which means that "Well" is the correct answer, but in most cases no one will know the difference anyway.  

5.  And...should you say, "I could care less," or "I couldn't care less."?  Don't they both mean the same thing?  Not really!  Saying "I couldn't care less" means that you actually care as much as you ever will while "I could care less" means you can care more.  Now, are you lost?  Well, I could care less!

6.  When should you capitalize and when should you not capitalize?  If you are talking about western states in the United States, should you capitalize the word western?  If you had used it as an adjective then you don't need to capitalize it, but if you use it as a noun it should be capitalized, such as Western United States.  Same as...I went to the "doctor" the other day is correct just as I went to see "Doctor" Smith is correct.  

7.  And, finally...are the words "Neither" and "None" singular or plural?  When you say "neither" you are referring to more than one.  If you would say, "Neither the boy or girl knew the answer", it would be plural, but if you said "Neither child knew the answer it would be singular.  Right?  Same with the word "None."  That, too, can be both singular and plural, so the rule for this one, as I had been told by Mrs. Eisenhart, is use your judgement.  Now, that means I can use either word and Mrs. Eisenhart won't mark it wrong.  Wow, that never happened!   Mrs. Eisenhart passed away a few years ago and I believe she is still watching down over me each and every time I type a story.  So, if I make a mistake, it's her fault!

I'm sure there are many other rules in the "Grammar" world, but these are the rules I come upon the most while writing my stories.  That, and the problem with spelling.  But, I asume youse know that bye now!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

PS -  Mrs. Eisenhart passed away a few years ago, but I believe she is still watching down over me each and every time I type a story.  So, if I make a mistake, it's her fault!

The "If It's In Print...It Must Be True! Not!! Story

It was an ordinary day.  Picked up the morning newspaper at the foot of my driveway and opened it.  There it was, in black and white, the story that our beloved Franklin & Marshall College was going to change it's name.  How can that be?  Well, it seems that a Mr. Paul Finkelman, President and history professor at Gratz College near Philadelphia had just told the Lancaster Newspaper that F&M was changing their name since one of it's namesakes participated in slavery years ago.  Claimed in his June 15 article in the "Atlantic Magazine" that he had heard from an F&M alumnus that the school was considering a name change.  Only problem was that he didn't take the time to verify the information before he passed along the story to the world.  The Lancaster Newspaper got in touch with him to ask for more information about the name change and he had to apologize and take full responsibility for his error.  Wasn't long before "The Atlantic" also posted a correction to the article indicating that it had learned that F&M had no "official" discussions about renaming the school.

An early photograph of Franklin & Marshall College

 F&M did recently establish a "study group" to examine issues of how slavery is represented on campus, but the establishment of the group was not inspired by Mr. Finkelman's article.  Shortly after the article first appeared in "The Atlantic", F&M began to get inquiries from alumni, faculty and staff asking what was going on with the name change.  According to F&M spokesman Gregory Wright, "F&M takes very seriously our role in confronting systemic racism and the historical roots that continue to harm our society today."  Well, Mr. Finkelman got carried away and posted the news before he should have.  He had already told of Supreme Court Justice John Marshall's slave purchasing in his recently published book, "Supreme Injustice: Slavery in the Nation's Highest Court."  

Old Main at Franklin & Marshall College

It was in the early 19th century that Justice Marshall gave 27 enslaved people to one of his sons, sold more than 30 to pay off the debts of another son and gave 40 slaves to yet another son.  By the time Mr. Marshall had died he had owned more than 150 slaves.  And, to top that off, Marshall is said to be one of the most influential Supreme Court Justices in history.  It was he who established the Supreme Court as the third branch of government in the United States.  Mr. Finkelman was right in one respect, The John Marshall Law School at the University of Illinois at Chicago will no longer carry that name, but will be called the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law.  Perhaps that is what led him to think that Franklin and Marshall would also change their name.  I do see how he might have thought that, but it should have been just a thought and not in print.  

Present statue of John Marshall

A present, there is a statue of John Marshall in front of Old Main which has administrative offices and a lecture/recital space with several of his quotes etched around the bottom half of it.  A similar statue of Benjamin Franklin sits beside it.  Perhaps a study group will begin in the fall of next semester which can begin to talk about the campus climate and their approach to slavery problems.

Present statue of Benjamin Franklin

 It will certainly give the students a real-life experience that could never have been created.  The working group is part of the schools ongoing effort to reckon with their own history.  Actually Mr. Marshall's name wasn't part of the school when it first began as in 1737 as Franklin College.  Then Marshall College was founded 49 years later in Mercersburg.  It eventually was moved to Lancaster and merged with Franklin College to form what is now known as Franklin & Marshall College.  

Did you also know that Benjamin Franklin owned slaves at one time, but renounced slavery and forged his identity as an abolitionist and humanitarian whereas Mr. Marshall sold and purchased slaves his entire life.   It was said that he called for the removal of all free Balck people, who he called "Pests", from the Union.  Now F&M will have to discuss the merits of allowing such a figure to continue to represent the college and its people.  Gonna be a tough decision and it's possible that Mr. Finkelman may be right.  But that doesn't give him the choice to predict history by himself.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Breaking news! - I just heard on our local television channel that someone had vandalized Mr. Marshall's statue at Franklin & Marshall College.  Mr. Marshall may have been incorrect in his logic to have slaves, but that still doesn't make it right to vandalize his statue.  The best way is to protest him having slaves and have the statue removed by the school.  Don't reduce yourself to vandalism.  It doesn't help your cause in the long run.