In 1985 started working at the United States Postal Service in Harrisonburg Va until 1993. Then assumed the roll of Postmaster of Quicksburg VA until 2013 when I became Postmaster of Fulks Run VA until my retirement in 2014. Finished my full time working career at Central Valley Truss in Fulks Run, retiring from full time employment October 2021. Since 1999, I occasionally fill the pulpit in local churches. Married to Cammie Anderson for 41 years, and we have two adult daughters, Rebecca and Sarah.
Remember June 6th, 1944, D-Day.
June is halfway thru the year, believe it or not.
For this month’s story First let me say that this is the way I see it, and it is my opinion.
June is here and school’s out for summer. If you remember school started on August 24th and June 8th is the last day. At one time that was a day most all of us looked forward to, last day of school! But wait, August 24th? Labor Day wasn’t until September 5th! August 24th? Things change, and I am told that a long extended time between Summer break and back to school causes the students to forget what they have learned the previous year. I would like for those in the know to please let me know exactly where they got that information, and approximately how many days need to elapse before this memory loss begins to happen.
Now I came across a Graduation Announcement, the event took place on Sunday June 2nd, which by my calculations the last day of school had to be May 31st at the latest. Now that year school started most likely on September 4th, one day after Labor Day. But to get an accurate count in for those that were not seniors and had to return to school that fall they didn’t start back till September 3rd. That’s approximately 95 days without any formal education!
Just think of all those ignorant children wandering around in our community! For the boys working in the hay field, fishing, groundhog hunting, swimming, working in the gardens, attending lawn parties and fairs, part time summer jobs, and just plain enjoying summer. For the girls some of the same with gardens and helping mom can goods for winter, going to the store also learning to sew or cook and maybe feeding the chickens and gathering eggs. Poor under privilege Illiterate children. What a shame! Oh, by the way that graduation announcement was from 1957. And what’s even worst is some of the graduates grew up to be Postmasters, Commissioner of Revenue of Rockingham County, and heaven forbid, School Board members! Now I don’t know if you have figured it out yet, but I’m not a big fan of short summer vacations for children Summer should be the best times of their lives with vacations and just being kids. Lord knows that children today are forced to grow up to quickly, and sadly some children never have the pleasant childhood memories every child deserves. Now I’m like Forest Gump, now that’s all I’m gonna say about that. But this is the way I see it and keep in mind since it’s been 45 years since I had any form of education, I should not be held accountable for my opinions because of all I have forgotten.
Now speaking of children that loved school…there was a young boy that lived in Fulks Run that loved to spend time in the mountains hunting and, in the woods, than in school. Secondly, he enjoyed hanging around the community country store in the 50’s listening to the people as they came in and made their purchases along with helping his dad on their poultry farm. It was on a beautiful weekday, and this young man didn’t want to go to school. He never liked school at all, so this day he would hide till the bus came, and after the bus left, he would appear and everything would be fine. But on this day, he underestimated his mother’s plans. He attended the old Broadway High School across from where now the Gobbler Grill is today. And as it so happened his mother was going to Broadway to pick up some items, and when she saw the young man, she immediately instructed him to get ready she was taking him to school. He was discouraged that his best laid plans had failed as they headed to Broadway to school. She pulled up in front of the school along the sidewalk and as the young man got out, she told him to have a good day. As he stood there on the sidewalk, a certain Mr. May pulled up and asked him if anything was wrong. He knew Mr. May very well because he would stop and buy the empty feed sacks from the boy’s daddy’s poultry farm.
“No, there was nothing wrong. I was just needing a ride BACK TO FULKS RUN.”
“Well, hop in young man that where I’m heading!”
Well, considering the time it took his mother to run her errands, when she arrived home there was her son on the farm. He had actually beat her back home.
When she saw him, she was furious and just straight up told him, “If you are that determined to grow up dumb, just grow up dumb! I’m not taking you back out to school.”
Now I am happy to report he didn’t grow up dumb, and he became a very successful adult. In all honestly, education is a wonderful thing unless you get to much of it. It is my firm belief that God has given each person a special talent to earn a living and provide for his family. This could be anything from a Doctor to a Ditchdigger. We all just need to find out what ours is. Lastly, one quote I like is from Tom Bodett , remember spokesman for Motel 6, he said “The difference between school and life? In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.”
Believe it or Not
Until Next Time
Ronnie
