Below is a photo of my dad at seventeen, a high school graduate, holder of class medals in English and debate, and a seasoned thespian. He was a mill town boy with high ambitions tempered by the security of a good-paying, full-time job in the midst of the Roaring Twenties. He never got the college degree he wanted but he was successful, building on his strong faith, a solid marriage, and a remarkable work ethic.When I look at this picture I am reminded that he only had four "good" years before the Great Depression and World War II brought him and the country he loved into sixteen years of hard times. Through it all he survived as a member of the "Greatest Generation" to see his nation prosper. He was "old school:" through and through and never met a stranger.
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| Graduation, High School Class of 1925 |
Though neither of our dads was present during virtually all of our children's "shaping" Nancy and I know that their values played a major role in teaching our kids to be responsible, caring, and loving individuals. Not a day passes without a wish to have our dads and their guidance with us once more. How fortunate we were to have such beacons in our lives. And how wonderful it would be to see the reverence and respect for fatherhood restored in our nation today.
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