Yesterday I was in the gas station, and visiting with a man that sometimes plays the part of Santa Claus at school Christmas programs. He told of one of these events last year at a fairly local one room country school. As each youngster came up to him, he'd ask what they were hoping to get for Christmas. Evidently the teacher had assigned each child to compose a list of their wants and desires. Santa Claus said each kid had a list long enough to choke a horse. Finally one little pre-schooler, who was timid and hanging back, finally got brave and came up to sit on Santa's lap. Santa questioned the boy, "Well, young man, what would you like for Christmas?" The little guy held up his list, scrutinized it carefully, and answered, "I don't know. I can't read." Poor old Santa got to laughing so hard he about bucked the kid off of his lap.
My dad reminded me of his cousin, who started school back in the late 1920's. On his first day in the unfamiliar surroundings, the teacher asked him if he could spell his name. "Heck no," he replied, "why do you think I came here."
Another gentleman was sitting next to us at the cafe. I reminded him of one of his sayings when he was a kid in school. His grandmother had told my dad, and I remembered the story from long ago. When the young lad returned one afternoon, his dad asked him if he'd learned anything. While making his report, the boy said, "And Dad, the teacher stooped over and I could see clear to her withers."
Another local cowboy was a student at the school where my Dad's cousin was teaching. One day she asked him, "What are you going to be when you grow up. He replied, "I'm going to be rough and tough and nasty, just like my dad." He succeeded pretty well, but he's a heck of a good guy.
This brings to mind another local lad of my dad's era. He had quite a bit of trouble in school, and had to take a couple of grades over again. One day the teacher was asking the kids what their thoughts were on future occupations. She asked, "Bud, what are you going to be when you get out of school." He replied, only partly in jest, "A old man."
My dad reminded me of his cousin, who started school back in the late 1920's. On his first day in the unfamiliar surroundings, the teacher asked him if he could spell his name. "Heck no," he replied, "why do you think I came here."
Another gentleman was sitting next to us at the cafe. I reminded him of one of his sayings when he was a kid in school. His grandmother had told my dad, and I remembered the story from long ago. When the young lad returned one afternoon, his dad asked him if he'd learned anything. While making his report, the boy said, "And Dad, the teacher stooped over and I could see clear to her withers."
Another local cowboy was a student at the school where my Dad's cousin was teaching. One day she asked him, "What are you going to be when you grow up. He replied, "I'm going to be rough and tough and nasty, just like my dad." He succeeded pretty well, but he's a heck of a good guy.
This brings to mind another local lad of my dad's era. He had quite a bit of trouble in school, and had to take a couple of grades over again. One day the teacher was asking the kids what their thoughts were on future occupations. She asked, "Bud, what are you going to be when you get out of school." He replied, only partly in jest, "A old man."