I received a printout of a genealogy from a third cousin the other day, and when it was opened, a second envelope fell out. The genealogy covered the maternal side of our family, going back only four generations. It covered 14-eight by 10 pages, and this was the second go around for updates on birth dates and accurate names and connections.
The envelope contained two pictures. The oldest dated picture was of my family and my third cousin's family in 1948, at a bungalow we shared in August at Budd Lake, N.J. There were two bedrooms. My parents slept in the bedrooms, the rest of us slept on the floor in the main living room. Lunch was always bologna sandwiches, and we loved it.
I remember it clearly, because it was the week that Babe Ruth passed away, and that was the big item in the newspapers of the time. In the picture were two sets of parents and four children each, for a current total of eight children.
Those two families would go on to become eight children and nine children for a total of 17 offspring from two sets of parents.
That group of 17 today, runs to professions like school teachers, police officers, nurses, sales professionals, managers, business owners, bartenders and other middle class descriptions. Their offspring run to advanced education degrees, and job or work satisfaction like we never knew.
In the years when the 17 children were growing, becoming educated and developing as adults, there were extremely limited opportunities for extracurricular activities in the education system. We never went to Europe, or traveled to a big concert, or attended class in a big university.
We never got to run the city or the county for a day. I won't discuss the disciplinary system, as it would lead to jail time if implemented today.
Somewhere over the past 50 years, we have lost the simplicity of the old system. There isn't enough time or space in a column like this to delineate the forks in the road along the way.
The only observation I'll make is that if the student has the horsepower, and the desire, as forged in the home environment, then he or she will find a way to succeed. It is not the responsibility of the educational system to repair damaged personalities, or to play correction officer to young criminals. However, they still have to catch truants.
I believe this progression of families outlines the true greatness of our political and economic system.
We hear too much stridency in the media on the underbelly of the system, and not enough on the everyday quiet successes of the huge majority of our people.
I would appreciate hearing other thoughts on this issue. You can reach me at wdugan@rochester.rr.com
William Dugan is supervisor for the town of Ledyard
I remember it clearly, because it was the week that Babe Ruth passed away, and that was the big item in the newspapers of the time. In the picture were two sets of parents and four children each, for a current total of eight children.
Those two families would go on to become eight children and nine children for a total of 17 offspring from two sets of parents.
That group of 17 today, runs to professions like school teachers, police officers, nurses, sales professionals, managers, business owners, bartenders and other middle class descriptions. Their offspring run to advanced education degrees, and job or work satisfaction like we never knew.
In the years when the 17 children were growing, becoming educated and developing as adults, there were extremely limited opportunities for extracurricular activities in the education system. We never went to Europe, or traveled to a big concert, or attended class in a big university.
We never got to run the city or the county for a day. I won't discuss the disciplinary system, as it would lead to jail time if implemented today.
Somewhere over the past 50 years, we have lost the simplicity of the old system. There isn't enough time or space in a column like this to delineate the forks in the road along the way.
The only observation I'll make is that if the student has the horsepower, and the desire, as forged in the home environment, then he or she will find a way to succeed. It is not the responsibility of the educational system to repair damaged personalities, or to play correction officer to young criminals. However, they still have to catch truants.
I believe this progression of families outlines the true greatness of our political and economic system.
We hear too much stridency in the media on the underbelly of the system, and not enough on the everyday quiet successes of the huge majority of our people.
I would appreciate hearing other thoughts on this issue. You can reach me at wdugan@rochester.rr.com
William Dugan is supervisor for the town of Ledyard