Giving Child His Rights (+2)

Hello Folks — A five-year old boy in a candy store was in tears.

"What's the matter, Sonny?" the proprietor asked.

"I had a quarter, but I lost it here somewhere."

Welling over with sympathy, the storekeeper handed the boy a popsicle. "Here" he consoled,  "you can have this one free."

The youngster brightened a bit, but tears still fell. "What about my change?"

—

"Since I have my new automobile I don't have to walk to the bank with my deposits."

"Drive over now, eh?"

"No I just don't make any."

—

I think that one of the greatest weaknesses we have in life is taking our friends and loved ones for granted; also any of our blessings. We forget to use tact, and talk out of turn; we get to expecting too much of those around us or else we neglect kind words and compliments.

We can easily get to treating our children as though we owned them, and we are likely to neglect their proper training until we discover that it is too late. Perhaps the greatest mistake we make is to be too lax with the children when they are very young and then try to dominate them when they are old enough to mind their own business.

Too often we raise our voices at the children instead of teaching them in advance the things they should know. I know it is my weakness, how about yours?

Let's try to be as kind and courteous to our loved ones as we should be. Let's plan in advance the teachings and trainings and the things we should do.

—

Many a small boy is the kind of kid his Mother tells him not to play with.

—

I used to think that insurance men were sort of a nuisance; necessary of course, but less vital than a lot of other people.

Since I have made a study of economics and have come to realize what it takes to make our capitalistic system work, and which gives us such a high standard of living, I have developed a real respect for the men that go around and encourage people to prepare for the future of themselves and their loved ones.

Take life insurance for instance; a man takes out a policy to cover the cost of the funeral and give himself and his wife a comfortable living when the active days are on the wane. That very act of taking out that policy does more than provide for himself and give the insurance man a meal ticket; it helps every citizen in the U.S.A. because it is money put into creating jobs and wealth.

The premiums paid are reinvested where they will draw interest and help provide capital so necessary to keep industry going and encourage the demand for an ever increasing standard of living.

I do have one gripe. Why don't you insurance men go further than just trying to sell a policy? Why don't you put on a big educational program to teach the public what insurance does for the nation as a whole; we need to know those facts and I know of no one who could do it better than You, and it certainly is to your own benefit as much as ours. I wish I had learned those facts years ago.

E. B. Peterson Speaks at Club

Edwin B. Peterson, president of the Freeborn County Farm Bureau, spoke at the March meeting of the Freeborn County Women's Republican Club Thursday afternoon in the Spanish Dining Room. A questions and answer period followed after which Joan Schneider played two organ solos.

Mrs. O. C. Hammond presided at the committee meeting. A nominating committee was selected with Mrs. Alfred Berglund as chairman. Other members include Mrs. Robert Green and Mrs. J. P. Miller. A letter was read from Congressman Al Quie.

A social hour follower the meeting.

31 in County In Who's Who In Minnesota

"WHO'S WHO IN MINNESOTA" has included in its 1958 centennial edition the biographical sketches of 31 Freeborn Count citizens. They include:

... Edwin Peterson, Oakland; ...

Qualifications for this recognition were based on standards of good citizenship and community service. Over 500 persons acted as selectors in determining which persons' biographical data should be included.

Census Bureau Must Know

HELLO FOLKS — It's time to take the farm census and the enumerators are out doing their job. There are a lot of questions that might seem of no value to anyone but I suppose they do make sense to the Census Bureau.

—o—

BEFORE HALLOWEEN is too far past, let's think a bit about it. It's the one time in the year when blackmail is legal for the junior league. It is still punishable by prison terms for the rest of us.

It is a good thing for the young ones to get out and "unbend" but I question the advisability of encouraging them to tricks or treat in the manner which it is done. I know of one man who leaves town for Halloween. The hords of children who come knocking and threaten tricks or treats gets him plenty upset. It isn't that he is not generous enough; he is as kindly a man as I know but he is getting up in years and it is more than he can stand.

Wouldn't it be a lot better if we taught the children to 'trick and treat' in a different manner? For instance parents could teach them little tricks, songs, jokes or stunts. They could go around from house to house showing off their talents, entertaining instead of being pests, giving instead of receiving. Surely that would be more uplifting and character building. We did it this year as a church group and it was a heap of fun. What say we give it a try on a community basis next year?

—o—

I THINK this Halloween was the most fun I have had at home. The children each got themselves a suit. They needed some nighties anyway so Vera made them each a different one. Mark got a leopard suit. Adell a bunny suit. Zina a Chinese suit and Dana a skeleton.

Randy made a costume out of cardboard — he called it Randy the Robot. Ann was a Devil and Jared a tramp. Karen was a cloak and dagger spy and Vera a Gypsy.

What gave me the most laughs was Adell. I hid my face when I saw the cotton Vera had sewed on for the bunny tail. That was signal enough for Adell, who has been teasing me a lot lately. Every time she got a chance she would wave that tail in front of me just to get a 'raise'. She is really proud of it and I guess she has a right to be; it isn't ever one who can go to bed at night with a 'cotton tail'.

Story Reminds of Cattle Drive

HELLO FOLKS — The worst thing about laziness is that there is no cure for it and it doesn't kill.

The trouble with most meetings is that they start at 8 o'clock sharp and close at 10 o'clock dull.

—o—

WHILE MY mind is still fresh with thinking about the 65 mile cattle drive of Don Hight; might I relate the experience of one of my last cattle drives?

This was in the summer of '34. In the month of June my brother Clarence and I were supposed to deliver a heard of cows with their calves to the Hatchet ranch on the Big White River between the towns of Presho and Winner.

The cows had come from that ranch nearly two years earlier; most of them as heifers. They had been brought to the 'Rosebud' with a heard of three of four hundred, to be wintered there because of a feed shortage at the Hatchet. Now the feed was short at home and they were to return.

We got them sorted out and started in good shape. We had about 45 miles to go. There were some new born calves in the heard and one that had been 'dropped' in February. This particular one had gotten it's feet frozen and lost it's hoofs. Consequently it had a hard time to keep up with the rest of the herd.

We had intended to take three days for the trip but the older cows, when we got well along on the trail, realized that they were heading back to familiar grounds. Therefore they were no problem to drive. We covered 25 miles the first day.

The only problems were the new born calves and the one without hoofs. The new born calves were taken care of pretty well by their mothers but the oldest calf just couldn't keep up with the rest.

I felt sorry for him and put him in the saddle for a while. He didn't like that and fought so much I finally had to let him down.

We decided that we couldn't keep fighting him so we let him follow behind. He would lie down awhile and then move awhile. Usually when we rested he would catch up and get a good feed.

The second day we decided that if he couldn't keep up we would have Andy Halvorsgard come and get him in the truck when we got to the ranch. It was a short day's drive and we got to the ranch about 4 or 4:30. Before we could get things squared around and go after the calf we could see him coming down the road. That calf surely had the grit. Towards the last he would go just a few feet and lie down, then get up and go again, but he made it.

We spent the weekend on the Big White, then Clarence when home and I stayed a week or so and worked there. The ride home was just a nice day's ride. Clarence had Tony and got home in fine shape. But the day I went home was the hottest day of the year and I had a green horse that nearly gave out on me. I rested on the way and finished the last of the ride after the sun cooled off a bit.

Catch On Quickly

HELLO FOLKS! — It is strange but true that some men will drink most anything put before them, but check very carefully the oil put in their car.

Little Linnea is almost three. She hurt her foot and it seemed to be very painful. She couldn't walk on it, so the older children had to carry her about. This worked swell until she forgot which foot was supposed to be hurting and started favoring the wrong one.

—o—

THIS COLUMN is going to be a gripe session. Gripe No. one is this: As we traveled through other states this summer we were aware of the great number of picnic areas some states provide. Wyoming is especially good that way. You never need to worry about finding a picnic area. There is one every few miles. With all the beautiful spots we have in Minnesota and with all the money we spend to draw business and goodwill, why not develop a lot more wayside areas where the weary travelers can stop off and rest.

Gripe 2—Near Adrian in western Minnesota there is a spring. It has been there for many years and we never fail to stop there to refresh. About 500 feet from the spring there is a small sign announcing the fact. A driver traveling near the maximum speed has to either squeal his tires or turn around in order to get a drink. Why doesn't the highway department put up a sign a mile away so the travelers will know what to expect?

Gripe 3—The railroad has been leveling off some high spots between the rails and highway 16. A lot of brush has grown up that was catching snow and causing the rails to drift more than they should. The brush and stumps were pushed into the low spots and left to rot. I am sure it was not done with the intent of improving the appearance of the right of way, or to landscape it, for in a few years the brush will be back there as bad as ever. The area cannot be kept neat as it is, what with stumps and all.

I have reason to believe that there are able - bodied persons getting money dolled to them. If the railroads will not landscape and beautify, why not put the unemployed to work? It there are no unemployed men I am sure there are many high school youths willing to work and anxious to earn an honest 'buck',

Gripe 4— I understand that welfare and enforcement agencies are generally in need of homes to place disturbed and needy children. If my informations is correct there is a rule in effect also that no family who has five children can adopt a child. Surely if a family can raise five of their own properly there should be welcomed if they wish to open their homes to others.

It's All a Case Of Temperature

HELLO FOLKS! Ever wonder why the camel can endure the heat of the desert, go without water for long periods of time and still stay on his feet? Here is the answer. The camel's temperature may very from 93 degrees to as high as 105, while man must sweat much water and keep his temperature at about 98.6 degrees. A camel can dehydrate about 40 percent of his body weight while the limit of a man is about 15 or 20 per cent. When a camel drinks water he can take in as much as 100 quarts in a ten minute period; that is comparable to a man drinking about 4 or 5 gallons.

—o—

AN OPEN mind like an open mouth is no good unless you can shut it again on something solid.

—o—

A TRAFFIC officer ordered a motorist to pull up to the curb, and produce his drivers license. "I don't understand this, officer. I haven't done anything wrong," whimpered the motorist.

"No you haven't," the officers replied, "but you were driving so carefully I thought you might not have your drivers license."

—o—

I'LL NEVER understand my little daughters; for about three weeks now they have been going round the house with the most outlandish dresses on you ever saw, and if anybody tried to take them away from them there would be war. The first week one of them had an old formal that had seen its best days. The next week it was a house dress that drug on the floor, and now it is another house dress that is full of holes. They will hardly part with them long enough to get them washed. Some times they get the notion that is has to be slacks, other times mother's or ladies' shoes, but anything... be different. As long as it is clothes that are worn out I am not going to complain, but if and when it gets to the point that they insist on new clothes I am going to be mighty firm.

—o—

IT LOOKS as though the nutcracker is really on. I mean with the way Governor Freeman plans to lay on the income tax. He plans on taking the biggest bite out of the low income wage earners.

What this really points up is the hard fact that we are in the era that was bound to come. The idea years ago was to soak the rich and give to the poor. It was a popular thing to do; after all the poor were in the majority and the 'rich' had to take it and grin if they could. Such a policy did not encourage economy in Government, so the majority said in effect, "lets get all we can. 'Uncles Sam' is rich."

Now 'Uncle Sam' is up against it. He has given so freely of his seemingly bottomless wealth that he is fast running out; we have all gotten so used to 'getting' that we can't think of doing anything else. But the Government has to have money and so the only place to get it is from Mr. Average Man. We asked for it, and we got it. And the end is not in sight yet; not by a long shot. We are in the 'hole' around 8,000 dollars per household and 10 per cent of our tax money goes just to pay the interest each year. To top it off the age average is getting high each year and scientists say that in the forseeable future most people will live to be one hundred, which in turns means that there will be more voters on old-age pensions that there are working. With that in mind, do you think that the politicians are going to have too much sympathy for the hard-working taxpayer? You bet not. He'll go right on giving more and more of our money away as inflation get worse and worse. Look out folks, it's a long way to ground again, and the ground can get awfully hard when it is frozen.