Thanks to Dr. David D. Stonecypher, Jr., for the copy of his book, "Getting Older and Staying Young."
The book is interesting reading and we have recommended it to a number of friends.
Dr. Stonecypher refers many times to "old people" and gives many case reports of 80 and 90-year-old men and women.
My dad would get a kick out of that. He will be 70 this summer and although he claims he's old, it's pretty hard for his family to look at him and think of him as being old.
Millie's grandmother is 83 years young. I've known her for 25 years as a person with a hip injury that left her on crutches, but as a person who has a bright, alert mind of her own.
A few weeks ago she suffered a stroke. She turned to me on a recent visit and said, "I think I had better move into a rest home."
(She had made up her mind long before talking to me.) That's where she is today and friends report that she really is enjoying her new home.
Dr. Stonecypher's book hits a lot of situations that may ring a bell with you. And if you are among the "young" and absorb his words, then you should gain an understanding and some wisdom how you may be able to help someone close to you.
We can imagine the energy the doctor exerted when he worked on his book. We visited with him occasionally several years ago when he lived in Nebraska City.
He gave a talk the Toastmasters club was not to forget for a long time. He told about preparation for eye surgery, the operation and recovery.
We all had more concern for the care of our eyes after his talk.
The Rev. Victor Ireland told his congregation on his return from the Holy Land that he found a lot more meaning to the Bible stories.
The pastor said he has read of many places and things and told his congregations about them, but now that he's "been there," it's like opening up a new world. "I was moved," he said.
He also returned with many slides and I'm sure he would be glad to share his trip in a film story. Call him, betcha he won't say no.
Here's a note from M. D. "Mac" McKenney, former high school principal in Nebraska City and now with the school system in Vermillion, S.D.
Mac said there is a need for some kind of youth center. "As we see it, it must be something kids have personal involvement in, therefore personal commitment. I recall that much of the governing authority of Fort Teen was in the hands of a council dominated in number by students observed by adults.
"The real strength of that organization, as I recall it, was that the kids felt that it was their thing and their responsibility to keep it afloat."
Well, Mac, thanks to Tom Weathers of the parks and recreation department, we are sending you a copy of the 1958 annual report with the by-laws, rules and regulations and many pictures.
Gernot Prawdzik, of West Berlin, reads the News-Press and he particularly enjoys the attention the small town newspaper puts on the individual. Mr. Prawdzik is a brother of Mrs. Tom (Mickey) Weathers, and his family hosted our daughter in West Berlin for three weeks.
The German family had a lot of fun with our daughter over the language barrier. (The Germans speak the King's English in pronouncing such words as "can't.") Mr. Prawdzik thought it was strange for an American to mis-pronounce a simple word. Whatever language barrier there may have been at first fell by the wayside, because the humor and friendship of Germans warmed the visitor.
Mr. and Mrs. Prawdzik and their two daughters will be in Nebraska City this summer to see the Weathers family and we are looking forward to meeting them.
John Field in his Hamburg, Ia., Reporter column, "Country Tub Thumping," related an incident on the interstate near Council Bluffs.
"We observed coming east a series of six huge trucks traveling at a leisurely pace, perhaps 55 miles an hour. What was so funny, you ask? Well sir, those six trucks were marching down the superhighway two abreast completely blocking anyone from passing. Cars were stacked up behind them over the hill and out of sight.
"It was, I presume, the truckers' way of showing the other road users just how slow 55 miles an hour really is! Like I say, it was amusing because it was in the other lanes.
"Almost no one on the main highway was going 55. Most were going 65, and some were still doing business as usual at 75."
Ray and Bertha Price who farm south of Nebraska City were much relieved to read that cousins Mr. and Mrs. John Rutz were all right after being held captive by escaped convict Robert Fritz.
Mr. and Mrs. Rutz have a daughter, Mrs. Don Carlile, a former Peru State teacher, now at Northwest Missouri University.
Bob Bebout, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Bebout, has an uncle who is the greatest guy in the world and if you don't believe it then read this.
Bob's uncle, a production executive with John Deere at Des Moines, invited his nephew from Nebraska City to join him on a trip into the Caribbean, island hopping all the way.
Bob shared his experience with a pictorial story the other night at the Julian Methodist church. He also returned with many souvenirs including bottles of perfume which attracted the interest of the women.
The Nebraska City high school student planned his trip by getting a new camera and he returned with some very fine pictures.
Watch your step!
Mrs. Ed Renken agrees that the colored heads on pins are a safety feature, but she has been troubled with the colored heads breaking off.
(Mrs. Renken and I get into such conversations on First Corso in the mornings as she is en route to work at Pendleton.)
She is very much aware of the danger of stepping on a pin and likes the idea of the safety feature. So what does she do with the pins with the broken heads — tosses them in the trash container, I'm sure. Better to be safe than sore-footed, eh, Celia?