Now that we’re “out” with the old and “in” with the new year, it is a good time to reflect on life, and among other things, make sure we do not take ourselves too seriously. For example, my good friend and first-grade classmate, Janice Brown Rogers, recently wrote the following to this publisher:

Dear Publisher and friend David Eller,

“For the last several months I have enjoyed reading your articles ‘Publisher’s Perspective: Historical Series’. Having grown up in Deerfield, I am amazed at your memory of events. I have reminded myself that these are the historical views, embellishments, and memories of a child and not necessarily fact!

You have indicated you were a mighty force to reckon with in fights. I don’t remember your boyhood altercations but I do recall, and as you have admitted yourself, to you pushing the girls off the sidewalk into the sandspurs……”

Janice goes on to challenge my memory on other issues such as the number of boys in grades one through three, and claims that Dewey Bennett didn’t arrive in Deerfield until fifth grade, not third grade as I had written.

Well Janice, as it would happen, Dewey’s sister Carol was in town this week and verified that her family moved to Deerfield when Dewey was in third grade, and she (Carol) was in fifth. So I stand on what I had written. However, I did enjoy the copy of our “6th Grade Will” you sent that was dedicated to the 5th graders behind us in school. Please note the following two bequests:

“David Eller wills his sweet disposition to Billy Hall.”
“Janice Brown wills her habit of arguing to Maria Stevens.”

I guess some things just never change. I love you Janice and dedicate the following funny stories about elementary age children to you:

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.
The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. The little girl said, “When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah.” The teacher asked, “What if Jonah went to hell?” The little girl replied, “Then you ask him.”

A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child’s work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, “I’m drawing God.” The teacher paused and said, “But no one knows what God looks like.” Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing,the girl replied, “They will in a minute.”

One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast to her brunette head.  She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, “Why are some of  your hairs white, Mom?” Her mother replied, “Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.” The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, “Momma, how come ALL of grandma’s hairs are white?”  

To Janice and all our Observer readers and advertisers:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 David Eller
Publisher  

1-03-08