The Sixties

The sixties took me from age twelve to age twenty-two, from 6th grade to a senior in college, from single to married, from a kid to a parent. Probably more happened in that ten years than any other ten-year period in my life.

I was never a stellar student but was positively influenced by my parents, my sisters, and some of those around me. Even in the worst of times I was annoyingly positive and naïve. Neither attribute causes people to take you very seriously; at least until they know you better.

The country was in great turmoil much of the time. Somehow I decided I was a Republican. I don’t know why because my parents weren’t and did not get actively involved in politics. I joined the campaign of a candidate for county supervisor. He was victorious and defeated a candidate who had held the seat for many years.

I got involved in Bob Ray’s run for the Governor. Soon, I found myself as county chairman for his campaign. We had fun and he won the election easily. During the process I got in on a lot of back room politics. I had honestly believed that these people had the best interests of the state in mind. I soon realized that was secondary to power. Bob Ray was a nice person. I can’t say that for many of the other people involved in the campaign.

The whole thing soured me on politics and the Republicans. For years after that I was not tied to any political party and didn’t trust those who were. Having seen it from the inside I was disgusted with the motives and behavior of those involved. I have always been embarrassed that I was part of it.

In order to graduate from Iowa Wesleyan College I needed to do a Responsible Social Involvement (RSI) project. Every student had to do something. It involved putting in forty hours doing something to help others and then writing it all up in a paper. My involvement in politics didn’t count. I guess they didn’t think it was responsible or social.

My project involved teaching remedial reading to struggling students at Lincoln Elementary School. I went there for two hours a day for about six weeks. It really cut into my work time but I really didn’t have a choice. I had to do something and it was the only thing that I could come up with.

I worked with licensed reading teachers and learned a lot from them. I was able to use much of what I had learned when I became a teacher myself. I think I actually helped some kids and so it was a positive thing for me.

This is the last piece I will write about the sixties for a while. There are many other stories to tell about that time in my life but they will have to wait. The next 52 pieces will be about the seventies. There is a lot to tell about those days as well.