The scan of the newspaper clipping is rather difficult to read, so the text is
more clearly repeated here:
My father was so tender-hearted he could never spank me. Instead, he
would sit me down and talk to e and talk to me and talk to me till I would
mutter to myself, "Dad, why can't you just spank me like Mom and get it
over with?" She seemed to know just how to handle her five boisterous boys.
An excellent team, between the two of them.
My mother once prepared a fine talk for me to give in church. Wouldn't
let me read it. Had to memorize it. It went over so well, I was invited to talk
other chapels. Hand in hand, the two of us would walk there and back. Ever-
treasured moments.
In the U.S. Infantry, we would raucously sing, "Oh, the Army made a
man outa me!" I was still a mommy's boy, though‹no smoking, no drinking,
no cussing, regular reading of the scriptures and attendance at church, when
possible. I have great respect and love for all of my World War II buddies,
but am so grateful to her for inculcating solid principles and values in me.
A "Great Depression" child, I experienced real poverty... but how rich I was.
Wendell H.Hall
Wallsburg
