I remember when a co-worker brought her pre-school age son with her to work. The youngster was struggling with the concept of time. When he wanted something, he wanted it now. It was hard for him to wait and I quickly tired of telling him repeatedly he would have to wait a specified time only to have him ask again in 5 minutes if the time had passed.
We made progress when I learned to describe a delay not in the number of days but instead in a number of sleeps. He didn’t understand when I said Saturday was two days away but he understood it if I said Saturday was two sleeps away.
It isn’t uncommon to have a readers call the newspaper office and complain they didn’t get the current paper delivered before that paper is even printed. They are quite embarrassed when we explain, it is only Monday and hasn’t been printed yet.
Their calls are encouraging. It is good to know our readers look forward to receiving the paper.
For people of certain ages, one day is much like another and time seems to slow to a crawl. For others time flies.
I was encouraged Sunday when I pushed an envelop through the slot on the front of a local business and read the sign reporting the office would be closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the month of June.
As I walked away, I knew the month was ending and I wondered what their schedule would be for July. I was encouraged to think summer wasn’t about over and July would be arriving on Monday. I began to make summer plans.
As I settled onto the seat of my electric tricycle, reality set in. The business was a month behind. July was ending and on Monday they would need to post their August office schedule. What happened to July?
For students enrolled in the Superior School system, the first day of the fall semester is only a week away. This week’s Express has a full-page devoted to school information. Last week we prepared and mailed a newsletter to every home in the district. Student policy books have been prepared delivered to the schools’ offices. This week we are putting together elementary level math workbooks. Fall sports practices are underway.
When I was a youngster, late July and August were the lazy days of summer. With the arrival of summer heat and less rainfall, I didn’t have to devote as much time to mowing for the grass and weeds grew slower. Filling station business was also slower. Lake traffic was still heavy but the customers were in and out quick, the fish didn’t bite well in hot weather and licenses had been bought in the spring. Farm work had slowed. There was time in July and August for me to enjoy the summer. My first opportunity of the season to go swimming often came in the latter half of July. The last week of August was reserved for attending church camp. As a high school student, I worked in the camp’s book store and concession stand. My father served as a counselor and swimming pool lifeguard.
While looking for negatives from 50 years agp for pictures to go with a story one of our contributors is working on, I found the negatives I took in July of 1972 of Floyd Butler and Lonnie Basart Butler bringing down a large building which had served as the Superior High School
I posted three of the pictures on my Facebook page and was surprised by the comments received.
Several people didn’t remember the building or where it was located. A few thought I was confused about the three school buildings that once occupied the square block of land bounded by Tenth, Eleventh, Dakota and Kansas streets.
After learning of their confusion, I decided it is time for a story reviewing the history of that block which is now mostly vacant and temporarily being used as a parking lot for Brodstone Healthcare employees.
As part of the preparation for the starting of the fall semester, on Monday parking stalls were being painted in the current high school’s front parking lot. The plan is for students to park in the front lot while faculty and staff will use the back lot.
While the schools’ enrollment has declined since I was a member of the student body, the number of students driving to school has increased.
When I attended Superior High School we didn’t have a parking lot with painted stalls. Students who lived within the city limits were not allowed to drive to school. In my freshman and sophomore years, the faculty and staff had an off-street parking lot. That changed for my junior and senior year. The off-street lot was reserved for the pupils who drove in from the county. The faculty had to either park on the streets or walk.
When students were allowed to park on the street, we had our favorite places. I didn’t like to back up or parallel park. My preferred parking space was north of the schools on Dakota Street. There, when school let out, I could drive straight forward and escape to the country.
Two friends who liked to hangout in the vocational agriculture shop parked just north of the shop on Eleventh Street. A friend who probably drove the oldest car, liked a visible spot near the Tenth and Kansas intersection.
At the time, I wondered why anyone with a battered old vehicle would chose that spot. I think I now know.
He chose that spot to show off his skills at keeping the old beater running.
It may take a few days to settle out but I suspect the Superior High School parking lots will develop an order soon after school starts.
There was once a competition between Express and Alexander Motors employees for what our employee called “the pole position.” Floyd had his favorite parking space and didn’t want anyone else parking in it.
I had to side with Floyd but for a different reason. If for some reason he didn’t get his favorite space, he kept watch. If the spot opened up during the day, he would drop his work and go move his automobile into “the pole position.”
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