Part 28 (1/1)

I never quite forgave the weather for that little stunt it pulled on us It was a long tiain anywhere outside our home county

Tio faster and faster We were getting older and our kids were growing up Dennis finished high school in Haan to hear advertisements on radio about cheap fars When it arrived, I had to adains offered in it Theand listened to the radio, thecountry of ours, there was so Then one day he said to o look at so ourselves to death and getting nowhere”

We talked it over and I agreed that, if it suited the rest of the fao look Dennis and I went first, not to buy, but only to shop around We went to Ft Smith, Arkansas, and looked all the way from 60 miles north of there to 60 miles south of there We likedand the prices were right Then we returned ho; ere buying After looking a few days, we found and bought a small farm three miles south of Mansfield

Weof 1950 Anita stayed with the Tarlington Willinghah School She joined us that suh School Then she did so the next su Mansfield High as a Senior, she entered the University of Arkansas as a Freshman

Three years later Dennis also entered the University as a Freshman Then three years after that, Dennis and Anita both came to me and told h They would handle the finances; it would be up to rades

One of h school, go to college, and become a school teacher It was 31 years later that my three children decided it was tiainst the idea, half- heartedly, but was pleased when they insisted And I ood life which they have afforded e in 1957 By that tie, and Larry was a high school Fresh those early college days, even when it becarades in one or two subjects The challenges encountered there and afterward have reneithinbetter, and a desire to better understand why I work at all

Early in es intoward others, and my attitude toward some of my ideals, which I had cultivated since early childhood I saw a need for confor individualisrity Such a change didn't co, but old habits fro reatest change is one that can not be seen by others-an inner feeling of well-being that tells o back and correct them And you will make other mistakes tomorrow Mistakes are a part of the natural order of huood day today and be content hatever toular school years and three sue, and enjoyed every minute of it I was on the honor roll half the tih Training School One day when the Professor had to be away, I even took it upon myself to break one of his rules and allow the boys to make knives I told him about it when he returned, and I told hiood idea

Then I served one see hest in my class in economics, first in woodshop class, second in machine shop, andto study it After all, I reh so much of it I cheated on two exah foron rades

During ot very little help fro in class with a group of 20-year-old boys and girls It seemed that the teachers had the idea that I would drop out as soon as the going got tough, so why should they waste time on me?

Then when they saas there to stay, they seeot easier Finally I graduated and went out to face the sa for 55 years, only this time I had the diploma which caused adults to look up to me and kids to look down onwas in a 21-teacher school in Fars took place there that year to fill a good size book

In Septerade in an Indian School on the Navaho Indian Reservation near Winslow, Arizona I taught there at Leupp just six weeks Then I resigned elo, Texas, because of I Wood Shop at Lee Junior High School And I taught nine years in Special Education

At age 65 San Angelo Schools retired ht in some other town, but ants to teach when he can retire and loaf? Not ht a travel trailer and didthe next two-and-a-half years In fact, we traveled so asoline It doubled in price and we thought we ought to slon and let so also Now, all I have to do is sit around and write and let you knohat I have been doing these past 72 years

Since I have retired, I have a lot of time to loaf and sit and think At first it hurt my conscience to loaf; I had to force myself to sit down, and I still find it difficult to think But I a a wonderful tile

When I was young my parents took ht ood to keep the Sabbath, respect the preacher, honor my father and ood because I did all those things

But, as I beca Life was passing me by Church had lost its charm When the preacher preached hellfire and bri to ood, and had been all my life I put my dollar in the collection plate only to feel that I had been cheated-not gettingto serain I have changed my entire life style- what I do, what I think, and what I say Now I make it a point to insult someone, cheat someone, lie to someone, be mean to someone at least once each week Now the preacher is back on speaking terivethat I have gotten

EPILOGUE

Clarence Johnson - January 11, 1906 - November 9, 1994

Clarence Johnson died quietly in his sleep at daybreak on November 9, 1994 He had been ill for about three months He was 88 years old

This book was scanned and edited by David Larry Johnson in loving memory of his Dad