‘Tis that time of year when we just don’t seem to have enough time. It is running here, running there, buying this, giving that. It’s exhausting. As I’m penning this, there were two events this past week that stirred me deeply.
I attended a Christmas Parade in Hellenville. For those who don’t know about Hellenville, it is your typical small town with all the charms. Everyone knows everyone else. The downtown has a Post Office, a couple of bars, and other small businesses, While we were waiting for the parade to start, we started to talk about life in small-town communities. The good and the bad, with the bad being that you had to plan ahead and have a complete shopping list or you would be doing without.
The subject of growing up in New Berlin came up. In the ’50s and ’60s, New Berlin wasn’t as small as Hellenville, we did share a lot of the same simple life. Moorland Rd was a dead-end gravel road. National Ave was just two lanes. Our downtown had a bank, music store, pharmacy, barber shop, restaurant, and church. (Yes, I’m missing some spots) It was a big deal when we got a full-time police department. The Christmas Season was always special for me.
What we did have in common with Hellenville is that we did know almost everyone. Parents know all the kids and their parents. If you did something wrong, your parents knew about it before you got home. If your house had a party line phone…EVERYONE knew what you did. Where there were once pastures and farmland now stands subdivisions and industrial parks. Sad, but it is the progress of our society. There was only one high school and college was just a dream for most of us. Today it is the opposite. Ah…yesteryear…
School systems have put so much pressure on kids to go on to college, it has caused severe mental issues with some. They have forgotten that some of these kids are not meant to go to college. Shop classes have all but disappeared. I still use the skills I learned by taking those classes today. To create something tangible with your hands is a wonderful thing.
A friend of mine passed this weekend. There was a group of us that spent many hours at his parent’s house working on our cars. You couldn’t see the concrete floor because of all the grease and oil stains. Steve was always willing to help you out, He had a charm that made everyone at ease. Mr. GTO, a Pontiac guy through and through. Steve and I didn’t remain as close over the years as the rest of our group did. There was a plan to get together this summer. Unfortunately, we didn’t know he was suffering from cancer and our get-together… it’s going to be short one of the gang…
After walking around this planet for 70-plus years, there have been a lot of changes in this world. As complicated as our lives are, we can make them simpler if we choose. The Christmas season always stirs up a lot of emotions as I’m sure it does for many of you. When you have your Christmas get-togethers, hug your parents, kids, and grandchildren a little more. Reach out to friends, especially those that you haven’t talked to in a long time. Let them know you are thinking of them. Be thankful for the upbringing and education that you received. It has made you the person that you are today.
If you would like to help make a difference and maybe change someone’s life, consider making a tax-deductible donation to the New Berlin High Schools Alumni Foundation. Every little bit helps.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us at the New Berlin High Schools Alumni Foundation!