Postings of the Month we didn't want you to miss
(Prepared by Terry Harper)

This page was created to depict some noteworthy postings on the ROTI listserv within the past month. May you enjoy and appreciate them as much as we do in a truly Rotarian spirit..

Message: 1
What is going on!
Posted by: "franhook" rtn.f.hookham@ntlworld.com franhook
Sat Mar 29, 2008 5:27 pm (PDT)

A few days ago I started a thread entitled 'Copies of copies of copies of...' which produced some interesting and worthwhile response to my comment about the endless repeats of earlier posts on the subsequent posts on the topic.

Now we find the same Subject (the heading for the posting) being used by two individuals for what is surely conversation of no interest to the group at large.

Please, those who want to communicate on a personal level, if there is no other way of knowing an individual's eaddress, note that there is a 'Reply to sender' option as well as a 'Reply to group' option.

Even better would be for the administrators to consider setting up a 'Chat' group so that this group can revert back to a 'Communication forum for serious Rotary information exchange and discussion' which is its title. We could then be spared the not infrequent long-winded exchanges which are not of general interest.

Yours in Rotary

Francis Hookham
Rotary Club of Cambridge, D1080

Message: 2
Congratulations John
Posted by: "Sue" aspire.distinction@bigpond..com suzz27
Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:37 pm (PDT)

For those who don't know, John Glassford won the 'Rotarian of the Year' for District 9700 (again) for orgainsing and participating the Mt Killi climb to raise money for AIDS in Africa.

Congratulations John. btw, The kilt looked very flash on the night!

Sue Honey
RC of Wagga Wagga, District 9700

Message: 3
FW: Paul Harris returns to Denver after his first visit in 1891
Posted by: "Art McCullough" artmccullough@cox.net
Apr 3, 2008 1:46 pm (PDT)

Thought you would like to see this information that brings Paul Harris to the outside world.

Thanks to ROTI members.

Arthur (Art ) McCullough
Escondido Sunrise RC, Escondido, CA. USA
District 5340

From: Jack Selway jack@selway.org
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 7:02 PM
Subject: Paul Harris returns to Denver after his first visit in 1891

To a few of our RGHF members,

Paul Harris worked in Denver, as an actor and news paper reporter. Now, thanks to my participation on the Denver Post, Paul's speech at the 1933 Boston convention, preserved by our friend Art McCullough, and animated by RGHF member Don Kemplen, is now on the Denver Post website. It is only the second video posted on this website.

http://neighbors.denverpost.com/video.php

I'm going to be adding more of Paul's philosophy in the coming months.

Regards,

Jack Selway
Rotary eClub of the Southwest USA, www.recswusa.org

Message: 4
Wonder
Posted by: "Jon Deisher" jondeisher@yahoo.com jondeisher
Tue Apr 8, 2008 11:14 am (PDT)

Hello ROTI friends,

I have wondered about some of the strings and postings lately. Perhaps like some of you, I often struggle with myself about which topic or string to which I should respond or contribute. I have watched with interest the dynamics of the fellowship. The topics discussed, the styles of communication, the cultural diversities of courtesy, the personal travails and struggles, and the broad commitments to make the world a better place ... all of these are impressive! I have participated in correspondence both generally on the list and personally off the list, and I enjoyed them. Clearly, each of us brings something unique and special from which others can benefit through this kind of exchange. At the same time, we each have personal advocacies, egos, styles and perspectives that can create broad polemics of discord, division, disharmony and dysfunction due to which some past members have left the fellowship. I wonder how this happens: what is it about our respective methods of presenting ideas that, on one hand perk interest, unity and coalescence, while on the other hand generates adversity, sarcasm and divisiveness? For me, as both a noun and a verb, “wonder” is a favorite and multifaceted concept. So, permit me a moment to share my wonderment.

It seems to me that topics that have recently generated the greatest number of responses include: The virtues of cricket, how we discuss religion and/or belief systems, the sharing of jokes and/or allegories, the promotion of tolerance, a discussion of cerebral function (particularly with the bifurcated brain structure and associated functions), a message of dubious or curious origins, and general clarifications of ideas (which, perhaps, lose or gain things across language and cultural boundaries.) It is not disagreement or agreement, advocacy or derision that prompts my wonder, but the manner in which we do them. Choosing to disagree agreeably or advocate with humility is one of our profound human challenges. We daily see the absence of these being played out on the world stage, not only within ROTI. As a Rotarian, I wonder about it.

Winston Churchill, a product of an aristocratic British father and a rather flirtatious American mother, once commented that the people of Britain and America are separated by a common language. Both nations officially speak English, but the nuances, subtleties and meanings vary widely. Churchill's comment might also apply to ROTI: English is our lingua franca. While most of us have fluencies and/or deep familiarities with other languages as well, English is the language we use here. It is not only our common use of English that can potentially separate us, but also our various perceptions, convictions, cultures and histories that infuses our use of it. It would likely be the same regardless of which other language might have been chosen as our lingua franca. We, who have dedicated a portion of our lives to world peace and cross-cultural understanding, have much to offer others in our dedication. But we appear to stumble now and then when applying this high standard to ourselves. I personally am not immune and have noticed some stumbling sometimes in myself. I’m working on it. Still, I wonder how this occurs, both in my fellows and myself.

In Rotary generally and ROTi particularly, I like to think that we are all life-long students and teachers. However, we each have “baggage” that impairs our ability to teach and our receptivity to learn. Likely we see the “baggage” of others much more easily that we see our own. Sometimes the “baggage” is painfully obvious, sometimes not. Sometimes we are aware of our “baggage” but we drag it along anyway. I wonder how, at inopportune moments, mine gets in my way. I wonder if others think the same about theirs. I wonder, what I can do to learn from my companions and what is it I have to offer. Often I don’t know and I suspect my fellows likely don't know either. It’s like during a moment of hunger we might purchase an unlabeled can soup: we don’t know what’s for dinner until we open the can, warm it up and have a taste. How is it? Aren't we all hungry looking for a certain “something” to fill our appetites? Aren't we all unlabeled cans of soup waiting to be taken from the shelf? Maybe I'm an unlabeled can of applesauce mistakenly sitting on the soup shelf! We each have much to offer as teachers from which others can learn, and we each have much to learn as students from the experience of others. But our respective contents are hidden until our can is opened, warmed and tasted. What risk is taken when we are selected and someone opens us up? What is it in our contents that will make the selector enjoy or regret his or her choice? Do we care one way or the other? How is such caring or lack of it expressed?

As a teacher I have taught best when I have learned from my students. As a student I have learned best when I have had something to offer my teachers. With Rotary and ROTI, we participate in a kind of symbiosis: learning from and teaching of each other. However, as we teach, we must have the receptivity of our students and, as we learn, we must have the humility of our teachers. I wonder … how do we do this? What kind of soup am I? What kind are you? What warms us to the taste of others?

I am reminded of a wonderful poetic expression from Kahlil Gibran, the exact quote of which escapes me. It went something like: “Remove not your shoes as you enter my house, but as you go out.” As we learn from and teach each other, let us leave our “baggage” with our shoes at the door.

I think I’ll have bowl of soup. Join me?

In wonder, I remain,

Jon in Alaska

Message: 5
Re: Wonder
Posted by: "Deborah Perrone" deb.perrone@uol.com.br deborahguelfiperrone
Tue Apr 8, 2008 9:55 pm (PDT)

Jon

It is always a pleasure to read your messages. It reminds me the old times when we spoke more with heart. Your words are rational ones but with such feeling .... I think you got the real spirit of our list: the unit in the diversity.It is not easy, as you know.

I like playing with messages from all over the world in Roti trying to see how we react having in mind we are most of the times a product of our own culture. Fellows from India are so gentle....fellows from Canada that look like a " maintenance head quarter " because they transmit that everything will be okay no matter the time, the difficulties etc....People from Brazil are happy and friendly, people from USA are objective, proactive.... people from Australia are strong and so objective, direct to the point, ready to help - just call them, people from New Zealand are strong but calm ( well, with all their wonderfull nature) and also strategist, people from Asia are calm, patient, great thinkers (my dear Mingo), fellows from Nordic side are friendly with a great respect to individual and individuality, french people are proud of their way of life (Liberté, Equalité, Fraternité) and their philosophy, people from GB and their fine manners .... people from Alaska (like you) that have all the scenary to create a motivational and inspirational messages.

It is lovely when we understand all these different aspects of our list. We don´t need a tragedy to be an unity. Let´s be friends in the happiness, don´t you think?

Hugs

Deborah Perrone

Message: 6
Re: Wonder
Posted by: "Jon Deisher" jondeisher@yahoo.com jondeisher
Wed Apr 9, 2008 10:30 am (PDT)

Hello Deborah, Einar and others who commented on my "Wonder" string ...

Thank you for your comments, sharing your thoughts, and taking part in the conversation. Anyone can jump in whenever they like. Through a list service like ROTI, conversations such as this have a wide audience, many of whom silently share the discussion, waiting for their moment to add their voices. Maybe we hear from them, maybe we don't ... but they, like we, are still there. I am sometimes curious as to what it is that prompts one to open their mind, dump it on paper and then shoot it around the world. I suppose I am equally curious as to why some people are NOT so disposed! This is why there is chocolate and vanilla: it takes many flavours to make a banquet.

Often it is necessary to chose how one participates in a forum as open and boundless as this. After all, when what WE think becomes known, what will OTHERS think? Very scary. What we think, how, and why ... and then how we express our thoughts is the foundation of civility. It might have been Abraham Lincoln, a past American President in the 1860s, who said, "It is better to be thought a fool than to open ones mouth and prove it beyond doubt."

So, it's prudent to chose when, how and why one participates. When one is stimulated by something written or presented here, should we send our response to everyone on the list? Or, just to the stimulating person? Or, perhaps, to a selection of the members who have similar interests? I think these are necessary choices and we should make them judiciously. Some thoughts, jokes, allegories, community news or events are important to distribute widely. Others are better left privately between two people. Still others might be targeted to a selected smaller group of like-minded people. And, I suppose, there are strings that one can chose to ignore altogether. It's a matter of choice and sometimes the choice made is as revealing as the message. All of this fits into the wonder of taking part.

Thanks again for your comments. Encore!

Onward and upward,

Jon in Alaska

Message: 7
Arsenic Remover
Posted by: "Binod Khaitan" binodkay@yahoo.com binodkay
Wed Apr 9, 2008 10:05 pm (PDT)

Announcement: Domestic As removal unit developed in India
Posted by: "S.Vasu devan" svdevan_2000@yahoo.com svdevan_2000
Date: Tue Apr 8, 2008 5:49 pm ((PDT))

Electro Arsenic Water Purifier

Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi, India with the sponsorship of Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi, India has developed a Domestic 2A capacity Electro Arsenic Purifier for Drinking Water, which can treat 2L of drinking water per one hour. This unit will reduce the arsenic level from 3ppm to 20ppb (WHO standard). This can also be operated with the use of Solar Energy.

CECRI also developed a Community model Electro Arsenic Purifier for Drinking water, which can treat 40L of drinking water per one hour.

The cost of the one 2A Arsenic Purifier is Rs 6000.

The cost of treatment of water is 3paise.

Those who are all interested may contact,

The Director
Central Electrochemical Research Institute
Karaikudi 630 006

Message: 8
Re: Arsenic Remover
Posted by: "Peter Hann" phann@shaw.ca rotaryparksville
Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:07 am (PDT)

Correct me if I am wrong, but this message is an offer to purchase a specific product and/or to purchase other products offered by the Institute. The message more correctly belongs on a commercial mailing list and should not have been addressed to ROTIarians. Comments!

Y i R

Peter in Parksville (5020)
on "beautiful" Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Message: 9
Re: Arsenic Remover
Posted by: "Dr. Todd Lindley" rotary6060.tl@gmail.com lindleydds
Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:17 am (PDT)

As just one Rotarian, Peter, I was overjoyed to hear of this breakthrough, having written 4 matching grant applications to fund over 200 water wells in Bangladesh, where the major obstacle to overcome is arsenic contamination.

Having the ability to easily treat water from the old contaminated wells would put them back into service and make them useful again, providing water which could be collected and then treated through this system, so the water would be safe.

I have already forwarded the information to my Bangladesh District 3280 partners so they can look into this system and any others that might be on the market, though I see that Binod has already sent the msg to PDG Iftekharul Alam, so am sure the word is getting around.

So, I rate this message way above those touting cheap pills over the Internet and other miracle cures.

Todd Lindley DDS, FAGD Rotary District 6060 Foundation Chairman Overland Missouri 63114-3640

Message: 10
GSE Experience with the INS
Posted by: "Jesse Tanchanco" mjrt@i-manila.com.ph jessetanchanco
Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:20 pm (PDT)

Fellow ROTIans,

Our GSE outbound team left recently for D7780 (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire)). The team leader is from our club. Though he has been in the US many times, the 5 other team members (all women) were all first timers. Immediately, upon entry in Detroit, they were held at the Passport control office by the immigration officer attending to them for a couple of hours. Apparently, the INS official does not know anything about Rotary and grilled them about the purpose of their visit including why they have to stay with diffrent families and why the trip was free. They showed the letter from RI and in addition they had to practically gave the INS officer an impromptu seminar on Rotary and almost missed their flight going to their final destination - Portland, Maine.

It was a harrowing experience for them. On the positive side, they have started to enjoy the warmth and hospitality of their hosts not to mention the almost daily fare of Maine lobsters.

Perhaps somebody should invite this INS officer to a Rotary Club meeting or event so that she will appreciate more what Rotary is all about and what it stands for.

Our second outbound GSE team went to the district in Arkansas. I'm not sure if they had similar problems.

Next year our GSE team will be going to Florida. I hope that everything will go on smoothly from now on.

Regards,

Jesse Tanchanco
RC Loyola Heights, RI District 3780
Quezon City, Philippines

Message: 11
New file uploaded to Rotarians
Posted by: "Rotarians@yahoogroups.com" Rotarians@yahoogroups.com
Sat Apr 12, 2008 5:49 pm (PDT)

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the Rotarians group.

File : /AIDS Road MAPS to Africa/Kenya Medical Mission Flyer.pdf Uploaded by : huffnpuff2003 jacksflat@gmail.com Description : Medical Mission to Kenya

You can access this file at this URL

Re: New file uploaded to Rotarians
Posted by: "John Glassford" jacksflat@gmail.com huffnpuff2003
Sat Apr 12, 2008 6:00 pm (PDT)

G ' day All

Just uploaded a file to our Files section on Yahoo Groups.

It comes from RFFA or Rotarians For Fighting AIDS and it is a call for volunteers to go to Kenya in September on a Medical Mission.

Please go to the files section and down load the pdf file if you are interested or know of anyone who maybe.

If you cannot access the file there I can send you a copy off list.

RFFA is calling for pediatricians, dentists and eye care professionals as well as volunteers to support the medics.

I have been to the slums of Mathare in Nairobi and it is here they are going to do their work on the orphans and vulnerable children.

For photos of Mathare and the children see our website below under The O.R.K.

http://theork.com

You will have a great time in Nairobi and do some good work as well.

I think I know a good dentist on this list!!

Anyhow if nothing else pass it onto those whom you know who may just want to go to Kenya.

You may use me as a contact point. Sally Platt who is orgainsing the mission is a Rotarian from Dunwoody RC in Atlanta as well as being a nurse, Sally is the projects coordinator for RFFA.

Thanks.

Yours in Rotary

John Glassford
Rotary Club of Coolamon District 9700
New South Wales, Australia

Message: 12
ROTY/ ROTM & International Toast
Posted by: "Ron" yamahajazz@yahoo.com yamahajazz
Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:13 am (PDT)

Our webmaster, Simone Carot-Collins, has posted all the previous recipients of ROTIan OF The Year and ROTIan Of The Month on the ROTI website. To view, go to:

1. www.roti.org
2. click on Members Database under Communicate on left side
3. click on ROTIans of the Year under ROTI Members on right side

A big thanks to Simone for posting of this information which was gathered and provided by Chip Ross.

Some clubs have an International Toast each month. Why not toast the ROTM and send them an email from your club? It would be a nice international activity.

ROTI Shares too !!

Ron Nethercutt, ROTI Chair 07-09
RC Clark Centennial D 3790
Angeles City, Philippines

Message: 13
Inspiring Story
Posted by: "John and Peg Challender" johnpegc@telus.net arguspilot
Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:58 am (PDT)

Good morning from the Comox Valley of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

On 12 April, a 28-year-old Canadian, named Ramesh Ferris, began a 7,200 km journey from Victoria, BC to Cape Spear, Newfoundland to raise awareness and funds to speed the global eradication of polio. In an interview I heard this morning, Ramesh, who was born in India and was afflicted with polio as an infant before being adopted and moved to Canada, stated that he was inspired to become involved after visiting his birth land and seeing the many young people who did not have the benefit of braces, crutches, therapy, etc as he has had. Ramesh has had no use of his legs all of his life.

Ramesh acknowledged the involvement and support he has received from a number of Rotary clubs in his quest to hand-pedal his tricycle 400 km every ten days for the next six months. I found this website that describes his campaign and acknowledges the Rotary clubs that have supported him: http://www.cycletowalk.com/index.php/sponsors/ He calls his campaign: "Cycle to Walk". I was inspired by this articulate humanitarian and thought I'd share his story with you. To view Ramesh on his cycle, in a picture that appeared in the Victoria Times-Colonist, click on: http://picasaweb.google.ca/Arguspilot/CycleToWalk

Yours in Rotary,

John Challender, RC of Cumberland Centennial, BC, Canada, D5020

Message: 14
Unique Presentation of Anthems
Posted by: "Ron" yamahajazz@yahoo.com yamahajazz
Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:58 pm (PDT)

Received this from a friend and thought worth passing on to ROTI. Nice concept.

Ron Nethercutt, ROTI Chair 07-09
RC Clark Centennial D 3790
Angeles CIty, Philippines

Take a look at these films. They are each just one minute long. They feature a choir in one country singing another country's national anthem: a simple idea that packs surprising emotional power.

France Sings the Anthem of the United States http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T60NaNPiMg&feature=user

Kenya Sings the Anthem of India http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAWarHi0OgE&feature=user

Japan Sings the Anthem of Turkey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBStEQvgcyM&feature=user

Australia Sings the Anthem of Lebanon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NRCt9NQqEE&feature=user

The event is looking amazing, check out the trailer.

- Chris Anderson, TED Curator

P.S. There are more of these anthems on the way.

Message: 15
JOIN US AT THE FIRST RI FELLOWSHIP ON BUSINESS AND GLOBAL MARKETING
Posted by: "Ernie Delfin" ernie.delfin@gmail.com drbannatiran
Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:09 pm (PDT)

Dear Fellow Rotarians around the world,

Today, Francesco "Franco" Adamo, my "Sicilian paisano" and PP of the Rotary Club of Cerritos, Calif. and his wife Celly Ferraren Adamo, P.E. of the newest Rotary Club in District 5320, The Westminster Global City Rotary Club and I went to make a deposit to the San Antonio Winery http://www.sanantoniowinery.com/ for our lst Rotarians Fellowship in Global Business and Marketing Dinner on June 17th 2008 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM.

As this is the very first time, to our knowledge, we just guaranteed 50 people (the number can go up as long as we advise the winery one month before the event)... As we are getting some corporate sponsors, to reduce the costs per person, we believe the total charge, including wine, will be about $50.00.... Most ticketed dinners are more than that (the SAT dinner hosted by Past RI President Frank Devlyn on his FRANK DEVLYN AMIGOS WHICH I AM ATTENDING IS $85.00) ...

This will be first come first served... The earlier you reserved and prepay your ticket, we will do our best to have you picked up from LA-Orange County Rotarians from your hotel or from the convention center which is only about 10 minutes away.

We plan to have a "international Directory" of the "Charter Members" of this Rotary INternational Fellowship that is being registered this week....

We are, within RI guidelines, planning to have some money to be able to maintain a great website so that all members can have open discussions, Q & A, business forum 24/7... If it is allowed and it is possible, we are contemplating to have a token $10.00 LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP (the member must tell us when he/she ceases to be a member.... smile!!!) and all funds will be accounted for under our Four Way Test guidelines!

This is the first announcement globally, as we believe to get 50 people to come will be very realistic with our global network... So please decide as soon as possible to attend and email me and Celly/Frank Adamo (their adddresses in the CC line) and request your Rotarian friends outside your country to meet you/us there... Ideally 50% or more of the participants should be from outside California, so it will be a real "international" fellowship.

We will email those who are interested the PROFILE FORM FOR THE ROTARIAN AND HIS/HER BUSINESS.

Please join us in this historic fellowship dinner and yes, there are thousand of galllons of wine that are available in that 90 years old winery... visit their website, http://www.sanantoniowinery.com/

CALLING A ROTARIAN IN THE DISTRICT IN ENGLAND WHERE THE 2009 WILL BE HELD TO JOIN US... IT WILL BE MY HONOR AND TREAT FOR THE FIRST COUPLE WHO WILL REGISTER... SO THAT WE HAVE MORE THAN A YEAR TO PLAN FOR THE 2009 FELLOWSHIP!

Sincerely,

Ernie Delfin, PP, PHF
Asst. Governor District 5320, 2005-2007
Orange County, California, USA

Message: 16
C'est la vie...
Posted by: "André SIMON" andre.simon1@free.fr aemsimon
Fri Apr 18, 2008 2:46 am (PDT)

In the mail he sent for my birthday, our friend Mike asked me to take advantage of a week with no France bashing on the lists from our friend Einar to jump back in.

Hi! Einar, I often told you have in this domain a world-wide reputation :-D ..

So, today I am 72...

I remain the Sixties and the good old days.. But it's no time for nostalgy : Jane is busy in the kitchen, cooking a "gratin Dauphinois", my favourite meal...

This is the life!

We got married in 1963 at Bastia (Corsica ) :I was at this time a para trooper lieutenant in the French Foreign Legion. Jane joined me in Algeria, and was welcomed by the lieutenant's "family."...

My best friend asked her if she was knowing as an intelligence officer, I was in charge of security in the brothel, and I had to visit everyday the place for this duty ...

She didn't think they told the truth for a time... I has to write that there are no more "warm house" now, at least in our Army ....

As I am writing this mail, a delicious smell from the kitchen is filling the house: it's time for me to choose wine...

Have a good day, as for me there is a good start....

André SIMON
R.C. de METZ. D.1790
"Un général ne se rend jamais, même à l'évidence."

Message: 17
Relationships
Posted by: "Jon Deisher" jondeisher@yahoo.com jondeisher
Sat Apr 19, 2008 1:08 pm (PDT)

Hello Folks,

With all due respect, the "60's" string seems to be running out of gas. It seems that we started with "the 60's" which then morphed into "Girls" without being labeled. And then the conversation on the topic of "girls" seems more about the men responding than about women. Maybe it's me, but it would seem that in this august and erudite company, the conversation might turn more to valued relationships between men and women than about certain personal gratifications, distant frustrations or secret desires that lurk beneath the surface of our respective fantasies and/or reminiscences (and we ALL, both men and women, have them.) Often this is done in the spirit of humor and there's nothing wrong with that. I enjoy a good joke as well as anyone. It is important to note that humor doesn't always cross inter-cultural, gender, values or regional boundaries well. It may sometimes occur that a joke which is humorous at home, when sent across that subtle divide arrives as vulgarity.

Jon in Alaska

Message: 18
Re: Banter - Fifties
Posted by: "Steve Sokol" ssokol@ix.netcom.com seneca29672
Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:43 pm (PDT)

Okay, we did a lot of talking about the 60's. Now lets narrow it down to us survivors!!! Let's take on the fifties.

I just got this today, and it is so meaningful to guys as old as Bob and Ron. Now, for guys as old as Sam, we have to go to the Smithsonian!!

http://oldfortyfives.com/DYRT.htm

Steve Sokol
Rotary Club of Seneca, South Carolina, USA, District 7750

Message: 19
Re: Banter - Fifties
Posted by: "Sam Chapman" scchapman1@sbcglobal.net sam12002000
Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:21 pm (PDT)

Steve:

After four years in college I served three and a half in the Navy. Then after the then required three years in Optometry school I started my practice in the early '50's. I would have starved had Mary Lou and I not been able to live with my parents the first year. Then the old Optometrist in town died (drank himself to death, and NO I did not supply his habit) and I was able to move into his office. My second year I was able to eat and buy a house to live in. We started a family of five, one new one every two years. Things moved along nicely from then on thank you very much.. :-)

As for your crack about the Smithsonian; I have visited it several times, as recently as two weeks ago, but I am not as old by at least a couple of years. Now a test for you. Do you know who this national treasure of ours is named after and how many times that person visited there?

Sam

Message: 20
Re: Banter - Fifties
Posted by: "Terry Harper" Terry.Harper@btinternet.com tjhhpp
Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:24 pm (PDT)

Well, I passed my driving test in August 1950, and so began a life of undetected crime. It was in my uncle's Morris 8 Series E, FDF112, new in 1946 when cars were hard to come by. My first vehicle was an ex-GPO Telephone Van, GUV864, also a Morris SZPO on the same underframe as the Series E, built in 1943 and bought by me in 1956. That was replaced in 1958 by a Volkswagen Beetle 1200 with the first square rear window. 38 mpg and I did 42,000 miles on the original set of Michelin cross-ply tyres.

Enough of motoring. In 1950 I went on a gliding course at RAF Sealand and got my A and B certificates, plus my Aviator's Certificate. In 1951 I was awarded an ATC Flying Scholarship, and learnt to fly on a Tiger Moth at Cardiff, getting my Private Pilot's Licence. Then was called up for 2 years National Service in the RAF, going into Aircrew Training, with 60 hours on the Chipmunk, 120 hours on the Airspeed Oxford twin-engined aircraft, and so got my Class 2 PPL. Next came the Meteor Jet, but the snow and the end of the Korean War conspired against me, so I became a Secretarial Branch officer, and helped run the married quarters.

On now to university, in my case Lincoln College, Oxford, reading Chemistry. Joined the University Air Squadron to do my Reserve Training and turned into a Fighter Controller. Once qualified it was a case of controlling most Meteor night fighters and Javelins, as we seemed to get the night shift:-(.

Did I mention that we still had rationing of food when I went to Oxford in 1953? It didn't last much longer, but a look at Wikipedia tells the story. Food was still very English, with a bit of Indian and Chinese cuisine about, and then came the Coffee Bar revolution, with Espresso machines and a Cafe named La Roma in the Cormarket. We also saw some refugees from the Hungarian uprising, who came to Oxford for one reason or another.

Music had tunes, of course, and intelligible lyrics. The Glenn Miller legacy was still around, then in the mid-fifties came skiffle, with Lonnie Donegan leading the way. My first LP was bought in 1953, when I was given a 33+1/3 rpm turntable as a 21st birthday present, and that was "The Glenn Miller Story". I think the second was a Doris Day collection, but it could have been Jo Stafford. Dave Brubeck was the next major influence. Brahms Violin and Piano Sonatas were an early purchase.

Started work in earnest in 1957, and met my future wife on the first Sunday, when a college friend invited me to lunch, persuaded me to be his Best Man, and then his fiancee introduced me to the Bridesmaid. The rest is history, and were were married in 1958. Golden Wedding approaching.

I reckon that's it in a nutshell. Schoolboy to married man in 7 years.

Terry Harper
The Rotary Club of the Sussex Vale, D1250, England