When Children were Children
We were expected to succeed

The year was 1951. Summer. The Republican Convention had just convened. 

Boy was it different in those days. We had no television or mainstream media like today. People actually had to read and think about their decisions. Or hear the commentators on the radio. Radio? It was the main source of entertainment in our home. I can still see my dad and mom sitting by the radio listening to the speeches from the Republican Convention Floor. And most of all I remember the role call from the states that year because my father was an absolute Eisenhower man. When Eisenhower had enough votes to be the candidate my father hollered and shouted. From then on it was game on in our house about the next President. This process took about 5 months total. Not 2 years. 

I tell you that the impact the old process had on children was much healthier than the arguments, raw commercials, and bad news about our country the children hear now days. In fact we were proud, and respectful of the office of president. And the First Lady was treated as the Queen of America. Oh I am sure that congress had their arguments, and problems, just like today, but we did not have them in our face everyday. 

We were never told as children that our leaders and teachers were failing us. We were expected to succeed because it was the right thing to do. It wasn’t the government’s fault, or bad teachers, or the high cost of college. The problem was simply the student and our inability or drive to succeed. Life was so much simpler for children. Demands were less. Play was more. Sex was out of the question. Pressure was the difference of a B on the grade card and a D. Failure was possible. And growing up was inevitable. Rules were followed. Teachers were respected. And our attitude toward the First Family was one of Respect, because our parents had a higher regard for our government. After all America had just won a very big war using a very big weapon and our President had been a big part of that war. 

As a young person I had a very big desire to be a success in life. Like to think to some degree I was just that. Excuses… we had very few. Opportunity was just being an American Unlimited. We need to stop the insanity. It is unhealthy.