By today's standards none of us were supposed to ever make it. HIGH SCHOOL 1957 vs. 2017 Scenario 1: Jack goes duck hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack. 1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack. 2017- School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in f or traumatized students and teachers. Scenario 2: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school. 1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies. 2017 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with assault and both expelled - even though Johnny started it . Scenario 3: Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students. 1957 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again. 2017 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The family gets extra money (SSI) from the government because Jeffrey has a disability . Jeffrey is declared totally disabled, never works a day in his life, fathers 14 kids, and is supported by the government until he is killed in a gang shootout at age 29. Scenario 4: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt. 1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman. 2017 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse , Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers being spanked herself ,and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair w ith the psychologist. Scenario 5: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school. 1957 - Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock . 2017 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons. Scenario 6: Pedro fails high school English. 1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college. 2017 - Pedro's cause is taken up by the state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is then banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English. Scenario 7: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed. 1957 - Ants die. 2017 - ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism.The FBI investigates his parents - and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again. Scenario 8: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee . He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him. 1957 – In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing 2017- Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5years of therapy.
Laugh all you want, but I remember in the 60's guys would bring their shotguns and shell belts into school (K-12), lean them up against the wall under their coat hooks and then hang up their coats. You could see the bottom half of the guns leaned up against the wall. Principal saw them, pretty much knew whose coats they were, and asked Are you going hunting right after school? Yup. Good luck! That was it. No calls to parents, police and more importantly, no other students messed with the guns.
I'm not quite as old but I remember seeing long guns in window racks and bows during hunting season. Nobody looked twice...and nobody died...and no guns accidentally discharged... We live in the mountains...we're country folk, I guess.
1957, Dad calls Johnny Friday evening to the guest bed room and pulls his shot gun from the closet along with some shells. Explains how the shot gun works the damage they do and a promise on Saturday to see the damage done first hand. Explains all the saftey things, never assume the gun is unloaded always check your self while pointing it away from people or animals you do not intend to shoot. Explains the head stamp on the 12ga shot shell and 20ga shot shell . 2018 there is no dad to explain squat to Johnny and Mom can't because she hates guns. Al
Late 80s, Friday before deer season opened, during lunch all kinds of rifles and shotguns were in back of students and teacher vehicles. Every weapon, especially new was inspected and commented on. Also rounds being used, grains etc etc. Were discussed and talked about weights and propellers. I remember a math teacher commenting to a poor student. If you can do that lets talk about your algebra test. Its same thing! No one considered this odd, fist fights were at least a weekly occurence. Times have changed.
All of this is so sad but true! People coddle kids too much now a days and don't let them be kids. Then they get in the real world and they don't know how to act and expect everything to be handed to them because they never had to work for anything. Now a days everyone is a winner and gets a metal because they don't want to hurt anyone's feelings! Parents need to start making kids work for things they need to know that nothing is handed to them, and let there feelings get hurt once in awhile it will better help them to better deal with situations as they get older and they have to know that not everything is fair and equal in this world! Sorrt for the rant I am done now.
Problem is the single parent today does let the kids be kids, TOO MUCH. Very few have chores at home, many are carted every place and I fully under stand that with all the pedifiles in the world and other nut jobbers. Al
My high school had (and still has) an indoor rifle range run by the Dept. of the Army, for use during JROTC class. We also had a shooting team. No negative incidents regarding firearms, and everybody coveted and strived for that “distinguished expert” medal for small bore rifle.
I am not quite as old as you, and a little less rural maybe....we had the same. My buddy regularly had a trunk full of firearms and ammo...no problems at all...except for the groundhawgs later in the day
