Letter to the Editor: Woe Is Me

How unlucky and unfortunate my life has been. I was born and raised in a small rural town in Iowa named Vinton during the 40s and 50s.

"DRUG PROBLEM"

I should be honest and

confess that many of us students in the Vinton schools back then

had a "Drug Problem"; our parents 'drug' us to church every Sunday

It was a town where most families attended church on a regular basis and my parents made my brother and me attend services with them.

I had to walk to school in the morning, go home for

lunch, and then walk back to school, and it was over 1/2 mile

each way. Oh yes, my school; can you believe we had to stand

and pledge allegiance to the American flag? How stupid. And

some teachers even had a Bible on their desk and we had those

dumb Ten Commandments to look at while we waited for the

bell to ring. Why, my third grade teacher even had a paddle on

her desk and, if we did not heed her warning to behave, she would

not hesitate to use her 'Board of Education' on our naughty

rumps. I cannot believe how we kids were mistreated and led

astray. Our parents even allowed us to run around the neighborhood and play 'Cowboys and Indians'. Is it any wonder

most of us ended up being 'good for nothings'? We did not have

a chance for normal lives. "Oh, Woe Is Me"

Dr. (Rev) Lyle L. Dake

Opinion : Letter to the Editor: Woe Is Me