The Real Reason We Are Called Baby Boomers

   Those of us of a certain age, albeit at least in our late sixties and seventies, are part of what has been labeled the Baby Boomer generation. The name is given to those born in the late forties and fifties, a time when soldiers returned home from the wars around the world and began raising families.

   New parents at the time and a generation or two before and during the war (grandparents) were part of a world with strong social and political beliefs, clear cut roles and responsibilities for men and women, and the places in society that were not always welcoming to those of different cultural backgrounds, spoke a different language or were judged by the color of their skin.  One only needed to scan the country at the time to see who would and would not be welcomed to become part of local cultures and communities.

   I need to interject a personal note here. I have been writing this column for a number of years now and have made every attempt to stay as far away from political issues as I could. But as I begin to put these thoughts together after watching the news, that may be a bit more difficult for me with this piece, so if you feel uncomfortable with what I might say, please feel free to stop reading now and return to whatever you were doing.

   Even today I can still remember many of my grandmother’s comments about her changing neighborhood, what seemed to be, from her perspective, a total lack of respect for many local and family traditions and the way life use to be. But the new generation, the Baby Boomers, those born post war, were going to put things on the ‘right’ track. We were going to create a country, a society and a world that was going to make everything the way it should be. A new generation where everyone would be treated equally and with respect.

   It was several months before the 1960 Presidential election. The homework from Civics class was to write an essay entitled…” What If a Catholic President.” Each homework paper was read aloud and the class voted on the one they thought the best. (I was not the winner of the classroom vote) If memory serves me correctly, I believe the country did vote for its first Catholic President and the rest is history. The Baby Boomers had finally spoken.

   Since the Boomers, and before, there have been a number of new generations, each given a name or title that reflected their dreams, goals, and beliefs. But the Baby Boomers have managed to remain a strong influence in today’s world. One only needs to pick up the newspaper or watch the news to see that many of the Boomers, especially those serving in government and leadership positions are attempting to reestablish those once held societal beliefs of a segregated society, the role of women in leadership, and the importance of money as a true measure of character and human value.

   History shows us that each generation will put its mark on society and provides a level of guidance and teaching to the next group that will take its place. Traditionally this has been called leadership with the hope of moving forward and making the country and the world a better place for future generations. But a look at where we are today and the lack of and unwillingness of people to work together may be moving us in a somewhat difficult direction

   What kind of world will be the home of my grandchildren? Are we quickly returning a society that, until now, so many have attempted to make part of a history lesson, part of a learning experience, part of the education for future generations to read about and learn from?

   Have the Baby Boomers of the 50s and early 60’s become nothing more than a lot of loud noise and distraction in an attempt to return us to a life and society many are working to change so that everyone will be treated equally and with respect.

   Each year the Boomer generation becomes fewer and fewer in number. We are getting old. But for those of us who are still part of today’s world I have a suggestion. Take your children and grandchildren aside and show them some of the pictures taken in your life as you grew up. Talk to them about the fun things you did as a child of the 50s and 60s. And more important, maybe, share with them the one thing in that lifetime you would have done differently if you had known. A lesson learned.

  

 

 

  

 Words Have Meaning Too…..

                          (Antonin Scalia)

   This has been a difficult one for me. Most of the time, ideas and thought flow like water. Once and a while they might slow down a bit, but after a fresh cup of coffee and a quick walk around the yard, the ideas come together. And, for those of you that know me to some degree, you know I can have a somewhat weird sense of humor and can usually laugh things off. But several days ago, I received a post forwarded to me by my daughter and I admit I have somewhat struggled with it. 

   Back in the day I was a teacher, a school administrator, an Associate Commission of Education, and taught administrative education classes at several local colleges. I enjoyed teaching and believed very strongly in the importance of a good education. School and learning was important to prepare young people for the new world and to this day I still believe that getting a good education is important.

   Now I am aware that for some going to school and learning was and can be a challenge, but the hope was that at some point they would come to the realization just how important spending time in the classroom could be. And in addition, not only were schools important for learning, but also an important place to make memories. And to this day I still believe that. So where am I going with this?

   Over the years things change and as the school population numbers go up or down, school districts change. For many years now, the student enrollments in many areas have declined and as a result once neighboring school districts have combined to offer meaningful education. In efforts to save money and continue to provide quality education to the students, schools have closed and a quick trip around the State will show a number of closed and shuttered school buildings. And what is to become of those buildings?

   One of the school districts in which I served joined with a neighboring town several years after I moved on to a new position. And as a result, the schools in one town were closed and student attended schools in the neighboring community. The transition took place many years ago now but what was then the local high school before the consolidation has remained vacant since then. But it appears that is about to change and this prompted the Facebook message from my oldest daughter, a graduate of that now vacant high school.

   A group in the area has decided that in preparation for the upcoming Halloween season they would create a haunted attraction and transform a creepy school building into a haunted house and give it a name. And the name? ‘The Halls of Horror.’

   Under somewhat normal circumstances I might just laugh something like this off. But having firsthand knowledge and experience of what took place in those hallways when it was a vibrant and exciting school causes me a bit of sorrow. And knowing that a number of the school’s graduates and family members still live and work in the area, I am having a bit of a problem with this. Words do have meaning. 

   Now I am sure there were students who, for whatever reasons, may have felt on occasion that the halls maybe were a place of horror if a test was failed or a homework assignment was incomplete.  But the key for me here is that words, when used in different contexts, do have meaning and I would sincerely hope that for those who remember the high school days, they do not remember them as halls of horror but with fond memories of a favorite teacher or classmates or an exciting basketball game. 

   I understand the need and desire to make use of this vacant building and I am sure that over time, a new cause or purpose will be discovered for the building. Until then, depending how they are used, remember…. like emotions and memories, words have meaning too. 

   Side note……As quoted by Antonia Scalia “Words have meaning. And their meaning doesn’t change.” What often gives a word new meaning, however, is the context in which a word is used and the person using the word. The lesson here? Choose your words carefully!