Art Linkletter of the B&W TV era said “Kids say the darndest things” and proved it time and again when talking with children. Sometimes we as adults can be put in our place by a child’s comeback.
When the School Board held its October session, one agenda item was “School Spotlight – Dodson High School.” (I regret that, due to a touch of COVID, I missed the September session which included the spotlight on Calvin High School and BETA standout Lauren Chandler). Last week, DHS principal Wendy Miller introduced three fifth-graders, sisters Bracey and Brilynn Pritchett and Elijah Shell, who had crafted birch bark hut models.
Before the meeting began, I took the trio outside for a photo to display their replicas of Native American huts for which they’d used the native construction method. Photo taken, I viewed their work and asked the question, “So what did you use to make these?” I’d assumed I had just asked one of those rhetorical questions like, “What color was George Washington’s white horse?” Wrong.
Without flinching, Brilynn looked straight into my eyes and said, “Southern yellow pine.” Great answer.
Isn’t it grand to be around clusters of happy kids? It makes 72-year-olds like me feel a little sprier. Generally the folks we hang with are our own age so we’re talking aches and pains, medications and surgeries. Or grandkids, a brighter conversation.
Two recent sightings of kids made me smile. First was at Stokes-Walker Stadium on a home game Friday night. I move away from the sidelines to sit in the stands for a bit to watch the action. Not so much action on the field as in the stands themselves. Everywhere are happy children, so energized with the open air atmosphere and being with friends that the benches are unable to hold them. They’re compelled to move about.
Many of the young girls are dressed in red and white, often in little cheerleader outfits. They call excitedly to friends they spot. The boys, maybe not so tied to school colors, are just as animated as they make their way from here to there and back.
More children and youth are gathered in the livestock barn as the Winn Parish Fair opens. They are proud and enthusiastic as they bring in their animal projects that they’ve worked on for so long. And more youngsters come in, a school bus at a time, to be guided by Junior Leaders through the petting zoo and other Ag Awareness exhibits. They’re all at ease, having fun and learning as well.
As we look at this youngest generation, so positive with all their hopes and aspirations still unburst before them, let us too take hope that good things lie ahead for them. And through them, good things ahead for our nation.
