Revisiting Boy's State - Stories fron the Attic

In our great attic clean-out, we came across several boxes full of keep-sakes - old photos and such. I posted most of this blog several years ago, but I did not have the benefit of these photos, newly recovered from the attic.

Between my Junior and Senior years in High School, I was selected to attend American Legion Boy's State, held here in Austin on the University of Texas campus. The Principal at BHS, Jim Wilkerson, selected six of us to join about 700 other boys from around the state and  participate in an exercise of leadership and citizenship by forming and "running" an imaginary state. That's me, in the circle on the far right, uh, on the bottom. Trust me.

Our dorm assignments were "Cities" (Hood City, fall out!) and we elected local and state officials - up to and including the Governor and Lt. Governor. This is the entire population of Hood City. I seem to be the only one who doesn't think this was a good idea.

My hair was not good enough to run for governor, so I campaigned for and was elected to the office of Chaplin of the Senate. I don't remember what the chaplain's duties were, but I do know that those senators and other citizens of that Boy's State needed some powerful praying over. At the conclusion of the week, we all marched from the UT campus to the State Capitol building, sat in the official chairs in the official chambers and invoked a joint session of our elected legislature, and as I recall, passed a few bills (which were immediately squashed by those in charge).

I'll have you know, I'm in good company as a participant in Boy's State - other notables that have attended are Bill Clinton, Mike Huckabee, Tom Brokaw, Jane Pauley (yes, there was a concurrent Girl's State held on a different campus) Nick Saban, Michael Jordan, Mark Wahlberg, Neil Armstrong and my son-in-law, Jason, to mention a few.  And we all wore the famous Tee Shirt. We were given one and had to buy any additional. Did I mention that there was no laundry service at Boy's State? We just kept buying shirts. That's why, when I got to college, I still had several left over. Barb said she always knew when I was at the bottom of the clean clothes - you could see the American Legion logo through my outer shirt.

And it was the shirt that got me in trouble.

We also had a newspaper at Boy's State, and since this group got special late-night privileges (and no PE the next morning) I was quick to join. We wrote up the day's events, interviewed important people (like then-Governor Price Daniels), typed it all up and took it over to the Daily Texan offices each evening for printing. Here's the newspaper staff, marching into the auditorium for talent night, whistling the theme from "Bridge on the River Kwai." I don't remember what else we did, talent-wise. Whistling and marching may have been it. Like walking and chewing gum.

On our last evening, the newspaper sponsor (a college-age counselor) promised us we could go downtown and see a movie after we were done. And be sure and bring a non-Boy's State shirt. The official shirt was to be worn  at all times; this was how they kept up with the boys. Being caught off-campus was a no-no and the shirt sort of gave you away, in that regard. So, of course, we all changed shirts before climbing into our sponsor's convertible and heading downtown. When we got back - way after hours - the building containing the newspaper offices was locked with our official tee shirts inside! Not to worry; see that ledge? If I can work my way over to that window on that ledge, I think I can crawl inside the building.

And that is how I first came to the attention of the University of Texas Police Department. And, no, it was not the last time, but that's another story. I will say that we got in a whole lot less trouble than we could have. I don't think the counselor got invited back the next year, however.

I just wish I still had one of those shirts.