1969 Annual Report
Every year, I find myself in a fresh state of amazement that this serial has lasted so long. It could almost be classed with the TV soap operas, at least in endurance. The end of thirty years of cards is now just around the corner, and rumor has it that a few people still have many of them. Some can even read the small print without a magnifying glass! But continuing the tradition isn't as easy as it once was. The first card showed Larry sharing a bushel basket with our cocker spaniel of the time. He seems to have outgrown that basket, and it's one picture I couldn't re-make! Also, so much goes on with the five parties concerned that packing the news into the space available now requires pre-conditioning courses in a sardine factory. Perhaps we live at an increasingly hectic pace.
Once children grow up and scatter, the taking of complete family pictures becomes a real challenge. For the past few years, we were too widely separated. This year, it was a struggle, but we made it, just before Thanksgiving. The next day, Dan went to Houston, and Ed went to Dallas. The pictures, though, were on exposed film, and the only real problem was to select the best shot. No single picture ever flatters all five of us!
As usual, Les had a lot of travel, but for a change, all of it was inside the country. Much of his time was concentrated on the fire protection of hyperbaric chambers, an activity that began early in 1967. Atmospheres such as found in diving chambers and underseas habitats present a real problem with fire, for you can't escape readily, and most fire equipment is unsuited for use under such conditions. Learning how to provide fire safety is necessary if man is to successfully conquer 'inner space' ... the vast unknown of the deep oceans.
He had numerous other projects too, among them some systems analysis work for the Office of Civil Defense. A technical conference in June was held near Monterey, California. It is beautiful country, but cloudy weather spoiled some planned photography. As a result, he was horn-swoggled and bulldozed into trying to paint one of the scenes. To everybody's surprise, including his own, the result wasn't bad at all. Primitive, yes, and certainly the sort of thing that made Grandma Moses a byword among painters. After that, Les had no choice to continue, so he enrolled in an evening drawing and painting class at San Antonio College, and already has started to put his stuff on the walls. A second trial of his grandma Moses initial effort turned out pretty well. It will be quite a while, though, before he reaches the smock and beret stage. Right now, it's hard work, but it's also a lot of fun.
As usual, ham radio claims its share of time. Activity on the military MARS circuits keeps Les busy several nights a week. There was one interesting weekend providing communications for some sports car races, and finally the local radio club put him to work as an officer. Since his travel schedules preclude any regular attendance at meetings, they came up with a bright idea, making him Sgt. at Arms, with practically no duties at all. The local Cornell Club too managed to catch up with him, making him President for 1969. As with the radio club, the duties were light, most of the time.
In April, Les started to draw retired pay from the Air Force, with all privileges, including medical care. This is coming in handy. Just before Thanksgiving, he got to feeling quite inferior in the interior. The specialists are working on it now, and it sure is nice to be so adequately taken care of.
Polly started off the year, busy, busy, busy, with her piano pupils and the vocal studio. In April, Doris came from Buffalo, and the two went off for a week in Mexico City, followed by San Antonio's Fiesta week. But all this activity began to catch up with her, and by summer the doctor was feeding her sedative pills, to make her slow down for her own health. Since Larry was due for release from the Army in late summer, she waited until the separation date was finally set, then took off for New Jersey on a vacation trip plus visits that lasted a total of 7 weeks, to bring him back to San Antonio. Of this time, some 3 weeks were spent along the New Jersey shore, using Ed's house as a temporary home base. The travelers returned just before Thanksgiving. Now she's gradually getting into the swing of things, but at a more leisurely pace. Music continues as her major interest.
Larry started off the year with an airplane ride, homeward bound from TDY in Okinawa. Coming into San Francisco, he detoured d through San Antonio on the way back to Fort Dix. It was really his first trip home as such, for when Larry was here at Fort Sam Houston in 1962, Les was camped in an apartment. The rest of the family were still in Kansas City finishing out the 62-63 school year. Larry was due for release in May, but fate had some unkind surprises for him. First of all, his car was stolen. Without wheels, it's not easy to get around. Then his ears began to give trouble. Before he knew it, he was put on 'medical hold' status so his hearing could be corrected before discharge. Week after week went by with not much accomplished, and not until October was he processed for discharge. They never did get his hearing back to normal. He plans to go back to the University of Missouri in the fall of 1970 to finish up his degree. In the meantime he's relaxing as a civilian in San Antonio waiting to hear from the VA. After a few months, he'll probably go back to the New York metropolitan area and work in theatrical productions until the time comes to resume the scholastic life once again. He's been out of school since 1962.
As 1968 was drawing to a close, Ed's draft board was casting loving looks in his direction, Ed was fully aware of the situation, and not at all happy at the idea of losing several years of engineering usefulness in a non technical capacity as an enlisted man. After researching the Officer Candidate School possibilities, Ed ran across an obscure Army regulation that permitted direct commissioning of those possessing certain special engineering skills, which fortunately he possessed. So he applied in January, was accepted in February, and then began an intensive effort to finish R&D projects at LTV Aerospace before putting on the uniform. It wasn't easy! Late in April, Les swore in Ed as 2nd Lt, Signa] Corps. For two months at Fort Gordon, Georgia, the new shavetail went to school to get educated in the military way of doing things. Finally, in July, he allowed to US Army Electronics Command at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, assigned to a group with the impressive sounding mission of Combat Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Night Vision System Laboratory. Except for the first month or so, Ed hasn't been spending much time at Fort Monmouth. He's been shuttling back and forth to a plant in the Washington, D.C. area as liaison officer on a project under development there. The chances are good that by next spring, he'll have a tour of duty out in southeast Asia, Ed has a relaxed attitude about the whole business.
Dan began 1969 teaching English 11 at Brackenridge High School, helping with the band and taking an education course in a local college at night. Just for a change, like a postman taking a walk on his day off, he went back to Texas A&I for summer school. That added another BA in History and English (cum Laude), plus a start on his Master's degree. All summer long the San Antonio schools tried hard to keep up with the many HEW directives. Nobody knew what they would be teaching or where. In the final shuffle, Dan wound up assigned to a newly created junior high covering the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. He has 120 pupils under his wing in language arts, social studies, and math courses. For a while, it was a problem to know what to talk about in what class. Until he got a routine established, he tied strings on his fingers to remind him which of the classes was which. (Dan of course denies this). It was a long haul across San Antonio to the new school, with lots of early morning traffic to fight, so Dan took an apartment nearby at 1226 Schley. By the end of the school year, he should be a pretty good cook and housekeeper. Aside from weekly trips home to use the washing machine, we don't see much of him. When his prowess as a chef warrants, we'll invite ourselves there for dinner!
There have been some changes in the animal population. Pixie, Polly's faithful black shadow got so feeble that life was just too much strain. So in January, just short of her 14th birthday she was put to rest in the garden. Several months later, our neighbor across the street called. Zeke was lying down on her lawn. What happened, we don't know, for there were no marks on him. Afterwards the house was so darn quiet that Polly got herself a blond cocker puppy. What a holy terror that mischievous little brat turned out to be! You forget how much trouble it is to bring up a puppy. We settled on calling her Buffy, and she's gradually taming down, tho still a self-willed charmer. Going to obedience school is on the schedule for her very soon, and she sure needs it. Ming and Buffy have a ball together, wrestle and chase each other all over the house. Kit stands for no nonsense from either, but on occasion they give her a hard time. Animals can present a lot of problems at times, but they certainly make life interesting.
