August 23, 2012

Ah yes, I remember it well ...


Deserted is my summer place!
Back to school I go in an autumn haze.



For darling Clive,was it only yesterday when…

In 1984, a seventh-grader named Andy Smith wrote to then-President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, with a request:
    Today my mother declared my bedroom a disaster area. I would like to request federal funds to hire a crew to clean up my room.

President Reagan replied with the following letter.

    Andy Smith
    Irmo, South Carolina
    May 11, 1984

    Dear Andy:

    I'm sorry to be so late in answering your letter but as you know I've been in China and found your letter here upon my return.
    Your application for disaster relief has been duly noted but I must point out one technical problem: the authority declaring the disaster is supposed to make the request. In this case your mother.
    However setting that aside I'll have to point out the larger problem of available funds. This has been a year of disasters, 539 hurricanes as of May 4th and several more since, numerous floods, forest fires, drought in Texas and a number of earthquakes. What I'm getting at is that funds are dangerously low.
    May I make a suggestion? This administration, believing that government has done many things that could better be done by volunteers at the local level, has sponsored a Private Sector Initiative program, calling upon people to practice voluntarism in the solving of a number of local problems.
    Your situation appears to be a natural. I'm sure your mother was fully justified in proclaiming your room a disaster. Therefore you are in an excellent position to launch another volunteer program to go along with the more than 3,000 already underway in our nation—congratulations.
    Give my best regards to your mother.
    Sincerely,
    Ronald Reagan
(Source: Reagan: A Life In Letters)

11 comments:

frenchtoast said...

Ah yes, I remember it well too.

Anja said...

Oh yes, inside that BIG man is still that little boy.

Big man outside said...

And inside each woman is there a prince charming?

Love the post, thanks.

Pamela from waaay back said...

Diving Board

You’ve been up on that diving board
Making sure that it’s nice and straight.
You’ve made sure that it’s not too slick.
You’ve made sure it can stand the weight.
You’ve made sure that the spring is tight.
You’ve made sure that the cloth won’t slip.
You’ve made sure that it bounces right,
And that your toes can get a grip—
And you’ve been up there since have past five
Doin’ everything . . . but DIVE.

~Shel Silverstein

Tartanscot said...

One of the virtues of staying young is that you don't let the facts get in the way of your imagination.

Unknown said...

Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.
Yes, I remember too.

Love the post, thanks.

Dr. Bunsen and your gaggle of fans said...

Many a lab will boast a *Spring Fling greater,
but we have ridden each and every sluggish imitator,
and our experience confirms no solid indicator
that any ride is better than the *Spring Fling Discombobulator.

*Coil-Powered Catapult

Your boy inside a man-



YOUR Urban Hipsters said...

“Dear students, the summer has ended.
The school year at last has begun.
But this year is totally different.
I promise we’ll only have fun.
“We won’t study any mathematics,
and recess will last all day long.
Instead of the Pledge of Allegiance,
we’ll belt out a rock ’n’ roll song.
“We’ll only play games in the classroom.
You’re welcome to bring in your toys.
It’s okay to run in the hallways.
It’s great if you make lots of noise.
“For homework, you’ll play your Nintendo.
You’ll have to watch lots of TV.
For field trips we’ll go to the movies
and get lots of candy for free.
“The lunchroom will only serve chocolate
and Triple-Fudge Sundaes Supreme.”
Yes, that’s what I heard from my teacher
before I woke up from my dream.
~Kenn Nesbitt

frenchtoast said...

Dear Pamela,

you remember too well!

cooled and in awe said...

These are "seriously" (a)wesome and(c)ool posts!

frenchtoast said...

(A)d gustum, ego volo.