It was a real honor to be selected as one of the people from Augusta to attend the American Legion Boys State during the summer following my junior year in high school. I went to Boys State not fully knowing what to expect. Briefly – the participants were divided into two parties then each group spent time making nominations for the various offices, holding a brief campaign, and then an election. Somehow – and I really do not remember how – I ended up being nominated for and selected to be the leader for one of the two parties. We worked hard and we did fairly well but we did not win the race for governor the most prized election on the ballot.

The evening activity at the end of the day that the election results were announced was a talent show. I remember feeling fairly down at the time – after all – we had lost the election, but I decided to go ahead with my planned entry for the talent show – before leaving Augusta for the event I had decided to perform a duet version of When the Saints Go Marching In with me playing both the part for the trumpet and the part for the piano.

Detour! – one thing that was very valuable that evening was hearing – and later learning – the version of Cinderella known as Rindercella – “you know Rindercella who lived in the big hark douse with her mean old mepstother and her two sisty-uglers who sat around magging readizines and cheating oclates while Rindercella did things like flooping the moor” – which was performed by one of the other Boys Staters. I learned it as quickly as possible and it has been a mainstay of my collection of performance bits ever since.

Following the talent show those of us who had attended the Kansas Boys State were asked to vote for two people to represent Kansas at Boys Nation later that same summer. Boys Nation is a gathering of two people from each of the states who gather, learn and enjoy activities in the style of the United States Senate – two representatives from each state.

When we gathered to hear the results of the election I was thrilled to hear that the person my party had nominated for governor had been selected to attend Boys Nation even though he had lost the election for governor. At that point in time my assumption was that the other person to represent Kansas would be the person who had won the race for governor. Much to my total astonishment my name was called as the second person to represent Kansas at Boys Nation. What a complete surprise! What an honor!!

The Boys Nation gathering was everything I hoped it would be and more. Our designated host was The Honorable Senator Frank Carlson who represented the state of Kansas in the United States Senate from 1950 through 1969. The other Kansas Senator at the time was James B. Pearson who served from 1962 through 1978. One highlight was having lunch with Senator Carlson in the Senate Dining Room – of course we enjoyed the famous Senate Bean Soup.

It was a true joy to represent Augusta at these events. Another great memory was the opportunity to get to know the members of the American Legion Post in Augusta – people who had served with distinction and valor. I will always be grateful for their sponsorship of these two memorable events.

This is certainly one incredible opportunity that came my way from growing up in a smaller community in south central Kansas – a genuine and unexpected honor!! As Rindercella would say: Some of our smubbles and trall and some of our blubbles are trig, but if we don’t have any troubles – how in the world will we ever blecognize our ressings!!