A walking memory of Kemper

Some wonder why I write a lot about Kemper. Or why I talk about Kemper. Simply put; don't you talk about your family? A son or daughter; sister or brother. Cousin? Mother, father. All of those and more are the men and women who i went to Kemper with. Especially a certain group-and I am not talking about my comrades from Band.

Before I was Band, I was 2nd squad, 2nd platoon, Delta Company. First we were "Mean Green." Platoon leader was Lt. Green. Platoon Sgt. was Suarez. My squad leader was Sgt. John L. Williams from Springfield, MO. My assistant squad leader was Jeff Holmes, from Nebraska. The people in my squad/platoon that mean the most to me and are literally my oldest friends from Kemper boil down to Miner, Deem, Tandy, Parrish and Thomas. I still am in contact with 4 of them, and of those 3 of them very often. I was in color guard with them and also we joined the MPs. Tandy, Deem and Miner are the closet and oldest and nearest to my heart and soul; we grew up together. Shared also many classes. Many experiences. Time and miles mean nothing; I know them like I know how my hand and arm looks and work. I have other very close friends, but those guys; there is a saying the military that you don't pick your friends that you go through basic with or even assigned to a unit. We were all very different but we were hammered into the same mold. The Kemper mold. Kemper. That's all we need to say. I just wish we could find Thomas.

Clarence Berkley Thomas from Maryland. "C.B." I talked to him like 20 years+ ago. I found a number and called and asked for C.B. the voice on the other end was deeper and laughed and said he hadn't been CB in a long time.

People are amazed that I can recall things; names, places. Why? Very simply; they are etched onto my heart and soul. I couldn't forget them ever. They are a part of me. Those that have gone before and have stood their last formation are forever remembered by me. I am proud of that fact. I like being a walking Kemper memory.  As we are all there is left. And soon we too will fade away.

numquam non paratus

Stop Day!

When I was at Kemper, we didn't have snow days. You had snow and you had classes that were cancelled, and since a lot of teachers lived close to Kemper, some within walking distance, school was never closed. What we did have were "Stop Days."

My new boy year, like any basic training regime, was rough. But I remember after about 8 weeks, one morning at first mess there was a buzz. The president, a retired 2 star general and the last best president Kemper had,  was there. That was uncommon, he usually stayed in the front admin offices, busy doing whatever a president of a military school did.  Well, after all the companies were seated and the prayer was said, he stood up and proclaimed that since we had worked so hard and done so well so early on, that he was declaring a Stop Day. With that the Old Boys whooped and clapped. What that meant was that school was closed and we were allowed off campus, even the New Boys! That kinda stuck some Old Boys but it passed  as it was a STOP DAY! Then it was asses and elbows. 

I remember walking up town and looking around. Not having a lot of money, no car as I was 14 and not having a lot of time; basically it was from 8-5, I went to the library. I remember they had a old bath tub painted up and it had pillows in it,so I laid in it reading. 

Then I went to A&W to eat. This A&W has a real fireplace, but at that time it wasn't lit as it wasn't cold. This was also when A&W actually served steak and baked potatoes. Not on this outing, but on later ones I would have dinner there, sit by the window and relax. It was only a few blocks from campus. 

After all that I went back to the barracks and waited for Kemper to resume its normal routine. But that day out is a favorite memory as it was my first time out and about from Kemper. That day it started to hit me what growing up meant. The air was crisper, the smell and sights were more prominent and that's why it has stayed with me for over 36 years. Like a warm blanket on my soul. 

From Nostalgia to Star Trek

I have some cheap white ear buds I use for my computer, phone, etc. But you know what I find humorous? Back in the old days, you would always get a small ear piece with the purchase of a transistor radio. It was so you could listen, with one ear, what was going on the radio or tape deck. They weren't the best, but adequate if you were really jonesing for that baseball game without disturbing anyone else, or at night when you wanted to be quiet.

You wanted those big head phones that covered both ears and had those long 8-12 ft coiled cords so you could dance around or, if your equipment was far away, you could lay on your bed without having to worry about being close.

Now, we are back to the small ear pieces; granted the sound is like those big head phones. I just find it amusing of the similarity to the old style. For that matter, its just another Star Trek invention. Think about the ear piece that Uhura used to wear. Think about those flip cell phones.  And the old hard square plastic computer disks. Their tri-corders are our PDA, and the PADDS, are our tablets now. All these were shown in Star Trek first. Take that Star Wars!

MASH

I used to love MASH. Then it got political. I remember something a Colonel or someone said at one of Hawkeye's court-martial's: I wouldn't want to lead a company of Hawkeyes into combat but I'd want them after that battle was over.  And Hawkeye said it best to Radar once; I don't know what you said, but I'll fight to the death your right to say it.

In any case, I remember Kemper when I see MASH. I know big surprise. But let me explain. We had a kid from Illinois, loved the Cardinals and was one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet. Like Radar. He came back to Kemper once before it closed; he was a major then. He's married, got two kids and took over his dad's insurance agency. He doesn't stay in touch with the rest of the Old Boys. Then we had a guy who was at Kemper cause he had to be. Like Klinger. Hes now a dentist in Texas with a wife and kids. I don't think he want to be reminded of how he was. We had others that mirror many of the characters on MASH. I'd still back any of those guys right now if they called. I grew up with them. And when I say grew up, I mean actual growing. Each one of them contributed something. And who was I? I was all of them at one time or another. A bit of Klinger during my new boy phase. Along with Radar being homesick. Probably some of Col. Blake and even Frank Burns at times. I hope I ended like Col. Potter but feel maybe it was more Charles.

However I was I always feel lucky as I was with those men and woman who made it the best times of my life.  I can never say thank you enough no matter how many blog entries I write, No matter how many stories I tell about my time there. Whether they ever come back into the fold or make their own way in life, my love and respect goes with them all. For unless you were there, you don't know. I am lucky to have known all of those I remember and wish and pray and hope for those I have forgotten.

numquam non paratus

My father

Yesterday, Feb 22., would have been my father's 94th birthday if he was alive. With the snow and not feeling well I didn't post or write anything about it. For those who knew my father, I hope I continue to be what he was. He truly never met a stranger. Loved a good joke and made me look quiet and shy at times. And like it always is, I never appreciated him until he was gone. I remember him taking me to a Mizzou home football game, then eating at Bobby Bufford's. watching the sun set and discussing the pros and cons of renting out farm land or buying equipment and farming it yourself. It was a great conversation. It was at that time I think my father viewed me as an adult. I was 24 at the time and had done more than most people had before they were that age, but I still felt like a kid when it came to my dad. If there is one person who I want to emulate it would be him. I went to Kemper because of him. I went into the same fraternity as he did. I became a Mason as he was. I like Jack Daniels like he did. I traveled and enjoyed it. He also love to travel (just not by plane). And he wasn't afraid to talk to anyone. He also treated everyone the same; with respect and kindness.

I pray I continue to live up to what he was and be the person I hope he wanted me to be. Love and miss you dad. 

James S. Herring 
KMS 1936-1938

I posted that to my Facebook status. The snow was bad, and I have done many stupid things, but driving in that white out conditions and on those roads definitely ranks up there. Not even my Illinois trip when I was at Kemper can match that. at that time, it wasn't snowing bad and I had good visibility  This time in 2013.... the visibility was about 50 feet. I did 40 mph longer than I ever have to get to work. And then 3 minutes there and the boss says hes shutting the office down. Since I am a Job for Hire I only get paid for the hours I worked so I stayed there til 1:00 when there was a break in the snow. Still took me as long to get back home as all the on ramps were blocked to I-70. Semis, cars, not plowed... I have never seen it that bad before. 

Anyway, my dad's b-day was yesterday.  When I got back from work, I was not feeling the best so I took two Nyquil and went to bed at 8:15. I remember looking at the clock before I closed my eyes. And I didn't wake up until 9:15 this morning. So I needed the sleep. In any case, a lot of my friends and people from Kemper have commented on my post and liked it. Especially those who knew my father. 

I also wanted to write a bit about walking at night in the snow. In the country walking in the snow is usually a requirement to get to a barn, garage, vehicle... and walking at night when it has snowed is like walking in near silence. Everything is muffled except for the crunch of your feet. Its like the world is holding it's breath until you get to an explosion of lights from the outside and the doorway leading into the warmth and hearth of the house. I used to love walking around for 20-30 minutes...get my face cold, smell the wood smoke and maybe occasionally hear a plane or far off train as they broke through the silent barrier.  That was something that Kemper and the farm had in common; seeing and hearing planes and also the trains. And hopefully those memories and sounds stay with me for the rest of my life and beyond as they are a double stacked memory; the farm and Kemper. Two places now gone with the fog and time, available only in the memory and the heart on my soul. and like my father, I smile as I think of them and him. 

Combining

We all remember things that happen that may or may not be traumatic or exciting or whatever. It just depends on how we view things, what the memory is tied and things of that nature. I have a memory not of Kemper (shocking some may say) but never-the-less, for some reason it has stuck with me. Good or bad.

I remember once when they were combing beans. I don't know what age I was or what friend was there but I had never ridden in the cab of the combine. My dad said my friend could ride and did. I think my dad thought I could ride any time. To my knowledge, I never did. I can see my friend in the cab of the combine and them going a few rows. I don't know why that is such a clear memory or why it affects me as it does. Some may say it's childish or selfish. I have since grown and learned humility and sharing, so no worries... but for some reason that particular memory has stuck with me. To me that is like I reached a crossroads, and it was at that point I went down another path. That's how much of significance I put on that memory. Would it have changed anything? Who knows. I just know it is a bruise on my heart that will be with me forever.

Holidays

In this day and age, a lot of people are celebrating holidays not on the holiday. I can understand if someone has to work or something, but I want to celebrate my birthday, ON my birthday. Celebrate Thanksgiving on that day. As I said, I understand that some schedules dictate other, but as a rule of thumb, I like it to happen on those days.

Why? I just do. Those are the days so celebrate them. And if the restaurant you wanted couldn't help you because you waited to the last minute to book your romantic Valentine's Day dinner, too bad. I like seeing happy couples or celebrating families, or people making a big deal out of a birthday on a Tuesday night.

Those days are special. At least to me. I try to keep them that way as I have gotten older and my life has gotten crazier; and I do things that help me keep those feelings in me.

Doesn't work for everyone and that's ok too.