Independence Day (July 2011)

For many of us, the Fourth of July is a day for parades, cookouts, baseball, fireworks, and family get-togethers.  But today is also the 235th anniversary of the official approval of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress.  Americans have much to be thankful for because of the work of our Founding Fathers.  Their tenacity and bravery put their lives and those of their families into potential jeopardy.  To be sure, some of the facts related to the signers of the Declaration have been stretched a bit (see The Price They Paid), but these brave men put their lives and futures on the line for generations of Americans to come.  We owe them a debt of gratitude.


Over these past 235 years, the Fourth of July has the occasion for some well-known and less well-known events.  In 1826 (the fiftieth anniversary), both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of each other.  They had been political opponents for decades, but they became reconciled shortly before their deaths.  During the American Civil War, the Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg were decided by July 4, 1863.  Many historians suggest that those two battles signified the turning point of the Civil War.


More recently, the nation celebrated our Bicentennial in 1976, with much fanfare and hoopla.  Along with the useful fireworks displays in Washington, D.C., and New York City, there was a spectacular passage of the "Tall Ships" in the New York Harbor.  On a more personal note, I will always remember July 4, 1989.  Cynthia and I had been on a tour of England with the Owatonna High School Orchestra in the United Kingdom.  July 4 was the day we were to return to the States.  On the elevator at our hotel, one Brit asked us, "How are things in the Colonies?"  I replied that we were on our way to find out!  We flew into St. Louis from Heathrow Airport in London, and then we made our way up the Mississippi River that evening.  It was a spectacular sight as we saw fireworks displays in little towns all along the way.  What a great memory.


We all have our own memories of the Fourth of July.  And I am sure there will be many more in the future.  Have a great day.

A Godly Example

Thirty-five years ago, I began my teaching career at Bob Jones University.  As many of you know from reading some of my previous posts, in addition to teaching history courses at BJU, I also had the opportunity to play oboe in the University Orchestra and other ensembles at BJU.  Aside from my teaching responsibilities, playing my oboe has been one of the great joys of my life.  When you play in a group over a period of time, you really get to know the folks who are also a part of the group.  Not only do you learn how to do the "technical" things like playing in tune and playing the right notes, but you come to appreciate the people who sit beside you in rehearsals and performances.  I would like to spotlight one of those individuals from thirty-five years ago.

Karen Kuehmann enrolled as a freshman at BJU in the fall of 1972.  It did not take long to appreciate the fact the she was an excellent flute player.  But more than that, Karen was and is a person of outstanding character.  But what I most appreciate about Karen is that she loves the Lord supremely.  She has been an outstanding role model and good friend over the years that Nancy and I have had the great privilege to know her.

After Karen finished her undergraduate and graduate work at BJU, she taught flute and worked in the music division at Bob Jones University Press.  She is an accomplished composer and arranger of pieces for instrumental soloists and other ensembles.  She also received an Ed.D. degree in the 1980s.

Karen has had her share of difficult times as well.  A few years ago, she had a significant medical issue that resulted in her receiving a liver transplant at a Pittsburgh hospital.  As far as I know, she has made a complete recovery from that medical procedure and enjoys good health.

Having worked at BJU for about thirty years, Karen has recently decided to move back to her home state of Arizona and teach music in an elementary school there.  One of the reasons she returned to Arizona was for the purpose of being closer to her family.  That really doesn't surprise me at all, because Karen is the kind of person who understands the importance of family.  In this day and age, family relationships have been given short shrift by many people who just get too busy or disinterested in maintaining close family ties.

As it relates to Christian ministry, I have come to understand a significant principle:  "What I do, and where I do what I do, is not nearly as important as WHY I do what I do."  Karen Kuehmann is an ongoing example of that mindset.  I commend her highly and wish her well in her new responsibilities as an elementary school music teacher.

G. G. Jackson (1918-2007)

A good friend of mine recently passed away. Mr. G. G. ("Jack") Jackson was the longtime Postmaster at Bob Jones University. When I enrolled as a freshman at BJU in the fall of 1967 (yes, that's forty years ago!), I was told that the BJU Post Office was a good place to get a job on campus. So I walked in and asked for Mr. Jackson. When I told him my name, the first thing he said to me was, "You must be Ottis and Julie's boy." I was flabbergasted that anyone would know my dad and mom, but a number of people actually did know my folks from the days when the college was located in Cleveland, Tennessee. And so it went from there.

I worked at the BJU Post Office during my student days, and after I became a faculty member in 1972, I continued on at the Post Office during the summers and during Christmas vacations. Mr. Jackson had the reputation of being a no-nonsense boss. If one of the student employees took too long to complete a mail delivery on the campus, his favorite question was: "Where have you been, to Spartanburg and back?" Spartanburg is about twenty miles east of Greenville.

During the summer, especially on some of those hot and humid South Carolina afternoons (before the Post Office was air conditioned), Mr. Jackson would sometimes talk about the early days of the school in Cleveland, Tennessee. That was when he knew my mom and dad before they got married. My mom started teaching at Bob Jones in 1942, and my dad showed up after World War II in 1946. Mr. Jackson would also talk about his years in the United States Navy during World War II. He, like my father-in-law Roy Crane, was part of that "Greatest Generation" who defended the United States in difficult times. Generally, Mr. Jackson didn't bring up the subject, but he was willing to share his experiences with those of us who worked with him.

When Mr. Jackson was not working at the Post Office, he loved to work in his garden. The vegetables from his garden were just about the best that anyone was able to produce anywhere on the campus. I really believe that he used his time in the garden as a way to relax a bit and get away from the rigors of the Post Office. It was a joy to visit with him while he was at work in his garden.

I cannot conclude these comments without paying tribute to Mrs. Iris Jackson. I also worked with Mrs. Jackson for many summers, particularly in keeping student and faculty lists correct, as well as assigning box numbers. I could share many humorous stories about Mrs. Jackson, but I think I will just say that she has always been a wonderful friend to my family, especially my children. She and Mr. Jackson have been very special to me because they have been a "living link" to my own parents. I will miss him.