Blog 107 Comments from you fine readers.
With “stay at home” orders in effect, people are having time to communicate more. I have received so many jokes, graphic jokes, pictures, and political diatribes that are all easy to forward, that the daily inbox is much fuller than usual. In the coming days, I may post a few on here that offered a hearty laugh, though everyone’s sense of humor is different. Today is a sharing day.

The privilege of posting this blog and of watching after our class over the years is that I hear from so many classmates—some of you I knew, some slightly, and some not at all. For a long while, I have not passed along comments from you because it is not my intent to make this a gossip sheet. However, as time is passing for us, it feels appropriate to pass along comments of a non-personal nature for others who watch the blog. A few of you post comments here, but if any wish to email directly you can always write to me at jeff-54@satx.rr.com

The recent email with reminisces about the current virus, the polio epidemic of 1946 or 47, and mention of Jack Davis’ obituary resulted in these comments:
From Bill Finch
One thing to remember … The polio epidemic was much more epic than this current event … the differences were we had just come out of WWII so we were conditioned to strife. Also we didn’t have the internet and 24 hr cable news. Polio lasted for years at one point with DC 3s flying through our neighborhood at 100 feet spraying DDT.
It was really a more naive time. DNA and RNA didn’t exist and no one quite knew what a virus was.
In the later days we also had Walter Cronkite to keep us calm. The world was just different back then.
From Rudy Alvarez
I remember well the polio era in San Antonio.
Perhaps the relative calm resulted from fact that the culprit was a clearly visible mosquito which government attacked by spraying neighborhoods with DDT.
While folks understood that the mosquito was a “carrier” that injected the disease-agent into people, their focus was on preventing contact with it as a non-human carrier. One felt safe in taking measures to avoid contact with the mosquito or, indeed, to kill it.

Today, COVID-19 is invisible to the naked eye and, importantly, the “carrier” is another human who might even be unwittingly an unsuspecting loved one.  The professionals (physician, nurse etc) that one trusts and on whom one depends, might unwittingly be the carrier that infects us.  The carton one receives in the mail might have been infected unwittingly by one of perhaps hundreds of handlers as the package moved through the supply-chain. The virus can live on cardboard for over 24 hours.  A restaurant doorknob, countertop, or table could be a source of infection. The clerk at the grocery store might unwittingly be a carrier.   The “invisible threat” is potentially everywhere.  Hence, the high anxiety.

From Patsy Hatch Patterson
I remember the polio scare too.  I also remember running behind the DDT trucks that were spraying for mosquitoes.  Why aren’t we all dead from breathing that stuff?
I took the time to read the obit for Jack.  Not only was he a nice fellow but he did some fantastic work in his community.  There are some really wonderful folks from the Jeff Class of ’54.
Violet Allen London
So sorry to hear about Jack. Thanks for keeping us informed.

I, too, have talked with my sons about the polio epidemic in SANANTONIO  when we were young. What I remember is that we could not go to the Uptown Theatre !
We will, however, get thru this if we can be patient.
From Bruce Cassel
Sad to read about Jack Davis. His Mom and my Mom attended Grace Presbyterian Church at the same time. Forgot to comment:  what an obituary on Jack’s professional life. He gave so much to his community and to others! Forgot to comment:  what an obituary on Jack’s professional life. He gave so much to his community and to others!
Polio:  In 1947 our family lived in Palo Alto, CA. Near our neighborhood an entire family died from polio.  Not an epidemic but close.

From Ben Williams:
remember Spring of 1958 at Texas A&M. So many got sick the entire school was quarantined. No one could or leave. I round around with a thermometer taking temperature, and when anyone got over 102 I took them to the hospital. Later I had some up to 104. Then I had some over 104 and took therewith others, and the hospital was only accepting those over 104. The head nurse asked me how I was doing and I said fine. She took my temperature and I was at 104. She panicked as the person helping was at that high. She and I broke the law. She gave me take a candy flavored penicillin and then gave me a large jar, more than a gallon, of the candies and told me to give one to anyone up to 102, and give 2 to anyone up to 104 take 2. If they were over 104, then bring them to the hospital. By law those candies were to only prescribed by a physician.
We lived through it.
From Pat Hileman Sparks:
Sorry about the lunch postponement but life happens! Just heard about something called Google Hangout for Groups. I do no know how to set one up but maybe one of our bunch knows how to get this going. Teachers use it constantly. Just a thought to get us together.

Also, thanks for the words about Jack Davis. Quite a guy!
Note: If anyone knows are wants to set up Google Hangout, please do it and let me know so that I can apprise all.
From Ruth Hernandez Stewart:
Interesting that you would think of the polio epidemic of 1947! I was born in 1937  & was probably in Providence, RI ’45-6 when my dad came home from the Navy & liked it there.  Man, your memory is just outstanding if you “recall” those years!!  Good for you!
Hope all is well with you & yours as it is for me, God has been gracious unto us, and I am more dependent on Him than ever before.
God bless….Ruth
From Barney Cline:
Thanks for Jack’s obit.  A good man indeed!
From Bill Crocker:
Many thanks again for all you do to maintain communications among those of us who were part of the golden year of 1954 in San Antonio.  Sorry about having to postpone the lunch this year.  I hope it is just a postponement, for all of us.

Here is a shoutout to others who commented
on the lunch postponement or who sent selections that I was unable to lift and copy to this communique.

Bob Blake, Lon Carpenter, Deanie Conklin Willman, Warner Fassnidge, Bobby Hunt, Richard Kaufman, Robert Huff, and David Chester (with an updated address.)

Thank you, David for the address notice. Too many have gone on the lost list because of not forwarding information on their move.

If I missed any of you, my apologies. It was unintentional.

This is a bit long, so I will post the obituary for Graydon Lewis tomorrow.