Attendance at Boys State Of Kansas more than half a century ago was a memorable experience.
For a grocery store carryout boy, wannabe cowboy, it was like nothing before and still seems a rather unusual time.
Exact occurrences back then cannot be recalled, but recent reports of this year’s Boys State were a reminder.
Selection to attend was evidently made by high school faculty from junior class boys. Sponsor was the American Legion which paid fees, but attendees were responsible for transportation there and back.
A good friend classmate rode along when Dad and Mom drove to the University of Kansas KU. It was one of the few times ever recalled when they provided a ride to such an event.
Never having been to the Lawrence campus, that alone created a certain nervous tension for a country boy. Uncertain when changes were made, but Boys State is now at Kansas State University in Manhattan with college credit for attending.
Arrival was Sunday afternoon with the weeklong sessions seeming an awfully long time to be away from home.
Purpose was to learn “government, political, and leadership skills through role play civic exercise.” Uncertain if that objective was met, but it sure seemed like a “military type environment.”
Boys who had attended Boys State previously served as leaders and always demanded attention. They made several-times daily inspections and required addressing them by their full name which was a personal difficulty.
There was a parade every day with participants obligated to march across campus. Personally, taking a camera along to get photographs was heavily reprimanded by one of the “officials.”
Perhaps the best part of Boys State was a dance one evening where girls from somewhere were brought in to serve as partners. They really were not all that happy to be there, but grudgingly would dance one time when asked.
Developing friendships was said to be a benefit of Boys State, but not one longtime acquaintance was made.
A Boys State slideshow program was presented afterward at a civic club meeting. It must have been boring, because a couple club members seemed anxious for it to be over.
Boys State was a once in a lifetime opportunity that seemingly sadly did not have much positive aftereffects.
Reminded of Proverbs 1:6: “There’s something for the experience to learn fresh wisdom.”
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XVIII–34–8-19-2024
Reflections From Boys State
Awakenings
The small college campus comes alive this month, in these parts vibrant and paintable. Bethany College is its own park in Lindsborg with paths along gardens and water features. In North Newton, the great limestone castles of Bethel College. In Salina, Kansas Wesleyan seems a hive of new construction along its venerable landscape. McPherson College bustles beyond its great brick arch.
School is in and colleges are busy, suddenly aroused and taking deep breaths and looking about as though they had just come out of a long nap.
It’s a common scene: Vans and wagons tossed against the curb, doors open, piles of clothing and boxes of whatnot lying about, trains of people bearing armloads in and out of doorways and along the halls like stewards overloaded, preparing to pitch camp after a long day on safari.
Early days are for searching: a place to park, for the lost power cord, the missing back pack, a better chair, a code to log in; or for negotiating ‒ a place to park, a bigger closet, a later class, a reluctant window, an open window, a not-so-reluctant roommate.
On campus the stale air leaves unopened rooms, chatter revives vacant halls and in the dorms the occasional snap of a bed sheet announces another semester bivouac.
Dining halls come to life with the thrum of greeting and gossip, the thumps of bags on table top, the scents of kitchen, the running symphony of chatter, the moan of moving chairs, the scrape and clatter of utensils and trays.
On the practice fields, shouts and whistles, cleats tear into the ground, more shouts, more whistles, more sweat.
In town the coffee houses resupply for the course of hanging out, the return of laptops and their masters, the recipe for chai latte. Food stores restock the ramen.
The small campus is a landscape of ripe anticipation, of finding new exposures and renewing old ones, of adventure and understanding, of days to welcome the departure of summer heat for the chill and wet of autumn, even the icy clamp of winter.
The grounds are astir, people moving along the walks, among the gardens, past the statues and fountains, the beds with grasses moving in the breeze. Here are the luscious filaments of opening week, prelude to autumn, its brisk dawns and freshly laundered air. Summer, its vacant stare of oppression and heat, is doomed to memory.
Youth has returned, carrying promise and energy, and the grit and pluck of inspiration. The students move over the grounds as though skating to music, and the campus seems to cohere – a really thrilling thing to watch, bodies at last freed in their persistent attempt to catch up with the spirit.
A campus brings to a town the revivifying energy of youth, of classes for the enrolled and lessons for us all.
Wheat state or weak state?
Headlines about increases in local property taxes, and college and vo-tech tuition, have become bleak and familiar. They are largely the result of two things: rising costs, and selfishness in Topeka.
Rising costs are bound to catch up with an economy that has bounced along, resisting inflationary pressure for several years, and while oil prices remain relatively low.
The long and not-so-benign neglect in Topeka should be no surprise, either. For years richer and poorer, legislators and governors have embraced control, hacked taxes, and hoarded state revenues. This year we see a bogus billion-dollar “tax relief” plan followed by a $4 billion offer to move a couple of Kansas City sports franchises across the river into Kansas.
Cities, counties and rural schools are left again to spin in futility.
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The 2016 elections brought some relief, an influx of new and progressive legislators and a resurgence of keen and prudent veterans such as Republican Steve Johnson of Assaria, an astute chairman of the House Tax Committee who’s now the state treasurer.
Johnson and other reformers realized that time and patience were needed to overcome the damage left by the Brownback Administration, its efforts to dismantle much of state government and snap its crucial ties to local government.
Funds dedicated by law to cities and counties were raided or sidelined yearly over two decades. Local governments, having cut budgets and avoided tax increases for several years, were forced to measure tax increases against further cuts in vital services including public safety, and the mutilation of funding for schools.
Colleges, universities and technical schools, facing a double whammy of federal and state neglect, ask students and their families to pay more of the bill. Revenue from student tuition at state universities has grown to surpass the billions in state aid to those six institutions.
For years, legislators turned their backs. State spending is now in the black because a Democratic governor and sensible legislators from both parties quashed a mash of foolish schemes ‒ a flat tax and other breaks for the rich among them ‒ and put local school funding back on course.
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Nonetheless, local governments continue to shoulder more of the load and, in many cases, are forced to raise taxes to pay for it. For too long Topeka has slapped costly mandates and tax lids on local government while insisting that the burden for schools, cities and counties was a local affair to be solved only with local taxes.
Election years bring timidity in Topeka, an aversion to spending and a fear of taxes. This year brings an opportunity for voters to show their support for local government and for a more equitable share from Topeka. It’s also an opportunity for candidates to show their faith in the citizenry and a commitment to help their communities ascend.
After lo, these years, candidates should realize that the problems of communities and local governments are a statewide problem. Only with
strong cities and counties will we have a strong state. The alternative is more weakness at both ends.
American Horse Council Works For Benefit Of Horse Industry Nationwide
Different than when they were the main form of transportation, horses still have a significant role in our nation.
Julie Broadway, president of the American Horse Council, spoke at the recent Kansas Board of Agriculture Equine Sector Session.
“The American Horse Council is the only national association representing every segment of the horse industry,” Broadway said. “It is the unified voice of the equine industry on federal legislation and regulatory issues in Washington, D.C.”
They serve as “stewards” on the pulse of matters that may affect the equine and equestrian ecosystem.
“Our mission is to protect and strengthen the United States equine industry,” Broadway said.
In total, 39 million, or 31 percent, of households contain horse enthusiasts with an average age of 39. Of that, 1.23 percent (average age 38) own horses while 19.4 percent (average age 25) participate in horse activities but do not own a horse.
About 9.85 percent spectate (average age 27) at horse events but do not own horses or participate in horse events.
There are 6.65 million horses in the United States including 195,000 Amish and institutional horses. This total is down from 7.2 million horses in 2017.
However, those horses were responsible for 2.2 million jobs, up from 1.4 million jobs.
In 2023, horses added $177 billion to the United States economy compared to $122 billion in 2017.
Horses created $122 billion in salary, wages, and benefits in 2023, up from $79 billion six years earlier.
About 62 percent of horse owners own or lease property totaling 12.5 million acres.
Noteworthy, according to Broadway, Kansas has 120,800 horses with 345,000 horse enthusiasts.
For recreational purposes, horses in 2023 had a direct value of $14.5 billion with added value of $36.7 billion all together creating 466,969 jobs.
All types of racing horses have a direct value of $16 billion with $36.4 billion added value creating 491,232 jobs.
Working horses are valued at $2.6 billion with $6.5 million added value opening 86,223 job opportunities.
Of the nation’s horse population, Quarter Horses total 2.06 million while Thoroughbreds number 1.03 million.
Paint Horses number 984,152, Standardbred 501,497, mules and donkeys 307,844, Arabians 213,830, Warm Bloods 190,546, Miniatures 181,695, Tennessee Walking Horses 160,858, ponies 118,202, and Appaloosa 108,231.
Populations for other horse breeds are available: [email protected].
Horses create employment for 155,000 in Texas with an income total of $5.8 million, adding $6.5 million to the economy outputting $10.37 million.
Additional top ten states in horse worker employment and income includes California, Florida, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Missouri, and Indiana.
More than 2 million people nationwide volunteer for horse activities, including 5,800 for competitions.
Back Country Horsemen’s Association reports 207,000 volunteer hours. PATH International, the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, has 49,705 volunteers.
As of 2022, 73 percent of equine sanctuaries were filled with an average stay of 303 days.
There is a shortage of workers in the horse industry with 800 survey responses indicating the largest need for grooms, barn managers, and trainers.
Working to have horses as a part of the Farm Bill, Broadway listed nine areas in which support has been requested.
They include marketing assistance $200 million, animal vaccine bank $150 million, and animal disease response $70 million.
Among regulatory issues being pursued include rules to eliminate soring, re-entry of horses to competitions, changes in quarantine, miniature horses’ inclusion as service animals, worker safety during heat, fire codes, and water for equine facilities.
Legislative issues of concern to the American Horse Councial include but are not limited to federal tax policies, labor visas, veterans act, biking on trails, program funding, and Save American’s Forgotten Equine (SAFE) Act.
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Fly Control Isn’t Simple
“Flies are a disease-carrying menace in homes and all-around barnyards.”
Doesn’t matter whether at the desk, in a soft chair, or ready for supper, a fly always becomes a pest.
It’ll land on the hand or face agitating until the flyswatter comes out and then won’t stay still. Eventually a direct swat will stop that irritation, but soon another fly shows up out of nowhere.
There are different philosophies about controlling the flying bugs but the swatter is really the safest. Various fly traps and tapes are installed in some homes and do help keep numbers down.
Fly spray is an option for control but it can be very hazardous. Often, people don’t consider that anything to kill something must be poison.
If the sprays destroy flies, the chemicals are also dangerous to people and the environment.
Volumes of flies are pestering all livestock around the ranch. It is common to see cattle almost completely covered with the little black pests.
Again, there are different opinions about the best way to control livestock flies. Fly traps do help in the barnyard, and some ranchers put insecticide-filled backrubs where livestock frequent to reduce the problem.
Others apply a pour-on insecticide that is supposed to work for a longer time on pastured livestock.
Certain livestock minerals have insecticide in the ingredients which is claimed to be a continual fly deterrent.
Perhaps not done so much as in earlier years, regular spraying of herds with insecticide reduces fly populations.
Usually not considered by the stockmen worrying about the fly problem is that they are applying poison to their livestock.
It may reduce fly populations somewhat temporarily, but the poison must be dangerous. It is harmful to the handler, all animals, birds, plants, water, and the entire environment.
Anything that’s sole purpose is to kill is unsafe for widespread use.
Flies are especially attracted to certain horses, so most handlers are eager to apply insecticide. This is often done with bare hands taking no precautions for personal dangers.
Leg wraps can be used on horse legs to reduce fly irritation which can lead to bleeding in extreme cases. Face masks reduce fly problems which are frequent issues around the horse’s ears, eyes, and nose.
Reminded of Exodus 8:31: Moses l got rid of the flies so there wasn’t a fly left.”
+++ALLELUIA+++
XVIII–33–8-12-2024
