Hometown Boy

Hometown Boy

The year was 1920. Nine-year-old, Dutch, moaned to his four-year-older brother, Moon, “This is all there is?”

“Yeah, ain't it grand? Everything they promised. Well, nothing like the run-down row houses of Chicago. Maybe you don't remember them but they were crammed in pretty tight with no room to play ball at all. Had to walk down two or three streets and cross busy traffic lanes just to get to green open space at a park. Never knew what kind of riff-raft might jump out at ya. Ma wouldn't let us go alone and Dad, well, he was no better than he is now.”

“I was hoping for a room of my own this time.”

“What makes you so special? Lucky you only have to share with me. We all slept in the same room when you was born over that store front in that tiny hamlet. Can't even remember the name of that one I was too young. Tampy something. This ain't bad at all. We'll have a great time. Did ya see that fancy archway over the main street? It's new and was made to honor the veterans of the big war. There are big stone arches the railroad goes over on three of the downtown streets. We can probably climb on those if we don't let the folks know. They have ball fields and parks all over town, a library we can walk to and a beach down by the river to swim at. There's not much yard here but Dad has a job selling shoes finally. Maybe he'll do all right.”

“I'm worried about fitting in at school. It's the middle of the school year. Everyone will have their friends and I'll be an outsider, again.”

“Easier to make friends at your age than mine. We'll stick together like we always have. Our family don't need no one else. Ma, Dad, you and me. Once again in a new town. Don't need to get too attached to it 'cause knowing Dad we will probably be moving along somewhere else real soon anyway.”

Although they stayed in the same town longer than any other town they had been in, they moved from house to house. The boys' favorite had a fireplace, a big yard, and a garage. Like most kids they still had to share a bedroom but it opened to a large tree branch they could shimmy up and down. Handy to get to the outhouse. Dutch liked to hide the few coins he could save under a secret loose tile of the fireplace.

Despite his worries, Dutch was able to assimilate better than he thought. He was never more than an average student in school but he liked extracurricular activities like swimming and football so participated on the local teams.

Because of the father's sickness, as their mother called it, their family never prospered.

“Hey, Moon. Dad is passed out on the front lawn. Come help me haul him in before the neighbors see him. Mom would be mortified.”

Their mother, Nelle, was active in a local church. She taught women's Bible classes and put on skits with the Sunday School kids which included her boys. Dutch liked those more than his brother. He made up his mind and got Baptized when he was eleven. He remained a Christian throughout his life.

Luckily the Baptism was not held at the river. They learned some of the town's history included the collapse of Truesdell Bridge in 1873, the biggest road bridge disaster in American history. Forty-six people attending a Baptism were killed when the weight of the crowd caused the four-year-old iron bridge to fall into the Rock River.

Most of the time Dutch was considered a shy introverted child being content to play by himself with tin soldiers, collecting butterflies or reading books about wolves. But he had a mischievous side, too. Once he launched an illegal rocket into the downtown bridge and had an encounter with police. Luckily the act did not bring down another bridge but he had to use some of those saved pennies to pay a hefty fine. Like all boys he rough-housed with others his age but still fished and trapped muskrats down by the river with friends, too.

Dutch went on to perform in more plays during his high school years. Besides being on the swimming and football teams he joined the debate club and became president of the student body in his senior year. Those swimming skills were put to good use during the three summers he took on lifeguard duty at the beautiful Lowell Park and was credited with saving seventy-seven lives at the beach on the river. (Or maybe it was only young maidens pretending to need rescue by the handsome strapping lad.)

Overall, this small town ended up being a positive influence on these budding young minds. At the time, the settlement of approximately 10,000 people had a strong sense of community and amity for each other. Everyone knew each other and helped each other in times of need. What the parents lacked in formal education, they made up for in "street smarts." They encouraged their sons to work hard in school and make something better of themselves as well. They found racial discrimination horrible and encouraged Dutch and Moon to bring their Jewish and African- American friends home with them even if doing so would cost them their popularity at times.

Dutch became the first member of his family to attend college starting at a time when financial catastrophe befell many. He worked his way through and even sent money back to his struggling family. As in high school, he wasn't the best student because he spent most of his time participating in school activities. Once again, he became a popular student body figure when he led a student strike to protest the college's decision to lay off teachers as the Depression approached. He majored in economics and sociology and graduated in 1932.

His first job after college paid an impressive ten dollars a week so he was able to help out more at home. That led to bigger and better including sportscaster for the Chicago Cubs which led to a screen test while in LA which led to movie career which led to...

Well, as you probably figured out by now Dutch came from such unlikely humble beginnings to become one of the most recognizable and appreciated Presidents of the United States, Ronald Reagan.