Memorial Bricks Have Story To Tell

“How many Germans did you kill in World War II,” I asked my father once.

I was disappointed that the answer was none. In fact, he was pretty sure that he never fired a gun in combat even though he had followed George Patton across North Africa and up through Italy. I
Lt. William J. Carroll was actually a member of the Army signal corps and had responsibility for a small unit that operated radar equipment from the back of a truck.

Lt. Carroll met Lt. Mary J. Lynch, my future mother, in the officer’s mess on a ship somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. He admitted that he had volunteered for watch because he’d get to eat first and more importantly he’d get to eat with the nurses. The plan obviously worked.

Lt. Lynch enlisted in the Army out of nursing school and spent the next year working under extreme conditions in operating rooms in places like Algiers, Palermo and Naples. A family friend observed that my mother saw more action than most GI’s because the nurses were needed most where the fighting was the worst.

“I’d be rich if I had a nickel for every marriage proposal I heard during the war,” she once said.
John A. Brownrigg, an aviation machinist third class and my future father-in-law, enlisted in the Navy in 1944 at the age of 17. He bounced around naval air stations and land bases from late 1944 – 1946 eventually ending up at Orote Point, Guam.

“I showed up looking for my unit and they had shipped out,” he told me one night. “I asked the Marines at the base what I should do and they suggested I look busy so I kept busy.”

The war had ended and the Marines were obviously more fixed on getting home than keeping Navy machinist third class John Brownrigg busy. He shipped home shortly after that.

Besides military service, these three relatives of mine have one more thing in common…they all have an engraved brick placed in their honor at the new Allen Veteran’s Memorial.

The memorial, which is located at Bethany Lakes Park, will be dedicated on Memorial Day starting at 11:30 a.m.

The project was first proposed in 2002 by the Leadership Allen Class XV, according to Larry Nordgaard, a member of the class and also a member of local VFW Post #215.

“We found a lot of people who liked the idea but funding was difficult to find,” he explained. “The CDC (Community Development Corporation) Board first funded the architectural work and later stepped forward with funding for the whole project in 2008.”

The memorial includes five 17’ obelisks representing branches of the Armed Services along with a flagpole, benches and a brick wall. Families may purchase engraved bricks for the wall or the patio surrounding the flagpole.

The Allen Veterans Memorial Committee has sold 21 larger bricks and 47 smaller ones which have been installed for the dedication. Bricks will continue to be sold for installation by Veteran’s Day in November.

“Our purpose is to preserve the memory and honor those who served,” says Nordgaard. “The bricks honor some currently serving in the military and others who served as long ago as World War I.”

There are currently 68 engraved bricks in the Allen Veterans Memorial. There is a story behind every name on those bricks and we appreciate Larry Nordgaard, the Leadership Allen Class #15, the CDC Board and the City of Allen for giving us a place to remember them.

Safety Patrol Boy To The Rescue

“Thanks to you Mr. Carroll, St. Thomas The Apostle Elementary School is a safer place,” said Sr. Adrian, our principal. “Your behavior as a safety patrol boy is a model for our younger students to follow.”

Like Theodore Cleaver, I imagined donning the white belt and ultimately winning the praise of our principal and admiration of my fellow students.
The reality of being a patrol boy didn’t live up to my expectations. I earned the safety belt and had many conversations with Sister Adrian.

Unfortunately they sounded more like this.
“Mr. Carroll, once again you were not at your post. I shouldn’t have to remind you that your post faces the rectory and Monsignor O’Brien could walk through that unattended door at any moment.”
I guess you could say I was easily distracted. After a few months of standing guard in the side stairwell, I had not seen much action. I could boss around a few bus kids who exited my door but I was basically hidden from view each afternoon. School dismissed through the main doors and only the best (principal’s favorite) patrol boys / girls got that assignment.

Speaking of corners, the best assignments were a block or two away from the school at busy intersections. The older kids (girls) always lingered there and you were far enough away from the nuns. Those assignments would be labeled as patronage jobs in today’s vocabulary. The principal probably selected them based on grades, maturity and their knowledge of the Catechism.
The coolest part of the safety patrol gig was the belt and badge. When rolled up, it could be used for a game of catch. Once opened, it could be snapped like a wet towel except the metal clips left a more lasting impression.

The familiar white belt’s history goes back to a British army officer named Sam Browne. Browne was serving as an officer in India in the 19th century and had trouble holding his sword in place after he lost his arm in battle. He created a second belt that held the sword in place as well as his pistol and binoculars. The idea was carried forward by officers on both sides in World War I.
The safety “patrol boys” were created by the American Automobile Association in 1920 “to direct children, not traffic and model good safety practices.” They wore an AAA safety patrol badge with the white Sam Browne belt which was later replaced with orange safety vests.

Like most volunteer assignments, the safety patrol job lost its appeal as the year wore on. The weather turned warm and watching other kids walk home with the girls was probably the distraction Sr. Adrian referred to.

I posted a comment about the safety patrol on our grammar school’s Facebook page this past week. The best response out of many came from a former patrol boy.

“I can’t believe they trusted us,” he said. “I mean, give a 12 year-old a badge and it goes to his head!”

It’s hard to argue with that.

It All Starts With Kindergarten

Graduation is a time to look forward but it is also a time to look backwards. As my son John approaches graduation from Allen High School next week, I can’t help but look back to his first day of school – to the day that Kathy Ellis came into our lives.

Her official title was kindergarten teacher at Vaughan Elementary School but Mrs. Ellis meant more than that to us as we hovered at the door that first day. She was the most important teacher in the world because she had our child in her care. As she had done for hundreds of parents before us, she gave a nod and a knowing smile that meant things would be ok. She was right.

More than thirteen years later, John and Mrs. Ellis are both looking at the end of their school careers in Allen. John is looking ahead to Texas Tech and his kindergarten teacher is looking ahead to retirement.

It is no surprise that Kathy Ellis became a teacher. Her parents, her grandmother and her aunt were all educators. Her husband Zach is a teacher in Plano and both of their sons, Tyler and Jeremy, have chosen teaching careers. She taught kindergarten for 22 years and second grade for another 9 years

“I began teaching right out of college (Stephen F. Austin),” she says. “I then taught kindergarten for 22 years and second grade for another 9 years. I’ve been on a school schedule my entire life.”
Every grade is important but kindergarten is such a unique part of school, according to Ellis. “It’s where children learn how to work with others and figure out how school works. It all begins here.”
“The children are so hungry to learn. They want to please and they are so excited just to be in school,” she adds. “They are so involved in the hands-on play activities that they don’t realize they are learning.”

Teachers use a term called transitions to explain how students wrap up one activity or task and move on to another. In kindergarten, it’s about learning the routines and procedures for things older kids take for granted, says Ellis. Trips to the library, the cafeteria, the bathroom and even the water fountain require planning with a class of five year-olds.
Ellis has enjoyed her time in second grade as well. “The students are more independent and they know the routine. They are still excited about school and are easier to communicate with. They are a pleasure to be with.”

What older kids remember most about kindergarten, according to Ellis, are the special days such as western day and the 100th day and mud pie day and field day. A favorite for many Vaughan students was the wedding day each winter when Mr. Q and Mrs. U got married.
“You just have to love kids to be a successful teacher,” explains Ellis. “You have to enjoy being with them; you have to care about their families and be willing to nurture their learning. It can be a challenge at times but it is so rewarding.”

“Teaching at any level requires a lot of energy and giving. Good teachers pour themselves into their work at school and at home. It’s all about creating great learning experiences for children.”
It’s also about knowing when to give a nod and a knowing smile to some nervous parents.
Best wishes to Mrs. Ellis and all of our Allen ISD family members who will be retiring at the end of this school year.