Sunday, April 29, 2007

Johnny Get Your Gun


Here's another newspaper story from the past, courtesy of Tom Mayhew:

Here's the text, as best as we can jointly make it out. Feel free to correct us or fill in any missing words, denoted by an underscore, in the "Comments", below.

Johnny Totes Gun Along to School


__ United Press (Leased?) Wire

WENATCHEE, Wash. Feb. 2--

Johnny, typical boy of the nearby mountain districts, is going to school these days with the traditional bookstrap over one shoulder.

But over the other shoulder he carries a gun.

Since Jimmy (Feilhaber?) was killed and partly devoured by a cougar ___ weeks ago it has become common for lads who can handle a gun to go to school well armed for protection against wild animals.

Animals driven in by the winter have (come down?) to (some?) of the (isolated ranches?) where they have (threatened? encountered?) human beings.

Much like the ___ of (49?) years ago in the country school house of (pioneer?) days, (in? is?) the cloak room of a school house in the mountain district. A boy hangs his gun up with his hat and his lunch box.

This was the common understanding on Feb. 2, 1925. This was the common expectation of responsibility for boys.

Look at what we've allowed to be taken from us as a people. Look at what we've surrendered.

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