Kindergarten

Frank Barnes

We moved to Clearfield Utah when I was about five years old. Jay and I had just finished kindergarten in Verdeland Park, Layton when my parents bought a home in neighboring Clearfield at 538 E 250 S.

Mom & Dad lived in one of the two upstairs bedrooms (Tammy would occupy the other) and we boys moved into the half basement. There were ~10 boys of similar age living along our street. And so, we all had to learn to get along with one another - and we did. In fact, many of the activities we engaged in were neighborhood activities. And we’d frequently gather together to participate in such activities. Thus, it was common for us neighborhood boys to gather at one another's homes - to play football, baseball, sleighride, throw snowballs, bike ride and ‘just hangout’. A frequent gathering took place at The Swamp. The Swamp (as it was known to all) was a sizeable swampland just across the main street at the bottom of our street. About 2 acres in size and dominated by a treelined marsh; the swamp vacillated between dry and a couple of feet deep during winter months. Filled with ‘snake grass’, weeds and thick trees, The Swamp provided us with many, many days of boyhood fun; roaming its trails, climbing its many sizeable trees and offering an environment for boyhood imaginings!

Davis Boys around move to Clearfield

The Swamp

In fact, it was in The Swamp that my brother Jay was chopped down in a 35’ tree - twice! Let me explain. Hugh, Jay and I happened to be in The Swamp one day ‘hanging out’ together. We happened to be on the side of the marsh where numerous tall trees separated a tall grassy area from the swampy marsh.  Hugh happened to have a hatchet with him (which he frequently did) and proceeded to try to talk one of his twin brothers to climb a tall but slender tree.  He would then chop down the relatively slender (~4”) trunk so it would fall into the tall grass and thereby cushion the fall of his twin brother – as an experiment!! I listened (along with Jay) to Hugh’s persuasive presentation.  But I was not at all willing to place myself at risk in order to satisfy Hugh’s misguided risk of his brother’s well-being. (I’d had enough of his shenanigans by this time and detected undue jeopardy on my part!) Contrastingly, Jay perceived little risk and conceded to Hugh’s plan. We located a slender but tall tree bordering the tall grass; and following a little more persuasion, up Jay went among the gently swaying branches.  He'd achieved about 20 feet up when Hugh goaded him to climb a little higher; and he proceeded up another 10 or so feet. Swaying in the gentle wind amongst the upper branches of the tree, I thanked my lucky stars that we were hidden from view by most of the trees that surrounded us. With 20-20 hindsight, I wish I’d have done more to intercede on Jay’s behalf and keep him from Hugh’s very persuasive ‘rationality’. But I was too focused on preserving my own skin and welcomed Jay’s ‘volunteering’ for such a foolhardy experiment. Jay, having perched himself in the crook of a limb patiently waited as Hugh began to chop at the trunk. His hatchet was small and somewhat dull; and the chopping took a bit of time to invoke an accentuated swaying of the tree.  With a crack the tree finally commenced its downward descent with Jay hanging onto its trunk for dear life. As it crashed into its horizontal outcome, it became readily apparent that we’d all overestimated the cushioning effect of the grass; and Jay suffered a bit of discomfort among the now extensive branches. (He was not hurt; but was certainly disturbed at Hugh’s error in characterizing his brother’s traversal to terra firma).

As Jay voiced his dissatisfaction; Hugh explained that Jay had done it wrong. He rationalized that Jay was supposed to jump up as he approached the ground and thereby counter the effect of the falling tree. (I couldn’t believe that Hugh was attempting to ‘correct’ his brother – having just chopped him out of a tree! Nevertheless, I was the only witness to this ‘experiment’.) Finally, with a bit of challenging persuasion, Jay was once again persuaded to attempt the experiment again. A second tree was located and Jay again perched himself among the upper limbs. The second felling of Jay and tree had a similar effect. Sufficiently to dissuade Jay from no further influence by Hugh’s persuasion. (Not that Hugh didn’t try!) And the event was over. (Except in my memory.) The Swamp was within ~100 feet of the primary pond - called Pullem’s Pond. Though smaller, this pond is still there. About an acre in size, this pond was fed by an underground spring. Thus, it would never quite fully freeze over in the winter. Because the spring would feed moving water near the center; ice would get fairly thick near the shore; but as one approached the center, the ice would thin and sometimes completely disappear. I was known to stealthfully fish off the fallen trees from its shore and quickly scramble away if I saw the owner (Mr. Pullum) coming down the shoreline to shoo away wayward youthful fishermen from his posted pond.

It was here that most of us boys engaged our elementary schooling at Wasatch Elementary School.  The school was only about 3 blocks away and immediately adjacent to the Ward building where we attended church. Jay and I began our elementary years at Wasatch - where we enrolled in 1^st grade with Mrs. Flint as our teacher. It turned out that Jay and I were taught together in her class. (It might’ve been difficult to have identical twin boys under her tutelage. This circumstance was compounded as a set of triplets – Walter, Wesley & Wilma Wright – who were also included in the same class.) Normally, there were 3 classes for a given grade; throughout the 6 years we attended there – grades 1-6.

Frank

It was in this setting that I met and endured the tormenting of a neighbor named Frank Barnes. Frank and his family lived two houses away near the top of our street. The Barnes family was composed of three boys – Michael, the eldest; Frank, the Middle; and Richard, the youngest. Michael and Richard were reasonably pleasant fellows; but Frank was an absolute aggravation and annoyance! He’d been held back one grade (for some unknown reason) and was thus a continual member of the grade Jay and I were taught in. He was a small framed, gangly boy about 3 – 6 inches shorter than Jay and me (depending on one’s growth progress).

Frank was in the same grade as Jay and I; so, we frequently endured his bullying and contentious behavior. He seemed to constantly carry a ‘chip’ on his shoulder; and almost daily looked for ways to irritate and aggravate whatever group of kids with which he associated. Because Frank, Jay and I (along with other neighborhood boys) were similar in age; Jay & I often found ourselves in situations where Frank would befriend us (usually as a ploy to get what he wanted) or be our conspicuous antagonist. We often had to watch for just a few minutes for him to reveal his hidden agenda. I don’t remember any specific thing that Frank did; but I distinctly remember his consistent hostility. Virtually everyone (adults & children) knew that Frank was a challenge to associate with and avoided him when possible (even most of the girls). Unfortunately, he seemed to focus somewhat on Jay and I. This may be due to the strict direction that my mother continually enforced - that none of her boys were ever to participate in any neighborhood fights that may occur! (Which was fairly frequent with ~10 boys on the street.) We’d been strictly directed to simply ‘walk away’ whenever a fight seemed apparent. Though us boys were familiar with altercations with our brothers; we were forbidden to quarrel with neighbor boys. (A situation we Davis boys found difficult at best!) Nevertheless, we’d been told and would suffer mom’s wrath if we tangled with neighborhood boys. Frank seemed to quickly discern the handicap that Jay and I operated under after we’d ‘simply walked away’ from several of his ‘challenges’.  Thus, Frank had apparently concluded that Jay and I would have to ‘back down’ from any impending altercations. He would consequently consider any challenge with us as a victory that he could obtain without risk and con others into believing his unchallenged prowess. Simultaneously, Jay or I would be required to slink away – seemingly defeated; because we were held to the obedience of our mother’s firm requirement. Such a circumstance was difficult indeed as Frank took frequent opportunities to lord such advantage over us; and simultaneously invoke seeming cowardice in Jay or I.  Such a circumstance fostered real resentment among my mother’s sons – though they comprehended her female desire to raise ‘exemplary’ sons – despite their genuine difficulties endured.

5th Grade Class Picture

Mrs. Allen

As an example of Frank’s irritability, he visibly engaged in a physical skirmish with our 5th grade teacher (Mrs. Allen) one day. Mrs. Allen (a fairly slight and self-controlled woman) had engaged Frank in an attempt to have Frank ‘take his seat’; which he was clearly ‘out of’ without permission. Frank took it upon himself to counter her request by openly disobeying her request and challenging her authority as classroom sovereign. The altercation quickly escalated there amidst the classroom students and desks; culminating in Frank’s attempts to punch the feminine woman with rapid jabs and quick (though ineffective) punches. Mrs. Allen quickly got behind Frank and held him in her strong arms (with a slightly knowing giggle) until Frank realized he was beaten by a frail woman. The entire incident may have lasted about 90 seconds.   He was then taken by a male fellow teacher to the principle’s office where he was informed of his ill-behavior and surrendered to his notified parents. Mrs. Allen resumed her classroom demeanor; and never acknowledged the confrontation thereafter. Nevertheless, as a witness to the entire event; I remember thinking that Frank was incredibly stupid for believing he could take on an adult (even a somewhat frail woman) as a spindly 5th grader (such as he was)!

Fight in front of Picture Window

 The Fight

The incident that I’m about to relate took place following 6 years of elementary schooling; when I had moved on to North Davis Junior High School. During summer vacation when our front grass began to ‘burn’ as the dry heat began to take its toll. I was engaged in watering our front lawn while sitting on our front steps. Having been assigned the task, I was busy sprinkling the grass from a hose via a handheld spray nozzle. The spray was sufficiently focused and strong that I could reach all the way to the front sidewalk accurately and effectively. Thus, I’d been meditatively watering for 10 minutes or so when I observed Frank walking up the sidewalk. Thinking nothing of the circumstance, I simply continued watering; careful to avoid spraying anywhere Frank might walk. I’d known that I was alone throughout the task and recognized that Frank was also alone. As Frank began to traverse the sidewalk in front of our home, he began to confront me with teasing sounds and contemptuous remarks.  I don’t remember specific words or profanities; but I remember that such derision was uncalled for because I’d said absolutely nothing! As the verbalization of such disparagements continued, it became clear to me that Frank had decided to invoke an altercation with me (recognizing that I was alone and taking advantage of the situation).  As his contemptuous remarks continued (just beneath the volume that would not carry beyond my ears to those in the house); he entered our yard toward me.  His scornful profanity laced the air with ridicule that was not permitted in our home! Finally, he stood in front of me awaiting some kind of retaliation as I sat stoically with silent spray in hand. I was very aware that I could do nothing to retaliate without incurring the dissatisfaction of my mother. Recognizing that I had made no attempt to respond to his verbal abuses, Frank began to taunt me further by flicking my shirt, scuffing my shoes and grazing my pants.  When this physical escalation failed to goad a response, he began to cuff and shove my chest.  Following several of these escalating digs, I suddenly burst from my restriction on the step; and began to wail on Frank with a pent-up anger of 6 accumulated years! In a split second, I’d decided that he was no longer going to taunt me by holding my mother’s requirement over me. I’d freed myself from restriction and limitation; and had commenced to unleash all the vengeance and retribution that had been building within me over numberless events and countless occurrences. Unprovoked, Frank had trespassed into our yard, insulted and then challenged me.  I could no longer contain my rage by ‘walking away’. Having crossed the threshold of confrontation, I decided that my ‘die was cast’. Outraged, I silently decided I would take full advantage of the moments that would be afforded me.  I did not square off with him as if to engage some sort of boxing match.  Rather my rage tore into him as if I would never get another chance to hurt or harm him – clothes, body, hair and soul were ‘fair game’.  I wanted every ounce of my condemnation to land squarely upon his disgusting being - without mercy!! I was not even loud nor verbal.  All my rage found its outlet in thrashing and pummeling Frank.

Watering Lawn

Apparently, Frank had determined that Jay and I were some kind of wusses; because we chose to obey our parents and avoid fights. He was somewhat taken back by the ferocity of my retaliation and briefly retreated. But when he recognized that he was about to lose ‘face’, he stepped up to the conflict; and I was afforded renewed opportunity to continue my reprisal. Having ripped Frank’s coat from him, split his lip and bloodied his face (parenthetically I was virtually untouched at this point because I’d been afforded several years to grow larger and stronger than Frank), my mother stepped outside our front door to intervene in the upheaval taking place in front of our living room window. With her verbal intervention I disengaged from Frank to take my lickings from my mother. I’d expected as much. To my surprise and dismay, Frank began to rebuke my mother with profanity and expletives.  While surprised and angered at Frank’s turn on my mother, I was not entirely surprised that Frank was extremely confrontational with her. From the safety of her perch atop our steps, she simply told Frank to go home.  To this, Frank, incensed by the beating he was taking, maliciously continued his string of profane tirades and attacks. Mom firmed her voice, raising its volume slightly to emphasize her directives for Frank to ‘go home’. However, he would not; but continued his verbal attacks. As the confrontation between Frank and my mother continued, I merely watched to see what would take place. I’d endured 6+ years of Franks abuse because I’d been directed to ‘walk away’. Now I was observing my mother in a parallel circumstance having to endure Franks verbal abuse directly. I was momentarily disassociated from the situation as I watched my mother struggle with exactly that which had been required of her sons for years (as she counseled ‘from a distance’). After several minutes of Frank’s berating her, she simply looked in my direction (a few feet from Frank); and motioned with her head for me to ‘light into’ Frank again. Taking her cue, I resumed my trouncing of Frank.  It continued for a couple of minutes until Frank finally realized that he was taking a beating. He then retreated from our yard and up the street to his own home; profaning all the way. Anticipating some kind of discussion from Frank’s mother; thankfully we would hear nothing of the encounter thereafter!

Grandpa Ford - Mom - Grandma Ford