10. School Again

High school studies presented no great challenges to me. I joined the gym-rats who were responsible for keeping hangar 2 clean. In it was the basketball court where all the home games were played. I spent a lot of time playing basketball with the other gym-rats. We controlled the use of the hangar and became close-knit. For a real short guy I became a pretty good player given to fast breaks the length of the court. We dominated use of the court and were careful in who we allowed to become gym-rats.

A man who sought to influence us was the Advisor to the boys' dormitory. Wendall E. Abel had the realization that because of our cultural backgrounds we would have difficulty in adjusting to the white man's world. Every week he gave all the boys a lecture in how to become a better man. He emphasized an open mind, fair play, and high self esteem among other things. I always looked forward to his talks to learn how a boy achieved manhood 3 in the white man's world. Would I have to become a major league baseball player? A Senator? A learned man with reputation? No, these were things achieved after manhood. Was there a prescribed course of actions to reach manhood? What were they and did they have a religious ceremony or public acknowledgement to mark a boy's manhood? The answer to the manhood question seemed vague to me. The public recognition of when a boy became a man seemed like an issue which was never given to serious consideration. Abel's Orientation classes have influenced my sense of values and indeed made me a better man. His fairness to the boys was a trait I always emulated. His demeanor was rigidly correct and dignified. l could actually see him arguing questions of state in the United States Senate. I would trust his decisions.