Attending Boys State of Kansas over half a century ago was an unforgettable experience.
For a boy who ordered takeout and wanted to be a cowboy, it was a very special time, and even today it seems like a pretty unusual time. I can’t recall the exact events of that time, but recent reports on Boys State that year were a reminder.
Participants were apparently selected by high school teachers from the middle school students. Sponsored by the American Legion, the event paid the fees, but participants had to pay for their own transportation there and back.
A good friend and classmate gave me a ride when my dad and mom went to the University of Kansas. It was one of the few times I can remember when they offered a ride to such an event.
Having never been to the Lawrence campus, that alone created some nervous tension for a country boy. It is not known when the changes were made, but Boys State is now located at Kansas State University in Manhattan and counts toward attendance.
Arriving on Sunday afternoon, the week-long sessions seemed like an awfully long time away from home.
The goal was to “learn government, policy and leadership skills through civic role-playing.” It is not certain whether this goal was achieved, but it definitely seemed to be a “military environment.”
Boys who had previously attended Boys State acted as leaders and always demanded attention, conducting inspections several times a day and demanding to be addressed by their full names, which posed a personal difficulty.
Every day there was a parade where participants had to march around the campus. Personally, I was severely reprimanded by one of the “officials” when I brought a camera to take photos.
Perhaps the best thing about Boys State was a dance where girls were brought in from somewhere to be partners. They weren’t particularly happy to be there, but reluctantly danced once when asked.
Making friends is supposedly an advantage of Boys State, but not a single long-term acquaintance was formed.
Afterwards, a Boys State slide show program was presented at a civic club meeting. It must have been boring, because a few club members seemed eager for it to be over.
Boys State was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that unfortunately doesn’t seem to have had many positive aftereffects.
Reminds us of Proverbs 1:6: “With experience one gets wisdom.”
Frank J. Buchman is an Alta Vista rancher who has been a lifelong newspaper writer, national agricultural journalist and marketing consultant. He writes a weekly column sharing A Cowboy’s Faith.
