Frankly My Dear Principal, I Don't Give a Damn

Early 1940's in Keokuk, Iowa (a small city along the Mississippi River)


Characters:
MAXINE- A twenty something young woman working as head bank teller in Keokuk, Iowa.  (She is also my mother.)
NANA- Maxine's mother (my grandmother) who has raised four children through the Great Depression, and now has two sons overseas fighting in WWII.
PAPA- Maxine's father (my grandfather)
HAROLD- Son of Nana.  He is a soldier in the Army deployed somewhere in Europe.
FRANK-   Son of Nana.  He is in the Navy as the photographer on the Qudualin.
MARGE-  Daughter of Nana


I have changed some of the characters because like all families each member adds personality to the story.  It is impossible to write Maxine's story and not include how family dynamics helped form Maxine.  So this Maxine's Story might end up longer than I intend.  My sister, sometimes describes our mother's family as being bohemian.  And that sounds right.  Papa was an artist.  He painted oils, carved figures, built furniture and made grave stones.  Nana had her garden with her cow and chickens.  But she also had jobs, off and on.  She worked in a tomato factory and a telephone operator.  The local doctors would refer patients to her because she worked wonders with medicinal herbs.

There were five children.  Norman died at the age of two.  As a child I could hear the tinge of sadness in Nana's voice when talking about Norman.  Frank was the oldest child.  He was a talented artist, but sometimes those skills get him into trouble.  Maxine was next in line and then her sister Marge.  I always wondered what it would have been like to live in the shadow of Maxine.  Marge was quiet, smart with figures, and loved her nieces (Linda and Me).  Harold was the youngest, so kind and was as sweet as Frank was mischief.

Speaking of Frank, here is an example of why having him as an older brother, might have been difficult for Maxine.  Here is a picture of my grandparents with Frank, their first born.

Nana, Papa and Uncle Frank

While in high school, there was an issue with the principal that had the students in an uproar.  I am not sure what it was,  but the students were furious.  (Maybe this is where I should create a reason to spice up this story, but no, I will not embellish.  I must stay with the facts that I remember hearing.)  Frank was never one to stand on the sidelines when trouble brewed, but shouting and complaining was not his style.  When he got home from school,  he went to his room.  Nana was impressed to see him working so diligently on his school work, so she did not let the rest of the children disturb him.

The next day, Nana received a phone call from the school.  She needed to come immediately.  There was a major problem.  Her son, Frank, was in trouble.  Nana rushed out, wondering what had happened. This sounded much more serious than his other escapades.

Walking into the school, Nana noticed that the secretary could not keep eye contact with her.  A tight subtle smile was trying to burst into a laugh, but she kept it in check.  Nana was escorted to the Principal's Office.   Frank was sitting, head bent, looking at his feet.  The principal was glaring at him and continued that glare to Nana.

"Mrs. Carlson,  look at what your son posted on the main bulletin board this morning."

This is where I wish we had the picture.  All I can do is explain it, and it is really not very nice.  Frank had drawn a caricature of a donkey with its rear end facing the front.  The donkey is looking around as if to check what is behind it.  Instead of the head of a donkey, Frank had drawn a perfect image (with the usual exaggerations of a  cartoonish face) of the principal.  The caption below read:  "Which end is the real ass?"

Nana looked at Frank and said, "I am really disappointed in you, Frank.  If you would spend time doing your school work instead of drawing this kind of stuff, you would not be failing your classes.  We will deal with this when you get home."

"Well, Mrs. Carlson, Frank will be spending three days at home, so maybe he can do his work then.  We can not allow this kind of behavior."

Frank left the office, but Nana remained.  "I understand why you are upset, but you must admit, he did draw your face perfectly."

The principal looked at her, grinned and said, " I hope you don't mind, but I think I will keep this picture.  I think my wife would find humor in it."

I have not idea what happened to Frank when he got home, probably nothing but a lecture.   Word must have gotten out about the picture because later that year, for a school festival, the teachers asked Frank to draw caricatures of each of them to display in the halls.  He would then have a booth to draw caricatures for a dime as a fund raiser.

Frank agreed, but only if the teachers signed a letter saying no punishments would be given if they did not like the end product.

Here is one of Frank's pictures that I found that he had published in the Kwaj-Line news letter.  He was the cartoonist for the ship's news letter.  I am sure this man is one of the sailors on the ship, probably one of the officers.