Thu, Mar 24, 2022 - THROW BACK THURSDAY - Conclusion to The Congressional
This is the last part to Jim Pfeifer's fascinating but sad story about Sarah Jane's brother. Several of you missed the fact that this series of the "William Graham Hayes Saga" was written by Jim. He worked two years on this story. His stories appear in a local Hillcrest magazine. As you can see, he's a wonderful writer. Many of you have asked if he was kin to Susan Pfeifer. I don't believe so. He once published his own story. I'll go back and try to find it and send it one week.
Thank you, Jim, for some wonderful reading!
the Congressional
part 7 - conclusion
“Wiliam Graham Hayes - Fallen ... So Fast, So Far”
The story of Bill Hayes beckons the questions - why did he fall so far so fast? Who, if anyone let the young man down in his formative years? and finally, how can we prevent our kids and grandkids from falling into dangerous traps which threaten their young lives?
There is little doubt that the United States Senate let Bill Hayes down. That became obvious five minutes into a discussion with his fellow page, now 75 year-old head of an international law firm in Phoenix. “We walked out the door of the Capitol in late afternoon and no one knew where we were or what we did until reporting for school the next morning,” he remembered. The prominent attorney credited his own senator with insisting that his parents find adult friends or relatives to provide housing and supervision in the D.C. area; but said that most pages, who were largely juniors in high school, were left to find apartments or rooming houses on their own near the Capitol. The Senate has drastically revamped this program, with an assigned dorm, security, curfews and supervision for all pages. That Bill Hayes’ future accomplice in illegal activities was an employee of the United States Senate while Bill paged there, was startling to discover.
There is no evidence that Bill’s parents provided anything but a loving home for their children. Their three older sons and daughter lived law-abiding lives and made positive contributions to their communities; however, Bill was substantially younger than all of his siblings. Whether the parents provided as much supervision to their youngest child as they had to their much older children is not known. Statistics indicate that this question is one which parents and grandparents might reasonably ask ourselves, as we raise the youngest of our kids and grandkids and as we age ourselves. This story reminds us also that parental support and supervision of our kids is important even when they compile impressive scholastic and disciplinary records.No one I have spoken to has characterized Bill as a person addicted to illegal substances. However, news reports of his criminal activities indicate he was comfortable around needles and intravenous substances. There is no evidence that he stole from unlocked medicine cabinets or while roaming his father’s and brother’s doctor’s office. Due to proven cases of children taking prescription drugs from unlocked spaces in their homes, friends' homes or physician’s offices, programs such as Arkansas Takeback (artakeback.org) have been established to reduce such dangerous situations. This program encourages return of unused prescription drugs to designated safe places, lessening the chances of substance thefts and resulting tragedy.
The story of Bill Hayes gives us pause to consider that potential tragedy for our young people crosses economic and all other demographic lines. There seemed few limits to the contribution which the young boy - excelling on the tennis courts, assisting in the U.S. Senate, and striking the gavel as president of his school - would make to the world. Was he let down unintentionally by adults? Are we letting anyone down now? What can we do to make stories like this stop?
Jim Pfeifer aia
1956 CLASS NEWS
Our deepest sympathy to Judy Callaway Pickering, in the death of her sister. Her "little" sister had been ill for some time and lived on Lake Conroe in Texas.
Found Pat Hudson this week. 2 things: She has a new email address; let me know if you want it. And I transposed the last 2 numbers in her cell number. So please correct that in your Directory.
Also spoke with Ben McMinn. He is pain free from his cracked pelvis and slowly getting back to his normal schedule.
Kay Padget has moved to Texas to be near her son. She has the same cell humber. Let me kiow if you need her new address.
Central High Tigers: If you know anyone who lives at Chenal Pines, please let them know that the Swing Band Reunion will be in concert there in just a couple of weeks - Thursday, April 7, 2022, at 6;30pm. Please join us!!!! We loved playing at Parkway Village last Sunday and seeing Bill Hill, Mary Lou Hosack and Betty Sue Johnson Stanley and Jim. Pat Neal's brother, Class of '54, was there also and came up to introduce himself. We are a tight group, all of us Central High Tigers!!!!!
If you would be interested in having the Swing Band treunion play at your Church or in a retirement setting you are familiar with, please pass along Betty Chandler's phoone number (501) 730-1876, or just REPLY here. We love seeing the smile on everyone's face as we play a lot of these "Big Band Era" numbers.
Warniing from Hal Gentry. Beware of online site: Pch Classmates.com. Hal ordered a copy of the Pix from them in February 2020 for $36.00. In August 2021, he got a bill for $81.88 which he missed. In February 2022 he got another bill for $96.00 No phone number on their website. Lynda went online and promptly got a notice that she would be automatically charged for "renewing" her "subscription." Based on reviews, this is common. And that's a non-cancellable 2-year subscription. It renews if you don't cancel in advance. They just don't tell you about it. And they triple the price on renewal without advance notice. 50 minute wait on the phone to talk to a rep!
1955 CLASS NEWS
Looking for a new email address for Gilbert Rainey. Anyone have it?
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First off I'm okay. I was a little shaken up last night as I was robbed at the Kum & Go gas station in West LR.
After my hands stopped trembling I managed to call the police. They were quick to respond and calmed me down.
My money is all gone. The police asked me if I knew who did it. I said yes . . .
It was pump number 3.
(Stolen from a friend. )
ML