I was just reading about an incident at an elementary school where a stranger called and impersonated a child's father. It ended up being a weird and scary situation for all concerned.... I was reminded of a time, back in the 80's, when my brother(18yrs. my senior) came to pick me up from school so we could go rabbit hunting one evening.(I was normally a bus rider) It was his practice to carry a .22 pistol while hunting rabbits,and given the chance he would use it if we caught a "sitting" rabbit. So, on this particular day, he walks into the school, pistol on his belt, and tells Mrs. Niekamp the school secretary he's my brother,and there to get me. Our school had gotten a top of the line intercom system that year,so she was able to call for me, rather than walk down our school's only hallway, to our only 3rd grade classroom. When I arrived at the office, she asked "Randy, do you know this man?". I confirmed that he was my brother, and we were going hunting, and out the door we went.......My how things have changed!!!

Sadly those days are gone.....and I sure miss 'em.

It's been 15 years since I graduated high school, but even then I remember turkey hunting in the morning and then going to school for the afternoon. The parking lots were full of trucks with shotguns and the hallways were full of camo clad boys. No one ever thought a thing of it. Sure can't do that in today's world.

15 years?! Dang...now I feel really old. It's been 39 for me...

Knew a fellow who on his lunch hour from high school hurried up town to the hardware store to get a package for dad, and to bring it home on the school bus. Kept it his locker until school was over for the day. All driver asked was if he kept the caps separate. The "it" was dynamite to finish blowing some stumps.

Me and my wife now have to have background checks in order to pick up my kid, or just to go eat lunch with her. Yes, things have most definitely changed. Very sad.

I think what alot people fail to understand is that you can blame lawyers and judges for most of this mess....

All about the money!!!

I graduated in the late 80's. I remember having my gun in the gun rack parked in the school parking lot. It was one of many trucks with the same.

Now I would get suspended and probably have to go through some therapy to figure out what's going on in my head.

Unfortunately, today we have people doing bad things more and more frequently. Society is definitely changed. This goes for the kids in the schools to the adults.

As a parent, I don't have any problem with the school systems watching over our kids more diligently than ever before.

It is definitely a small inconvenience to go through all of the paperwork and checks, but well worth it if it helps in some small way to protect our children.

And yes, I did say late 80's. It will be 25 years this year....

Same here. Graduated 87. Had a 67 GMC that always had a gun or two in the rack. Never locked. Always had a knife on my belt. Same as half the other kids in school. Nobody ever even thought of using a weapon in anger.

How things have changed.

How about coach picking me up from squirrel hunting on August mornings during two a day football practices, and putting the .22 in his locker in the gym till practice was over. Or, me riding my bike across town with the rifle slung across my back to practice, and handing it over to coach to put it up till practice was over!!! I agree though, I wouldn't want that happening in today's world.

Penn State??

Lol

Holy cow that is funny sorry yaz but ol weed just hit that out of the park

Yaz has always been fond of soap on a rope.lol..j/k

Here are some good examples.....

You should know that by today's standards none of us were supposed to ever make it.

HIGH SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2013

Scenario 1:
Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack.
1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2013 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario 2:
Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2013 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario 3:
Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.
2013 - Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse; Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.

Scenario 4:
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957 - Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock.
2013 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario 5:
Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2013 - ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents - and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario 6:
Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 – In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2013 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

This should show how stupid we have become!

Boy huntsemall,,,,,you nailed that one. Sad, isn't it..

Those are all so sad but true. I will also add that in Junior High the music teacher would go hunting for pheasants out in the Dakotas. He would come back and during class I would be in the back room cleaning the birds while he was teaching class.

For me in the 2nd grade I was given a really cool knife by my Grandpa and I took it to school to show my friends. The teacher flipped out and sent me to the office. The principal asked to see it and told me "that is a cool knife, just keep it in your pocket" and sent me back to class.

Common sense has become an endangered species...

Benjamin Franklin: “The thing about common sense is that it is not all that common.”