Dale

I was born in 1936 during the depression in northern Ohio. We lived along the Tuscarawas river in a small village, and the river flooded every spring and the water came up to our front steps. In the front yard we had a Hugh walnut tree with a family of flying squirrels living in it and it was fun watching them fly from one limb to another

A flying squirrel gliding
Flying squirrels are not capable of powered flight like birds or bats; instead, they glide between trees. They are capable of obtaining lift within the course of these flights, with flights recorded to 90 meters (295 ft).[2][3] The direction and speed of the animal in midair is varied by changing the positions of its two arms and legs, largely controlled by small cartilaginous wrist bones.[4] This changes the tautness of the patagium, a furry parachute-like membrane that stretches from wrist to ankle.[4] It has a fluffy tail that stabilizes in flight. The tail acts as an adjunct airfoil, working as an air brake before landing on a tree trunk.[5]
The colugos, Petauridae, and Anomaluridae are gliding mammals, which are similar to flying squirrels, because of convergent evolution.A few mammals can glide through the trees, but they do not actually fly (like birds and bats). They have a membrane of skin on either side of their body.. In 1942 I began my schooling in a 2 room school with classes 1-4 in one room and 4-8 in the other. It was at this time that I found out that I was different than my class mates. I could not see what was written on the blackboard even from the front seat. I was visually impaired almost blind. The adults were felling sorry for me and saying he will never be able to any thing, and some of my class mates were making fun of me. I was happy to pass the 8th grade and I thought that high school had to be better boy Was I ever wrong. To start with the Principal didn’t want me he told my father to send me to the state blind school. My father ask me if I wanted to go the blind school and I said no. My father then told the principal that I would be going to high school here. I was not allowed to play any football, basketball or soft ball because I could get hurt. My class mates were mean they held fingers up in front of my face and ask how many fingers were their and if I was reading a book which I had to hold close to read they would push it in to my face. The teachers were great in shop class I made a end table which I still have and I learn how to wire lamps and plugs. Fighting off the bullies was the worst thing in high school. I worked setting bowling pins at the local bowling alley and got paid 8 cents a game. I also had a large newspaper route. I also mow lawns and washes dishes in a local dinner. I didn’t ask my father to buy me a bike I bought my own with a big basket for my paper route. I found salvation ib a small Nazarene church I will never forget that I thought that I was going to burst when Christ came in to my heart. My father found salvation there also and he died with cancer in 1957 and I know that I will meet him again in heaven. Well this is the end of my childhood and now the adult years and college, but that can wait till August.