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HOW TO BUILD BETTER CITIZENS AMONG THE VERY, VERY YOUNG  "Yes, I think this will do for my inauguration day outfit!" |
Our Patricia once was
junior mayor of K.C.
of TheColumnists.com
You're never too young to learn how voting and your
government works. Voting should be made every citizen's obligation.
The privilege of casting a ballot has been taken for granted
and not seen as an important or necessary action. You can fight
city hall, only you've got to be taught how to do it.
Kay Barnes, the current Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, thinks
she's the first female to hold that office. She's not. I am the
first female ever elected Mayor of Kansas City. I was 10 years
old at the time. The title was Junior City Mayor. When I tell
you the politics, infighting, campaigns and hoopla were as hard
for a juvenile as it was for an adult, I kid you not.
My fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Breedlove, was my political mentor.
She presented the program of Junior City Mayor to us at Switzer
Elementary School. We were an important part of life on the West
Side; a tough part of town in those days. The plan was to introduce
city government to us at an early, impressionable age. She taught
us all the elements and functions of our local government at
the city level. I was fascinated. Three of us stepped up to file
as candidates. My most vocal opponent was Benny Camacho, a brash,
handsome, tough guy who fought to survive in his large family.
For the life of me, I can't remember who the other boy was or
anything about him.
All the boys in school laughed at me, a girl, being fool enough
to think she could run for mayor. Mrs. Breedlove was surprised,
too, but she encouraged me to take the plunge. It never occurred
to me I'd lose. I won the primary election and Benny lost. Knowing
the influence he had, I asked him to be my campaign manager.
If he couldn't win them over to my side with his perfect smile,
he insinuated how sorry they'd be if they voted for the other
guy. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
My winning platform was based on how I'd go before the City Council
and ask them to repair the portion of our school's sidewalk that
had been shattered for years. Even before the election I had
called Tommy Gavin, our Councilman, and told him I needed his
support to get that job done. He was more than a little surprised
to get such a call, yet he agreed to help me whether or not I
won.
After I won, my City Manager, Mary Lewis, and I were invited
to appear on an afternoon radio talk show to publicize my project.
Councilman Gavin invited me to appear and speak at a City Council
meeting. I made my case to a group of smiling, courteous men
who did manage not to laugh out loud at this gutsy little girl.
They did pass a vote to fix the sidewalk, and it was done in
relatively short order.
Another promise I made to Switzer's voters was to encourage our
voting age neighbors to go to the polls each and every election
day. I explained that it took their votes to get tax money to
buy our books. There again, Mrs. Breedlove and Tommy Gavin made
the wheels turn. The Voters League arranged for volunteer drivers,
plus a student of age 10 or older to go to the voters' homes
and give them a ride to and from the polling place. Scores of
phone volunteers set up appointments to give rides and assistance
during the daylight hours. Incentives to vote and a safe way
to get to the voting booth were a hit with politicians and residents
alike.
In that school year (1948-49) my city manager, department heads
and city council members and I did a good job of learning and
doing our duties. We took everything seriously. Our heads were
filled with civic duty, leaving little time to get into the usual
trouble that went with our ages and environment.
Do your town, your country and yourself a favor. Be the next
Mrs. Breedlove. Go to your PTA, the local school board and your
mayor with a program to get students educated and interested
in government. Imagine the pride of ownership you'll give them.
That's what voting is: Owning the right to vote and protecting
that property. Teach a pre-teen student why we need good people
in the offices of power. Expose their minds to what their future
can be with planning and responsibility.
Create enough Bennys and Pats who understand America's need and
advantage to making every vote count. Get rid of the "it
doesn't matter" attitude. Okay, so they won't be perfect.
They won't do it all right the first time. Who does? Civic duty
is the bottom line. Today's Junior Mayor, council member, or
anything in relativity will grow up to shape and re-shape the
world.
Believe me, they'll be more interested in doing this than cleaning
their room.
©2003 by Patricia J. Geister. The cartoon is from IMSI's
Master Clips Collection, 1895 Francisco Blvd. E., San Rafael,
CA, 94901-5506, USA.
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