Discipline By Patty LaRoche

Helicopter parents, as I wrote last week, refuse to let their kiddies suffer consequences. These folks are the first ones in the principal’s/coach’s/ dance instructor’s office when their child complains about unfair treatment.

Not my mom.

No matter how many times in grade school I whined about how mean my teacher, Sister Deloris Marie, was to me, my mother never changed her tune: “Well, Patty, you must have done something to irritate poor Sister.”

Yea, like breathe,” I reminded her and then added dramatically, “But when I come home dead someday, you will know who is responsible.” And then I went outside to play kick-the-can. In my mother’s eyes, I was guilty until proven innocent and had Sister Deloris Marie notified my mother of me misbehaving, there would have been double-trouble at home.

Then the unexpected happened. A classmate’s mother came to our house to share that her daughter was bothered by how Sister treated me. It was a Hallelujah moment. My typically non-interfering mother, now forced to resolve the issue, set up a visit with Sister Deloris Marie, expecting, I’m sure, to hear she had a grave sinner for a daughter. I feared that intervention, knowing that had I done even one teensy thing wrong, my kick-the-can days would be over. Things must have gone well because neither my mother nor Sister tortured me after that conversation.

Unlike Mom, some parents turn a deaf ear to complaints of their kiddos’ bad behavior. One of the most bothersome Biblical stories about ignoring the children’s sin involves the high priest and judge, Eli, and his two scoundrel sons and fellow priests, Hophni and Phinehas. In 1 Samuel we read the dastardly duo stole money from the offering and slept with women who served outside the sanctuary.

Eli confronted his boys. “What’s going on here? Why are you doing these things? I hear story after story of your corrupt and evil carrying on. Oh, my sons, this is not right! These are terrible reports I’m getting, stories spreading right and left among God’s people!”

At this point, I expect to read that Eli responded the way my mom would have, had she been alive in 1100 B.C. You know, like take away his sons’ camels for a week or force them to repay the treasury by sheering a few extra sheep or demote them from temple priests to keepers of the doves. Nope.

He does nothing.

So, God does. His message—“Judgment is coming because you refused to discipline your sons”– cannot be misinterpreted. Who of us wouldn’t be on our knees begging God for a second chance to do the right thing and discipline our children? Not Eli. His comment? “He is God. Let him do whatever he thinks best.”

Get a donkey prod for this guy! These are his heirs, his flesh and blood, and he doesn’t have the gumption to beg God for mercy! What is wrong with this man? This is no slap-on-the-wrist correction. God even directs a prophet to tell Eli that his sons both will die on the same day. Read 1 Samuel 4:10-18. The father dies a few hours after his sons. It is a discipline that never needed to happen, had Eli parented like his kids mattered…

which, of course, makes me appreciate a mother who cared enough never to let me get away with anything. Thankfully, she saved God a lot of time making His point.

Obituary Of Alvin Metcalf

Alvin Wayne Metcalf, age 71, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Wednesday, May 16, 2018. He was born September 8, 1946, in Ft. Scott, the son of Wayne and Ellen Schubert Metcalf.

He graduated from Fort Scott high school with the class of 1964. He married Linda Lee Cox on November 10, 1964, in Ft. Scott.

Alvin served in the U. S. Army in Vietnam as Specialist 4th Class. He worked most of his career as a firefighter, retiring as Captain of the South Johnson County Fire Department.

He enjoyed coon hunting and raising greyhounds. He traded guns, knives, and dogs. He also drove the team bus for many out of town high school games.

Alvin was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend. He will be greatly missed.

Survivors include his wife Linda of the home; a daughter, Kristen Metcalf, Lawrence, KS; a son, Clint Metcalf and wife Taira, Lawrence, KS; five grandchildren, Joseph Berkey, Keenan and Halle Gregory, and Amelia and Landon Metcalf; three great grandchildren, Emerald, Etain, and Eislin Berkey; two brothers, Delbert Metcalf, Ft. Scott, and Mike Metcalf and wife Debbie, Nevada, MO; a sister, Shirley Moberg and husband Henry, Melrude, MN; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two grandsons, Kyle and Ian; and his parents.

There was cremation. Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct memorial services at 12:30 PM Friday, May 25th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the U. S. Army Honor Guard. The family will receive friends from 11:30 AM Friday prior to the service. Memorial contributions are suggested to the KU Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or Lees Paws and Claws and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, P.O. Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Let The Fun Begin

Riverfront Park Pavilion is open to the public.

Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Weekly Coffee attendees joined in the ribbon cutting Thursday morning.

The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee attendees were part of the ribbon cutting celebration at Riverfront Park Thursday morning.

The ribbon cutting was to officially open the new pavilion for public use.

The park is slowly but surely being improved under the leadership of the Fort Scott Bourbon County Riverfront Authority Board.

Beginning in 2005, the board became official in 2007 when Governor Sebelius created the Fort Scott Bourbon County Riverfront Authority Board to oversee the revitalization of the park.

Since then several trails have been created in the park with help from the Kansas Wildlife and Parks along with the city and county.

The trails are well used because of all the shade provided by the established trees in the park, Jerry Witt, president of the board, said.

Now the covered pavilion has been built for public use.

The pavilion has electricity and is already scheduled for a wedding in September, Jerry Witt, president of the board said.

The next improvement to the park is a lookout structure to be built at the confluence of the Marmaton River and Mill Creek, which should be completed this year, Witt said.

The Fort Scott Bourbon County Riverfront Authority Board Members from left: Allen Warren, Arnold Schofield, Danny Magee, Jerry Witt, Dean Mann and Betty Boyko. Not pictured are Penny Barnes, Bob Love and Jeff Sweetser.

Free meal and entertainment this evening (May 17)

Tonight the Riverfront Authority Board is hosting a free hot dog dinner to the public at 6 p.m.

“Price Chopper donated the hot dogs, buns and chips and everything to go along with that,” Allen Warren, a board member said.

At 6:30 p.m. local musicians Jason Richison and Kinley Rice, along with a country western band will perform at the pavilion.

Residents are asked to bring lawn chairs.

Parking will be at the  Twister Trailer  parking lot across the street from the park on North National Avenue, just past the red bridge.

Handicapped individuals may park in Riverfront Park.

For more information, click here:

Riverfront Park Pavillion Coming Spring 2018