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I.
INTERGENERATIONAL BONDING
In the mid-1970's, and about the time our
son (who graduated from medical school in
May 1997) was starting elementary school, a
letter arrived in the mail. It reads in part as
follows (the original version was one full page,
typed):
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Diffine:
...
Your son seems to enjoy games,
but he has
a
tendency toward undue
roughness. There have been many
complaints lately concerning your son's
use of his hands. This often brings group
and individual disapproval.
For no
apparent reason, he strikes out with his
fists. Temporary separation from the
group seems to help him most. He is
a
capable boy; he excels in academic
pursuits. His paramount need at the
present time is control of his hands in his
relationships with his classmates
...
Sincerely yours, Edna Johnson
Now get this. The letter came in an
envelope from my Mom 25 years after Mrs.
Johnson, my First Grade teacher, wrote it on
April 11, 1949! And Mom's note to me in the
mid-1970's said,
"Son, I just found this in some
old papers. Thought you'd like to have it at this
time,
as
your children start school. It's called
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