IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury Push Americans into a corner, and they’ll either start painting or enliven the crunched space with creative juices soon to spill over. Superintendents and other school “brass” have greatly expanded committees planning commencement ceremonies, realizing that “same old” plans employed historically since the earth started cooling are “no more.” For many reasons–some understandable,

IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury “No one is an idol to his valet.” historian/writer Thomas Carlyle so contended two centuries ago. In one case dating back 60-plus years, Carlyle would have been “dead wrong” about a couple of Brownwood High School athletes. Lawrence Elkins –the “idol”–re-wrote dozens of records in four sports, dazzled at Baylor in football and

IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury A few days ago, my wife and I enjoyed a short road trip. Typically an hour’s drive to Stephenville, this day it was twice that. It took 40 minutes to make it through Granbury, where folks–weary of “sheltering”–seemed happy to be in their cars again, perhaps looking for “essential places.” Stephenville friendships were

IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury Let’s make a worldwide observation. Man’s “inhumanity to man” has been chronicled–as well as played out, unfortunately–across the centuries. (Hey, now. I’m writing in broadest terms that likewise include women, too. They’ve worked right alongside, and often ahead, but that’s a whole ‘nuther story.) In these uncertain days when calendar pages seem to

IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury If bodies grew weary of exercising, two of my friends–Dr. Lanny Hall in Abilene and Katheleene Green in Burleson–would be too sore to stand up. Truth to tell, Katheleene has been a devotee to physical exercise much longer. She attains age 100 come July 18. Dr. Hall, three decades her junior, has never

IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury It is a good thing that we have memories to sort through while we shelter in place. Grammarians or not, we’re given to making the present tense, and the past, perfect. As we take stock of what used to be–while greatly shaken by “what is”–we think back on happenings faced hurriedly the first

IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury Lanes don’t get slower than those to which we’ve all been assigned. Thoroughly “slowed down,” I am reminded of the old duffer stopped numerous times on the freeway who refused to accelerate to minimum speed. Finally, the officer said, “If you don’t start moving faster, I’m going to strongly suggest that you sign

IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury My Uncle Mort, who lives so far out in the country that nobody passes his house going to town, called the other day.  “I’m going to shock you, nephew,” he said. “’Cause I’m planning a ‘give-away’ that folks won’t be able to refuse.” He had my attention. I felt flushness in the face–sure