By ANNE DONNELL

I’m reading The Presidents’ Club, an excellent book I’d recommend to anyone interested in American history “at the top.” When Harry Truman returns to Washington after being president, Eisenhower didn’t invite him to stop by the White House; Truman cleverly brushes that off by saying something about Eisenhower’s not having time for every “Tom, Dick, and Harry.” Is that the origin of this term? Thank you. -Where Will the Buck Stop Next?

First, the signature above is a reference to the placard reading The buck stops here on Harry Truman’s desk. [Harry Truman (1884-1972) was the 33rd President of the United States and, previously, the 34th Vice President under Franklin Delano Roosevelt. At Roosevelt’s death April 12, 1945, Truman succeeded to the presidency, to such matters as the ending of World War II and the decision to drop atomic bombs onJapan, to a battle and a half in 1948 against the Republican nominee Thomas E. Dewey, to the coming of the Cold War, and to a few other tall challenges. A good book about him? Truman by David McCullough.]

Second, the book being read is The Presidents Club: Inside the World’s Most Exclusive Fraternity by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy. The book is about former presidents and particularly how they help (sometimes not) the man holding the office.

By SAM HATCHER
The Wilson Post

It’s still to me a “must watch” part of the Olympics.

When a U.S. athlete wins a gold medal for his or her accomplishment, I want to see the presentation and hear the “Star Spangled Banner” being played.

Is there a better part to these games?

To me there is not.

To watch one of these outstanding athletes represent the U.S. and to see his or her reaction when standing on the platform while listening to our national anthem or even mouthing the words to this song is nothing short of a most magnificent expression of patriotism.

By SAM HATCHER

While some may say it’s been a long time coming, the doors of a new Lebanon High School will officially open today.

The South Hartmann Drive facility is a state-of-the-art structure with all the bells and whistles to make it a superb learning center.

To tour the new school is like taking a walk around some high-end technology plant in the Silicon Valley.

This school should make us all proud.

But so should all of our schools.

To the Editor:

Robert “Bob” Beckwith of Watertown was buried Friday, July 27, with full military honors. Several persons and relatives attended the service and burial.

Bob, a friend and someone who not only served his country in time of World War II, but came back to his home and served as a mail carrier and contributor to his community, fellow man and countless others, was a highly decorated soldier of Wilson County. Among the numerous decorations he earned in the United States Army was:  Silver Star, Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts for the three times he was wounded by enemy fire. One of these, a sniper bullet, he carried with him in his body to his grave.

Linda Beth Evins gave a beautiful eulogy relating to an interview she did with Bob a few years ago. She detailed by memory the places in the South Pacific in which he heroically served and also his subsequent service to his community. One could witness, on the faces of those in attendance, the admiration for Bob and his great loss to the community and nation.

By SAM HATCHER

Here we are only a few days from the Aug. 2 election and once again we’re all asking the same question.

“Why don’t they (candidates) stop all the negative advertising?”

They won’t stop it because it works.

And it works because of us, the voters.

Despite what we might say and what we might think, negative advertising influences the final decision we make at the polls.

It may turn us off or turn us on, but one way or the other negative advertising has a dramatic impact on how each of us votes.

If we just knew the truth, it would make a big difference.

But the truth is something that many times is left out of politics.