 | Faye Graves, a native Wichitan, attended school at Friends and Wichita State, concluding at Midwestern Theological Seminary. He has been active in media for many years with Channel 12, KIRL, KFDI, KOOO AM & FM (Omaha), KFRM & KICT 95, as an owner, manager, producer, director and announcer. He has served as President of the Haysville Board of Education. He has also served on several national boards of the Southern Baptist Convention. Faye currently serves as Executive Pastor and Director of Administration and Education at Immanuel Baptist Church, 1415 S. Topeka, Wichita. You may contact Faye by e-mail fmgraves@amenibc.org, or by phone at (316) 262-1452. |
Nostalgia
2009-08-01 13:52:00
Remember...
Do you remember the highways in the 30’s & 40’s?
Answer: My memory flashes back to the old Highway 81 that led to my grandfather’s farm.
It was located close to Freeport, Kansas. I remember that the highway did not have a speed limit posted at that time and the cars were not capable of the speeds they can now achieve. My father and family would go on this highway which was just two lanes and was very narrow. I remember that there were not very many signs along the road for you to read. Some were painted on the side of barns or on the roof of farm out-buildings, but the ones I want you to recall were placed in sequence so you read a sentence at a time and then the sponsor’s name was at the end. Most of you will remember well the Burma Shave signs. Here are a few of those memorable signs. I am placing them in the order of the signs as they appeared on the highway.
Hardly a driver
Is now alive
Who passed
On hills at 75.
Drove too long
Driver snoozing
What happened next
Is not amusing.
Brother speeder
Let’s rehearse
All together
Good morning, nurse.
Around the curve
Lickety split
Beautiful car
Wasn’t it?
No matter the price
How new
The best safety device
Is you.
A guy who drives
A car wide open
Is not thinkin’
He’s just hopin’.
At intersections
Look each way
A harp sounds nice
But it’s hard to play.
At the end of all of the signs was the Burma Shave sign. Most of these had safety messages. I’m sure you read each one…and after all these years…you still remember the little Burma Shave signs.
