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Declare among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard;
publish, and conceal not. - Jeremiah 50:2
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 winner: Editorial Page excellen
2019, 2018 winner: Best Headline Writing
2019 winner: Best Community Service
2019 winner: Best Layout and Design
2019 winner: Best Serious Column - Don Daniel
ON THE PORCH by Will Davis
DRAWING ON THE NEWS by AF Branco
Getting back to
showing, not telling
E ach January we comb the last 52 issues of the
Reporter to find our best work from the previous
year. We take the best and enter it into the Georgia
Press Associations annual Better Newspapers
Contest.
I am very proud of our staff and our newspaper. Our
readers often tell us how much they enjoy their Reporter.
And it’s nice when out-of-state journalists who judge the
contest agree. We were named the second-best news
paper in the state among weeklies our size back in last
years contest.
But one impression I take from reading the last 12
months of On the Porch is that the room for improve
ment is clearly the biggest room in this house.
I suppose a lot of us have the tendency to judge harshly
our own work. Or even our own face. As I get older and
balder, I become better at avoiding mirrors altogether.
And writing is such a personal thing that it seems easy
to hate. I wonder if other professions
sometimes look at their work with
disgust. Does a plumber ever flush a
toilet he installed and think to him
self: “That wasn’t my best day.”
Does a chef ever think of a salad he
made last week and cringe?
Probably not. There’s something
very vulnerable and self-conscious
about writing that lends itself to
insecurity and vulnerability.
So what do I hate about my own
writing?
Well, the best writing, I believe,
is descriptive. It transports readers to a specific place
with specific people that they can smell, hear and touch.
I think I have fallen into a polemic trap. I just want to
vent my spleen, and my opinions, rather than telling a
story. I want to get back to showing, not telling.
Maybe I should get back to what got me into this racket
to start with. In Mrs. Smith’s fifth grade class at Aldert
Root Elementary School in Raleigh, N.C., we had a
“writer-in-residence” come to our class. She was kind of
a “visiting author.” I don’t remember her name or what
book she wrote. But she tasked us with writing a descrip
tive narrative about some place we had visited. I chose
a doctor’s waiting room. I described the room in great
detail. A mother paced back and forth trying to quiet
her crying baby. An old man tried to read a 10-year-old
Time magazine over the screams. A middle-aged woman
smoked nervously in the corner (this was 1986, you
recall).
After reading our little ditties, the author lady pulled
me aside with Mrs. Smith and raved about my abilities.
She wrote a note home to my mother. And here I am 36
years later, still cobbling letters and words together to
make a living.
But lately I haven’t been describing as much as I did
back in fifth grade. Perhaps I have grown impatient in
the digital age. Maybe I’m in too big of a hurry to take
time to describe life as we see, hear and smell it. But it’s
time to go back.
Our own Steve Reece has been helpful in this regard.
His popular column right here next door to me always
includes colourful and entertaining descriptions of life,
whether in the present in Monroe County or back when
he was building movie sets in Hollywood.
So here’s my belated New Year’s resolution: I’m going to
try to slow down and observe, and listen, and yes, smell,
life in Monroe County. And I’m going to jot down details
of what I see and hear in my little Notepad app on my
iPhone so I can re-tell it in this space. Maybe a year from
now, I can look back at my missives in this space from
2023 without biting my lip, cringing and my face flush
ing with embarrassment. See, I’m doing better already.
Will Davis is the publisher of The Monroe County Re
porter. Email him atpublisher@mymcr.net.
is published every week by The Monroe County Reporter Inc.
Will Davis, President • Robert M. Williams Jr., Vice President
Cheryl S. Williams, Secretary-T reasurer
OUR STAFF
Will Davis
Publisher/Editor
publisher@mymcr.net
Tammy Rafferzeder
Business Manager
business@mymcr.net
Steve Reece
Reporter
stevereece@gmail.com
Donna Wilson
Advertising Manager
ads@mymcr.net
Diane Glidewell
Community Editor
news@mymcr.net
Amy Haisten
Creative Director
mymcrgraphics@gmail.com
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Deadlines noon on Friday prior to issue. Comments featured on opinion pages are the creation of
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Publication No. USPS 997-840
REECE’S PIECES by Steve Reece
A medal for Corporal Jackie
B aboons were a big problem
for farmers in South Africa in
the 1910s. They were destroy
ing so many crops that the
government hired bounty hunters to
shoot them down. An infant chacma
baboon was orphaned by these hunt
ers and found near the farm of Albert
Marr who took the young baboon
into his home. Albert loved him so
much he raised him as if he was his
own son. He named him Jackie, and
they became inseparable. Jackie soon
was acting more human than ape.
The First World War broke out in
1914 and South Africa joined the
Allies. In 1915 Albert volunteered to
join the 3rd South African Infantry
Regiment but requested that he be
allowed to bring along his beloved
baboon. His request was granted. In
those days many military regiments
had mascots such as dogs, horses, and
even kangaroos.
It wasn’t long before Jackie
began to imitate the life of a
soldier. He carried a wooden
rifle when he drilled along
side the troops. He stood at
rigid attention and at parade
rest with his hands behind his
back. Jackie entertained his
comrades by lighting
their pipes and ciga
rettes and saluting offi
cers when they passed.
He had chow in the
mess hall using army-issued utensils
and perfect military manners.
After boot camp, Jackie’s command
ers were so impressed with his abilities
he was officially enlisted as a private
with pay, a ration card, a cap with
brass insignia and a tailored uniform
complete with a hole cut out for his
tail. Jackie enjoyed the comradeship
only understood by soldiers. Al
though he was barely four feet tall, he
was considered a brother-in-arms.
Jackie and Albert saw their first ac
tion in Egypt when the Senussi, allies
of the Ottoman Empire were threat
ening to destroy the Suez Canal. The
South Africans attacked the Senussi
and captured their com
mander. Pvt. Marr was
wounded in the shoulder
during the heavy fighting
and Jackie stayed by his
side, licking his wounds
and frantically doing
everything he could to
comfort his friend until
medics arrived.
After Albert recovered,
the unlikely comrades
found themselves in the
trenches on the Western
Front. For two and a half years they
fought side by side sharing the ghastly
conditions of war in France and
Flanders. Pvt. Jackie never fired a rifle
or threw a grenade but on more than
one occasion his acute eyesight and
hearing saved many lives. He would
walk along with Albert while he was
pulling guard duty and would tug his
coat if he saw or heard anything.
Out of a starting force of
3,000 men, only 140 were
remaining of the 3rd South Af
rican Regiment after the Battle
of Delvile Wood in July 1916.
Those that were still standing
continued to fight horrific bat
tles against Germany and her
allies. The Germans were
getting nervous about the
US entering the war and
began a massive maneu
ver to push the allies back
across the entire Western Front.
In one of these battles, the South
Africans were pinned down under
heavy fire and the men scrambled to
pile stones around them for protec
tion. Of course, Jackie emulated his
fellow infantrymen and began to stack
heavy stones of his own.
Suddenly an explosion went off
and a piece of shrapnel entered one
of Jackie’s paws and his right leg was
nearly completely severed. Even in his
pain, agony, and fear, the ape con
tinued to drag himself from stone to
stone piling them higher as the battle
raged around him. Stretcher-bearers
came to help the brave young mon
key, but he fought them
off, insisting that he
continue his part in the
battle. He finally relented
and allowed Albert to
pick him up and carry
him to badly needed
medical assistance.
Jackie’s doctor decided
to amputate his leg but
was concerned about
using chloroform on an
animal. Jackie survived
and a passing ambulance
took what was left of the poor soldier
to the “Casualty Clearing Station”
where he rapidly healed.
After a few months, the end of the
“War to End All Wars” was in sight,
and Privates Albert Marr and Jackie
were shipped to England.
Jackie arrived as a war hero. Several
decorations and medals were pinned
on the chest of a baboon. On the
right sleeve of his uniform were four
chevrons. On his left sleeve, he wore
a brass “Wounded in Combat” stripe.
He was also promoted to the rank of
corporal.
Private Marr and Corporal Jackie
were then assigned to assist the Red
Cross at fundraising functions. For
half a crown, the public could shake
the monkey’s hand while he was
restrained with a collar attached to a
chain. For five shillings a person could
plant a wet kiss on Cpl. Jackie’s cheek.
I’m sure neither soldier was happy
with this public display, but they were
never ones to disobey an order.
Jackie and Albert were finally
discharged and returned home to a
grand welcoming parade. Jackie later
received a Citizen’s Service Medal.
Soon after they returned to the family
farm, a fire destroyed the farmhouse
and tragically took Jackie’s life. Albert
Marr joined his friend at the age of 84
in 1973.
Steve Reece is a writer for the Report
er and a known crime fighter. Email
him at stevereece@gmail.com.
Private Albert Marr &
Corporal Jackie
CAROLYN S CORNER by Carolyn Martel
Yes, you can have the mind of God
T he Apostle Paul
said, “Let this mind
be in you that also
was in Christ Jesus”
(Phil. 2:5).
God’s desire is that we
think like Christ. And the
one aspect of your person
ality which God will
measure constantly for
Christ-likeness is your
mind! Are we thinking
like Christ?
I heard a preacher say, “If we could
see the ‘spirit man’ on the inside of
some people, including some Chris
tians, they would look like an Ethiopi
an refugee. Emaciated, underfed and
starving! Why? Because
they are not feeding their
spirit the ‘Bread of Life and
they’re not drinking in the
‘Living Water!’ They never
give God a thought except
maybe on Sunday, which is
the only day they hear the
word of God.”
Romans 12:2 says,
“Be not conformed
to this world; but
be ye transformed
(changed), by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect will
of God. The word “prove” used in
this verse means to examine, look at
and compare. As we examine, look at
and compare this world’s philosophy,
life-styles, morality and standards to
God’s standards, we are proving to
ourselves that the ways of God are
superior to the ways of the world, and
the wisdom of God is superior to the
wisdom of man.
Developing the mind of Christ
comes by cultivating a deeper intima
cy with God through prayer and by
reading His word. The mind of Christ
gives a new perspective on things. We
begin to see the pitfalls and folly of
man’s flawed thinking and reasoning.
Carolyn Martel of Forsyth is the re
tired long-time advertising manager for
the Reporter. Email her at carolynmar-
tell @bellsouth. net.