Category Archives: Uncategorized

By Philip E. Jenks July 28, 2015 – Harold Wilke stared thoughtfully into his coffee cup and swirled the dark liquid in a gentle arc. It was the 1980s, and we were sitting together at the head table of an … Continue reading →

Southern heritage has been on the hot seat recently. In South Carolina, politicians are forced to recognize the Confederate flag for what it is, an icon of white supremacy and racism. And in the literary world, fans of Harper Lee’s … Continue reading →

By Philip E. Jenks July 10, 2015 – Jimmy Carter, now in his 91st year, has been out of office longer than any millennial has been alive. That makes him extraneous to the majority of living Americans, and even those who … Continue reading →

This morning I’m celebrating the life and mourning the passing of Stan Freberg, a closet Baptist and certifiable communications genius. His LP album, “Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America,” was widely regarded as the best comedic audio recording in … Continue reading →

Reprinted from Senior Correspondent. This was written before so-called Islamic State terrorists burned a captured Jordanian pilot alive — an unspeakably depraved act that has enraged Muslims and the Arab world. By Philip E. Jenks What ‘y’a gonna do? The … Continue reading →

Reprinted from Senior Correspondent: By Philip E. Jenks Winter has not chilled the ongoing protests over the summer slayings of unarmed African American men by police. Clergy and religious leaders have been major players in the demonstrations. Some, like Al … Continue reading →

For four members of our family, a trip to Rome in November was the spiritual highlight of the year. Yes, we saw Pope Frank. Twice. (I included some details in an earlier piece: http://bit.ly/1tAiweK). The man in white is an undisputed international celebrity, … Continue reading →

I was in the attic this morning, searching for a drawing I made in 1964. I didn’t find the drawing but I discovered several long-lost items including two scrapbooks, a large framed family portrait, and a functional paper cutter. I hauled the items … Continue reading →

From 1946 to 1950, my family lived in an apartment on the third floor of Flora Cramer’s house on Main Street in Morrisville, N.Y. The house was reportedly the first frame house built in Morrisville, whatever that means, and the … Continue reading →

Grandma Patience was real, and she really had a daughter named Desire. She also showed her droll wit (and spelling flexibility) in naming her other children: Wata Jencks Veltman, Sally Jencks Hogeboom, Hannah Jencks French, James Jencks Jr, Elmore Jenks, … Continue reading →