Back in the 1930s Burt May, the Tribune’s editor, wrote a daily column based on the comments of a mythical newsroom cat named Albert Lea Tommy. Nearly all those columns featured drawings of the feline with an extra long tail.

On June 27, 1934, Tommy wrote, “… a young man brought the following poem entitled, ‘Father,’ in to me and requested I publish it in my space. It would be appropriate for Father’s Day, so I would advise you to cut it out and preserve it for next year. A lot of young people might read it carefully and consider (what it really means).”

It’s obvious from the publication date that Father’s Day had already taken place that year. However, with this reprint we’re just in time for this very special day. Now here’s the poem written by an unknown and unlisted author as originally published in the Tribune back in 1934.

Used to wonder just why father

Never had much time for play,

Used to wonder why he’d rather

Work each minute of the day,

Used to wonder why he never

Loafed along the road and shirked;

Can’t recall a time whenever

Father played while others worked.

Father didn’t dress in fashion,

Sort of hated clothing new;

Style with him was not a passion;

He’d other things to view,

Boys are blind to much that’s going

On about ‘em day by day,

And I had no way of knowing

What became of father’s pay.

All I knew is when I needed

Shoes I got ‘em on the spot;

Everything for which I pleaded,

Somehow, father always got,

Wondered season after season

Why he never took a rest,

And that I might be the reason

That I never even guessed.

Father set a store on knowledge,

If he’d lived to have his way

He’d have sent me off to college

And the bills been glad to pay,

That I know was his ambition;

Now and then he used to say

He’d have done his earthly mission

On my graduation day.

Saw his cheeks were getting paler,

Didn’t understand just why,

Saw his body growing frailer,

Then at last I saw him die.

Rest had come. His task was ended,

Calm was written on his brow,

Father’s life was big and splendid,

And I understand it now.

Aerial photos

Right at this point I’d like to change the topic and deal with a question which has come up regarding the Lifestyles section article in the May 18 issue. This question was based on the two aerial photos taken about 60 years ago of the city’s north side and the south shore neighborhood based on Fountain Lake.

Please note that I used the word about in the previous sentence. I wasn’t too sure as to just when those aerial photos were taken by Robert C. Church. His logo was on the back of one of the photos, but no actual date. Thus, the date of 1948 was just an estimate.

After this article was published, I had the opportunity to visit with several people who then lived on the north side of the city. They seemed to have the opinion that the photo was taken a few years earlier, maybe 1946 or late 1945.

This is also the 50th anniversary of the 373 number prefix for the land line telephones in Albert Lea and the 448 prefix in the Glenville area.

However, those two actually started out as something else,. The original intention was to give the telephone customers in both communities two-letter, five-figure numbers. As a result, the Albert Lea numbers were based on FRanklin 3 plus the four digits of the customers’ phone numbers. The prefix for Glenville was GIbson 8. To confirm this, just check the key pad on your telephone. Also, since 1958, the FRanklin 7 and FRanklin 9 prefixes have been added to the local land line numbers.

Ed Shannon’s column has been appearing in the Tribune every Friday since December 1984.