Thompson shares funny story, reflects on his life
Thompson shares funny story, reflects on his life Posted: Friday, February 13, 2009 8:01 pm
One of his favorite stories, he tells it with vigor bordering on great excitement. He said he first heard it from his daddy, who vouched for its veracity. Not only that, he said, but later on he went to Hornbeak and found the man who had a picture of the dog. And sure enough, right there in black and white was a two-legged dog. And the dog could run. I pause at this point to give you my take: It’s an outrageous story. “The dog had only two legs. Both on the same side, which I thought was impossible,” Thompson said. “My father said, ‘Well, you go see Mr. —- about it,’ and I did. He said it was true, showed me that old picture. He said when they’d go hunting, the dog would come with ’em, run a while on those two legs and lay down a while.” Do I believe the story? One time I was hit on the forehead, just above the eyes, by the handle of a handyman jack. I saw stars. It took a while to get my bearings. The two-legged dog story produced the same sensation. Vinson Thompson is a colorful guy. He’s also what certain university professors would label a societal asset. I figured he’d be a good subject for a column. So I asked him to sit down for an interview. He said thanks, but no thanks. I kept the faith, kept after him, and finally he said OK. So here you have it. If you know anything about Vinson Thompson, you know he has a reservoir of funny stories. In most any setting, sooner or later, he’ll tell one or two. I’ve heard him tell many of them. None were smutty or dirty or trashy. All were just good clean humor. Case in point: The story about the “designated decoy.” It’s wild and crazy and too long to be included here. If you run into him somewhere, ask him about it. Before we continue in this vein, I offer this background on Obion County native son Vincent Farrel Thompson Jr., son of the late M.C. and Mary Ruth Thompson of Obion, and husband of Olivia Ann Thompson, to whom he’s been married 47 years. Wednesday, Thompson reached his 73rd birthday. He had this to say about his roots: “I was born in Obion, I was raised in Obion, I graduated from the former Obion High School and I made most of my living in Obion County. I’m about as Obion as you can get.” He quips about his high academic standing in Obion High School Class of 1954. “I was real fortunate that I finished high in my class,” he said. “I finished sixth overall. There were 14 students in the senior class. That puts me in the upper 40 percent.” For a man who for almost 21 years was much in the public eye as superintendent of Obion County School System, there is a modicum of knowledge about him. On the other hand, there are things little known to the general public. For example, his military service. He served two years in the U.S. Navy on board the USS Los Angeles, a heavy cruiser. Also, for example, his ambition to enter the legal profession. He even enrolled in pre-law, but it didn’t happen. He said he should’ve been a lawyer because he’s been sued so many times, the legal stuff would have come in handy. Thompson is a 1958 graduate of the former Memphis State University where he earned an undergraduate degree in history and political science. He is also a graduate of Peabody College — now a part of Vanderbilt University in Nashville — where he earned a master’s degree. And he’s completed 45 hours toward a doctorate. Again, his sense of humor raises its head. He says an “MS,” meaning a master’s degree, is “more of the same.” A Ph.D is “piled higher and deeper.” And degrees are what you read on a thermometer. In his time, he’s been a teacher-coach at the former Troy High School and more. Here’s a partial list: • Assistant principal of a Georgia high school that had 1,750 students and 100 teachers. • Probation counselor for eight Middle Tennessee counties. • Superintendent of two bad-boy schools whose inmates were male teens who’d been sent up for committing major crimes • Warden of a state prison. He doesn’t talk much about the prison experience. He said he’s seen things that are best relegated to the dust bin of personal history. He reports that for him, after the Navy experience and all the other, coming back to Obion County was a homecoming. It was no cakewalk. He took the job of county superintendent of education just when school consolidation was a hot topic of public interest. It was a chaotic time. He said any time you take away a community’s school, there’s going to be chaos. But he made it, hung in there 21 years and retired in 1999. Which brings us back to his sense of humor. “I think every man has his own place and his own way of expressing himself,” he said. “Take care of serious problems when they arise. Otherwise, have a little humor, enjoy life.” Like anyone else, Thompson has his thoughts about public officials and public issues of the day. One of his favorite historical characters is the late humorist Will Rogers. When it comes to politicians, Rogers, he said, “expressed it better than anyone I’ve ever heard.” It goes this way: One evening at a classy bash at Washington, the audience in a theater was filled with congressmen and senators and their wives. Rogers stood at a podium, center stage, where he was to make a speech. “Will’s first statement was, ‘Our legislature opened today with a prayer, and it will close with an investigation,’” Thompson said. “Times haven’t changed all that much, have they?” Thompson said he looks for funny stories to add to his lore, and he has only one regret. He wishes he’d written down all those stories he’s heard at one time or other through the years. In gathering material for this column, I was asked by the venerable Vinson Thompson to include three items. I do so with pleasure, Mr. Thompson. Here goes: Item 1: “I was superintendent of schools almost 21 years,” he said. “I was fortunate to be surrounded by some of the finest, most dedicated teachers in the state. Teachers are the backbone of the education system.” Item 2: “With all the problems we have in this country, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” he said. “It’s the greatest country in the world. We have young men and women today who are sacrificing a lot for the rest of us. We can’t thank them enough.” Item 3: “The people of Obion County took care of their obligations. They sacrificed a lot for education. By that I mean the building program and the appropriations so we could increase the number of teachers.” Thanks, Mr. Thompson. God bless you, sir. Published in The Messenger 2.13.09
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