Father's Day, Mentors, Change in Dacula

First let me thank all the folks who made Memorial Day 2010 special in Dacula. Thanks to the sponsors of the beauty pageant, the 5K, the parade, and the festival. Special thanks go to the Gwinnett County PD for their assistance, and for each of you who attended. I hope you were as amazed at the outpouring of feelings for our young men and women who gave their lives for the Nation. Thanks parents for bringing your children to the Memorial Day celebration. They need to know that freedom is not free; it is bought with a price--sometimes an ultimate price.

As I was thinking about Dacula, I wondered at the way thing have changed---and yet they stay the same. The street layout of Dacula hasn’t changed much. Sure there are more houses and businesses, but if you visited after an absence of say fifty years, I bet you would know about where you were on any of our major routes. The historic downtown area hasn’t changed much. Yes the depot is gone, some buildings have been renovated and other spruced up, but essentially it is the same as when the buildings were built. If you were on your 50th anniversary visit, you would recognize downtown because it has been resistant to change because it is cramped between the railroad, schools and residential areas.

When I was growing up here during the late 1940’s and early 50’s, one of my favorite things was visiting the local barber shops. Back then there were only two in Dacula and both were in the historic downtown area. The proprietors were George Lee Tanner and Will Walls. Tanner’s barber shop was a men-only shop, but Mrs. Walls also provided care for the ladies in the Walls’ shop. Now we have about six barber shops or hair salons, one of which is located downtown in the old Tanner’s spot.

When I was a youngster, my grandfather went to the barber shop every other day to get a shave. I suppose it was easier than soaping up, stropping your straight razor, and trying to keep from nicking yourself. I learned a political lesson early on—Granddaddy always alternated between shops.

I enjoyed the preparation for his shave. First came a hot damp towel wrapped around his face. Then Mr. Tanner or Mr. Walls would strop the straight razor on a long leather strap (I might mention that my father had such a razor strap—but he had quit using it for its designed purpose—though he had another use for it.). Then came the lather and the careful use of the razor. Finishing off was with some kind of after shave preparation—maybe witch hazel, as I recall. All this service for a single quarter dollar. Wow!

Now we’ve gotten away from using straight razors for shaving. I shave every day, but I use a safety razor and only go to a barber shop for a hair cut. We also have gotten away from the barber shop as community central for men. I think women’s hair salons are better at that, from my experience in carrying and waiting for my mom to get her hair done.

As I waited for my grandfather, there wasn’t a TV set playing. There were no magazines or newspapers (except maybe once per week). But there were people from the community. They were sharing farming news, politics and other things. Yes, let’s face it there was also lots of gossip. Don’t believe that men don’t gossip. They do or at least they did at the barber shop. A young lad could learn a lot from the men at the barber shop.

Now, we go to the barber shop. Sometimes they are called salons, and “GASP” some of the barbers are ladies! The sad part is that sometimes we don’t know anyone else but the barber. The TV is playing, or you can lose yourself in a magazine. There isn’t much interaction among the customers. A young lad today may not learn anything at the barber shop. Sad!

I think I remember paying thirty-five cents for the first hair cut that I paid for myself. The last hair cut I have paid for was $15. That’s a big change.

Still things change, and they stay the same. Put down you magazine and join in a conversation with you neighbor. You never know what a young lad may hear and learn about being a man. Be a role model. That’s what my grandfather, Mr. Tanner, and Mr. Walls were.